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SATC HISTORY
Earl Shaffer was the first person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 1948. A few years later, in 1954, he co-founded Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club (SATC) to:
Today, we have approximately 300 members who enjoy hiking and trail work. We are one of 30 volunteer groups that maintain the 2,193 miles of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) A written history compiled in 2005 of SATC's first 35 years, beginning in 1954, was written by Ralph Kinter, one of the co-founders. Find out the reason why SATC came to be, discover the reason our newsletter's name Bushwack Bulletin is "spelled" wrong; learn how at the first installation hike at Hawk Rock the group was shot at; be proud of how SATC became a local leader in landscape preservation before it became a buzzword or even before there were land trusts. Our club's written history is not only informative, but quite amusing at times. Please take time to read it by downloading the pdf below. |
SATC Past Presidents 1954 - 1956 Ralph Kinter 1956 - 1958 Ruth Boller 1958 - 1960 Don Brady 1960 - 1961 Earl Shaffer 1960 - 1962 Saul Synder 1962 - 1964 H. Ellis Kreider 1964 - 1966 Pat Heim 1966 - 1968. George Sleesman 1968 - 1970 Robert Meckley 1970 - 1972 Lois Lucas 1972 - 1974 Warren Sleighter 1974 - 1975 Hazel "Pat" Heim 1975 - 1976 Allen Zerfoss 1976 - 1978 John Wozniak 1978 - 1979 Mary Ludes Barbara Cole 1979 - 1982 Craig Dunn 1982 - 1983 Robert Keck 1983 - 1986 Carol Witzeman 1986 - 1990 Jim Oxley Craig Dunn 1990 - 1991 Michael Fanus 1991 - 1993 Bob Keyes 1993 - 1995 Thyra Sperry 1995 - 1997 Jeff Buehler 1997 - 1999 Jane Greber 1999 - 2004 Katie (Jones) Barker 2004 - 2008 Barb Harvey 2008 - 2012 Karen Balaban 2012 - 2014 Trisha Sanders 2014 - 2018 Cindy Radich 2018 - 2022 Gail Brossman 2022 - 2023 Andrea Viazanko 2023 - 2024 Bob Keen 2024 - Mark Press |
SATC's Written History
| satc_club_history.pdf |
A History of AT Shelters in South Central Pa - by Jeff Buehler
| old_at_shelters_in_south_central_pa_for_the_web_site_12-2-23.pdf |
Earl Shaffer Shelter
This structure, once known as the "Earl Shaffer Shelter" in honor of the first recorded A.T. thru-hiker, co-founder of SATC, and the man who led SATC in building it starting in 1959, and finishing in 1962. Read about how the shelter lost this name in mid-1983 when Earl proclaimed it to be "too fancy" (a floor had been installed) and not in keeping with his vision of the A.T. in the Fall 1983 Bushwack Bulletin (as well as any of our other past newsletters) for more details and information by reviewing our Past Newsletters.
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Long since functionally replaced by a structure even less in keeping with Earl's preferences, on August 2, 2008 it was removed and began its move to the A.T. museum. The floor was removed first to uncover for photographs of the structure that Earl intended. A large boulder (dubbed "Earl's Pillow") was then seen to protrude from the dirt floor. Reportedly, that was why the floor was installed: to cover the rock!
Charlie Duane has posted photos and videos that record the dismantling project of this unique event.
Darlington Trail, a route no more, but less...
SATC's Darlington Trail was among those described in the 6th (1972) edition of the book Pennsylvania Hiking Trails that is periodically issued by the Keystone Trails Association. At that time the route was 25 miles long and extended on both sides of the Susquehanna River. Now, it is 7.74 miles long, only on the west side of the river, and only on public land. It is a beautiful, but much shorter hike.
Below are the old and current descriptions of the trail. Read and judge the thirty years of intervening progress for yourself. If this is not your idea of "progress," please support SATC's landscape preservation efforts.
Charlie Duane has posted photos and videos that record the dismantling project of this unique event.
Darlington Trail, a route no more, but less...
SATC's Darlington Trail was among those described in the 6th (1972) edition of the book Pennsylvania Hiking Trails that is periodically issued by the Keystone Trails Association. At that time the route was 25 miles long and extended on both sides of the Susquehanna River. Now, it is 7.74 miles long, only on the west side of the river, and only on public land. It is a beautiful, but much shorter hike.
Below are the old and current descriptions of the trail. Read and judge the thirty years of intervening progress for yourself. If this is not your idea of "progress," please support SATC's landscape preservation efforts.
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Old Description of the Darlington Trail
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Current Description of the Darlington Trail
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