Piazza Rock - The Piazza Rock site is one that offers hikers of all agilities the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. The actual Piazza Rock is a flat-topped, large, overhanging rock tucked away amongst forest trees. If hikers choose, they have the option to engage in some beginner bouldering and make their way up to the top of the rock. Once on top, the hiker encounters a unique, miniature alpine zone.

The Piazza Rock Caretaker is fortunate to encounter all abilities of hikers at this site, and has many opportunities to speak with visiting overnight camps and college orientation groups about the Leave No Trace philosophy. Piazza Rock sits at the base of the majestic Saddleback Mountain Range. More experienced hikers will pass through the Piazza Rock site focused on the summit of Saddleback Mountain, a 4,130' summit, or the Horn, a 4,041' summit beyond.

The Piazza Rock Caretaker is also responsible for ridge-running across some of the most physically strenuous and visually stunning miles on the Appalachian Trail. The location of the tent platform offers the caretaker a certain degree of privacy and a comfortable, quiet place at the end of the day.

Dave Gantz
2010 Piazza Rock Caretaker

My enthusiasm for the outdoors began when I was young.  Every year my family would take weeklong summer vacations to Pennsylvania State Parks in the family camper.  As I grew older, these trips turned into longer canoe trips to Algonquin Provincial Park with my father.  It was in high school during an overnight hike at the Rausch Gap Shelter when I was first introduced to the Appalachian Trial.  It was amazing to learn that there was a footpath that led from Maine the whole way to Georgia!  I immediately had dreams of hiking the entire trail.  It wasn’t until I shattered my right tibia and fibula while playing soccer for Bloomsburg University that I finally began to make true preparations for a thru hike.  Finally in 2005 I hiked the AT southbound from June 15th to November. 11th.

Everything has been different since then.  I strive to live a relatively simple lifestyle, while also traveling as much as possible.  After thru hiking the Long Trail in the spring of 2007, I moved to Missoula MT for a year to explore the northern Rockies.  In August of 2008, I moved to the front range of Colorado.  That winter was spent working and living in Boulder and snowshoeing in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.

On May 13th 2009, a friend dropped me off in the desert of southern California.  He drove away, and I walked to Canada.  118 consecutive days of walking along the Pacific Crest Trail landed me 2,700 miles away at Manning Park, British Columbia.  What a great trip!

Now, as this winter draws to an end, I am glad to know that I will once again be spending a summer under the canopy of the Eastern forests.  I am looking forward to meeting and greeting all of the wonderful folks that live and visit Maine.  I am also excited to be able to help out and give back to the AT and its great trail community!

I’m hoping to thru hike the 312 mile Mid State Trail in PA this spring before moving up to Maine.  If the weather is nice after my Maine assignment, I may attempt to thru hike the Long Trail before moving back to PA for winter work.  As of now, my ‘long term’ goal is stay fit enough to thru hike the Continental Divide Trail in 2011.

The great snow this winter in Central PA has afforded me to better hone my cross-country skiing skills.  But I’m more of a summer guy… besides backpacking; my main interests are trail running, road bicycling, and swimming.

-Carpe diem
-Dave Gantz