Al Dahler, Southern Shenandoah Valley chapter member, Appalachian Trail section maintainer and Founding member of the Flying McLeods South District Trail Crew passed away on April 22, 2025 in Saratoga Springs, Utah. He is survived by his wife Avis and family including four grandchildren.
In the early 2000's, Al and I worked on many projects to regrade sections of the Appalachian Trail. Prior to the current cooperative agreement with the North River Ranger District, we worked on the Shenandoah Mountain Trail and removed blowdowns on Jerry’s Run Trail. There was a lot of hard, repetitive work, often performed in the heat of summer, but Al was always there and ready to go. He approached each project with the zeal and energy of a man half his age.
When health issues forced Al to curtail trail work, he and Avis moved to Saratoga Springs, Utah to be near family. Al remained focused on world events and politics, reading avidly and writing a journal for his grandchildren with his thoughts on the world situation and family matters.
Al was a man of many parts. Prior to joining our trail club. he served in the military for 20 years, was headmaster and teacher at several private boarding schools and was a lay chaplain and hospice administrator in Wyoming and a hospice volunteer in Virginia.
True to his nature, Al asked that there be no service or viewing and no public notices. In recognition of Al’s contributions to the trail and to the chapter, Avis has kindly permitted me to write this remembrance for our chapter newsletter. His grandsons will spread his ashes somewhere in the mountains of Utah.
----Remembrance by Mark Gatewood
In the early 2000's, Al and I worked on many projects to regrade sections of the Appalachian Trail. Prior to the current cooperative agreement with the North River Ranger District, we worked on the Shenandoah Mountain Trail and removed blowdowns on Jerry’s Run Trail. There was a lot of hard, repetitive work, often performed in the heat of summer, but Al was always there and ready to go. He approached each project with the zeal and energy of a man half his age.
When health issues forced Al to curtail trail work, he and Avis moved to Saratoga Springs, Utah to be near family. Al remained focused on world events and politics, reading avidly and writing a journal for his grandchildren with his thoughts on the world situation and family matters.
Al was a man of many parts. Prior to joining our trail club. he served in the military for 20 years, was headmaster and teacher at several private boarding schools and was a lay chaplain and hospice administrator in Wyoming and a hospice volunteer in Virginia.
True to his nature, Al asked that there be no service or viewing and no public notices. In recognition of Al’s contributions to the trail and to the chapter, Avis has kindly permitted me to write this remembrance for our chapter newsletter. His grandsons will spread his ashes somewhere in the mountains of Utah.
----Remembrance by Mark Gatewood
Al Dahler and Mark Gatewood at Beagle Gap 2013.
