the contents of Alexis McAllister’s backpack were lined up on a table inside the Hawk Mountain education building for the inaugural Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Hiker Kickoff event.

She had a hammock, water filters, tiny camp stove, emergency phone, first aid kit and sleeping bag — all essentials she carries on her back while hiking the Appalachian Trail.

The weight? About 17 pounds — a drop in the bucket compared to the 65 pounds she carried on her first thru-hike of the 2,197.4 mile trail that spans 14 states.

“It came to me through education, through other people and other hikers talking to me about my gear so that I could get it down to something that I could manage,” said McAllister, a chairwoman of the Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club who now section hikes the AT with her sons.

The recent kickoff at Hawk Mountain was organized by the club and brought seasoned hikers and others to share information and resources with those readying for their own treks.

It was the first event of its kind in Pennsylvania, and one of only a handful supported by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC).

Hikers could check over gear used by hikers like McAllister, register to hike the trail, and get an ATC “hang tag.”

The tags, which are attached to backpacks, had only been available at the trail’s starting/ending points in Maine and Georgia, or its midway point near Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.

“But many people weren’t going to do those type of trips just to get a hang tag. They don’t mail them,” said McAllister, of the Lehighton area and Scoutmaster of Parryville Boy Scout Troop 8.

Having the event at Hawk Mountain encouraged section hikers to register. The section hikers, McAllister said, are those who hit portions of the trail over time, as opposed to those who thru-hike, or complete the trail between Georgia and Maine in one very long walk. By registering, the ATC knows where hikers will be, and where to extend its support services, McAllister said.

“They’re going to be encouraging every state (along the trail) to do something like this” McAllister said.

And once hikers registered, volunteers — many of them AT hikers — guided them to booths inside the Kempton center.

There were tips on packing, water source details, blaze marker information and networking opportunities for hikers.

Detailed maps of Pennsylvania were unfurled at one table.

‘Rocksylvania’

“The PA trail, out of hikers’ rating of every state, is considered the worst,” McAllister said.

The sheer amount of rocks are to blame, McAllister said as she showed photographs of hikers navigating boulders or trekking over melon-sized stones.

Most hikers, she said, refer to the Pennsylvania stretch as “Rocksylvania.”

“When we call it ‘Rocksylvania,’ it really is Rocksylvania,” she said. “There is a 40-mile stretch that is rock after rock after rock.”

In fact, next year’s kickoff will be dubbed “Rocksylvania Rendezvous.”

The maps not only spoke of Pennsylvania’s treacherous terrain but flagged water sources. McAllister said accessing water along the Keystone State’s trail can be a chore since the trail is high on a ridgetop and the water is below.

“When you have a 10-mile day, and have to walk down the mountain and back up for water, it can be difficult,” McAllister said, “so knowing where your water sources are on the trail is a big part of planning your day.”

Jerry Haimowitz, a thru-hiker, talked about signs of dehydration and said that water can be collected from any steam or river.

“Even water that is the color of red wine is OK,” he said. “The color comes from tannins or iron.”

While it can be sourced from anywhere, Haimowitz said, water always must be purified because of possible contamination. Hikers can carry filters or purification tablets to make it safe to drink.

Carrying water is also an option, but Haimowitz said a gallon can add more than 8 pounds of weight.

With the goal of walking multiple miles a day, keeping weight to a minimum is key.

“We have what we call the Big 3, which is your pack, your sleeping system and what you are going to sleep in, whether that be a tent or a hammock,” said John Czartorijskij, of Wilmington, Delaware.

The hammocks weight just ounces, and can be strapped to trees. Tents are a bit heavier and should be pitched on flat ground.

It’s all a hiker’s preference, Czartorijskij said, noting that he prefers a tent with an inflatable sleeping mat or pad.

Food, sleep

Ian Frable, 16, began section hiking as a 5-year-old with his mother, McAllister, and prefers a hammock.

He needs just 500 miles to complete the trail — a feat that will likely be accomplished this summer with McAllister and his brother, Marcus Frable.

Frable also provided information about foods to pack. Many were dehydrated choices — things like instant mashed potatoes and prepackaged dinners that simply need water to prepare. Hikers, he said, burn between 4,000 and 5,000 calories a day.

“So you really have to get your calories in,” Frable said. And, he added, it’s a must to keep your vittles secured in a bear-proof container or bag.

McAllister, whose gear was displayed as part of a “pack shakedown” demonstration, shared what works for her. The items differed from another backpack’s contents that were also displayed.

It shows, she said, that people use what works best for them. For example, she said, she doesn’t cut corners when it comes to her first aid kit.

“They always say your pack your fears. Your weight comes from what you fear most on the trail, whether it’s food, whether it’s first aid,” McAllister said. “Sometimes I see people and their packs are too heavy. They have 12 days of food or they have three liters of water.”

At another table, information on where to find hostels or other lodging, along with places to purchase supplies was offered.

A dry place to sleep after days of rain, McAllister said, can give a mental boost like no other.

Contact information for shuttles from the trail to other services was also available.

“It is a support network,” McAllister said of the assistance that can be found along the trail.

Glen and Bernadette Leibensperger — both AT hikers — have “The Lookout” hostel on the Blue Mountain near New Tripoli.

They also offered information about the nonprofit “Hike for Mental Health” group.

The two enjoy the trail and being outdoors so much that they’ve introduced it to their granddaughters, Raytt, 4, and Peighton, 9. On a recent jaunt, the two girls collected wild mint, dandelions — and even a deer print — and brought them to the event.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary donated the use of its education building for the event.