ABOUT THE INDIANAPOLIS HIKING CLUB A Brief History | The Club Today | Hikes | Social Events | Club Organization Current Officers | Member Recognition A Brief History The Indianapolis Hiking Club was formed on January 23, 1957 by 10 Hoosiers who liked to hike and work on trail maintenance projects, like the completion of the 22 mile Yellowwood Trail in Brown County. In the first year membership grew to 82. The constitution the founders adopted stated the Club's purpose was "To encourage a love of nature through the promotion of outdoor recreation in the form of hikes and outings." The Indianapolis Hiking Club, which will be 68 years old in January 2025, has grown and evolved through the years, but has always remained faithful to the goals of the founding members. To celebrate our 65th anniversary in 2022 the Club published a full color history book that was given to all club members, which you can view here. This past fiscal year (October 2023-September 2024) our Club scheduled 2,064 hikes (5.7 hikes a day), however it might come as a surprise to know for the first 20 years the Indianapolis Hiking Club scheduled only one hike a week, usually on Sunday. Click here to see the first hike schedule ever published in February 1957. During the early years, the Club also sponsored a holiday season party, summer picnic, social and business meetings and weekend overnights, often in conjunction with other hiking clubs. The first "year in review" Trail Blazer report was published in January 1969 and is still published annually. It recapped the Club's activities during 1968, which was representative of the Club's early years. Click here to view the first Trail Blazer, which will give you a nice recap of Club activities during 1968. In 1968 the membership grew to 165. Dues were $2.00 annually, plus $.10 a hike. And it cost $.04 to mail the one page schedule. Only 52 Sunday hikes were scheduled, ranging from 1 to 13 miles with an average distance of 5-6 miles. The one mile hike was to see downtown Indy Christmas displays. Hikes typically drew 20-30 members and 10 or more guests and children. About half the hikes were to out-of-town locations we often hike today, including Brown County State Park, Morgan Monroe State Forest and Jackson State Forest. Hikers usually carpooled from the Indiana statehouse and the Board suggested reimbursing the driver $0.01 per mile. Members often enjoyed a cookout after a hike. Some notable events in the Club's history: 1958 "Trail Blazer" (little man with the hiking staff) becomes the first Club logo 1963 Name tags were adopted 1967 Started tracking member mileage. Sorry no credit for Club's first 10 years 1969 First "Trail Blazer" report published recapping 1968 events and member mileage 1970 Board sets a goal of at least one 10-20 mile hike a month 1974 Club motto "Happiness - A step at a time" is adopted 1975 Following a number of unpleasant incidents, pets were banned from hikes 1976 Win Pulsifer pens lyrics for Club song 1978 Saturday hikes and multiple hikes on the same day begin to appear 1979 Tom Patterson, the Club's long time mileage leader, reaches 1,000 miles 1979 First men's "Beauty Pageant" at Gnaw Bone Camp 1981 Weekday hikes begin appearing on the schedule 1982 Club celebrates its Silver Anniversary with several major events 1983 First "self guided", set-your-own-pace hikes 1985 Club participates in its first German-American Volksmarch 1986 Ron Craig develops a hike rating system, we still use today 1987 Dues raised to $5.00 single and $8.00 for family 1989 Old tradition of collecting $0.10 a hike is abolished 1991 Bill Murphy, first Club president, passes away 1997 Club celebrates its 40th anniversary with a banquet 1998 First annual Club trip to Smoky Mountains National Park 2000 Reba Wooden develops the Club's first website 2000 Single day distance record of 43 miles set by 5 hikers 2001 Halloween costumed hike, hay ride and wiener roast 2002 Member Carol Barnes thru hikes the Appalachian trail for the 3rd year in a row (first woman ever to do so) 2003 Hikes scheduled in every Indiana State Park and State Forest and 7 states 2004 13,494 hikers complete 1,114 hikes, both records 2005 20 hikers complete a 10 hike series across the state of Indiana (190 miles) 2006 Seven members set an incredible single day distance record of 62 miles (100 K) 2006 Annual Achievement Award Program established 2007 Governor and Mayor declare January 23 Indianapolis Hiking Club Day to recognize our 50th Anniversary (view proclamations) 2007 All time mileage leader Tom Patterson passed away. He hiked 42,590 miles 2008 Club adopts a new logo featuring both a man and a women hiker 2008 Seventy-five members attend trips to the Black Hills and Grand Teton National Park 2009 Glee Crowder becomes the first winner of the Bill and Nell Larrison Pinnacle Award 2010 A winter hiking trip to Tucson, AZ draws 90 members and guests for desert hiking 2011 Long time Club patriarch and 47 year member Bill Larrison passed away 2012 Now you can like us on Facebook, too 2013 Seventy members and guests enjoyed a week of hiking in rugged West Virginia 2014 Designated "Pet Hikes" are scheduled for the first time since 1975 2015 Fifty members and guests attend a weeklong trip to Rocky Mountain National Park 2016 Club celebrates Indiana's Bicentennial by hiking in all 25 Indiana State parks 2017 Club followed up last year's state park hikes, by hiking in 10 IN State Recreation Areas 2018 Glee Crowder breaks Tom Patterson's all time distance record. In 2021 she became the first member to reach 50,000 miles 2019 55 year member Nell Larrison, wife of long time Club patriarch Bill Larrison, passes away at 104. The end of an era 2020 Covid-19 pandemic shuts down all hiking from mid-March until June 1. Thereafter, hiking resumes with masks and social distancing, but all social gatherings are cancelled 2021 A colorful 36 page 65th Anniversary history book is published and given to all members (view book) 2022 Allan Roberts breaks Glee Crowder's record for the most miles hiked in a year; hiking 3,718 miles (71.5 miles a week) 2023 For the first time the Club participates in Indianapolis' St. Patrick's Day parade, the 500 Festival parade and Penrod art fair. 2024 Glee Crowder having led the most hikes for 16 years in a row, retires after leading a total of 3,923 hikes. 2025 Club is now on Instagram The Indianapolis Hiking Club has been serving its members and the community for over 67 years. We are more vibrant than ever, thanks, in large part, to an inspired vision, the efforts of countless volunteers and many wonderful traditions. While the main focus has always been hiking, it has been the camaraderie and long lasting friendships that have kept the Club thriving since 1957. The Club Today On October 1, 2024 (start of our fiscal year), the Indianapolis Hiking Club had 570 members, making us one of the largest hiking organizations in the US. Our members come from all races, creeds and national origins. We have slightly more women members than men. All age groups are represented (must be 18 to join) and the median member age is above 50. A sizable percentage of our members are empty nesters or retired. Most members live in or near Indianapolis, however it is not uncommon for people to drive from as far away as Lafayette, Brown County and nearby states to a hike. Members who have relocated to other states often maintain their membership and the close friendships developed over the years. Some physically challenged long tenured members still participate in slow and easy hikes and social events. A large percentage of our members share multiple interests related to the outdoors and keeping fit and participate in other related organizations, such as backpacking and biking clubs, the Sierra Club, photography clubs, bird watching and conservation groups and the worldwide Volksmarch organization. Guests are welcome on all hikes as are children and grandchildren. Sorry, but pets are only allowed on designated "pet" hikes. To learn more about joining us, review how to become a member. Hikes Webster's dictionary defines hike as "a long walk, especially for exercise or pleasure". Using that definition, the Indianapolis Hiking Club definitely hikes a lot. In 2024 the Club sponsored 2,064 hikes - an average of 5.7 hikes a day and an average of 5.72 miles per hike. The average number of hikers per hike was 9.07 with a total of 17,101 hikers. The longest hike was 31 miles. (182 hikes were canceled for weather, health issues, etc. leading to a total of 1,882 hikes actually completed). Collectively our members hiked 97,875 miles in 2024, making us one of the most active hiking clubs in the country. Although there are a number of mall hikes on our schedule, hiking is mainly an outdoor activity that consists of walking in natural environments, often on hiking trails in the woods, rural roads and paved sidewalks and walkways. Hikes are scheduled every day of the year and all members are encouraged to lead. In a typical week 40+ hikes are offered, including morning, afternoon and evening choices on most weekdays and a variety of moderate and long distance options every weekend. Although spring and fall are our most popular seasons, a full schedule of hikes is offered in the dead of winter and during the warmer summer months, making hiking a year round activity. All hikes are rated as to speed, distance and terrain and a full spectrum of choices is offered each week. Moderate speed and distance hikes predominate (typically 5-7 miles at a 2.5-3.5 miles per hour pace), however Challenging hikes of 12-20+ miles at a faster pace including very hilly terrain are scheduled frequently. In recent years we have increased the number of "slow and easy" hikes (2-4 miles), which appeal to some of our older members, people rehabbing from medical issues and folks new to hiking. Most of the Club's weekday hikes follow roads and trails in or near Indianapolis - Eagle Creek Park is our most popular venue. Weekend hikes typically include in-town and out-of-town options. During 2024, extended stay trips were scheduled to Gulf Shores, Alabama in January, Hocking Hills SP in Ohio in February to see frozen waterfalls, McCormick's Creek SP in March, the 27th Annual Smoky Mountains trip in April, an extended trip to the Upper Peninsula, Mackinac Island and Petoskey Bay in northern Michigan in September, Mount Katahdin and Baxter SP in Maine (also in September), a fall trip to New England (NY, MA, and RI) in October, and a second trip to Hocking Hills in October immediately followed by Cuyahoga Valley NP, both in Ohio. During 2024 our club also participated in the annual St. Patrick's day parade, the 500 Festival parade and the Penrod Art Festival. In 2025 the Club anticipates scheduling more than 2,000 hikes again. Extended stay trips are planned in 2025 for Gulf Shores, Alabama in January; Hocking Hills SP in Ohio for frozen waterfalls in February; winter weekend at Spring Mill SP in March; the Smoky Mountains NP in April for the 28th year in a row; a Tri-State (IN, KY, IL) trip in May; and the White Mountains of New Hampshire in July. We will also offer a number of hikes in Florida for our winter snowbirds. Click here to see a list of all the future trips. No matter where your interests lie, you will almost certainly find hikes, out of town trips and social events on our schedule that are perfect for you. Check out the current hiking schedule and see for yourself. Social Events Although hiking remains the primary focus, the Club sponsors a Winter Banquet each year which will be held on January 11th in 2025, a summer picnic in July, a General Assembly in September, Oktoberfest at Gnaw Bone Camp in October and social oriented long weekend outings every winter and several other times of the year. The Club often participates in Indy parades and has sponsored booths at nature and art fairs. Many hike leaders tack on pitch-ins and visits to museums, gardens, concerts and restaurants at the conclusion of a hike. Overnight hikes and out of state trips usually include planned social activities. Following a number of recurring weekday hikes, it has become a tradition for hikers to meet for coffee, lunch or dinner. As an example, the "lunch bunch" has been meeting every Thursday after the Eagle Creek hike for more than 30 years. And the Zionsville Friday morning group stops for a coffee break during the middle of the hike. Hiking with the Club is as much a social experience as physical exercise, or as one member put it "Hiking is better than therapy." Club Organization The Indianapolis Hiking Club is a completely voluntary not for profit corporation with no paid officers or staff. Although it supports a number of local and national organizations dedicated to hiking, conservation and trail maintenance, the Club expressly avoids actions or activities that might promote controversy or divisiveness, or favor any commercial, political or special interest group. The Club Constitution provides the organizational framework; you can view it by clicking Club Archives. A Board of Directors meets monthly and oversees all Club business. You may view Board Meeting minutes and financial statements by clicking here. See below for a list of the current Board members. All Club members are invited to a General Assembly each September during which new officers are elected. The Club's fiscal year starts on October 1, which is when the new Board takes office and annual dues become due. A combination hike schedule and newsletter is published every two months. Members have the option of viewing it on this website (encouraged to keep costs down) or receiving it by mail for a modest surcharge. In January a Trail Blazer report is posted on the website recapping the prior year's hiking activities and listing all members annual and lifetime mileage. Also in January, all members receive a current membership roster in the mail that includes addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. To protect members privacy the membership roster is not available on the website. Club rules prohibit use of this information for commercial or personal solicitations or the conversion of directory information to digital media. Current Club Officers Following is a list of Indianapolis Hiking Club officers for the Club year beginning October 1, 2024. The President, VP, Pathfinders (schedule the hikes), Secretary, Treasurer, and Directors At Large are elected to a one-year term at the annual General Assembly in September. The incoming President appoints the other officers to a one-year term. If you would like to volunteer to be on the Board or serve on one of our committees, please contact the President. President - Debbie Bucholz Vice-President - Cathy Fischer Pathfinder (weekends) - Jean Ballinger Pathfinder (weekdays) - Ed Wright Secretary - Konnie Schlechte Treasurer - Marian Fahy Directors at large Pat Lawler Karen LeClerc Martha Rivera June Kathy Whalen Conservation - Dave Drzewiecki Membership - Marti Burton Mileage/DB analyst - John McShea Publicity - Delaram Moghaddam Publications - Kae Ramey Social - Annie Falvey Webmaster - Paul Klimowitch Electronic Media - Phil Coons Club Historian - Mervyn Cohen Member Recognition INDIANAPOLIS HIKING CLUB ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS In 2006 the Club established an Achievement Awards program to recognize hiking related achievements during the Club fiscal year. Winners are announced at the Winter Banquet. There are eleven different awards, in categories, such as hiking more than 1,000 miles or completing the longest scheduled hike. In addition to hiking related awards we also recognize Trail Maintenance volunteers and new 25 year members. To see a description of the awards and a list of the most recent and past winners click on Achievement Awards. ALL TIME MILEAGE LEADER On May 9, 2018, Glee Crowder broke Tom Patterson's all time mileage record of 42,590 miles. Glee continues to add to the record. In 2021 Glee was the first member to reach 50,000 miles and as of September 30, 2024 she had amassed 55,867 miles, although Allan Roberts is closing the gap fast. SINGLE YEAR MILEAGE LEADER In 2022 Allan Roberts broke Glee Crowder's record of 3,368 miles hiked in one year (record set in 2012). In 2022 Allan hiked 3,718 miles an incredible average of 71.5 miles a week, to achieve this on some days Allan did as many as three hikes. All TIME MOST HIKE LEADER In 2024, because of failing health, Glee Crowder retired from hike leading after having led the Club for 16 years in a row. She finished with 3,923 hikes led, more than twice as many as any other member in Club history. SINGLE DAY DISTANCE RECORD The current single day distance record is 62 miles, set on April 28, 2006 by seven members. This record has been tied (same hike from Washington DC to Harpers Ferry, WV) in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Rita Bymaster has hiked this incredible distance ten times. To see a list of the other people who hiked 62 miles click on Achievement Awards. 10,000 - 60,000 MILERS Of our 570 active members at the end of the Club year on September 30, 2024, only 45 members have hiked more than 10,000 miles on Club hikes; 12 members have passed 20,000 miles; 6 have hiked more than 30,000 miles; and 2 members - Glee Crowder and Allan Roberts - passed 50,000 miles. Here are our active lifetime mileage leaders as of September 30, 2024: * Glee Crowder 55,857 All time mileage leader. First member to achieve 50,000 miles. * Allan Roberts 52,550 Top mileage leader for 2024. * Rick Kinnaman 39,377 Passed one time around the earth (24,901 miles) * Jill McFall 38,822 " * Cherie Voege 35,348 " * David Kincaid 33,911 " * Tish Brafford 27,901 " * Michele Kestle 27,750 " * Mary Lester 26,248 " * Ed Wright 26,231 " * Julie Litten 20,816 * Rick Braun 19,744 * Kae Ramey 18,784 * Jim Griffin 18,043 * Marsha Hutchins 17,963 * Donna Chastain 17,303 * Martin Dadel 15,487 * Mary Ann Layman 14,747 * Janet Cohen 14,669 * Mike Khalil 14,439 * Pat Lawler 14,239 * Mary Williams 14,184 * Mary Bruss 13,855 * Phil Smith 13,685 * Carol Radke 13,576 * Marge Braun 13,545 * Cheryl Conces 13,472 * Dewey Conces 13,472 * Jo Anne Starzyk 13,431 * Katy Smith 13,362 * Lucy Neal 13,054 * Mike Seeman 13,013 * Ron Mutzl 12,603 * Jean Ballinger 11,749 * Bob Layman 11,499 * Cheryl Conwell 11,165 * Kate Curtiss 11,084 * Daymon Evans 10,974 * Rita Bymaster 10,918 * Emily Hudson-Burch 10,915 * Kathy Braun 10,662 * Ellen Mutzl 10,615 * Marti Burton 10,363 New to this list in 2024 * Don Hayes 10,142 New to this list in 2024 TWENTY-FIVE YEAR MEMBERS Following is a list of the 81 active members who as of September 30, 2024 have been Club members for more than 25 years. The list includes 7 new 25 year members this year. These people represent the history and backbone of our club. Years a member * Phyllis Cassetty 56 years * Jo Ann Jones 54 years * Marsha Hutchins 50 years * Janice James 50 years * Pat Warner 49 years * Steve Warner 49 years * Jerry Green 48 years * Christine Nitz 45 years * Allen Pekar 45 years * Barbie Blocks 44 years * Ron Craig 44 years * Linda Elliott 44 years * Jill McFall 42 years * Laurel Richardson 42 years * Mike Khalil 41 years * Linda Crawford 40 years * Cheryl Conwell 39 years * Marthene Kohlmeyer 39 years * Pat Lawler 39 years * Bob Layman 39 years * Bill Boyd 38 years * Vija Gullett 38 years * Mary Lester 37 years * Nanette Tate 37 years * Tony Abbott 36 years * Jean Ballinger 36 years * Larry Kahl 36 years * Richard Kinnaman 36 years * Rachael Joachim 35 years * Michele Kestle 35 years * Richard Vonnegut 35 years * Cheryl Abner 34 years * Lee Kestle 34 years * Penny Eisenhut 33 years * Reba McFarland 33 years * Judy Kothe 32 years * Allan Roberts 32 years * Kaye Smith 32 years * Brian Burke 31 years * Donna Burke 31 years * Kate Curtiss 31 years * Marti Applegate 30 years * Jim Griffin 30 years * Mary Ann Layman 30 years * Anita Pearson 30 years * Richard Sexson 30 years * Elaine Wright 30 years * Mary Ann Beuke 29 years * Kathy Braun 29 years * Judy Torrence 29 years * Debbie Witcher 29 years * Reba Wooden 27 years * Tish Brafford 27 years * Betsy Friedenberg 27 years * Emily Hudson-Burch 27 years * Karen Hyland 27 years * David Kincaid 27 years * Carol Larson 27 years * Susanne McNeely 27 years * Paula Moore 27 years * Ron Moore 27 years * Susan Roberts 27 years * Terry Roesch 27 years * Phil Short 27 years * Mary Bruss 26 years * Sue Bullock 26 years * Dave O'Brien 26 years * Lynn O'Brien 26 years * Kay Ramey 26 years * Tom Roesch 26 years * Diana Sullivan 26 years * Pat Theobald 26 years * Cheri Voege 26 years * Richard Voege 26 years * Donna Chastain 25 years New to the list of 25 year members * Glee Crowder 25 years " * Jessie Jolly 25 years " * Tom Kapostasy 25 years " * Rick Michael 25 years " * Carol Radke 25 years " * Marian Corya 25 years "