FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — September 14, 2021
Contact: Alicia DiCocco, Director of Development & Communications
[email protected]; (802) 241-8322
Green Mountain Club Partners with Author Derick Lugo To Share Long Trail Thru-Hiking Experience
Vermont — The Green Mountain Club is partnering with avid hiker, author, podcaster, and storyteller Derick Lugo, as he hikes the entire 272-mile Long Trail, starting today!
Derick backpacked for the first time in his life in 2012, when he left New York City and hiked the entire Appalachian Trail. He wrote about the experience in his 2019 book, The Unlikely Thru-Hiker. Now, nearly ten years later, he’s ready to tackle the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the country — the Long Trail.
The Green Mountain Club, the founder and maintainer of the Long Trail in Vermont, is supporting Derick in his hike and bringing his storytelling to online audiences.
“I’ve been wanting to come back to Vermont and hike the Long Trail ever since I hiked the first 100 miles of it on my Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2012. Killington was one of my favorite peaks of the entire AT and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the Long Trail and Vermont have in store for me,” said Derick. “I’m ecstatic that the Green Mountain Club peeps will be with me every step of the way as I plan and take on this four-week journey. They have been so helpful in telling me what to expect, the best places to stay, and helping arrange my stops in towns along the way.”
Derick will experience everything GMC has to offer, from the valued knowledge of the Visitor Center to the seasonal staff who live and work in the backcountry to manage human waste, protect fragile environments, and improve the trail and its facilities.
“We so admire the way Derick artfully captures the experience of hiking and living in the backcountry, and are excited to have him share his experience on Vermont’s iconic Long Trail,” said Mike DeBonis, Executive Director of the Green Mountain Club.
Members of the media are invited to meet with Derick during his hike and chat about the experience of hiking the trail in Vermont’s beautiful fall season and the important work of the Green Mountain Club. GMC can arrange meet-ups in Killington, Waterbury Center, or Burlington, late September through mid-October. Contact GMC to arrange a meeting opportunity, and follow the adventures on Instagram @dericklugo and @greenmountainclub.
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About the Green Mountain Club: Established in 1910 to build the Long Trail, the Green Mountain Club is a private non-profit organization with over 9,800 members. The GMC is dedicated to maintaining, managing, and protecting Vermont’s historic Long Trail, Appalachian Trail, and the Kingdom Heritage Trails in the Northeast Kingdom, and advocating for hiking opportunities in Vermont. Every year more than 1,000 volunteers work so that future generations will enjoy the 500-mile Long Trail System. Contact the Green Mountain Club to learn more about the GMC or to become a member.
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