Carolina Mountain Club announced a new hiking challenge:  The CMC A.T.-MST Challenge.

Hike all the Appalachian Trail miles and Mountains-to-Sea Trail miles that are maintained by the club.

CMC currently maintains 93 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Davenport Gap to Spivey Gap (going northbound) and 135 miles of the Mountains -To-Sea Trail from Waterrock Knob to Black Mountain Campground (going eastbound). Members who hike the combined 228 miles of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) and the Mountains -To-Sea Trail (MST) on sections maintained by the club will be awarded a certificate of completion and a commemorative embroidered hiking patch.

Please check the CMC website Challenge page for details. If you have further questions please e-mail Vance Mann who is coordinating this new challenge. You can reach Vance at [email protected].

This hiking challenge, like all the other CMC challenges, is on the honor system. As you learned in school, if you cheat, you’re only cheating yourself.  Similarly, you have a lifetime to hike these miles. But I wouldn’t suggest you take a lifetime.

The South Beyond 6000 is the oldest CMC challenge. It requires you to climb a specific list of 40 peaks higher than 6,000 feet. Other challenges include the Pisgah 400 (all the trails in Pisgah National Forest), Lookout Towers and Waterfall 100.

For all the details, see the CMC challenge information.

The event, held at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26, will also showcase the never-before-seen film “The Appalachian Trail: An American Legacy,” which tells the history of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) using rare film footage and photography. All proceeds will benefit the ATC and its efforts to preserve the A.T.

Hipp, who, on the A.T., goes by the name “Reboot,” began section hiking the 2,180-mile long Trail in 2007. Throughout the next six years, he hiked portions until he completed the entire Trail in 2013 at age 73. “I talked about it so much that I had to,” Hipp said, when asked why he decided to hike the A.T.

In addition to Hipp, other speakers include Sam Henegar, director and producer of the event’s featured film; Mark Hanf, creator of the new board game “Thru Hike: The Appalachian Trail”; and Gary Barrigar, president of the Friends of Roan Mountain. Key ATC leaders, including Ron Tipton, executive director/CEO; Javier Folgar, director of Marketing and Communications; and Rich Daileader, board member, will also speak at the event.

“The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is excited to host this membership drive as it offers a unique opportunity to connect the community with this American icon—the Appalachian Trail,” said Folgar. “It offers participants a chance to hear the stories of the people who volunteer, maintain, hike and protect the Trail and interact with them in a new way.”

Limited-edition prizes like an ATC-branded ENO™ hammock and the new Thru-Hike: The Appalachian Trail board game will also be awarded throughout the evening.