Upcoming Chapter Activities

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  Title   Activity   Difficulty   Date    

Mineral Hill

A 4.5-5 mile hike at Mineral Hills. We will hike in both Kestrel property and Northampton Conservation Area. Rolling hills (none very steep). An old quarry is a highlight. The pace will be slightly slower than moderate. I don't expect snow, but it will be cold, so you must wear layers and be prepared for slippery conditions.

Wed Night Ice Climbing in the Lights

Come join us for some fun in the evening at the Keene Ice Box. This is ice at night!

Wildlife Transect: Beartown State Forest

Our transect will take us to an area with a beaver dam that washed out several years ago. Will be interesting to see if beavers have reestablished the dam and how wildlife are using the area.

Women+ Hike Horse Mountain Conservation Area

Approx. 3.75-4 mile exploration of all the trails at Kestrel Land Trust Property Horse Mountain Conservation Area in Haydenville, MA. Difficulty easy-moderate: short distance, moderate terrain with frequent elevation change/hills. Pack lunch to enjoy at the White Rocks overlook featuring views of the nearby Holyoke Range.

Becket Quarry Outer Loop

Come enjoy this moderate 4.5 mile loop hike around the historic Becket Quarry, originally known as the Chester-Hudson Quarry, which mined Chester blue granite, a high-quality stone primarily used to construct tombstones and other monuments. We will hike the loop and then explore the trails through the rusty remnants of the abandoned mining operation.

Wed Night Ice Climbing in the Lights

Come join us for some fun in the evening at the Keene Ice Box. This is ice at night!

Eyes to the Skies

With the crescent moon aglow, and 6 planets in the evening sky, (Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars easily visible) join Western MA and the Springfield Naturalist Club to behold the wonders of the winter sky at Noble View Outdoor Center on Russell Mountain. Through telescopes, we will examine craters on the moon, planets and wintertime constellations. Come enjoy a cocoa and campfire with other night sky enthusiasts.

Greylock in Winter - MA’s Highest Summit

Hike Mount Greylock in winter conditions on the Cheshire Harbor Trail. Visit Bascom Lodge and War Memorial and enjoy 360 views of the Berkshires and distant peaks in VT and NY. Route description: intermediate, a mix of steep and moderate terrain, approx. 6.5-7 miles, 2,000 ft. elevation gain.

Wed Night Ice Climbing in the Lights

Come join us for some fun in the evening at the Keene Ice Box. This is ice at night!

MA A.T. Volunteer Gathering

This is an opportunity for all current, former and new A.T. volunteers AND folks who may be interested in volunteering for the Trail to chat, learn new information, help plan upcoming projects and generally have a great time talking about all things Trail. Lunch is on us. We'll have short breakout sessions on Trail Maintenance, Corridor Lands Monitoring, Natural and Cultural Resource Monitoring, Upper Goose Pond Cabin Caretaking and Overnight Site Adopting.

Quabbin Park

This Quabbin Park hike will cover approximately 6 miles with 600' of elevation gain. Our route will take us over Quabbin Hill then down to the shore and Hanks Meadow. We return to our start by the old Webster Rd and the Windsor Dam. Pace will be moderate.

Wed Night Ice Climbing in the Lights

Come join us for some fun in the evening at the Keene Ice Box. This is ice at night!

Wildlife Transect, Mt Everett Area

Our transect will take us to an area we've not checked for wildlife activity before so there could be some interesting findings. We'll be off trail essentially all day. There's a good chance you will learn some new wildlife tracks and sign by participating in this activity!

Wed Night Ice Climbing in the Lights

Come join us for some fun in the evening at the Keene Ice Box. This is ice at night!

Wildlife Transect, Clarksburg State Forest

Our transect will take us back to the Clarksburg SF area. Our prior wildlife transect in the area on Dec 14 of last year did not get to the area along the east branch of Sherman Brook. So, that's where we will head on this occasion. As in the prior look in the area, it's a long hike uphill to the area of interest, so we will start a bit earlier than usual and likely won't be back to our vehicles until around 4PM.

Wed Night Ice Climbing in the Lights

Come join us for some fun in the evening at the Keene Ice Box. This is ice at night!

Wed Night Ice Climbing in the Lights

Come join us for some fun in the evening at the Keene Ice Box. This is ice at night!

Wildlife Transect, Warner Hill Area

Our transect will take us to the A.T. lands east of Warner Hill. We did a transect in this area shortly after the property was added to our trail lands quite a few years ago. This summer while doing rare plant monitoring in the area we observed some interesting wildlife sign, thus our decision to return at this time to see how wildlife is using the area now. If you are new to the practice of wildlife tracks and sign, it's very likely you will learn some cool stuff about wildlife!

Wed Night Ice Climbing in the Lights

Come join us for some fun in the evening at the Keene Ice Box. This is ice at night!

Leader Refresher Course

This event is for the leaders and leader candidates of the Western MA Mountaineering committee. This event is centered around anchor building, rock climbing safety, and curriculum re-education.

Wildlife Transect, Mt Race, West Side

Our transect will take us to the AT lands on the west side of Mt Race, an area we've not explored before. If you are new to the practice of wildlife tracks and sign, it's very likely you will learn some cool stuff about wildlife and how they are using the area.

Mt Toby Vernal Equinox Hike

Come celebrate the vernal equinox when day light and night darkness are at their equals. This is a 6-mile loop hike at Mt Toby state forest! Mt Toby offers abundant wildlife throughout woodlands, waterfalls, and a spectacular view from the fire tower.

Farley Ledges and Hermit Cave

This mid-week hike will take us up Rattlesnake Mountain and over to Hermit Cave. We return via the water falls and the low route. The hike is approximately 6 miles and 1,400' of elevation gain. There is a steep section, some exposure and 2 stream crossings. You must be fit and have winter hiking clothing, winter boots and appropriate gear.

Transition Gym to Rock Climbing Class

1 day of instruction held at Chapel Ledge (Ashfield). Build on your indoor skills and learn the skills required to climb outdoors including: safety, proper equipment use, knots and tying into the rope, communication with a climbing partner, movement on the rock, belaying a partner, and an introduction to top rope anchors (including cleaning). There will be lots of climbing time! Gear is supplied, but bring what you have.

Hikes With Tykes

If you are the parent, grandparent or primary caretaker of a wee one, birth to 2 years, you are invited to join an AMC Western MA bimonthly hike series geared to get you and your little one out on the trail in and around the Connecticut River Valley. Momma Kayla and Nanna Dawne are planning guided, easy stroller or baby backpack hikes in the afternoon on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of every month beginning on April 8th. This is a way for you and your child to connect with nature and other parents and child caretakers in a safe, inclusive way with trained AMC hike leaders.

A.T. Group Outreach Coordinator

The MA Appalachian Trail Management Committee is seeking a Group Outreach Coordinator. The Coordinator would establish and maintain contacts with organized or sponsored groups that use the AT in Massachusetts with the objective of minimizing the impact of group use on the trail and trail facilities. Refer to the registration page for duties and the skills needed for this position.

Chapter Vice Chair

Looking for the satisfaction of using your skills to help people Be Outdoors in western Massachusetts? Explore chapter governance in this support role, learning about all areas of the AMC Western MA Chapter, its activities, and the AMC organization.