There are ten checkpoints/rest stops including the finish and a lunch stop at Washington Monument. The rest stops provided drinks, fruit and energy food all very necessary for the participants.
2007 HIKE ACROSS MARYLAND
On Saturday May 5, 2007 the Mountain Club of Maryland (MCoM) held it’s biannual 40.9 mile Hike Across Maryland (HAM) on the Appalachian Trail under the direction of Patty Williams. We were blessed with perfect weather with temperatures ranging from about 40o at 5:15 at the start in Penmar to the mid 60s in late afternoon with a nice breeze. It was mostly cloudy with brief periods of sunshine finishing with a short light drizzle around 6:00 pm.
My understanding is that 110 people registered for the hike with 11 last minute cancellations bringing the total to 99. There were three no shows so that 96 people actually started the hike in the dark at 5:15. Fifteen dropped out along the way but the remaining 81 finished in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia starting at 2:54 until 8:33 pm. Participants came from 15 states, DC and Ontario, Canada. There were 76 men and 23 women.
There are ten checkpoints/rest stops including the finish and a lunch stop at Washington Monument. The rest stops provided drinks, fruit and energy food all very necessary for the participants.
Participants come from around the country. I have repeatedly heard many compliments on how well organized and run HAM is and what a great event it is. It certainly is a great public relations event for MCoM.
Patty Williams did an outstanding job of organizing and running this event. She deserves a great big thank you and congratulations! Of course Patty needed the help of scores of volunteers to provide the logistics, food and drink, checkers, sweeps and radio operators plus more I don’t know about. We participants owe them all a huge debt of gratitude for making it possible for this great event to be held. I was deeply gratified to see so many people I have known for a long time out supporting this event and the participants. At each checkpoint a smile and hello from friends lifted me when my spirit and energy were flagging. I want to thank you all which are too numerous to mention.
Five happy Wednesday Hikers (Yahoos) in Harpers Ferry.
Jim Koury, Ron Cully, Gary Gentry, Dan McQueen, John Knepley
The HAM is 40.9 miles long. Over this distance the trail rises 5660 feet and falls 5720 feet in 10 climbs of 200 feet or more. If you multiply 40.9 miles times 5280 feet per mile times 12 inches per foot and divide by 32 inches which is my average step over undulating terrain, I took about 81,000 steps. This does not include extra walking at rest stops, off trail bio breaks, and shorter steps up steep inclines and rough trail. Jesse Dobbs probably took fewer steps and Karen Klinedenst probably took more.
Accesses since May 13, 2007.
Last updated May 13, 2007