Tom Walsh of Worcester is planning a hiking challenge to raise funds for Otsego Outdoors and the Bassett Cancer Institute. This is Tom’s seventh charity hike, and he will attempt to complete the Northville/Lake Placid Trail southbound as a 138-mile thru-hike. All money raised will be divided evenly between the Bassett Cancer Institute for Patient and Family Services, and Otsego Outdoors, for trail maintenance and improvements.
Tom, a cancer survivor, is a great advocate for Otsego Outdoors and hiking. You will often see him walking logging roads in state forests, or helping improve trails at Robert V. Riddell State Park, Basswood Pond State Forest, Otsego Land Trust properties, or anywhere that needs a helping hand.
“Tom is a great volunteer and trail advocate, and we are grateful that he selected Otsego Outdoors again to benefit, along with the Bassett Cancer Institute, from this year’s charity hike,” said Peg Odell of Otsego 2000, which manages the collaborate program along with partner organizations the Otsego Land Trust, Otsego County Conservation Association, and the Butternut Valley Alliance.
His previous charities hikes include:
- a continuous 200-mile thru-hike to Otsego County’s 21 state forests and 4 state parks (2022),
- a continuous 200+-mile thru-hike to Otsego County’s state forests and 5 Otsego Land Trust conservation areas (2023),
- a continuous 360-mile thru hike on the Long Path from Thacher State Park in Voorheesville to 175th Street in Manhattan (2024),
- a continuous northbound hike of the 138-mile Northville/Lake Placid Trail (2025).
If you would like to support Tom’s Charity’ Hike, you can donate online.
We will post updates on Tom’s hike here.