As a leading sponsor of the Keystone Trails Association (KTA) Trail Care events, Woolrich, the Original Outdoor Clothing Company, is asking for volunteers to help them maintain the thousands of miles of hiking trails in Pennsylvania.

“Pennsylvania has one of the most diverse hiking trail systems in the country, including portions of the Great Eastern Trail and Appalachian Trail,” said Brent Hollowell, Woolrich Marketing VP. “We maintain a portion of the fabled Mid-State Trail that runs right through the middle of Woolrich and we hope that other hikers and outdoor enthusiasts will join us and the KTA in ensuring that the trails throughout our state can be enjoyed for generations.”

Throughout the year, KTA is conducting a number of Woolrich sponsored Trail Care events along the Pennsylvania sections of the Great Eastern Trail (GET). Each multi-day event focuses on a specific trail section and will include maintenance activities such as re-blazing, trail repair, water diversion, bridge repair and more.

Woolrich’s support of KTA is part of a larger initiative by the company to grow outdoor participation, and specifically hiking, nationally. Along with sponsoring the KTA, Woolrich has engaged in support of the Great Eastern Trail. The GET stretches for more than 2,000 miles from New York to Alabama through the linkage of a series of the East Coast’s most popular paths, including the Mid-State Trail. Currently, the Great Eastern Trail is seventy-five percent complete, and Woolrich is working with its industry partners and local associations, like KTA, to map, maintain, blaze and re-blaze the GET.

“We’re thrilled to have Woolrich joining us as an official sponsor of our trail maintenance events,” said Curt Ashenfelter, Keystone Trails Association Executive Director. “Building and maintaining our trails is important to the hiking community for today and the future,”

For each event the Keystone Trails Association provides a place to camp, meals, tools, work gloves, safety equipment, and instruction. Additionally, volunteers attending the Woolrich sponsored Trail Care events will receive a work preparation bag including a work t-shirt, water bottle and a pair of Woolrich hiking socks.

2012 Woolrich Keystone Trails Association Trail Care Dates:

March 30 – April 1: Mid State Trail, State College Region
Leader: Kevin Busko: kbusko@verizon.net, 814-643-4238

June19 -24: Mid State Trail, Everett Region
Leader: Deb Dunkle: dhdunkle@embarqmail.com, 814-652-2227

June 26 – July 1: Standing Stone Trail
Leader: Mel Cooper, lunchtime1@verizon.net, 814-643-2641

July 13 – 15: Mid State Trail, Tioga Region
Leader: Pete Fleszar: tioga@hike-mst.org, 717-583-2093

August 10 – 12: Mid State Trail, Woolrich Region
Leader: Joe Healey: jnlhealey@aol.com, 570-655-4979

If interested in participating in one of these Trail Care events please contact the leader of the respective event.

For additional information on all KTA trail maintenance events and programs visit www.kta-hike.org.