PATC 2024 Hike Challenge
Thank you for joining the Hike with PATC 2024 hike challenge! The purpose of this challenge is to encourage our members to volunteer for the Club as well as to get outdoors and hike. This is also a terrific opportunity to cross some of those New Year’s resolutions off your list!
How to Complete the Challenge
In order to complete the challenge, you must complete 25 hikes from the hikes listed below and volunteer 50 hours in any capacity for the Club. PATC 2024 challenge runs from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024; only miles hiked, and hours volunteered during this time will count toward the challenge.
Hike and/or Volunteer Days:
1. Day Hike – January 1, 2024
2. Earth Day – April 22, 2024
3. National Trails Day – June 1, 2024
4. National Public Lands Day – September 28, 2024
5. National Take a Hike Day – November 17, 2024
6. #OptOutside – November 29, 2024
7. Hike a mile or more on the C&O Canal in our PATC Footpath
8. Hike a mile or more of the Appalachian Trail in our PATC Footpath
9. Hike a mile or more of the Potomac Heritage Trail in our PATC Footpath
10. Hike a mile or more on the Bull Run Occoquan Trail
11. Hike a mile or more of the Tuscarora Trail
12. Hike a trail in Shenandoah National Park
13. Hike a trail in Shenandoah Mountains
14. Hike a trail in George Washington National Forest
15. Hike a trail in Great Falls National Park (Virginia side or Maryland side)
16. Hike a trail in Manassas National Battlefield
17. Hike a trail in Shenandoah Mountain
18. Hike a trail at Prince William Forest Park
19. Hike a trail at Turkey Run Park
20. Hike a trail at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Historic Park
21. Hike at trail at Harper's Ferry National Historical Park
22. Hike a trail at Trout Pond
23. Hike a trail at Antietam National Battlefield Park
24. Hike a trail at Catoctin
25. Hike at trail at Rock Creek Park
26. Hike at trail at Cowans Gap State Park
27. Hike a trail in a National Park, Monument, Preserve, Recreational area or Historic Trail (not one listed in this challenge)
28. Hike a trail in a National or State Forest (not one listed in this challenge)
29. Hike a trail in a State Park (not one listed in this challenge)
30. Hike a trail in a Local Park (not one listed in this challenge)
31. Hike from your bucket list
32. Join a Blue Ridge PATC Chapter Lead Hike
33. Join a Charlottesville PATC Chapter Lead Hike
34. Join a Southern Shenandoah PATC Chapter Lead Hike
35. Hike of your choice – choose when and where you want to hike
36. Hike in the snow
37. Hike in the rain
38. Hike to a frozen waterfall
39. Waterfall or Swimming Hole Hike
40. Summit Hike
41. Stewardship hike (Trail Maintenance, pick up trash, restoration project, etc.)
42. Urban Hike
43. Family or Friends Hike – get out with your family, furry ones included, or some friends!
44. Sun Set Hike
45. Sun Rise Hike
46. Hike around a body of water
47. Full Moon Hike
48. Forest Therapy Walk
49. Reflection Hike
50. Solo Hike
51. Bluebell Hike
52. Wildflower Hike (not a Blue Bell Hike)
Rules/Regulations & Other Important Information
Participation is free and open to all PATC members who sign up for the challenge.
The PATC 2024 Challenge runs from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. Only miles hiked and/or hours maintained during this time period will count toward the challenge.
The first 100 members who complete the challenge will receive a free PATC 2024 Challenge Patch!
Hikes Aspect
There are 52 hikes listed in the challenge. We have listed twenty (20) parks or trails that are in our geographical areas, as well as six (6) specific days to hike and twenty six(26) “other hikes”. You must choose 25 of the 52 hikes to listed to complete the challenge. Although we have not listed specific trails in the park, we will be spotlighting a park each week on our social media, with a couple of hikes to consider if you are unfamiliar with that park.
Volunteer Aspect
You must volunteer 50 hours with the Club in any capacity, rather it be as a trail/cabin/shelter maintainer; helping control invasive species; serving as a Trail Talker at an outreach event; or volunteering at our Headquarters in Vienna, Virginia. Whichever you choose, we have a volunteer opportunity for you! Most of our volunteer opportunities can be found on our Meetup at www.meetup.com/patcvolunteerevents. If you need assistance, please contact us at volunteerism@patc.net so that we can help connect you with the right opportunity!
Share your challenge with your friends and family – and motivate others in their challenge! – by using the hashtag #PATC2024challenge on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
For a chance to be featured on our social media, don’t forget to tag us: @ClubPATCPage
Once you have completed the challenge, we encourage you to fill out the Finisher’s Form in order to be entered into our Grand Prize drawing at the end of the contest.
There will be one (1) Grand Prize Winner, randomly selected to receive a $50.00 gift card from REI Co-op and one of our popular PATC T-shirts!
Although all are welcome to participate. PATC Council Members and Staff are not eligible for the monthly or Grand Prize drawings.
How to Sign Up for the Challenge:
Sign up for the challenge here.
Record your mileage and/or hours. You can use a GPS watch, fitness app, or log the mileage/hours manually on your PATC log sheet.
When you are finished, please complete the Finisher’s Form.
The form can be filled out after you complete the challenge but no later than January 31, 2025.
Please direct any questions about the challenge to Kristine Villatoro, Supervisor of Outreach.