peakbagger
In Rembrance , July 2024
Great cause but a potential major impact event to the whites. Fundraiser set to finish "Emily's Hike" in New Hampshire
The tag line of "finishing Emily's hike" is of concern, I am hoping that there is system in place to disperse the groups? One thousand, seven hundred ten person teams deciding to do the Franconia Loop on the same day would definitely be an impact event.
Generally an event this size with post hike "celebration" seeking sponsorships requires some seed funding and a lot of front end work by either full time volunteers with event experience or paid staff, I wonder how they raised the seed funding or are they hopping to fund it on the fly via sponsorships? (the if you build it they will come approach). The problem with such a fundraiser is they assume a good day for the event so that hopefully a small portion of the funds received pays the bills but if they have a post hike celebration, there are usually fixed costs that do not go away even if it's a washout that day. If they rely on sponsors, and there is a washout and do not get the turnout, sponsors will be unhappy and could cut off the new group off from future funding.
My guess would be the permitting to run such an event in the national forest considering the some of 4Ks are in designated wilderness (Isolation and the Bonds with Owl having no legal trail) was quite difficult, most groups who run activities in the whites deliberately avoid the wilderness areas. I just hope they dont do the "wink wink nod" approach and blow off getting the national forest in the loop. In theory the National Forest should appreciate the training and S&R support aspects of the group but the rules are usually very strict for any organized events drawing people to the wilderness areas.
The group behind it is Hiking Buddies and they claim to have obtained 401 C status as of January, so at least they have that box ticked. Long ago on VFTT, there was a major uproar and split of VFTT forum members over a member selling CDs of his 48 hikes under the guise of donating the proceeds, that ultimately turned out to have zero accountability and was funding his expenses from the revenue. A 401 C organization has to keep books and hold people accountable.
Interesting to see that they are planning to offer hiker "buddy certification class's" summer and winter through Redline Guiding starting this fall and pay for them if the person completes them. That program will need to have a budget and funding which could be a significant undertaking. Interesting that the Winter certificate training will include the use of "Ice Ax and Ropes", skills that are rarely used by most 4K finishers I am aware of.
In general, I would guess it is the first Facebook hiking spin off in the whites to try to go "legit". The National Forest Foundation, has been muscling in on AMC for taking the lead on projects that AMC formerly would have run (although AMC appears to have done an end run by getting designated the lead organization of the mysterious Franconia Loop congressionally funded project). Flags on the 48 has always stayed true to their goal of being a strictly commemorative event. Should AMC worry that they have another non profit muscling in on what was once their exclusive domain, or does "big tent" apply? Reading the Bios of the principles I don't see a lot printed of their ties to mainstream outdoor groups so it will be interesting to see how they fit into the "tent". Go to any large event in the whites where multiple organizations are present and there is lot of cross pollination of the staffs of the organizations, folks move around in their career progression and as their parent organizations funding goes up and down. Usually "everyone" knows "everyone" and are careful to play nice in public so when a new group joins in it could be interesting.
The tag line of "finishing Emily's hike" is of concern, I am hoping that there is system in place to disperse the groups? One thousand, seven hundred ten person teams deciding to do the Franconia Loop on the same day would definitely be an impact event.
Generally an event this size with post hike "celebration" seeking sponsorships requires some seed funding and a lot of front end work by either full time volunteers with event experience or paid staff, I wonder how they raised the seed funding or are they hopping to fund it on the fly via sponsorships? (the if you build it they will come approach). The problem with such a fundraiser is they assume a good day for the event so that hopefully a small portion of the funds received pays the bills but if they have a post hike celebration, there are usually fixed costs that do not go away even if it's a washout that day. If they rely on sponsors, and there is a washout and do not get the turnout, sponsors will be unhappy and could cut off the new group off from future funding.
My guess would be the permitting to run such an event in the national forest considering the some of 4Ks are in designated wilderness (Isolation and the Bonds with Owl having no legal trail) was quite difficult, most groups who run activities in the whites deliberately avoid the wilderness areas. I just hope they dont do the "wink wink nod" approach and blow off getting the national forest in the loop. In theory the National Forest should appreciate the training and S&R support aspects of the group but the rules are usually very strict for any organized events drawing people to the wilderness areas.
The group behind it is Hiking Buddies and they claim to have obtained 401 C status as of January, so at least they have that box ticked. Long ago on VFTT, there was a major uproar and split of VFTT forum members over a member selling CDs of his 48 hikes under the guise of donating the proceeds, that ultimately turned out to have zero accountability and was funding his expenses from the revenue. A 401 C organization has to keep books and hold people accountable.
Interesting to see that they are planning to offer hiker "buddy certification class's" summer and winter through Redline Guiding starting this fall and pay for them if the person completes them. That program will need to have a budget and funding which could be a significant undertaking. Interesting that the Winter certificate training will include the use of "Ice Ax and Ropes", skills that are rarely used by most 4K finishers I am aware of.
In general, I would guess it is the first Facebook hiking spin off in the whites to try to go "legit". The National Forest Foundation, has been muscling in on AMC for taking the lead on projects that AMC formerly would have run (although AMC appears to have done an end run by getting designated the lead organization of the mysterious Franconia Loop congressionally funded project). Flags on the 48 has always stayed true to their goal of being a strictly commemorative event. Should AMC worry that they have another non profit muscling in on what was once their exclusive domain, or does "big tent" apply? Reading the Bios of the principles I don't see a lot printed of their ties to mainstream outdoor groups so it will be interesting to see how they fit into the "tent". Go to any large event in the whites where multiple organizations are present and there is lot of cross pollination of the staffs of the organizations, folks move around in their career progression and as their parent organizations funding goes up and down. Usually "everyone" knows "everyone" and are careful to play nice in public so when a new group joins in it could be interesting.
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