Upcoming Chapter Activities

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[20s/30s/40s] Friday Sunrise from Mount Sugarloaf

Join other folks in their 20s/30s/40s for an early morning hike up South Sugarloaf in South Deerfield! We'll make the short walk up the auto road to take in the sunrise from the summit. The round trip is under 1.5 miles on a paved road with steady elevation gain.

[20s/30s/40s] Beer Tasting @ Mike’s Maze

Join other folks in their 20s/30s/40s for an evening at Mike's Maze Beer Tasting at Warner Farm in Deerfield — a flashlight-lit maze crawl with local craft beer tasting stations hidden throughout. As dusk falls, we'll navigate the corn maze, track down brews from local Western MA breweries, and work through themed trivia along the way.

[20s/30s] Wessels Series: Elders’ Grove

Join other folks in their 20s and 30s on a hike to Elders' Grove in Mohawk Trail State Forest, learning about basal fire scars, stump sprouts, spring ephemerals, and exceptionally tall trees along the way. Starting at the Zoar Picnic Area, we will take the Elders' Grove Trail along the river at a slow pace, allowing for education and discussion about the interesting ecological aspects of this hike.

Holyoke’s Historic Canals and Dam Tour

Join the park interpreter for a 2-hour walk along Holyoke's canal system. Explore the history of this fascinating planned industrial city. Tour starts with a bit of historical background. Along our route see headraces, tailraces, intakes, a Boyden Turbine assembly, and flywheels, and get an eyeball tour of the Holyoke dam complex. Maps of the canal system are available. Distance: 2.0 miles.

Prep A.T. Tool Shed for Winter - No Costume Required

We'll be cleaning and organizing tools, emptying trash and generally tidying up for the winter season. If weather permits, a new coat of stain will be applied to the south side of the shed.

New Members Volunteer Stewardship Day

Are you a new member of the AMC Western MA Chapter? This hands-on stewardship day on the New England National Scenic Trail is a great way to get started. Designed with our first-year members in mind, this event offers a welcoming introduction to the community while giving you a chance to get outside, meet fellow members, and make a direct impact on the trails you'll come back to again and again.

[20s/30s] Wessels Series: Vernon Town Forest

Join other folks in their 20s and 30s on a hike to the black gum swamps in the Vernon Town Forest, learning about the chestnut blight, the great New England hurricane of 1938, and some very old black gum trees along the way. Starting at the Basin Rd Trailhead, we will take a meandering and rolling route through the Vernon Town Forest. We will visit several old growth black gum swamps throughout our hike.

SUNDAY - Easy 19-Mile Bike Ride through Hatfield, Deerfield, and Whately

Enjoy an easy and pleasant, mostly flat bike ride through Hatfield, Deerfield, and Whately, with views of farms, farms, and more farms. A pleasant average speed of 12-14mph over 19 miles to start off your month of November. Temperature should be at about 60 degrees with light winds. Fall colors still on display.

[20s/30s] Book Club: The Last Traverse

Join AMC Western MA 20s/30s for our 4th book club meetup! Spend a cozy afternoon with us on November 1st to discuss our last selection, which is The Last Traverse by Ty Gagne. Set in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, this book describes the true story of hiker James Osborne, who was rescued from Franconia Ridge during a winter storm.

[20s/30s/40s] Mass Central Rail Trail with Forest Bathing

We invite you to join other folks in their 20s, 30s and 40s for a 2-mile in-an-out relaxed walk weaved with guided forest bathing experiences.

[30s/40s] Fall Sugar Shack Breakfast & Chesterfield Gorge Hike (Round 2!)

Join us for Round 2 of our Western MA sugarshack outing! We'll kick off the morning with a hearty breakfast at High Hopes Farm, followed by a scenic hike at Chesterfield Gorge.

A.T. Corridor Boundary Work - Home Rd to Boardman St #1

The A.T. is protected by a Federally purchased land corridor. To preserve the A.T. hiking experience these Corridor lands must be monitored on a regular basis and their boundaries maintained. We will go places hikers have never been.

[20s/30s] Night Hike - North Sugarloaf Loop

Join other folks in their 20s and 30s on a hike up North Sugarloaf and along the Pocumtuck Ridge Trail! This hike will be approximately 3 miles with ~650 feet of elevation gain. We'll likely wrap up the hike in the dark, so flashlights / headlamps will be required. Please identify in the application if you will need one.

Accessible Hike | Silvio O. Conte Fort River Birding and Nature National Recreation Trail

Join us for an accessible hike at the Silvio O. Conte Fort River Trail in Hadley! This virtually flat path winds through the forest and along the Fort river. There are many spots to stop on a bench to rest and reflect. We will go at a modest pace appropriate for the group.

[20s/30s/40s] Greylock Glen Gleaming Gallivant

Join other folks in their 20s/30s/40s on a 2-mile night hike in the Greylock Glen! We will climb around 100 feet and enjoy a relaxed walk around the Glen Meadow Trail and Pond Trail in Greylock Glen. The terrain will be rocky and rooty at times, so closed-toed footwear is recommended. We will be conducting our hike in the dark, so flashlights / headlamps will be required for this trip. Please identify in the application if you will be needing one.

[20s/30s/40s] Pedal to the Pomological Exhibition

Join other folks in their 20s, 30s, and 40s to pedal to the 7th Annual Wild & Seedling Pomological Exhibition! Do you like biking in the fall? Do you like wild apples? Do you like tasting and judging food? This is the activity for you.

Trails of Southampton, MA

Let's take some time to explore some of newer trails that have been developed in Southampton, MA. Starting with Wolf Hill Santuary, we will complete the 1.2-mile loop to Alder Pond (164 feet of elevation gain). Moose sightings are possible! Once back to the cars, we will drive 2 miles down the road to Breakneck Brook Conservation Area for a little more challenging hike up to Breakneck Mountain with views of the Seven Sisters Trail and Mt Tom. This loop is 3.8 miles with 830 feet of elevation.

[20s/30s] Night Hike - South Sugarloaf

Join other folks in their 20/30s on a night hike up South Sugarloaf Mountain! This hike will be ~2 miles long with 450 feet of elevation gain. The trail will manage a steady grade for the ascent, and we'll return down the same trail we took up. When we get to the top, we will have views of the valley below!

South Taconic Trail (SW MA and Adjacent NY)

My goal is to hike the entire 21-mile, end-to-end South Taconic Trail in sections. The trail extends from Shagroy Road in Millerton, NY, north along the ridge crest of the southern Taconic Range and the border of NY and MA, and ends north of the Catamount Ski Area. Our first section will be approximately 7 miles with about 1500 ft elevation gain.

Wildlife Transect - Mass Pike / AT Bridges Area

We've been studying how wildlife are using our trail lands in the Mass Pike / AT Bridges area for a couple of years now with periodic wildlife transects and trailcam monitoring. But it's time to redo our wildlife transect in the area to get an updated picture of how wildlife are using the area. So if this is an aspect of conservation you're interested in, please join in the effort.

Gym Climbing at CRG Hadley

Work week got you down? Please join the Mountaineering Committee for some midweek climbing! We will meet at 6:00 PM at Central Rock Gym in Hadley for a few hours of laid-back climbing and socializing.

Stick Season Crag Day at Hanging Mountain

Do you frown when the scenery starts to get brown? Maybe it's the shorter days and encroaching cold. Or maybe you are anxiously awaiting for the ice to form and the snow to fall so you can get working on your winter objectives. Either way, stick season is that time of year that often goes underappreciated. But there is still plenty of natural beauty to be found in the brown. So come out and enjoy the transitionary time between the bright autumn leaves and the glistening winter landscape by joining the AMC Western MA Mountaineering crew for a day of late season rock climbing at Hanging Mountain.

Stony Ledge via Haley Farm Trail, Mount Greylock State Reservation

We will hike the Haley Farm Trail 2.1 miles to Stony Ledge and enjoy a spectacular view of the Greylock Range and the Hopper (a bowl-shaped forested valley named for its resemblance to a grain hopper). After pausing to enjoy the view, we will continue on Sperry Road (gravel, no cars) for about a mile to Sperry Campground. Sperry Campground is on the site of a former Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) campground during the Great Depression. We leave the campground and descend approximately 2.0 miles to the trailhead via the Hopper Trail.

Drytooling Crag Day at the Keene Rail Cut

Join us for a day of drytooling at the Keene Rail Cut. This is a casual crag day for people who want to get on rock with tools, practice movement, and get mileage before ice season.

[20s/30s] Wessels Series: Pisgah State Forest

Join other folks in their 20s and 30s on a hike in Pisgah State Forest, learning about grafting, the great New England hurricane of 1938, old growth forest, and pillows and cradles along the way. Starting at the Kilburn Pond Trailhead, we will take a route up to Mount Pisgah, before looping along the Pisgah Ridge and Town Forest Trail.

Wildlife Transect - Jug End Ridge, West Side

At this point we're well into fall and the wild residents of our trail lands are preparing for winter. With that in mind we'll be looking for fresh signs of that activity as well as older durable sign from earlier in the year. We've not done a transect in this area so could be some interesting stuff.

[30s/40s] Camp Chesterfield | Pre Thanksgiving Wilderness Campout

Come join us for a campout weekend up at the Ashmere Project's Camp Chesterfield Wilderness Camp. We're gonna eat turkey in the woods! There are two camp sites: The upper site with 4 lean-tos (Adirondack shelters), latrine, nearby running cold water spigot, and fire pit will be for folks who want a quieter site. The lower site with 3 lean-tos (Adirondack shelters) is where folks will likely be up later in the evening. Communal meals will be prepared at the lower camp (a few hundred yards away from the upper camp).

Animated Video Premiere - People of the New England Trail

Join New England Trail (NET) Artist-in-Residence Alex Salsberg, for the premiere of his new film, People of the NET, an animated project documenting conversations with the people who frequent, maintain, and love the Trail. Featuring interviews with thru-hiker Greg Gregory, trail adopter Wayne Desroches, archaeologist Jay Levy, hiking enthusiasts Rosie and Jeremiah Shea, and NET Superintendent Kelly Fellner, this film shares how their love of getting out into nature is deeply connected with love for their family, their community, their people, and themselves.

SendsGiving - Western MA Mountaineering Social

The turkeys have clipped in. The pies are racked. SendsGiving returns to Greenfield! Come hang out with the Western MA AMC Mountaineering Committee for an evening of potluck food, climbing trivia, and tall tales. This is the one night a year when everyone at the table actually wants to hear about your retreat from a "short and easy" approach that turned into a seven-hour epic.

[20s/30s/40s] Hiking Leadership Training

Join AMC Western MA 20s/30s/40s for a hands-on leadership training day at Bray Lake in Holyoke — a practical complement to the self-paced, online Outdoor Leader Fundamentals (OLF) online course that gets you real experience before leading your first trip.

Wildlife Transect - Beartown SF, Wilcox North Area

Getting to be winter time and most if not all the leaves are down making a fresh pallet on the forest floor on which to view and interpret tracks and sign. This can be a bit challenging but also rewarding as older tracks and sign are covered up so what we see is relatively fresh. This time we'll check on the activities of our wild residents in the Wilcox North shelter area.

Social and Annual Meeting

It's that time of year again! Let's gather to share stories about our adventures in 2026 - the 150th anniversary of the Appalachian Mountain Club. Join us for a FREE social gathering and short business meeting of the Western MA chapter. We'll honor outgoing Executive Committee members, elect our new committee chairs, review the year's accomplishments, and share plans for 2027. We'll also honor this year's Most Valuable Committee members and present the Appie, which recognizes a volunteer's ongoing, long-term service to and leadership in the chapter.

North & South Sugarloaf

Join us for a fall hike exploring North and South Sugarloaf! This 4.5-mile loop (~1,200 feet of elevation gain), features beautiful views of the Connecticut River Valley and surrounding hills.

[20s/30s/40s] Friendsgivingmas at Lonesome Lake Hut

Join other Western MA folks in their 20s/30s/40s for our inaugural Friendsgivingmas Potluck at Lonesome Lake Hut in Franconia Notch State Park! If you've been curious about winter hiking/camping, this is about as approachable an introduction as it gets. We have the whole hut reserved for the night (sleeps 48). The hike in is a gentle ~2 miles. The main hut is heated by wood stove through the evening, with unheated bunkrooms right next door. There's a full kitchen with ovens and a range; the leaders will arrive early to roast a turkey or ham. Bring a side dish or dessert to share.

Gym Climbing at CRG Hadley

Work week got you down? Please join the Mountaineering Committee for some midweek climbing! We will meet at 6:00 PM at Central Rock Gym in Hadley for a few hours of laid-back climbing and socializing.

Wildlife Transect - AT June Mtn Area

Last of the year chance to get out and see what the residents of our trail lands are up to on the first day of winter. Our transect area will be in one of the more remote areas of our trail lands with a wide variety of terrain and habitat so we're apt to see a wide variety of sign of different wildlife.

AT Shelter Adopter, Wilbur Clearing

The AT Committee is seeking an Adopter for the Wilbur Clearing Shelter and Campsite on Mt Greylock. Duties include several visits between April and November, with more or less monthly visits during peak use (June, July and August). The adopter will check on condition of the facility, remove any accumulated trash, service the moldering privy and promptly report their trip to their Coordinator.

Intro to Ice Climbing - Frankenstein Cliff (Winter Ice & Alpine Series)

Two days learning to climb ice, from the ground up. Frankenstein Cliff in Crawford Notch is where most New England ice climbers took their first swing, and for good reason: a short approach, a wide spread of moderate flows, and enough variety that eight people can all be climbing at once. You will spend two full days on top-rope learning how to actually move on ice rather than thrash up it.

[20s/30s/40s] Western MA 20s/30s and 30s/40s WhatsApp Group Highlights

Join the Western MA 20s/30s and 30s/40s WhatsApp Group, where we post upcoming events, share photos, and connect for informal non-AMC outings!

AMC 150th Anniversary Challenge

Are you up for a challenge? The Western MA Chapter wants YOU! To help celebrate AMC's 150th anniversary in 2026, we challenge you to participate in 150 miles "worth" of activities between January 1 and October 31, 2026. Those who meet the challenge will receive a special commemorative patch and a shout-out at our Fall Social and Annual Meeting.

Outdoor Leader Fundamentals

Interested in becoming an AMC Outdoor Leader? This on-demand virtual, self-paced course provides core information and application activities on fundamental topics such as participant review, leadership and interpersonal skills, conservation, and emergency management. It's intended to convey our expectations about the responsibilities and essential interpersonal and judgment skills of being an Outdoor Leader and prepare you for additional training and guided practice. By the end, you will have planned your first activity as an AMC Leader in Training.