Friends of the Ridgerunners
Supporting Our Front-Line Trail Stewards
Each summer, PATC’s Ridgerunners serve as the human face of trail stewardship along our 240-mile section of the Appalachian Trail—from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, through Maryland, to Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Pennsylvania. They are educators, ambassadors, problem-solvers, and first responders on the trail—meeting people where they are, mile by mile.
In 2025, our six Ridgerunners:
- Patrolled 2,767 miles of trail
- Logged 15,462 encounters with hikers, campers, runners, and families
- Spent nearly 200 nights in backcountry shelters and camps
- Educated thousands on Leave No Trace, trail etiquette, and stewardship
- Provided emergency assistance and protected fragile trail resources
Ridgerunners don’t just keep the trail functioning—they shape how people experience it.
Who Are Ridgerunners?
Ridgerunners are as remarkable as the trail itself.
They are typically young, deeply passionate outdoor leaders—often long-distance hikers—who choose a season of hard, purposeful work in service of something bigger than themselves. Many come to the role after transformative experiences on the Appalachian Trail, eager to give back to the place and community that shaped them.
“After finishing my thru-hike, I really wanted to give back to the trail because it had such a huge impact on my life,” shared Ridgerunner Marissa Fulton. “Being on trail gave me the space to grow and prove to myself that I could do what I set out to do.”
The Opportunity: Sponsor a Ridgerunner
PATC is launching Friends of the Ridgerunners to directly support the people who make this work possible. Grant funding from other partners like Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Shenandoah National Park, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the Mountain Club of Maryland contributes roughly 80% of the Ridgerunners’ program costs. PATC is responsible for the remaining 20% of program costs, approximately $18,000. With six Ridgerunners each season, that amounts to $3,000 per Ridgerunner.
Your Ridgerunner sponsorship helps fund:
- Ridgerunner wages: Because with the hours they put in, they deserve to be paid.
- Transportation: They walk most of the miles, but sometimes even Ridgerunners need a ride to the trailhead.
- Lodging: Shelters are part of the job—but not every single night.
- Trail maintenance tools: Hand clippers, arborist saws, trowels, bear canisters, and other essential (and surprisingly fun) trail tools.
- First aid supplies: From the basics to the just-in-case items—hydration tablets, cold compresses, and lots of band aids.
- Uniforms: Long days on the trail demand a change of clothes.
The Friends of the Ridgerunners will enable the Ridgerunners to work a longer season and attend the premiere ATC training in New Jersey.
Supervision and training of the Ridgerunners is provided by PATC volunteer leadership, and lodging is partially provided in-kind in PATC’s cabins and shelters.
Sponsorship Levels
Full Ridgerunner Sponsor — $3,000
Support one Ridgerunner for the season. Benefits include:
- Invitation to a Ridgerunner Welcome Lunch
- Opportunity to meet your Ridgerunner on trail during the season (with PATC staff or volunteer accompaniment)
- Receive the weekly field report the Ridgerunner submits
- Recognition as Friend of the Ridgerunners
- Option to send a care package to your sponsored Ridgerunner
- Option to participate in group updates from the field
- Recognition in PATC Ridgerunner communications and on the website
Partial Ridgerunner Sponsor — $1,000
Help fund Ridgerunner capacity across the season. Benefits include:
- Invitation to the Ridgerunner Welcome Lunch
- Receive the weekly field report the Ridgerunner submits
- Recognition as Friend of the Ridgerunners
- Option to send a care package to your sponsored Ridgerunner
- Option to participate in group updates from the field
- Recognition in PATC Ridgerunner communications and on the website
Why It Matters
Ridgerunners are often the first, and sometimes only, PATC representative hikers will ever meet. Their presence turns rules into conversations, problems into solutions, and trail use into stewardship.
As one Ridgerunner shared:
“Just being able to have a trail exist like this is pretty remarkable. The volunteer hours, coordination, and years of work behind it—it’s incredible.”
Your sponsorship ensures these ambassadors are present, trained, equipped, and supported to meet thousands of people with care, clarity, and credibility.
Join Us on the Trail
By sponsoring a Ridgerunner, you’re not just funding a position—you’re standing behind the people who protect the trail experience for everyone who comes after.
Help us put six Ridgerunners on the trail.
Together, we’ll keep these miles cared for—one conversation, one encounter, one Ridgerunner at a time.
Contact Abbie Fine at afine@patc.net to secure your Sponsorship and become a Friend of the Ridgerunners.