Gregory Goes There

Heading into the holidays, SectionHiker has a great idea. If you have friends who are avid hikers and backpackers (and chances are you do if you’re looking at this blog), give the gift of involvement.

There’s no shortage of groups doing good works when it comes to trail building, route maintenance and general advocacy for wild places. So help your friends get involved. If you think they’ll appreciate it, sign ‘em up for a membership in a regional or national trails/hiking advocacy group.

No need to reinvent the wheel here; SectionHiker has done a good job rounding up the list of options, from regional groups like the Pacific Crest Trail Association here in Gregory’s backyard to the Continential Divide Trail Alliance, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Green Mountain Club, or groups with a more national scope like the American Hiking Society or the Wilderness Society.

At best, it’ll help bring out the volunteerism in people, and, at worst, they’ll appreciate at gift that keeps on giving to a cause in which they’ve got a vested interest.

Or they’ll wish you’d given them a fruitcake. But probably not.