ALDHA West

Yes, the ALDHA-West Gathering-2008 is coming up soon: September 19-21, at the Lake Wenatchee YMCA Camp. Mark your calendars and help spread the word about this always changing and fun annual event of the western backpacking community. Send in your registration, sign up to give a presentation,volunteer for a multitude of tasks, plan your travel, and bring a friend, a dozen friends, or meet new friends!

The Lake Wenatchee YMCA Camp, is located 25 miles east of Stevens Pass on Lake Wenatchee, just past Lake Wenatchee State Park off Route 207. The camp is approximately 2-1/2 hours from Seattle; 5 hours from Portland; 3-1/2 hours from Vancouver, British Columbia.

As you go about you summer hikes and adventures be aware that there are a number of folks using their prime hiking time this summer working on the scheduling, planning and arranging the events for this year’s ALDHAWest Gathering.

Our Friday evening Keynote presenters are Erin and Hig McKittrick sharing their epic 12 month 4000 mile journey “from the streets of urban Seattle, through the towering forests of the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska, along the glacier-strewn Gulf of Alaska, to the salmon-rich rivers of Bristol Bay, down the windswept Alaska Peninsula, to the storm-tossed Aleutian Islands.” Their presentation and message is sure to pique your imagination and inflame your wanderlust.

Saturday evening’s Keynote presenter is an “historical” guest best known for publishing one of the first books about high adventure on the PCT.

Also planned is a panel discussion/forum on: The Evolution of Long Distance Backpacking. The panel will be comprised of some very interesting “guests” bringing us some insights to the history, change and inovation that has occured with long distance hiking over the past 50 years.

The Gathering team is also bringing back the Stove Burning Contest. So, polish up your best and hottest homemade stove and prepare to burn for fun! Along with the Stove Contest we will also have a Trail Food Cookoff. Be sure to pack up your “secret” recipes and ingredients for an award winning salute to the best of Trail Food.

For those of you wishing to hone your digital camera skills Jonathan Ley will be presenting a workshop on Capturing the Trip: Photography on the long distance journey. As usual Jonathan has much expertise and insight to share.

One of the main highlights of any Gathering is the the Triple Crown Award presentation. Yogi will host this event recognizing the achievement of those hikers that have completed the AT, PCT and CDT.