Lenny Bernstein

Volunteer

Lenny Bernstein ​was a devoted supporter to the Appalachian Trail in many different ways since 1990. He was committed to both the environment and to hiking, melding these two lives seamlessly.

Lenny discovered the pleasures and challenges of hiking in his twenties and hiked his first mile on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) in 1974. He’s been hiking, maintaining and supporting the A.T. ever since. Lenny and his wife Danny (Danielle) are “A.T. end-to-enders,” completing the 2,190-mile Trail in 1998. He also walked all the trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, becoming a Smokies 900M.

Lenny served on ​ATC’s Stewardship Council, Advisory Circle and our Board of Directors. He also donated toward the renovation of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s headquarters in Harpers Ferry, W.V., which allowed us to increase our building’s energy efficiency.

Lenny also served twice as past president of the Carolina Mountain Club and was a North Carolina trail maintainer. The club recognized his service by granting him its highest club recognition: Honorary Life Membership.

His professional experience also benefited the Trail — Lenny was a nationally recognized expert on climate change and served as an author on the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third and Fourth Assessment Reports. For this work, he was recognized as contributing to the IPCC sharing the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.

Lenny’s gracious commitment to the Appalachian Trail will serve as a model to follow for generations of conservationists to come. He will be missed.

The family suggests that those who wish to make a gift in his memory provide a memorial donation to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

*By providing a donation in memory of Lenny, the ATC will recognize your contribution in A.T. Journeys and notify Lenny’s family of your gift.