The Mountain Times

Green Mountain Club accepts responsibility for entire appalachian trail in Vermont

WOODSTOCK- The Green Mountain Club has accepted management responsibility for an additional 22 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Windsor County, Vt.

The club, which founded and maintains Vermont's Long Trail, currently manages the Appalachian Trail (AT) where it coincides with the Long Trail as well as from Killington to Route 12 in Woodstock.

With this transfer, the club will also lead management efforts from Route 12 to the Connecticut River (see map). This stretch of trail, running through Woodstock, Pomfret, Hartford and Norwich, is highlighted by rolling hills and open areas affording hikers spectacular views.

"We look forward to joining efforts with an active cadre of volunteers already working on the Appalachian Trail," says Will Wiquist, executive director of the Green Mountain Club (GMC).  "The transfer continues our century-old effort to support hiking trails throughout Vermont, now including the full stretch of Appalachian Trail, new trails in the Northeast Kingdom, and the Long Trail System."

The transfer was made official at the Green Mountain Club Ottauquechee Section's annual meeting on Nov. 4, 2011 with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) re-delegating responsibility from the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) to the Green Mountain Club.

Hawk Metheny, New England regional director of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, said, "It has been a pleasure to work with both the GMC and DOC staff and volunteers on the maintenance reassignment. ATC appreciates that GMC is welcoming any DOC volunteers who have performed trail or boundary maintenance on this section to continue their work under the guidance of GMC. ATC is confident in GMC's ability to manage this section of the A.T. to a high standard, the club's 101 year history as stewards of the Long Trail assures that."

Rory Gawler, staff advisor to the Dartmouth Outing Club, said, "The DOC is very excited to refocus its energies in its own backyard in New Hampshire - our historical connection to the AT has always been a chain of cabins and trails connecting Hanover to Moosilauke, and it will be great to focus more intently on that. We have many new facilities and trails to keep us busy and we know that the beautiful trail between Route 12 and the Connecticut River will be in good hands with the GMC - they've been great to work with through this whole process, our relationship as trail maintaining colleagues is better than ever and we're looking forward to future collaboration with our friends in Vermont."

The Green Mountain Club relies on an estimated 1,000 volunteers every year to help maintain more than 500 miles of Vermont trails and more than 60 shelters and lodges. The club counts on 14 sections - i.e. regional chapters - as well as trail adopters to lead these efforts throughout the state. One of its largest sections is the Ottauquechee Section based in the Upper Connecticut River Valley.

Tagged: Green Mountain Club, Long Trail, hiking