The ATIS offers four achievement awards to ATIS hikers to recognize both advancement and good citizenship. These four awards (signed certificates) will be presented at the July and August picnics, but are not to be confused with the "ATIS Award" which is the highest honor given by the ATIS. Hikers should also note that a person is eligible to receive each award only once, and their names will be made part of a permanent record kept in the ATIS room.

The following general requirements must be fulfilled by all:
* Hikers must demonstrate respect for others as well as for the natural world at all times on trips.
* All trips which are counted toward an award must have been climbed with an ATIS
group.
* A list of completed trips and the years in which they were done must be given to a senior counselor by the Monday prior to the July or August picnic.

THE FOUR AWARDS
The Hiker Award is for those who have completed seven "C" trips. (Lower Lake activities day does not count.) All trips must have been made in the year of the award or the year previous. An Alderdice overnight counts as one trip.

The Trail Award is for those who have completed six "C" hikes and two "B" trips. and have passed the Bow Paddler Test. Lower Lake activities day does not count as a trip (but that is where most will pass the paddling test), and neither can one count any trip counted for the Hiker Award. All trips must have been made in the year of the award or the year previous. Alderdice overnights may be counted as a "C" trip.

The Ridge Award is given to those who have participated in three "C" and seven "B" trips, (including two bushwhacks) and have also passed the Stern Paddler Test. Lower Lake activities day does not count, and neither can one count any trip counted for a previous award. All trips must have been made in the year of the award or the two years previous. Alderdice overnights (up to two) may be counted as a "C" trip, Upper Lake overnights may be counted as a "B" trip while any other overnight may be counted as two "B" trips.

In addition, candidates must pass a short written test on elementary first aid, boating safety, plant and tree identification, and map reading.

The Summit Award is given in recognition of superior and sustained achievement in Adirondack climbing. Candidates must have participated in four "B" and six "A" trips including two bushwhacks and have also passed the Stern Paddler Test. All trips must have been made in the year of the award or during the two previous years. No trip counted for any other award may be used. Upper Lake overnights count as one "B" trip while other overnights count as one "A" trip.

Summit Award candidates must also pass a more advanced test covering the same areas as the Ridge Award test.
(Note: While ATIS activity days (Lower Lake, Nature Explorations, Orienteering, etc.) do not count as trips, they do offer instruction in some of the areas tested for the Ridge and Summit Awards.)

ATIS 46-R Award
Over the years, many ATIS members have gone on to climb all of the 46 Adirondack high peaks recognized for acceptance into the Adirondack 46-Rs, an organization of over 2,000 climbers who have achieved this goal. In recent years, the Adirondack 46-Rs have also become an important force in both trail maintenance and environmental education; and any ATIS member who has completed the "46" is strongly encouraged to join and support this organization. The 46-Rs appreciate hearing from those who have completed more that 30 of the 46 peaks, and ATIS members are encouraged to write: Adirondack 46-Rs, Office of the Historian. P.O. Box 9046, Schenectady, NY 12309-0046. One also writes to this address to formally apply for membership after completing all the peaks.

Without trying to take anything away from the Adirondack 46-Rs, the ATIS has decided to separately recognize any member who has both achieved the goal of climbing all 46 peaks and demonstrated an ability to find ones way without a marked trail. One does not have to climb all 46 peaks with ATIS groups, but as of the 1990 climbing season any candidate for the ATIS 46-R Award must have climbed at least one of the 46 peaks without a maintained trail with an ATIS group. While on that trip, the candidate must show both an understanding of route finding and an ability to follow a "herd path". Each candidate must also complete and share in the route-finding on a "true" trailless climb - either a lower peak without a trail or a non herd path route on a 4,000 foot peak.

Thanks to the generosity of Bill and Maida Tansey, the ATIS now has a supply of attractive bronze pins for all recipients of the ATIS 46-R Award. These pins will be presented at the July or August picnic. Additional pins are available for $15.00. We ask that those hikers intending to seek this award inform the executive director or program director so that we can keep track of those meeting the ATIS requirements as well as climbing the 46 peaks.