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Walk the Appalachian Trail (Wellness Plan Challenge)

It’s time to get rugged!

Our first wellness challenge is coming up this September! Join a team of up to 7 and step to each destination, unlocking American backcountry and survival tips along the way. Registration begins on September 2nd and the challenge will run from September 12th - 29th. Join us to earn a point toward your FY26 rebate

Registration

• • Begins: September 2nd, 2025
  • Ends: September 12th, 2025 (although, you can register and join a team after the challege starts - it may be more difficult to complete the challenge)
  • Team total: 7 members

Challenge Dates

• • Begins: September 12th, 2025
  • Ends: September 29th, 2025
  • Last day to record steps earned between the challenge dates:  October 1st, 2025 (remember, syncing only goes back 2 weeks, so make sure your step count is updated in the Personify Health portal often)

Unlock Destinations with Step Count
As you and your team move through the challenge, you will begin to unlock up to 8 destinations - providing background and interesting information for each.

• • Each desitation requires a total of 126,000 steps to unlock
  • From start (Springer Mountain) to finish (Mount Katahdin) you and your team will need to take a total of 882,000 steps
  • For a 7 person team, that's a total of 126,000 steps per person which averages out to about 7,000 steps per day between September 12th - 29th

1. Springer Mountain
2. Cherokee National Forest
3. Stony Man Mountain
4. Harpers Ferry
5. Delaware Water Gap
6. October Mountain Lean-to
7. Mount Washington
8. Mount Katahdin

Important Information

• • Track your steps
    • You do not need to have a special tracking device to track steps. Steps can be manually entered into the platform. Feel free to use your regular tracking tools (pedometer, apple health, other phone apps, devices, etc).
  • Record your steps
    • All step data must be synced or manually uploaded to the challenge no later than October 1st, 2025.
    • Remember, if syncing a device, the ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ will only go back 2 weeks so be sure to sync regularly!
  • Join any group - you do not need to "know" one already
    • You can create a team of 7 or you can join an open team.
    • You do not need to create a team of 7, or know a team of 7, in order to participate in this challenge.
    • The maximum number of members on a team is 7. 
  • Changing teams
    • You can change teams up until the challenge start date (September 12). After the challenge has started, teams will be locked. 
  • Earn a point
    • Join the challenge to earn 1 point toward the rebate to be paid out in November 2026 (more information on the rebate and how to qualify can be found here).
  • Understanding the wellness program
    • Need a better understanding of what the wellness program is? Review our wellness program webpage!

Emailed via benefits newsletter on 8/26/2025.
Published via UA News on 9/5/2025.
Contact Benefits: (907) 450-8242 | ua-benefits@alaska.edu | schedule one-on-one time