Appendix A. The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club was established in November 1927 and is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia. The Club is currently located at 118 Park Street SE, Vienna, Virginia 22180.

Mission Statement

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, through volunteer efforts, education and advocacy, acquires, maintains, and protects the Tuscarora Trail and lands of the Appalachian Trail, other trails and related facilities in the Mid-Atlantic region for the enjoyment of present and future hikers.

Overview

PATC was formed originally to help build the Appalachian Trail in the mid-Atlantic region. Today, the Club’s volunteer members protect more than 4,000 acres (by ownership or easement) of trail lands, maintain 1,000 miles of hiking trails, and maintain and manage more than 60 shelters and cabins for hikers use in the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, and in the District of Columbia. Other members are active in many other functions.

In 2004, Club members donated more than 84,000 hours of volunteer time to maintain and patrol trails, construct and maintain cabins and shelters, install a new cabins reservation and computer systems in the Club headquarters, acquire new trail lands or easements in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia, train instructors in Leave No Trace, work with the Youth Conservation Corps and Boy Scout troops doing trail projects, lead hikes open to the public, create new maps, and administer the Club’s many other programs and functions.

Affiliations

PATC has been a member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy since the 1920s. The Club is also a member club of the Keystone Trails Association (Pennsylvania), the Mason-Dixon Trail System, the Virginia Trails Association, the National Trails Council, and the American Hiking Society.

Membership

Membership in PATC is open to anyone 14 years of age or older who supports the objectives of the Club. PATC currently has approximately 6,500 members, most of whom reside in the District of Columbia and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs. The Club has established Chapters in Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and Winchester, Virginia, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania.

Officers

An elected President and a governing Council of elected and appointed officers lead PATC. The elected officers are the

• President
• Vice President for Operations
• Vice President for Volunteerism
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Supervisor of Trails
• Supervisor of Lands
• Supervisor of Facilities
• Supervisor of Membership
• Supervisor of Information, Education, and Activities

Committees

The ten elected officials and the appointed General Counsel form the Executive Committee. The other officers appointed by the President chair vital support committees, such as:

• Legal Affairs
• Lands Acquisition
• Land Management
• Conservation
• Shelters Construction and Maintenance
• Cabins Construction
• Cabins Operations
• Budget
• Endowment
• Finance
• Grants and Donations
• Sales
• Hikes & Excursions
• Internet Services
• Maps
• Public Affairs
• Publications.

Chapters & Sections

The elected heads of the each Chapter, the Mountaineering Section, Ski Touring Section, and Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group as well as the immediate past President of the Club are also members of the Council.

• The Mountaineering Section offers assistance and training in rock climbing techniques as well as more difficult climbing opportunities for the advanced climber.
• The Ski Touring Section conducts workshops for beginners, helps to maintain public ski trails, and organizes ski trips to local and distant areas.
• The Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group is dedicated to wilderness search–and–rescue and to outdoor safety education.