Dear GNHA Members,
Thank you for your patience as we suspended group hikes to allow our area and community to recover from the effects of Hurricane Helene. Our hiking club recognizes that this recovery effort is ongoing and that it will take months to clear trails at many of our favorite parks and forests.
We are beginning to see some trails open and because of that progress, we feel that we're ready to resume leading group hikes this month. We've always stressed safety with our hike leaders, but given the impact of the storm, we've re-emphasized those policies. This includes encouraging our hike leaders to scout their selected hike in advance to ensure the safety of our members and identify any obstacles that may exist.
We will also only be leading hikes in areas that are ready to welcome us. There are still many trails closed across our region, and the last thing we want to do is impede any work or trail maintenance crews. For that reason, you may not see the full range of hikes that you typically see from our club. But please know that we will expand our offerings as more parks and forests open back up to us.
We're looking forward to getting back on the trail with you again soon! And as trail maintenance opportunities present themselves, we'll continue to do what we can to impact the places we love.
See you on the trail, Damien Pierce GNHA President