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Mid-Atlantic Trail Crew
Based near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic Crew works on the Appalachian Trail from Rockfish Gap in Virginia to the New York–Connecticut state line. Sponsored by the National Park Service, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and the A.T. maintaining clubs of the mid-Atlantic region, it normally runs for eight weeks from late August to late October.
Base Camp
The crew base provides a meeting place for the crew on the day prior to the work week. It has a kitchen, dining/meeting hall, showers, bunk space, and parking for crew volunteer vehicles.
Crew Week
Crew members meet at base camp on the afternoon or evening of the day before the first day of their work week for dinner and an orientation session. The first day of the work week begins with a hearty breakfast at 7 a.m. followed by travel to the project. The remainder of the first day is spent on some combination of working on the project and setting up a field camp. The crew spends the next three days working on the project. On the final day of the work week, the schedule is reversed: field camp is packed up, some work may be done on the project, and the crew travels back to base camp. Tools, the field kitchen, and vehicles are cleaned, followed by an optional celebratory dinner. Volunteers for the next session may be able to stay at the base camp between sessions, with the exception of the mid-season break — please indicate whether you are interested in this while registering.
Please note that while there are usually three days off between each crew session, occasionally adjustments to that schedule must be made. Please contact us with any questions about the schedule.
Mid-Atlantic Schedule 2024
Session 1: Wind Gap A.T. Relocation
Wednesday, August 28th – Monday, September 2nd
The Crew will be working on a relocation of the Appalachian Trail within the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge near Wind Gap, Pennsylvania. This relocation will reduce the steepness of this section of the Trail, providing visitors with an improved experience today and into the future. This new route will have a more gradual grade, helping to prevent erosion by reducing the amount and speed of water that travels down the tread of the Trail. Constructing a new and more sustainable path for the Trail involves tasks such as vegetative clearing, tread definition, side hill tread construction, stone step installation, and crib wall construction. Each workday the Crew will be hiking about 3/10 of a mile to the worksite with a climb of between 200 and 450 feet. The crew will be staying at a nearby A.T. hostel.
Session 2: Wind Gap A.T. Relocation
Thursday, September 5 – Tuesday, September 10
The Crew will be working on a relocation of the Appalachian Trail within the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge near Wind Gap, Pennsylvania. This relocation will reduce the steepness of this section of the Trail, providing visitors with an improved experience today and into the future. This new route will have a more gradual grade, helping to prevent erosion by reducing the amount and speed of water that travels down the tread of the Trail. Constructing a new and more sustainable path for the Trail involves tasks such as vegetative clearing, tread definition, side hill tread construction, stone step installation, and crib wall construction. Each workday the Crew will be hiking about 3/10 of a mile to the worksite with a climb of between 200 and 450 feet. The crew will be staying at a nearby A.T. hostel.
Session 3: Clarks Ferry Switchback Rehab
Thursday, September 12 – Tuesday, September 17
The Crew will begin work on the rehabilitation of a switchback on the A.T. at the base of the climb from the Susquehanna River to the top of Peters Mountain, near Duncannon, Pennsylvania. The work will primarily involve wood timber crib wall construction, but may also include tread definition, side hill tread construction or stone step installation. The crew will tent about 45 minutes from the project site, which is only a few hundred feet from road access.
Session 4: Clarks Ferry Switchback Rehab
Thursday, September 19 – Tuesday, September 24
The Crew will continue work on the rehabilitation of a switchback on the A.T. at the base of the climb from the Susquehanna River to the top of Peters Mountain, near Duncannon, Pennsylvania. The work will primarily involve wood timber crib wall construction, but may also include tread definition, side hill tread construction or stone step installation. The crew will tent about 45 minutes from the project site, which is only a few hundred feet from road access.
Session 5: Cumberland Valley Bridge Replacements
Tuesday, October 1 – Sunday, October 6
The Crew will begin working on replacing of two pedestrian bridges on the A.T. near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The work will involve tasks such as dismantling the old bridges, using a grip hoist system (a manual device that uses a wire rope to lift or pull heavy loads) to set in place the stringers for the bridges, and installing new decking and guard rails. The crew will be tenting nearby.
Session 6: Cumberland Valley Bridge Replacements
Wednesday, October 9 – Monday, October 14
The Crew will continue working on replacing of two pedestrian bridges on the A.T. near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The work will involve tasks such as dismantling the old bridges, using a grip hoist system (a manual device that uses a wire rope to lift or pull heavy loads) to set in place the stringers for the bridges, and installing new decking and guard rails. The crew will be tenting nearby.
Session 7: Cumberland Valley Bridge Replacements
Wednesday, October 9 – Monday, October 14
The Crew will continue working on replacing of two pedestrian bridges on the A.T. near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The work will involve tasks such as dismantling the old bridges, using a grip hoist system (a manual device that uses a wire rope to lift or pull heavy loads) to set in place the stringers for the bridges, and installing new decking and guard rails. The crew will be tenting nearby.
Session 8: Cumberland Valley Bridge Replacements
Friday, October 25 – Wednesday, October 30
The Crew will continue working on replacing of two pedestrian bridges on the A.T. near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The work will involve tasks such as dismantling the old bridges, using a grip hoist system (a manual device that uses a wire rope to lift or pull heavy loads) to set in place the stringers for the bridges, and installing new decking and guard rails. The crew will be tenting nearby.
Contact us
Give us a call at (717) 258-5771 x203 or email bsickley@appalachiantrail.org with any questions.