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MHanf
07-27-2014, 11:29
http://at-thru-hike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/AT-Thru-Hike-Banner-Hikers.jpg

My name is Mark Hanf and I am the designer of a new AT-themed board game designed for families, classrooms, scouts and more that teaches best practices while on the trail. (Low impact camping, backpacking skills, first aid, Plant and Animal ID, etc.)

I am a teacher, parent, educational game designer, Eagle Scout, and avid hiker. I've been working on this project for the last two years with an amazing team and we are excited to announce that it is now available on Kickstarter.com! Check out the video. The outtakes at the end are funny! :)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/77420923/thru-hike-the-appalachian-trail-game

The inspiration for this game came when I was on a solo from Max Patch to Hot Springs. I went to the trail for some personal direction as I was working through a difficult time in my life. Hiking, as you know, is good medicine! I came across a shelter that had been completely trashed by a grandmother and grandson on the trail. They were obviously novice hikers, but it was hard not to be frustrated by watching them burn plastic, throw food in the woods, and leave trash all over the shelter. The woman was injured so I helped her arrange medical support at the next road crossing and then bagged up all their trash and packed it out. As I was walking I realized that I took for granted all the No Trace Camping ethics that I was taught in Boy Scouts. Not everyone is lucky enough to have great teachers as a kid and I couldn't really get mad with someone who doesn't know better.

The ATC has been an amazing partner on this from the start! HUGE thanks to all the people there who have supported this project. We were just in Harper's Ferry working with the ATC Trail to Every Classroom program. When the game comes out in stores, 5% of each sale will go to conservation efforts and educational programs. Kickstarter does not allow funds to be raised for non-profits so the funds raised during the Kickstarter campaign will go to producing and expanding the game. (We want to make expansion sets with themes like birds, ultralight tips, environmental science, etc.) Every dollar goes back into the game. We are a very new and small company in Marshall, NC (pop. 857) and the success of this campaign is critical to us being able to produce the game.

If you are a parent, teacher, scout leader, or gamer you will love this! Thanks so much. :)

WingedMonkey
07-27-2014, 11:38
The ATC has been an amazing partner on this from the start!

How much funding has the ATC already given you and does that 5% go towards paying that back?

MHanf
07-27-2014, 11:43
Also, we want to engage the hiking community to send ideas for new cards! If we select your card for an expansion set, then we will print your name on it!

Plant or Animal Identification
Backpacking Skills
Low Impact Camping
First Aid
A.T. Trivia
Emergency Scenarios
Strategy Cards - Gear, Weather, etc.

Ideas can be technical, challenging, funny, or poetic... What do you think students, scouts and families should know before going out on the trail?!

Bonus points for creativity!

If you have suggestions, please send them to [email protected]. We have already received great ideas from the ATC staff, Trail to Every Classroom teachers, beta testing with middle school and high school students, Boy Scouts and leaders, Girl Scout leaders, Thru-Hikers, and Kickstarter backers. Thanks in advance!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/77420923/thru-hike-the-appalachian-trail-game (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/77420923/thru-hike-the-appalachian-trail-game)

MHanf
07-27-2014, 11:50
Hi Winged Monkey,

A year and a half ago, I received a small grant from the NC ATC license plate program to do the initial design of the game cards. Originally, I designed it for the TTEC (trail to every classroom) program and donated prototype copies of the game to those teachers. Once we started beta testing it and received such positive feedback from the teachers and students, I realized that we should share it with a wider audience. That is when I first heard of Kickstarter. The 5% isn't to pay the ATC back. It goes to future conservation and educational efforts. I am a big believer in paying it FORWARD! :)

Ricky&Jack
07-27-2014, 12:51
we already have 70 posts and a thread about this project:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?105213-KickStarter-Project-Thru-Hike-the-Appalachian-Trail-Game

(I made 3 donations so far)

I like it, and think its great for tacking identification

Teacher & Snacktime
07-27-2014, 13:07
I am a teacher, parent, educational game designer, Eagle Scout, and avid hiker. I've been working on this project for the last two years with an amazing team and we are excited to announce that it is now available on Kickstarter.com! Check out the video. The outtakes at the end are funny! :)

The inspiration for this game came when I was on a solo from Max Patch to Hot Springs. I went to the trail for some personal direction as I was working through a difficult time in my life. Hiking, as you know, is good medicine! I came across a shelter that had been completely trashed by a grandmother and grandson on the trail. They were obviously novice hikers, but it was hard not to be frustrated by watching them burn plastic, throw food in the woods, and leave trash all over the shelter. The woman was injured so I helped her arrange medical support at the next road crossing and then bagged up all their trash and packed it out. As I was walking I realized that I took for granted all the No Trace Camping ethics that I was taught in Boy Scouts. Not everyone is lucky enough to have great teachers as a kid and I couldn't really get mad with someone who doesn't know better.

The ATC has been an amazing partner on this from the start! HUGE thanks to all the people there who have supported this project. We were just in Harper's Ferry working with the ATC Trail to Every Classroom program. When the game comes out in stores, 5% of each sale will go to conservation efforts and educational programs. Kickstarter does not allow funds to be raised for non-profits so the funds raised during the Kickstarter campaign will go to producing and expanding the game. (We want to make expansion sets with themes like birds, ultralight tips, environmental science, etc.) Every dollar goes back into the game. We are a very new and small company in Marshall, NC (pop. 857) and the success of this campaign is critical to us being able to produce the game.

If you are a parent, teacher, scout leader, or gamer you will love this! Thanks so much. :)

Thank you for this wonderful explanation of your intent and process. We'll be customers, certainly.

By the way, my paranoid self highlighted a portion of your post just to make it clear......IT WASN'T US!!!!
We know better and absolutely do our best to leave no trace. :)