Official Rules

Submissions

• All contestants must be 18 or older or have written proof of parent/guardian consent.
• All stories, regardless of category, must be submitted between the dates of October ​4, 2016, and January 31, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. Entries received before or after these dates will not be considered.
• While submissions do not have to be about thru-hikes or hiking in general, all stories must relate directly to an experience on or with the Appalachian Trail.
• Any submitted stories, regardless of category, should be credited to only one individual — multiple prizes will not be awarded to submissions with more than one creator.
• Contestants can submit only one story, regardless of category. Multiple submissions may result in your disqualification from the contest.
• Any stories that actively promote actions conflicting with the ATC’s Leave No Trace™ (LNT) principles will be disqualified. For more information about LNT principles, visit appalachiantrail.org/LNT.
• Any stories that promote illegal activity will be disqualified.
• Any stories containing nudity, inappropriate activities, or disparaging behavior/images will be disqualified.

Timeline

• Twenty stories will be selected by ATC staff and featured on our storytelling page, with five stories selected ​during each round.
• All stories, regardless of category, must be received between October ​4, 2016, and January 31, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
• Stories will be selected for each round of voting between the following dates:
  
  • Round 1: Submissions received from Oct. 4 - 31, 2016
  • Round 2: Submissions received ​from ​Nov. 1 - 28, 2016
  • Round 3: Submissions received from Nov. 29 - Jan. 2, 2017
  • Round 4: Submissions received from Jan. 3 - 31, 2017
• Voting periods will commence on the following dates:
  
  • Round 1: Nov. 7 - 20, 2016
    
    • Winner will be announced during week of Nov. 21, 2016
  • Round 2: Dec​. 5 - 18, 2016
    
    • Winner will be announced during week of Dec. 19, 2016
  • Round 3: Jan​. 9 - 22, 2017
    
    • Winner will be announced during week of Jan. 23, 2017
  • Round 4: Feb​. 6 - 19, 2017
    
    • Winner will be announced during week of Feb. 20, 2017
  • Grand Prize Vote: Feb. 27 - Mar. 26, 2017
    
    • Winner will be announced on Mar. 30, 2017
• Winners will be notified via the email addresses provided during entry.
• Storyteller and Finalist Prizes will be mailed within 4-6 weeks after announcing the finalist for each voting period. The additional prizes for the Grand Prize winner will be mailed within 4-6 weeks after the final round of voting has concluded.
• The two-night stay, behind-the-scenes tour of ATC headquarters, and guided hike with an ATC staff member/members awarded to the Grand Prize winner will be arranged based on the availability of the Grand Prize winner and ATC staff. These accommodations will be arranged via phone or email after the Grand Prize winner has been announced. Neither transportation nor transportation costs to and/or from Harpers Ferry, WV will be provided by the ATC.

Terms & Conditions

Every entrant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), Administrator, Judge, and retail or promotional Partners involved with this Promotion assume no liability or responsibility for the prizes once they have been awarded to the winning entrants. Additionally, the winner shall hold harmless the ATC, Administrator, Judge, and all retail or promotional Partners involved with this promotion and waive any and all claims of liability arising directly or indirectly from participation in the Promotion or use of any prizes awarded.
 
The ATC reserves the right, in their sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, or suspend this Promotion should one or more computer viruses, malicious computer code, unauthorized human intervention, or other causes beyond their control, corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Promotion. Any entrant who submits a virus, malicious code, malware or otherwise attempts to interfere, impede or disrupt ATC’s website will be disqualified. The ATC reserves the right to make changes ​to the Official Rules of the contest, including substitution of a prize or a portion of the prize of equivalent value, which will become effective upon announcement, without the requirement to notify entrants or others. Such a change shall occur only on the Official Rules posted on the Promotion entry web site. The ATC, Administrator, Judge, and retail ​or promotional Partners are not responsible for typographical or other errors in the printing, the offering, or the administration of the Promotion, or in the announcement of a prize. The ATC reserves the right to ​disqualify and/or remove any work submitted to the competition at any time. All prizes are final: no prize may be exchanged for a different prize or for equivalent cash value.

Any material submitted to this contest can be used by the ATC in future promotional materials. By submitting to this contest via any form of media — physical, digital, or otherwise — you are agreeing to this stipulation.

Should your story be selected, your first and last name will be featured on the myATstory Contest website and, potentially, other ATC-operated websites or social media accounts. Your email address and any other personal information will be kept confidential by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and will not be shared with external parties.
 
The ATC shall not be liable for any damages, whether direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential, relating to the participation or inability to participate in this Promotion. Some states do not allow the limitation or exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages; consequently, the above may not apply to you.
 
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Osprey, ENO, Point6, or any other retail or promotional Partners.