The Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 to support and promote the interests of long-distance hikers in the Appalachian mountain area and east of the Mississippi. It "was the first organization of long-distance hikers in the United States". [1]
The ALDHA authors the annual Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion, a guide to hiking the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). It also publishes a monthly email newsletter, The Blaze.
The ALDHA Gathering is an annual event with hiking- and trail-oriented workshops about trails worldwide. [1] It is held over Columbus Day weekend and has hundreds of experienced hikers in attendance. [2]
In 1990 the ALDHA published of a list of behavioral expectations for hikers staying in hostels to prevent problems and improve public perception of A.T. backpackers. [3]
Since 1995, the "Endangered Services Campaign" has provided backpacker etiquette education [3] and encouraged hikers to "act responsibly when they are in trail towns as well as on the trail." [4] One slogan in the campaign was "Just because you live in the woods doesn't mean you can act like an animal." [5]
The "Hike In Harmony" campaign uses the yin and yang symbol with boot footprints and distills and adapts Leave No Trace principles into three basic ethics rules for A.T. backpackers: [6]
