adminAs author of The Thru-Hiker’s Handbook, Dan Bruce’s trail name of “Wingfoot” is familiar to many in the Appalachian Trail community. During his seven thru-hikes and more than a quarter-century of section hikes on the AT, Bruce extensively catalogued invaluable hiker resources such as mail drops, water sources, resupply stations, maps of significant trail towns and more. With a guiding principle of two hours of volunteerism benefiting the trail for every mile spent on it, he shared his wisdom in thorough detail throughout his guide, published by his self-founded Center for Appalachian Trail Studies and considered indispensable for many thru-hikers. Because the trail itself and its surrounding elements constantly changed, Bruce published an updated edition each year from 1991 to 2007 when he sold his interest in the book, which later merged with “The A.T. Guide” by David “Awol” Miller in 2011.
In recent years, Bruce has refocused his attentions toward sacred studies in Christianity and has published a number of books in that area. He is currently working on a nonfiction e-book titled “Walking with Wingfoot on the Appalachian Trail.”
