The Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club
The Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club (ODATC) is an organization of individuals and trail-related organizations who meet to recreate in the outdoors in various ways as well as act as stewards of a portion of the Appalachian Trail and the public lands it runs through. Our recreational endeavors focus on hiking in Virginia but includes biking, paddling and touring as well. While the majority of our events occur in Virginia our only true limits are what members wish to limit themselves to. Learn more
News Flash:
*The next membership meeting will be at the Libbie Mill Library on May 10th at 6:30pm
*Registration for the Inaugural A.T. Vista program is now open
*Important Announcement regarding online membership dues payment appears below
Upcoming events
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THE ODATC EXPERIENCE - CURRENT ISSUES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Registration for the Inaugural A.T. Vista program is Now Open The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) Vista program is scheduled for August 5-8, 2022, at the State University of New York campus in New Paltz, New York. The event is four days, Friday through Monday, and includes opportunities for attending hikes, workshops, excursions, and entertainment, and gathering with hundreds of hiking and outdoor enthusiasts! It's been since the summer of 2017 that we’ve been able to gather, spend time on the trail, learn, and socialize. The inaugural A.T. Vista program is being planned to carry on the great camaraderie of kindred spirits that cherish the Appalachian Trail and being outdoors. The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference will host the in-person A.T. Vista in the beautiful Hudson Valley region, with hikes and excursions in the region, and workshops and entertainment at the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz, New York. The A.T. Vista is the rebranded ATC Biennial program, somewhat streamlined but keeping most of the exciting activities. Early Discounted Registration is open from April 1 – 30 Regular Registration opens May 1. Affordable on-campus rooms and delicious and healthy buffet meals will be available onsite. Also, the Village and Town of New Paltz offers lots of wonderful dining options, including a variety of vegetarian and ethnic options, as well as excellent local breweries. If you opt to reside on campus in the dormitory system, you can arrive as early as Thursday evening and stay through Tuesday morning, as program activities begin on Friday, August 5 and extend through Monday, August 8. Nearby bed and breakfasts, local hotels, campsites, and onsite RV for lodging will be available. Camping will be available nearby (not on campus), but the college will permit Recreational Vehicles in one of the parking lots (no hookups). Programming includes over sixty hikes, including more than 20 on the Appalachian Trail, and the remainder using many of the hiking areas that are within an hour’s drive from New Paltz. There are over 45 workshops scheduled, and over a dozen exciting excursions, most in the Hudson Valley region. Evening entertainment includes concerts and other opportunities to meet other attendees. An opening session and reception are scheduled for Friday night, August 5. Access to certain activities will have limited spaces, so register early to join the fun! A list of the currently planned hikes, workshops, and excursions are available to view at: www.atvista2022.org |
ATC Trailway News Now Available If you would like to look at the Conservancy's latest Trailway Newsletter, please click here.
Change in Payment of Membership Dues For members who have been making their annual membership fee payment using PayPal, please note that there has been a change in the way payments will be handled on the ODATC website. Prior to this change, members would elect to pay with PayPal and be redirected to a PayPal site. We will no longer be using PayPal to make payments. Instead, we will be using the website’s hosting company’s automated payment system. At our last board meeting it was decided to make this change so that we could save the club an additional two hundred dollars a year. This is the amount Wild Apricot charges us for not using their system. Treasurer Bill Beck made the necessary changes, and has tested it out. What you will notice when your pay your dues is that you will be asked to enter your credit card information - just like any other online purchase. There will be no option for PayPal. If you are accustomed to making your payments by sending a personal check to ODATC, please continue doing so. This change only relates to those members who have been making their payments via PayPal. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Leonard Adkins Receives Award for His Latest Book ODATC member Leonard Adkins's book All About the Appalachian Trail was recently named a Silver Award Winner in the 33rd annual Independent Book Publishers Please click here if you would like to read the full article. If you're interested in procuring a copy of Leonard's book, please click here for the information that originally appeared on our site.
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Popularity A Mixed Blessing As Hikers Visit Appalachian Trail in Record Numbers NPR Article by Adiah Gholston Escapism has brought people to the Appalachian Trail for years, and over this past, pandemic-ridden year, more people than normal found themselves on the trail for that very reason. But that influx of people brings other issues - like littering - which is straining both the trail systems and the volunteers and professionals who maintain them. To continue reading the remainder of this article, click here.
Elected Board Members for 2022 President: Pat Doyle
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