Over Spring Break, eight Scouts and three adults hiked 50 miles on the Appalachian Trail. We started Tuesday night, hiking 1/4 mile in to the Antietam Creek Shelter in Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania.
Day 1 saw us hike 7 miles through Pennsylvania to the Maryland border, where we crossed the Mason-Dixon Line and plowed South for another 6 miles to the shelter.
Day 2 we hiked another 12 miles across Maryland.
Day 3, Troop 48 put an impressive 17 miles in on the Appalachian Trail, including the last few miles through the rain to arrive at the Ed Garvey Shelter. Skippy and Sherveer had to hike out at this point, finishing with just over 20 miles for the day, and completing their 50 Miler in just three days!
Our fourth and final day, we did our final eight miles, completing the the Appalachian Trail through Maryland and entering West Virginia. From there, we hiked less than a mile to the Appalachian Trail Conference Center, the official end of our 50 Miler. It was then a short stroll into Harpers Ferry where we devoured burgers before heading back to New Jersey. Overall, 7 of our 8 Scouts finished their 50 Miler – Skippy, Sherveer, Jason, Vinny, Tim, Stephen, and Magnus. Extra congrats to Vinny and Jason for finishing their first 50! Good job to Will also, who finished with “only” 44 miles as he had to miss our first day’s hiking.
BIG thank you to Paul and Danny for being the adults on the hike, and to Ken, Bob and Suzanne, Steve, Ann, and Liz for helping coordinate the many rides to make this thing happen!
