CONTACT  |   JOIN  |   AMC  |   AMC ADVENTURES   

Upcoming Chapter Activities

               
Upcoming Activities: 17 | View/Filter All Activities »
Click on the Register links to learn more and/or sign up for activities. ✧ Some activities may be full, waitlisted, or closed as the date of occurrence approaches. Others may not be open for registration just yet. Click or tap on the Register links to determine status. ✧ Check activities and volunteer opportunities on outdoors.org for up-to-the-minute additions not yet posted here.

Wildlife Transect

Location: Old Adams Rd, Noepel Shelter Area
Date: 26‑Sep‑2023
Activity: monitoring
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
It's time again to check on what the wild residents of our Appalachian Lands are up to. This time we'll be exploring the trail lands in the Old Adams Rd/Jones Nose/Noepel Shelter area.
We will be out all day so dress for the weather (bad weather cancels). Bring lunch/snacks and water to drink. No experience necessary, pace is slow, mostly off-trail.

Little Known Trails in Leeds

Location: Leeds, NH
Date: 26‑Sep‑2023
Activity: hiking
Difficulty: easy
Register »
Relatively easy hike in Leeds, MA. Appropriate for all levels. 4-4 1/2 miles. It includes a short bushwack at the beginning. There is minimal elevation gain, but there are some hills (after all, we are in New England). We will see a brook, a pond and some wetlands, plus we will enter a hidden Northampton conservation area. Part of the hike goes around the perimeter of the VA hospital and through an old tree farm.

FallFest

Location: Russell, MA
Date: 30‑Sep‑2023
Activity: celebration
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
Celebrate the changing of the seasons and the outdoors through fun and engaging activities, presentations, and performances at AMC's FallFest. Come experience the beautiful Noble View Outdoor Center with volunteer and staff led programs for families and adults. Activities planned for Noble View include family activities, on-site hikes, and more.

Family Forest Scavenger Hunt

Date: 30‑Sep‑2023
Activity: exploration
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
Join us at #FallFest from 11:30 - 12:00 for a family-fun session of nature bingo, where everyone of all ages is welcome to join for an easy walk in the woods. Let's go exploring! Led by Massachusetts DCR Climate Forester, Christina McKeown. We will meet at the info/registration table.

Morning Paddle at Russell Pond

Location: Russell, MA
Date: 30‑Sep‑2023
Activity: whitewater paddling
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
Enjoy a morning of paddling on Russell Pond before the #AMCFallFest barbeque and activities at Noble View. Beginner and intermediate paddlers welcome, and children over 10 if accompanied on the water by a parent.
Swimming ability required of all participants. Canoes and kayaks are available from the H.A. Moses Scout Reservation, or you may bring your own boat and equipment, paddle and PFD. Instruction in basic paddle strokes available if requested. Please notify leaders if you plan to borrow a boat.
Bring drinking water, clothing to keep you warm and comfortable even if damp, and shoes that can get wet. Also have a complete change of clothes, towel, and shoes for each person in your car in case you are damp at the end of the trip. PFD's (lifejackets) must be worn at all times while on the water and participants must stay in a group with an AMC leader.
The trip meets at the pond at 9:30 am and concludes by 12:30 pm, in time for lunch at Noble View. Directions to the meeting location will be sent via email the week before the trip. After the paddle, we encourage all participants to transfer to AMC's Noble View Outdoor Center for lunch, as well as additional programs and activities offered by volunteers from AMC's Western MA chapter. Plus, explore the Noble View grounds and learn more about the many all-season activities you can enjoy at this beautiful outdoor recreation and lodging facility!

Upper Goose Pond Cabin

Location: Lee/Becket, MA
Date: 30‑Sep‑2023
Activity: hiking
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
This relaxed pace hike is approximately 5 miles round trip from the A.T. parking area on Rt 20 in Lee/Becket to the Upper Goose Pond Cabin, an A.T. hiker overnight stopover managed by the Western MA Chapter's A.T. Management Committee. The route crosses the Mass Pike on the A.T. bridge, then ascends a moderately strenuous hill before descending to the junction of the 1/2 mile side trail to the cabin.
While at the cabin you will have the opportunity to meet the caretakers. There will be time for hanging out, or going for a short swim (no lifeguard) before the return hike. Participants should dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. Bring plenty of water to drink and lunch/snacks.

Forest Guided Resiliency Walk

Date: 30‑Sep‑2023
Activity: walk
Difficulty: relaxed
Register »
Join us at #FallFest from 10:30 - 11:15 for a walk in the woods to learn about forest resiliency in the context of climate change, with Massachusetts DCR Climate Forester, Christina McKeown. We will meet near the registration/information table. This walk is intended for adults and older children and will be on primarily flat or easy terrain.

Moonlight Paddle at Russell Pond

Location: Russell, MA
Date: 30‑Sep‑2023
Activity: whitewater paddling
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
Experience a leisurely moonlight paddle on Russell Pond after the #AMCFallFest activities at Noble View. Prior paddling experience and swimming ability required of all participants. Canoes, kayaks and necessary equipment are available from the H. A. Moses Scout Reservation, or you may bring your own boat, paddle and PFD. Glow sticks provide for the ends of each boat, but bring your own headlamp as well.
The moon rises at 7:18 pm. We will meet at 5:45 pm at the pond and plan to be on the water before dark (which occurs about 6:30-7:00 pm) and then wait for moonrise. We will paddle without significant artificial light after the moon is up. The trip will conclude about 8:30 pm.
Cloudy or rainy weather cancels. Registration is required, and please notify the leaders if you plan to borrow a boat from the scout reservation. Directions to the meeting location will be sent via email the week before the trip.
Bring a headlamp, drinking water, clothing to keep you warm and comfortable even if damp, and shoes that can get wet. Also have a complete change of clothes, towel, and shoes for each person in your car in case you are damp at the end of the trip. PFD's (lifejackets) must be worn at all times while on the water and participants must stay in a group with an AMC leader.
We encourage all participants to enjoy #AMCFallFest earlier in the day at the nearby Noble View Outdoor Center with programs and activities offered by volunteers from AMC's Western MA chapter. Plus, explore the Noble View grounds and learn more about the many all-season activities you can enjoy at this beautiful outdoor recreation and lodging facility!

Bog Bridge Repair

Location: Noepel Shelter
Date: 01‑Oct‑2023
Activity: trail work
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
We'll take advantage of some (hopefully) lovely fall weather to replace a dozen bog bridges near Old Adams Rd and perform some routine maintenance at nearby Noepel Shelter. Materials will be waiting for us near the work site, so no heavy lumber to carry in.
Meeting at Jones' Nose parking on Mt Greylock, we'll hike in approx 1 mile on easy trail to the bog bridge site. When that work is complete, another mile of moderate uphill (with a short, steep section) hiking will bring us to the shelter. At the shelter, we'll clear brush and fire rings, sweep the shelter and reset the moldering privy. A two mile hike will take us back to the meeting location.
Dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes. Work gloves are recommended. Bring lunch and water to drink.

Connecting Women, Connecting With Nature

Location: Russell, MA
Date: 06‑Oct‑2023
Activity: retreat
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
Please join the Appalachian Mountain Club's WMA Chapter's Second Annual Connecting Women, Connecting with Nature, women's only, weekend retreat from 4:00 PM, October 6th until 2:00 PM, October 8th at AMC Noble View Outdoor Center, Russell, MA. This year we are excited to be collaborating with Women Outdoors for this event. We have scheduled a variety of traditional and non-traditional outdoor pursuits in the hope of attracting women to the joy and rejuvenation of the outdoors.
This is a women-only event that uses an inclusive definition of women. We respectfully welcome all women including non-binary, gender non-conforming, transwomen and individuals who identify as a woman as the best expression of themselves.
Some of the planned activities include Forest Bathing, JourneyDance, Bike Repair, Bird Walking, Yoga, Drumming, Plant/Tree Identification,as well as hiking, paddling, a book talk and a campfire with music.

Maintenance at Upper Goose Pond Cabin

Location: Lee, MA
Date: 07‑Oct‑2023
Activity: maintenance
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
We will perform end of season maintenance projects at beautiful Upper Goose Pond Cabin in (hopefully) spectacular fall foliage. Cut/split/stack firewood, minor repairs to the cabin windows and doors. Service privies.
Work available for all skill and fitness levels. Short, moderate hike to the cabin from meeting location. Actual closing of the Cabin will be the following week, October 15th. Dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes. Work gloves recommended. Bring lunch/snack and water to drink.

Close Upper Goose Pond Cabin

Location: Lee, MA
Date: 15‑Oct‑2023
Activity: maintenance
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
We'll get this iconic A.T. overnight location tucked in for the winter. Tasks include sweeping/cleaning, installing shutters, taking the dock out of the water. Work available for all sill and fitness levels.
Bring water shoes/boots if you want to work on the dock project. Short moderate hike to the cabin from the meeting location. Dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes. Bring lunch/snacks and water to drink. Most work will be outside the cabin, but some tasks need to be done indoors. We should wrap up in early afternoon.

In-Person Leadership Training

Location: Greenfield, MA
Date: 15‑Oct‑2023
Activity: training
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
Whether you'd like to become a Chapter leader, or just want to improve your outdoor skills, you're invited to attend. Training includes: Activity planning and management; Screening of potential participants for an Activity; Risk management & leader liability, including AMC's Leadership Requirements & Guidelines; Leadership approaches (formerly styles); People skills including group dynamics, interpersonal communication, and feedback; AMC Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and accident scene management; Leave No Trace & Conservation; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
For those who wish to become a Chapter leader, an additional four-hour outdoor course, scheduled by activity area, will be required. In this second part of the leadership training course participants will engage in role plays and apply the techniques and knowledge learned during part one of the course in an outdoor environment.

Wildlife Transect

Location: A.T. Lands, Webster Rd area
Date: 21‑Oct‑2023
Activity: monitoring
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
Our transect will take us to the area we are considering for the relocation of the Shaker Campsite. We are studying this area to determine if we can establish a campsite here without disturbing the local wildlife.
We will be out all day so dress for the weather (bad weather cancels). Bring lunch/snacks and water to drink. No experience necessary, pace is slow, mostly off-trail.

A.T. Corridor Boundary Maintenance - Day 1

Location: Dalton, MA
Date: 21‑Oct‑2023
Activity: trail work
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
Ever wondered about how the A.T. is able to make its way through the Berkshires with minimal road walks? Come join us as we maintain the boundary lines of the narrow corridor lands that surround the Trail. Keeping these boundaries visible and monitoring their condition is critical to preserving A.T. values as it travels through the "front country" of the Berkshires. This project will spend two days near Dalton maintaining the Corridor boundary by clipping brush, painting blazes and replacing any missing signage.
Work is off trail, in occasionally heavy brush, and on some short sections of steep slopes. Pace will be slow. Fall colors, while probably a bit past peak, will make for a lovely day in the woods in areas that no AT hiker ever sees. Who knows WHAT you'll find out there!
Dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes and long pants. Work gloves and long sleeves are highly recommended. Work involves stooping and bending, traveling off trail through brush. Take precautions against ticks. Bring lunch/snacks and water to drink.

A.T. Corridor Boundary Maintenance - Day 2

Location: Dalton, MA
Date: 28‑Oct‑2023
Activity: trail work
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
Ever wondered about how the A.T. is able to make its way through the Berkshires with minimal road walks? Come join us as we maintain the boundary lines of the narrow corridor lands that surround the Trail. This is a continuation of work begun on Oct 21st.
Off-trail, slow pace, some occasional short steep sections. Heavy brush in some locations. Take precautions against ticks. Dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes and long pants. Work gloves and long sleeved shirt recommended. Bring lunch/snack and water to drink.

Mt Williams Viewshed Clearing

Location: Mt Greylock State Reservation
Date: 04‑Nov‑2023
Activity: trail work
Difficulty: N/A
Register »
The Mt Williams view on the A.T. in the Mt Greylock State Reservation has once again closed in. It's been quite awhile since we cleared the tall shrubbery which now blocks the view, so it's time to clear it again. Loppers and hand saws should do the trick and we can enjoy the view when we're done!
Back to top