About us
The ORIGINAL hiking group in Central Virginia, and still the best! The Charlottesville Chapter and the Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club are the oldest trail maintenance and hiking organizations in the Charlottesville area and the Valley, helping and hiking trails since 1985-86! (Way before Meetup.) Our members are avid hikers who love the trails so much we recognize the vital need to maintain them for all to enjoy. Hike leaders include folks who have thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, all of the trails in Shenandoah National Park, and across the planet many foreign countries. Our Chapter’s leaders have combined over 350 years of hiking and 100 years of hike leader experience. The PATC uses only certified hike leaders.
We have a lot of fun exploring local trails, but trail building and maintenance is the centerpiece of the PATC's mission. The PATC maintains 240 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Rockfish Gap at the south end of Shenandoah National Park to Pine Grove Furnace in Pennsylvania and over 1000 miles of other trails in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The effort requires the contributions of hundreds of volunteers, who serve as trail maintainers, trail crew members, land management specialists, and in many other capacities. PATC volunteers log tens of thousands of service hours every year, in their efforts to keep hiking trails safe, sustainable, and accessible. The vast majority of the trails you hike are maintained by volunteers, not paid federal employees.
You do not need to be a PATC member to hike with us or do trail maintenance, though we hope that you will consider joining the club. Your dues contribute to purchasing equipment used to maintain trails, acquiring land for parking areas and buffers along the Appalachian Trail, and building/maintaining trail shelters and cabins. And membership entitles you to rent one of PATC’s 45+ cabins in the region.
So don't just HIKE the trails, HELP the trails! Come join us for some fun!
Members must have a profile picture of yourself to join the group.
Upcoming events
6
Hiking 101 session
Walnut Creek Park, 4250 Walnut Creek Park Road, North Garden, VA, USThis is an introduction to hiking hike. This will be more of an anecdotal instruction based on personal experience and those of others in the group. We will go over at a high level: clothes, equipment, pole, hiking up down hills, water crossing techniques Via the internet (PATC site https://patc-charlottesville.blogspot.com/p/preparation-for-hiking.html
), American Hiking Society: https://americanhiking.org/hiking-for-beginners-essential-guide/
, Hiking Guy https://hikingguy.com/hiking-for-beginners/
And on youtube, I like James Appleton who has a # of videos like this one on hurting knees walking downhill and how to fix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGB19eUUgvg
There are many, and one can find many suggestions/ insights on the topic. Checking these out before hand will help you get a handle on what to expect.
Also, or those interested, I’ll demonstrate some map/compass/gps exercises
We will start/meet at Walnut Creek 1st/lower parking lot
We will meet at the parking lot by 8:00 am with a prompt 8:30 am departure/start. I expect to return to the parking lot no later than 11 PM. Park entry is free to those 62+
Carpooling: You are individually responsible for coordinating carpools and meeting at the trailhead. Riders in a carpool should expect to reimburse the driver for the cost of gas. There may be a Park entry Fee unless you have a Pass
Please review the following:
· Leave No Trace Seven Principles- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Other Visitors
· What to bring on a PATC Hike
o Adequate food and water, appropriate clothing and footwear, a pack with rain gear and car pool money.
o Note as always, the Ten Hiking Essentials:
· Hiking Boots or Athletic Shoes
· Make sure to choose footwear that will keep you safe on the trail. No sandals.
· Water – 2Liters
· Always carry water with you while hiking. Keep in mind that fluid loss is heightened in winter and summer.
· Navigation
· Bring a map and compass.
· Food
· Depending on the length of your trip, pack a sandwich, trail mix, fruit, seeds, or chocolate for when you get hungry.
· Sunscreen and Insect Repellent
· Rain Gear and Extra Clothing
· Be prepared for changing weather, even if it's not in the forecast. Using layers so you can pull on or remove items as the weather changes.
· Avoid cotton base layers.
· First Aid Kit
· Headlamp or Flashlight
· Carry an extra set of batteries in your pack.
· Matches or Lighter
· In an emergency, you may need to keep yourself or someone else warm until help arrives. Carry matches in a waterproof container.
· Tools
· A knife
· A physical list of emergency numbers
· lightweight emergency blanket, whistle, water shoes or sandals for fording creeks, trekking poles
· medicines if required
· Check https://forecast.weather.gov/ for updated weather information
· Please review the hike Preparation Page of the Charlottesville Chapter of the PATC:
· http://patc-charlottesville.blogspot.com/p/preparation-for-hiking.html
Charlottesville/Southern Shenandoah PATC Hikes & Trail Care Meetup group: https://www.meetup.com/charlottesville-patc-hiking-and-trail-love/?eventOrigin=your_groups
1 attendee
Past events
575
Group links
Members
1,065
