Appalachian Mountain Club - Delaware Valley Chapter

Scavenger Hunt Announced in the Pennsylvania Highlands

Scavenger Hunt Encourages Connection and Protection of the Pennsylvania Highlands

BETHLEHEM, Pa – (July 30, 2009) – The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) and the Wildlands Conservancy have announced a scavenger hunt to be held within the 1.9 million-acre Pennsylvania Highlands. The Pennsylvania Highlands traverse 13-counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania from Lehigh to Adams counties, and are part of the 3.5 million-acre nationally recognized Highlands region encompassing, PA, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. The Pennsylvania Highlands are also considered a statewide mega-greenway by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The two organizations partnered to create a series of 22 different pocket-sized hiking cards entitled “Hike the Highlands,” which are designed to encourage people to explore the expansive parks and trails within the Pennsylvania Highlands. The scavenger hunt is a fun way to get people out into the Pennsylvania Highlands and to discover “The Great Outdoors- Close-to-Home.”

“The scavenger hunt is a great way for people to discover the beautiful forests, rivers and farmland in southeastern Pennsylvania, which is practically right out their backdoor,” said Jennifer Heisey, Mid-Atlantic Recreation Planner for the Appalachian Mountain Club. “Families and people of all ages and skill levels can participate. As people look for fun outdoor activities to do this summer we hope they will think of the Pennsylvania Highlands and will pay them a visit.”

There are a total of 22 scavenger hunt questions (one for each “Hike the Highlands” hiking card). Participants must answer a minimum of three questions and submit the answers online atwww.outdoors.org/hikethehighlands. Answers to the scavenger hunt questions require participants to actually “hike the highlands” in order to discover them and cannot be done without visiting the Highlands. Once participants submit their answers they will be eligible to win a variety of outdoor gear and other prizes in monthly drawings.

In addition to creating the scavenger hunt, the Hike the Highlands cards seek to connect people from across the region with the Pennsylvania Highlands. Encouraging activity in the Pennsylvania Highlands connects people to the special places in this area and encourages the protection and conservation of this amazing landscape.

“We are excited about the launch of the cards and hope they will help educate people about all the activities available in the Highlands,” said Tom Gettings, Director of Special Projects for the Wildlands Conservancy. “Hopefully this will help increase activity in the Highlands, and ultimately also encourage people to become stewards of the environment and of the Highlands specifically.”

The scavenger hunt was launched in July and will end on October 31, 2009. For more information about the scavenger hunt or download the scavenger hunt questions please visitwww.outdoors.org/hikethehighlands. A list of pick-up locations for the “Hike the Highlands” cards is available on the website as well as downloadable versions of the cards.