Dear Member,

Its summer!  Have you been on a hike or helped on a Trail Care event?   Get out there and bring a friend!   

I want to thank you for your efforts in furthering our mission of providing, preserving, protecting, and promoting recreational hiking trails and hiking opportunities in Pennsylvania. Each of you through trail maintenance in your club and throughout the state, advocacy on issues affecting our trails, and by just leading hikes are making a difference at a grassroots level.

Our 40th anniversary KTA Trail Care program in 2024 is in full swing this summer.  Plan to participate in one or more of the remaining trail cares that Jenn Ulmer has lined up for us.  Check out our website for details.

The Scott Farm along the Appalachian Trail will eventually become KTA's headquarters.  KTA has started preparing the Scott Farm Trailhead Master Site Plan.  We recently held a charette with KTA Staff, Board Members, and stakeholders like ATC, Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, CVATC, and others to begin the brainstorming of ideas.  We are now seeking your input on what should be done at the Scott Farm Trailhead space to better serve the community and visitors.  Please help us by taking our survey by clicking on this link: buff.ly/4ekW0Eu. If you have not completed the survey please do so before  JULY 15th! 

Its not too soon to start thinking about nominating members and clubs for our various service awards.  They include Certificates of Achievement, Volunteer of the Year, Club of the Year, and the Citation Award for lifetime achievement.  These will be presented at our fall KTA Annual Meeting. Please see our website for a listing and description of these awards.  The Awards Committee will be seeking nominations for these awards later this summer.  Start considering members and clubs to nominate for these awards.

The Board recently approved the establishment of another hiking award -The Teen Hiker Award.
The Awards Committee developed the requirements to be similar to the existing Youth Hiker Award that is for youth 12 and under.  Requirements for the Teen Hiker Award: Applicant must be 13 to 18 years old during the award year and must have hiked at least 50 miles on any trails in Pennsylvania during the award year (award year is September 1 to August 31). Applicant may receive this award on multiple occasion but must complete the 50-mile requirement on different trails each year.   A special patch for this award is in the works.  So please start promoting the encouraging teenagers you know to earn this award.  Maybe we can present some this year. The other existing hiking awards are also listed on our website.  Check them out and hike toward earning one this year.

There is a full list of KTA hikes, events, training courses, activities, and trail care opportunities.  There is so much to do. Please visit our website and sign up for one or more and bring a friend.

Please consider planning to make a gift to our Keystone Trails Endowment fund this year.  The earnings from the principal in this fund has been going toward furthering our mission.  In particular, toward member Club mini grants that have been presented this year.  

Our KTA Fall Annual Meeting will be nestled among the many hikes and activities at the Keystone  Hiking & Outdoor Weekend in the Susquehanna Riverlands of Pennsylvania on October 18-20.  Please put these dates on your calendar and checkout our website to register so you can plan to attend.  

On behalf of the Board and the membership I want to thank Brook and all our staff for the wonderful job they are doing to further our mission. 

For the trails and those who wander on them!  See you on the Trail!


Thanks
Wayne E. Gross
President, Board of Directors 
Keystone Trails Association
The Statewide voice of Pennsylvania Hikers

President's Trailhead

Dear Member,
June is Bustin' Out All Over!  It's summer, so get out for a hike and bring a friend!   

Thank you for your efforts in furthering our mission of providing, preserving, protecting, and promoting recreational hiking trails and hiking opportunities in Pennsylvania. Each of you, through trail maintenance in your club and throughout the state, advocacy on issues affecting our trails, and by just leading hikes, are making a difference at a grassroots level.

KTA developed a strategic plan to help guide us over the next five years. The plan is being implemented.

Our 40th anniversary KTA Trail Care program in 2024 is in full swing.  Plan to participate in one or more of the remaining trail cares Jenn Ulmer has lined up for us.  Check out our website for details.

The Scott Farm along the Appalachian Trail will eventually become KTA's headquarters.  KTA has started preparing the Scott Farm Trailhead Master Site Plan utilizing consultants HRG and James Crum AIA Architects.  Please keep an eye out for release of the Citizen Survey and please complete it so you can have input on the future of this wonderful facility and property.  

Its not too soon to start thinking about nominating members and clubs for our various service awards.  They include Certificates of Achievement, Volunteer of the Year, Club of the Year, and the Citation Award for lifetime achievement.  These will be presented at our fall KTA Annual Meeting.  Please see our website for a listing and description of these awards.  The Awards Committee will be seeking nominations for these awards later his summer.  Start considering members and clubs to nominate for these awards.

The Board recently approved the establishment of another hiking award -The Teen Hiker Award.
The Awards Committee developed the requirements to be similar to the existing Youth Hiker Award that is for youth 12 and under.  Requirements for the Teen Hiker Award: Applicant must be 13 to 18 years old during the award year and must have hiked at least 50 miles on any trails in Pennsylvania during the award year (award year is September 1 to August 31). Applicant may receive this award on multiple occasions, but must complete the 50-mile requirement on different trails each year.   We will be developing a special patch for this award. So please start promoting the encouraging teenagers you know to earn this award.  The other existing hiking awards are also listed on our website.  Check them out and hike toward earning one this year.

There is a full list of KTA hikes, events, activities, and trail care opportunities.  There is so much to do. Please visit our website and sign up for one or more and bring a friend.

Our KTA Fall Annual Meeting will be nestled among the many hikes and activities at the Keystone  Hiking & Outdoor Weekend in the Susquehanna Riverlands of Pennsylvania on October 18-20.  Please put these dates on your calendar and checkout our website to register so you can plan to attend.  

On behalf of the Board and the membership I want to thank Brook and all our staff for the wonderful job they are doing to further our mission. 

For the trails and those who wander on them!

Thanks
Wayne E. Gross
President, Board of Directors 
Keystone Trails Association

The Statewide voice of Pennsylvania Hikers

A Legacy Hike Interrupted

In July of 2022, I began an end-to-end hike of the Long Trail in Vermont to celebrate my recent retirement and honor a family legacy. In 1937, my father hiked the Long Trail to celebrate his high school graduation. Armed with his 1937 trail journal, I planned to retrace his steps and compare our journeys. After covering the first 100 miles, my plan was interrupted when I was struck by a car at a dangerous road crossing.

The accident was devastating. My injuries were severe, but after great medical care, I was able to return to the LT a year later. I made it as far as Camel’s Hump before I was forced off the trail again. This time, it was raining. Lots of rain. Catastrophic flooding rains. 

Hikers were asked to come off the trail until damage could be assessed and conditions improved. I went home to regroup and consider whether to continue this hike or listen to what the universe was telling me. Maybe it was time to quit. In addition to the rain, I had struggled with balance and footing after recovering from my injuries. I had fallen several times, narrowly missing additional injury. At my age, I needed to reconsider whether it was smart to pursue this goal and finish the LT.
A Trying Time

In between my aborted attempts to hike the Long Trail, I was home on the couch and hooked up to an IV, just days removed from being in the hospital again. This time it was for an unexpected complication that put my recovery on hold and required additional surgery. It was a trying time. I was physically unable to do the things I love. Several previously planned trips and events had to be cancelled or postponed: fishing, camping, hiking, paddling. For the most part, I accepted that reality with a positive attitude, feeling fortunate to be alive and on the mend.

I’m not sure why, but the one thing that I was most disappointed in missing was the KTA Trail Challenge on my home trails in the Susquehanna River Hills.

The 25K race is a major fundraiser for Keystone Trails Association, an organization devoted to trail stewardship and advocacy in Pennsylvania. Many of my hiking friends participated as runners or volunteers in the event. As photos appeared in my social feeds of friends toughing it out and crossing the finish, I was happy for them, but depressed that I was confined to the couch and unable to join them. In addition to suffering from my injuries and a serious infection, I felt a little sorry for myself and seemed to have a bad case of FOMO when it came to the KTA Challenge.

Challenge Accepted!

Fast forward a year later. Now that I was mostly healed and home from Vermont after the floods, I vowed to join my friends and run the 2023 race. I looked forward to it for months and started trail running again to improve my balance. With several hundred miles of hiking and backpacking under my belt, I felt ready. 

On race day, I started strong - running the flats and hiking the hills. But the humidity was brutal, and I wilted on the Pinnacle, a climb I’ve done several times before with a full backpack while training for the LT. I was well hydrated but still suffered from heat exhaustion. About halfway through the race, I seriously thought about giving up. And I hoped the EMT’s at the aid station wouldn’t recognize my distress and pull me from the race.

But finishing the KTA was a way to acknowledge how far I’ve come in the last year, so I rested up for more than twenty minutes and then set out to finish. My hiking friend Jenny was great company for the second half of the race as we looked out for each other. It wasn’t always pretty, but I persevered and completed the race.

The KTA Challenge became a launching pad for a return to the LT. I was ready to try again before the daylight hours got any shorter in the Fall. Two weeks after the KTA Challenge, I returned to the Long Trail with a better sense of balance and renewed confidence. I just “knew” I would persevere after toughing it out on the KTA. A week later I stood on the Quebec border at Journey’s End having finally completed the Long Trail.

I can’t wait for this year’s KTA. I’ll be ready for the Pinnacle this time!

This time I hoped to be a little better prepared, but that's no guarantee of success. I was in decent backpacking shape during my attempt earlier this summer, and had this been any other trail, it would have been fine. But this was the Long Trail where balance and agility are just as important as having endurance and "trail legs".

I started trail running again in the hopes of improving my balance. At first, I was tentative, afraid of injury. But then I started to find a flow and rhythm. Hesitation was something that plagued me on the LT after coming back from the accident. I would look at an obstacle and freeze, trying to decide the safest way forward. But it's often easier to maintain balance when in constant motion, and trail running forces you to make countless decisions on foot placement in just milliseconds.

For the first time since the accident, it no longer hurt to run. And overall, I felt better. The daily pain I experienced in my knee for over a year finally started to fade. Maybe it was the running, or possibly just some extra time to heal.

- Jim Bennett - 2023 KTA Trail Challenge Finisher 

Learn more about the 2024 KTA Trail Challenge: https://www.kta-hike.org/kta-trail-challenge.html

👋 Meet Jessica, a KTA supporter from Lancaster, PA! 

Q: What makes hiking in Pennsylvania special/meaningful to you?
A: "I love the diversity of the type of hikes you can take in Pennsylvania. There are short “rail to trail” type paths for a quick after work unwind and there are more challenging hikes for a Weekend Warrior schedule. The changing seasons make Pennsylvania extra special.  "

Q: What type of hiking do you typically prefer most often?
A: "My preference is a 5 - 7 mile hike on the weekend."

Q: When did you start hiking?
A: "I started hiking while training for an adventure in Zion National Park. It was about 4 years ago."

Q: What are you currently excited about in your hiking life?
A: "We are so excited to hike the famous Havasu Falls hike near the Grand Canyon starting on May 20th. It is a lottery system to get a reservation for 3 days and 4 nights near 5 amazing blue-green waterfalls. It is a steep 1.5 mile hike down from the rim into the canyon and then an additional 8.5 miles to the campsite. The training has begun!"

Q: Which hiking trails do you enjoy/recommend that are near where you live?
A: "We like to go to Lancaster Central Park and just have fun “choosing our adventure” at each turn. Money Rocks in the Welsh Mountains is a nice shaded hike."

Q: Which hiking trails do you recommend (anywhere in PA)?
A: "Highly recommend World’s End trails and doing parts of the Appalachian Trail in PA."

Q: What do you value most about KTA's mission?
A: "I appreciate how the KTA promotes community involvement by setting up challenges."

Do you care about providing, protecting, preserving, and promoting recreational hiking trails and hiking opportunities in Pennsylvania?
​That's why KTA is here! Help ensure this mission continues to be fulfilled. ​

👋 Meet Daniel, a KTA supporter from Lancaster, PA! 

Q: What makes hiking in Pennsylvania special/meaningful to you?
A: "There's incredible diversity so close to home. Each season offers a new opportunity to experience the outdoors in a completely different way. We're fortunate to have the chance to hike through all four seasons on the trails. "

Q: What type of hiking do you typically prefer most often?
A: "Day hikes and weekend backpacking."

Q: When did you start hiking?
A: "Growing up as a child in the 80s"

Q: What are you currently excited about in your hiking life?
A: "I'm grateful for every moment I can get my kids out in nature, and I'll always be working towards my eventual thru-hike."

Q: Which hiking trails do you enjoy/recommend that are near where you live?
A: "The Mason-Dixon along the West side of the Susquehanna."

Q: Which hiking trails do you recommend (anywhere in PA)?
A: "The AT section between Rt. 501 and Rt. 183 in Lebanon County."

Q: What do you value most about KTA's mission?
A: "Preserving all these beautiful trails is a tireless, thankless job - but it impacts so many hikers who rely on the trails for their own recreation.​"

Do you care about providing, protecting, preserving, and promoting recreational hiking trails and hiking opportunities in Pennsylvania?
​That's why KTA is here! Help ensure this mission continues to be fulfilled. ​

👋 Meet Stephanie, a KTA supporter from Philadelphia, PA! 

Q: What makes hiking in Pennsylvania special/meaningful to you?
A: "Hiking has been a way to connect with the people I love, away from technology and distractions. I am a mom of nine kids, and sharing the outdoors with my family has been an excellent way to connect and share with them my adventurous side. Hiking and trail running was also a way that my sister and I stayed connected, we even did the Frozen Heart 50k and the Keystone Trail Challenge 50k. My sister died in 2020, and sharing those miles of trails with her has become a priceless memory. Every time I do the Keystone Trail Challenge, I am honoring her memory. 

Hiking is also a sweet time of solitude. It's been a way to get out of my busy home and recharge. I am convinced that if more people hiked regularly, the mental health field would not be so busy. "

Q: What type of hiking do you typically prefer most often?
A: "I would love to do a multi-day hike, but full day and regular short hikes have been what I do most. My goal is to stay in shape and plan for bigger hiking trips either with the family or with friends."

Q: When did you start hiking?
A: "I've always loved the outdoors and even did some backpacking in high school, but I was also on the track team so I saw myself as more of a runner. It wasn't until my husband and I took our kids to Canada that I fell in love with hiking. Even so, it took several years and a few more babies being born before I became a regular hiker. I started competing in Spartan races at 46 and then fell in love with 25k and 50k. Now in my 50s, I still see myself as a runner, but hiking definitely gets more time and appreciation."

Q: What are you currently excited about in your hiking life?
A: "I love the answers above! Where can I learn Wilderness First Aid? Right now, I am immersed in being a grandmother and homeschooling mom so I feel that there is a ton I would love to do, but have been limited in what I can explore. My bucket list is long!"

Q: Which hiking trails do you enjoy/recommend that are near where you live?
A: "The Philadelphia area has a beautiful trail area called Wissahickon Valley. I know most of them by heart."

Q: Which hiking trails do you recommend (anywhere in PA)?
A: "Wissahickon (also called Forbidden Drive) is amazing! Valley Forge also has some nice views and interesting historical sites. Ringing Rocks, Jim Thorpe, PA Grand Canyon ... too many to list."

Q: What do you value most about KTA's mission?
A: "I'm a holistic coach so I am super excited about KTA's mission. People need to have regular movement and to be in nature. They need to know how beneficial it is and definitely way more economical than gyms."

Do you care about providing, protecting, preserving, and promoting recreational hiking trails and hiking opportunities in Pennsylvania?
​That's why KTA is here! Help ensure this mission continues to be fulfilled. 

Keystone Trails Association welcomes three new staff members, expanding its presence throughout Pennsylvania

KTA’s newest employees reside in Lancaster, Bedford, and Lock Haven, making the organization more accessible for developing powerful strategic partnerships

Mechanicsburg, PA: The Keystone Trails Association, a statewide organization committed to providing, protecting, preserving, and promoting hiking trails and hiking opportunities in Pennsylvania, is pleased to announce the appointment of three new staff members: Al Germann as Regional Trail Care Coordinator in the PA Wilds, Kate Prisby as Manager of Events and Programs, and Haley Feaster as Manager of Communications and Development.

Once an all-volunteer organization with only a few staff, KTA is transitioning to a staff-driven organization destined to expand its reach and impact on the hiking community and trails preservation in Pennsylvania.

“These new hires are a proactive, strategic response to our leaders who are investing more resources into elevating outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania,” shares Brook Lenker, Executive Director of KTA. “KTA will now more than ever be an amplifier for the importance of hiking and hiking trails across the commonwealth.”

Al Germann brings experience in trail stewardship and a passion for exploring the state’s great outdoors to a new position focusing on the extensive trail network in the PA Wilds region, assessing trail conditions, and organizing maintenance activities as KTA’s first Trail Care Coordinator.

Kate Prisby, with a background in education, program management, volunteer recruitment, and conservation leadership, will serve as KTA’s Manager of Events and Programs. In this role, she will orchestrate outings and other programs that offer memorable trail adventures and teach hiking etiquette, safety, and skills – ensuring that hikers of all demographics and experience levels feel comfortable and respected on PA’s trails.

Haley Feaster, an entrepreneur with a resume steeped in advocacy and communications, will expand KTA’s network of partners and continue to build awareness of KTA’s mission as Manager of Communications and Development. She brings a wealth of energy and ideas to her new post.  

“KTA is equipped with an incredibly talented staff,” says Lenker. “We’re looking forward to great success as we begin implementing KTA’s five-year strategic plan that will work in harmony and support aspirations for a strong and sustainable outdoor recreation economy.” 

About Keystone Trails Association: The Keystone Trails Association offers a robust trail care program with volunteer opportunities available on PA trails, serves as the statewide voice of the hiking trail community and trail advocate in PA’s capital, and offers a wealth of hiking opportunities throughout the year that both long-time hikers and the next generation of hikers can enjoy together. 

Keystone Trails Association to Host Special “Trail Love” Maintenance Event in the Michaux State Forest on National Trails Day

​KTA has been awarded a generous Mini-Grant from the South Mountain Partnership to organize a collaborative hiking trail maintenance event within the Michaux State Forest.

Mechanicsburg, PA: Keystone Trails Association, a statewide organization committed to providing, protecting, preserving, and promoting hiking trails and hiking opportunities in Pennsylvania, will be hosting a new “Trail Love: Michaux State Forest Edition” maintenance event on Saturday, June 1, 2024, celebrating National Trails Day and the 40th anniversary of its Trail Care Program.

Trail Love will be a lively and festive trail maintenance blitz at sites throughout the forest. Volunteers will have a variety of projects to choose from including options that are accessible and accommodating for any level of maintenance experience. 

“Trail Love will be a fun way to welcome first-time volunteers and elevate our seasoned regulars!” shares Jenn Ulmer, Manager of Trail Maintenance and Training at KTA. “We’re honored to have so many great partners coming together to host trail maintenance projects at the event including PA DCNR, surrounding Friends groups, Pennsylvania Parks & Forest Foundation, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy, just to name a few.”

A South Mountain Partnership Mini-Grant was awarded to the Keystone Trails Association for the planning and development of Trail Love during the September 2023 Power of the Partnership Celebration.

“Pennsylvania’s conservation landscapes, like the South Mountain, are critical to the preservation of our state’s hiking trails,” shares Brook Lenker, Executive Director of KTA. “South Mountain Partnership is doing incredible work to promote the Michaux State Forest. We’re excited to collaborate with them on this event and hope it helps people feel more invested and connected to the South Mountain region.”

Volunteers for Trail Love will have the option to camp out the Friday evening before the event at Pine Grove Furnace State Park, can enjoy complimentary meals on Saturday (including a special cookout), and will receive a free commemorative t-shirt. 

Learn more about and volunteer for Trail Love: Michaux State Forest Edition at:
www.kta-hike.org/michauxtraillove 

About Keystone Trails Association: The Keystone Trails Association offers a robust trail care program with volunteer opportunities available on PA trails, serves as the statewide voice of the hiking trail community and trail advocate in PA’s capital, and offers a wealth of hiking opportunities throughout the year that both long-time hikers and the next generation of hikers can enjoy together. 


This project was financed in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Environmental Stewardship Fund, under the administration of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. The grant was awarded through the South Mountain Partnership, with management oversight of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

We are a partner of the South Mountain Partnership, an alliance of organizations working to preserve and enhance the cultural and natural assets of the South Mountain Landscape in Central Pennsylvania. To learn more about the Partnership, please visit www.southmountainpartnership.org.

###

We want to announce a sizable bequest that has just been received from the George Gardiner Probst Estate. In his honor, the majority of the bequest has been invested in the Keystone Trails Endowment fund. George, who is from Wellsville, NY just north of the Pennsylvania line, was a veteran of the United States Navy and the United States Air Force. He was a Mason, and a member of the Susquehannock Trail Club, and Finger Lakes Trail Conference. He enjoyed hiking, backpacking, fishing, hunting, and camping. He especially enjoyed canoeing the Pine Creek in the Grand Canyon of PA. See his full obituary here: https://www.eveningtribune.com/obituaries/p0200357.    

Continuing to grow our endowment fund is important to providing long-term financial stability to our organization. Consider KTA in your estate planning to make a positive impact on Pennsylvania Trails for future generations.

Please take this opportunity to consider making a donation to The Keystone Trails Endowment Fund sometime this year as a lasting legacy to the mission of KTA. KTA member clubs and other groups may also make contributions to the fund. Consider making a donation in honor or memory of a club member who has made a difference in your club or the hiking community.  

​An application is available on the KTA website:
https://www.kta-hike.org/keystone-trails-endowment.html 
​
Donations will be recognized at the KTA Keystone Hiking and Outdoor Weekend, Susquehanna Riverlands, October 18-20, 2024.  

Thanks for your support,
Wayne E. Gross
KTA Development Committee Chair

Dear Member & Friend of KTA,

Spring is upon us!  Get out for a hike and bring a friend!   

I want to thank you for your efforts in furthering our mission of providing, preserving, protecting, and promoting recreational hiking trails and hiking opportunities in Pennsylvania. At a pivotal grassroots level, each of you is making a difference. Whether it be through trail maintenance, volunteering with local hiking clubs, adding your voice to advocacy issues affecting our trails, or leading a local hike, we thank you. 

A lot is going on with KTA. Through the efforts of our Executive Director, Brook Lenker, KTA has received Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Grants and has completed another application for 2024 DCNR funding. These grants are invaluable in helping KTA further its mission. 

Under the leadership of the Strategic Planning Committee, Chair Krista Cessna, KTA developed a strategic plan. The plan was adopted by the Board in December 2023 to help guide us over the next five years. Our strategic plan is beginning to be implemented. 

Congratulations to the trail and hiking clubs receiving the KTA mini-grants helping the clubs meet the needs of our hiking trails. The funds for these grants are direct investment disbursements from our endowment fund. Please apply for future mini-grant opportunities for your hiking clubs when available.

We mark our 40th anniversary of KTA Trail Care in 2024. Plan to participate in one or more trail care activities that Jenn Ulmer and Al Germann have lined up for us. Check out our website for details.

We wish a fond farewell to our Manager of Communications and Development, Holly Tritt, who is following other pursuits. We thank her for her enthusiasm and dedication to KTA. 

Welcome to Kate Prisby, Manager of Events and Programs, Al Germann, Regional Trail Care Coordinator: PA Wilds, and Haley Feaster, Manager of Communications and Development. We welcome these new staff who we are sure will bring their great diversity of talents to help us achieve the mission of KTA. These three join Brook, Casey, and Jenn on our staff to make great things happen for Pennsylvania Trails with our KTA volunteers and partner organizations.

The Board and I wish to give a special shout out to our Executive Director, Brook Lenker, who has been navigating us through the many changes that have been occurring - all for the better.

There is a full list of KTA events, activities and trail care opportunities. Please visit our website and sign up for one or more and bring a friend.

We have our upcoming KTA Spring Hiking Weekend in Stroudsburg, PA on April 19-21.  Please take an opportunity to go to our website and sign up by April 5th to attend.  Hoping to see you there.

For the trails and those who wander on them!

Thanks
Wayne E. Gross
President, Board of Directors 
Keystone Trails Association

The Statewide voice of Pennsylvania Hikers