Photo by Laurie Potteiger.

Flip Flop Festival, Harpers Ferry, WV, April 23, 2022 – Had a blast yesterday.  For the first time in two years hikers gathered in the neighborhood of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to celebrate and send off AT hikers at the onset of their flip flop hikes.  In this case, flip floppers are hikers, not politicians!

With as many as 150 hikers starting per day, crowding in Georgia can be a problem during the traditional northbound hiker season. Flip flop hikes have been promoted to reduce this crowding by helping to spread out hikers along the trail.

Flip floppers start at a place of their choosing and hike either north or south to the northern terminus at Mt. Katahdin in Maine or the southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia.  Then they flip to the start point and reverse their direction or flip to the opposite terminus and hike back toward the middle.

This was a modified festival in comparison to previous years when vendors and exhibitors filled the surrounding green space.

Photo by Laurie Potteiger.

Approximately 150 hikers and supporters gathered for how-to and pep talks before setting off. I presented on how to prepare for 2,000 mile hike and on Leave No Trace and how to keep the bears from eating your food.

Photo by Laurie Potteiger.

The two PATC ridgerunners currently on duty offered pack shakedowns.  That’s when an expert helps you sort through your gear pile with suggestions as to what is needed and what might be superfluous weight.

The festival took place on the grounds of the Stephen Mather Training Center, a national site where National Park Service employees receive training.  We used the covered pavilion of the Interpretive Design Center where the signage comes from describing what visitors are looking at while visiting parks.  The cat is extra.

Sisu