THE HARTFORD CONNECTICUT COURANT

Hiking and Wellness Spa

Exertion and Indulgence

Exertion and Indulgence: Appalachian Trail Adventures (ATA) offers a combination of outdoor activities and indoor pampering for adventure vacationers. ATA offers a hiking spa vacation with guided hikes in the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont for all abilities. Included are daily transportation, breakfast, lunch, dinner and accommodations at the NorthStar Lodge. Rates start at $190 per night, per person. Daily a la carte options are available: massage, yoga, tennis, canoeing, cooking classes and more. For more information, visit www.AppalachianTrailAdventures.com

THE VERMONT STANDARD

Hake a hike and more with Appalachian Trail Adventures

By Mary Lee Camp

An outdoor enthusiast, John Keough has been leading friends and family on Vermont hiking trips for years and enjoys it so much that in 2007 he decided to make it a business and founded Appalachian Trail Adventures (ATA) in Killington.

ATA is not all about hiking–it also offers kayaking in nearby waterways, exploring local caves, sightseeing tours through Vermont scenic villages and at the end of the day guests can unwind with a relaxing massage. The three season (Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day) business provides day trips as well as all-inclusive vacations and is open to hikers and kayakers of all abilities and people of all ages including children.

To keep overhead costs down and to make the program more affordable for guests, Keough partners with the North Star Lodge just off the Killington Mountain access road, the nearby Foundry Restaurant at Summit Pond and the highly rated Killington Delicatessen. ATA operates from the North Star Lodge, where overnight guests stay. The Killington Delicatessen provides picnic lunches and evening meals are held at the Foundry Restaurant.

Keough claims that partnering for lodging and dining gives him the opportunity to be with guests hiking, kayaking, caving or driving one of his four mini vans for sightseeing tours. In addition to Aeolus, the beagle pup ATA mascot, there are three full time and two part-time experienced guides, most of whom return every year to work for ATA. Keough and his crew are committed to a high level of customer service and are dedicated to bringing guests “the best small group adventure they will remember for years.”

The daily outings are flexible, depending upon desire, ability and the number of participants. Everyone, including day guests meet for breakfast at the Lodge at 7:30 to plan the day. Typically, the more energetic activities, such as hiking and kayaking will occur in the morning and the less challenging activities take place after a picnic lunch. But–the final decisions on what to do and when are made at the breakfast meetings.

Woodstock-area excursions include kayaking on the Ottauquechee river, hiking Mount Tom and Mount Peg and sightseeing–which includes comments of historical significance. ATA has been engaged by the Woodstock Inn & Resort and other wedding, convention and reunion venues for the company’s small group “adventures.”

A former Massachusetts resident, Keough is a graduate of the College of St. Joseph in Rutland with a degree in business management–that has been helpful in current endeavor. But until the founding of ATA, the lure of the mountains and outdoor adventures led him to working as a ski instructor in the winter and various summer jobs where he could hike and be on the water.

It’s not too early to sign up for a spring, summer or fall Appalachian Trail adventure. For additional information, go online at www. appalachiantrailadventures. com. To view or download a copy visit here.

THE PEOPLE’S PRESS

A Unique Hiking and Wellness Spa

Meriden, Wallingford and Central Connecticut’s Newspaper

Appalachian Trail Adventures (ATA) and the NorthStar Lodge are excited to announce an affordable all-inclusive fitness vacation. We know you are as concerned about your travel budget as you are about the comfort and convenience of your accommodations. That’s why we are offering the best possible spa vacation at the lowest prices. We provide guided hikes, snacks, breakfast, lunch, dinner and accommodations starting at the spectacular low rate of $197.00 per night, per person, for double occupancy, including taxes and gratuities. We offer massages, yoga and cooking classes à la carte. 

ATA is a unique hiking and wellness spa for hikers of all abilities. Offering daily guided hikes in the Green Mountains of Vermont along the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail, followed by excursions to Vermont’s scenic villages. After the hikes guests can unwind with a late afternoon yoga class and/or a massage. But the fun doesn’t stop there, after dinner a registered dietitian presents cooking demonstrations while discussing nutritional facts and myths. Unlike most spas, ATA’s owner John Keough is there daily to provide guests with personal service.

In collaboration with registered dietitians we create a delicious spa menu for those seeking healthier meals. ATA is able to cater to special dietary restrictions and offers two serving sizes. These are a weight loss portion or a hiker’s portion so our guests can have customized meals. This enables ATA to cater to couples, athletes, weight loss vacationers, as well as to all those with no dietary restrictions who seek to eat healthier. Guests will be empowered to kick start a new lifestyle, as we introduce them to several alternatives or options to choose from in order to attain better health, healthier weight and improved fitness.

reFRESH reCHARGE reNEW MAGAZINE 

Full Spa Treatment Built On A Program Of Daily Guided Hikes

Hiking and Wellness Spa in Vermont’s Green Mountains

Get acquainted with the northernmost reaches of the Appalachian Trail with an all-inclusive visit to this “hiking and wellness spa” in Vermont’s Green Mountains. Here, you’ll find a complete program of mountain hikes (with visits to nearby villages); stretch, water aerobics, and yoga classes; and evening activities including lectures on cooking, nutrition, stress-management, and hiking. Treks are available for adults of all ages and abilities, and advanced hikers can attempt to “bag” all five of Vermont’s 4,000-foot-plus mountains with spa staffers. Other special programs include the weight-loss-focused Bad Habit Breaker Program and the Lifestyle Change Program, both of which include on-site sessions with registered dieticians. Balance your relaxing treatments with invigorating activities like canoeing, kayaking, fly-fishing, tennis, horseback riding, and mountain biking.