Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
Encyclopedia
The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, or (PATC), is a volunteer organization that works to maintain hiking trails
in the Washington D.C. area. Originally founded in 1927 to protect and develop the local section of the then new Appalachian Trail
, PATC has since expanded its mission to oversee over 1250 miles (2,011.7 km) of trails, 34 shelters and 33 cabins in Virginia
, Maryland
, West Virginia
, Pennsylvania
, and Washington, D.C.
. PATC currently has a 6,500 person membership, and relies almost exclusively on volunteer labor to pursue its mission.
, which manages all day-to-day trail and land management activities under agreement with the National Park Service
. PATC's area of responsibility begins at the southern end of Shenandoah National Park
in Virginia and reaches north to Pine Grove Furnace in Pennsylvania. General trail maintenance is the responsibility of volunteer trail overseers, while trail construction and repair from serious damage, as well as larger projects, are managed by volunteer work crews, such as the Blue and White Crew.
. Other examples are the 71 miles (114.3 km) Massanutten Trail
, and the trails in the Great North Mountain
area that lead to the Big Schloss
peak.
). In addition, the club publishes maps and guidebooks for the Appalachian Trail and other trails the club maintains, publishes a monthly newsletter, the Potomac Appalachian, and organizes hikes throughout the club's area of operations.
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
in the Washington D.C. area. Originally founded in 1927 to protect and develop the local section of the then new Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
, PATC has since expanded its mission to oversee over 1250 miles (2,011.7 km) of trails, 34 shelters and 33 cabins in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. PATC currently has a 6,500 person membership, and relies almost exclusively on volunteer labor to pursue its mission.
Appalachian Trail
PATC maintains 240 miles (386.2 km) of the Appalachian Trail, allocated to PATC by the Appalachian Trail ConservancyAppalachian Trail Conservancy
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the Appalachian Trail, which runs from Maine to Georgia...
, which manages all day-to-day trail and land management activities under agreement with the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. PATC's area of responsibility begins at the southern end of Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the U.S. state of Virginia. This national park is long and narrow, with the broad Shenandoah River and valley on the west side, and the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont on the east...
in Virginia and reaches north to Pine Grove Furnace in Pennsylvania. General trail maintenance is the responsibility of volunteer trail overseers, while trail construction and repair from serious damage, as well as larger projects, are managed by volunteer work crews, such as the Blue and White Crew.
Other trails
In addition to the Appalachian Trail responsibilities, PATC also maintains several hundred miles of trails in Virginia, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. These trails are found in state and national parks, national forests, and occasionally through land held by municipalities, private owners, or the club itself. One such trail is the 252 miles (405.6 km) Tuscarora TrailTuscarora Trail
The Tuscarora Trail is a long-distance hiking trail that is under development. It splits off from the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, passes through West Virginia and Maryland, then rejoins the Appalachian Trail near Marysville, Pennsylvania...
. Other examples are the 71 miles (114.3 km) Massanutten Trail
Massanutten Trail
The Massanutten Trail is a National Recreation Trail located in George Washington National Forest in Central Virginia. Much of the path is steep and rugged terrain, and presents many mountain vistas. The trail traverses the Massanutten Range around its inner valley...
, and the trails in the Great North Mountain
Great North Mountain
Great North Mountain is a long mountain range within the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. The range is located west of the Shenandoah Valley and Massanutten Mountain in Virginia, and east of the Allegheny Mountains and Cacapon River in West...
area that lead to the Big Schloss
Big Schloss
Big Schloss is a peak in the Great North Mountain range of the Ridge and Valley Appalachians, with an elevation of . The peak is located in George Washington National Forest on the border of Virginia and West Virginia, though according to Topozone, the actual summit is in Virginia. The trail is...
peak.
Other activities
The club also has separate sections for climbing and mountaineering, ski touring, wilderness search and rescue(SMRG/ASRC), and trail patrol. PATC operates a number of primitive cabins for rent to members and non-members (one such cabin is Corbin CabinCorbin Cabin
The Corbin Cabin is a log structure built by George T. Corbin in 1909 in the Nicholson Hollow area of what is now Shenandoah National Park. Corbin was forced to vacate the land on which the cabin sits in 1938, when the land was added to Shenandoah National Park...
). In addition, the club publishes maps and guidebooks for the Appalachian Trail and other trails the club maintains, publishes a monthly newsletter, the Potomac Appalachian, and organizes hikes throughout the club's area of operations.