Upcoming Chapter Activities

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Wood Splitting Day at Noble View

Join us at Noble View Outdoor Center for a beautiful day of splitting logs! It's right around that season where we're harvesting our wood and stockpiling for the fall and winter season. Help us out by splitting and organizing our firewood for the shoulder season!

Painting Upper Goose Pond Cabin: Day 2

We have this second day of painting work in case we get rained out on Saturday, or if there's more painting to do. Same info applies. Approx 1/2 mile uphill moderate hike to the work site. We'll plan on some swimming time after we wrap up work for the day.

[20s/30s] Camping Weekend @ Noble View

Join other folks in their 20s/30s for a casual camping weekend at Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell, MA — an AMC property tucked into the hills of the Westfield River watershed with a big trail network, shaded tent sites and platforms, open fields, and fire rings. The weekend is unstructured: hike the trails, head out to the nearby climbing areas, play yard games in the field, lounge at camp, or some combination of all of the above. We'll come together Saturday evening for a shared meal/group cookout around the fire. We have the full site to ourselves - it'll be an all 20s/30s crowd.

Intermediate Rock Climbing Class: Weekend 2 of 2

This is the second weekend of our Intermediate Rock Climbing Course. Weekend 2 will put the skills from the first session into practice on multi-pitch climbs in the Gunks. Participants will reinforce the core systems of seconding a leader, including belaying, following and cleaning gear, anchor transfers, belay station management, rope handling, rappelling, and efficient movement as a team on longer routes.

Keystone Arch Bridges Trail Hike

Come join me on this out and back 5-mile hike on the Keystone Arch Bridges trail in Chester which follows the West Branch of the Westfield River and will bring us to four of the historic Keystone Arch Bridges, the first series of stone arch railroad bridges built in the U.S. These magnificent bridges, reaching heights of up to 70 feet, were built in the 1930s and some of them are still in use. We may be lucky enough to see a train pass by!

Wilbur Campsite Maintenance

We'll perform routine maintenance on this AT campsite. Work includes smoothing and edge maintenance of several tent pads, installing some new signage, cleaning and resetting the fire ring. General brush clipping around the site. Work is with hand tools.

Flatwater Padding on the Connecticut River

Join us for a scenic 7-mile paddle on the Connecticut River starting at Barton Cove in Gill, MA. We will paddle upstream about 3.5 miles to the French King Bridge and explore the confluence with the Millers River. There will be a lunch stop on the shore.

Quiet Cycling in the Southern Berkshires

Enjoy cycling quiet roads in the southern Berkshires. This 24-mile ride has about 1,000 feet of ascent as we make our way from Sheffield to Alford.

AT Hike Series 2026 Section 14

Section 14: Rte 2 to VT border (8.2 miles). Elevation change: 1760 ft. Rain date: August 16. This section marks the transition from MA to VT with a challenging but rewarding ascent. Beginning at Rte 2, the trail climbs steeply through dense forest, passing the Sherman Brook Campsite. As it winds through Clarksburg State Forest, the path offers a mix of rugged terrain and shaded woodlands before reaching Eph's Lookout, a scenic viewpoint with expansive vistas. The journey continues to the Vermont border.

NET Volunteer Work Party - Southwick Campsite

Join us for a fun day of trail work on the New England National Scenic Trail! This project is special, as we are preparing to build a new backcountry campsite. To ensure our campsite is as sustainable as possible, we are constructing two wooden tent platforms and a backcountry toilet (aka a privy).

[20s/30s] Wessels Series: Bartholomew’s Cobble

Join other folks in their 20s and 30s on a hike at Bartholomew's Cobble, a National Natural Landmark, learning about ferns, the ecological diversity that happens when multiple soil types are present, unique insects, a very large cottonwood tree, and floodplain forests along the way. Starting at the parking lot, we will take a route initially along the Housatonic River and the floodplain forest at a slow pace, allowing for education and discussion about the interesting ecological aspects of this hike. We will then ascend a moderate incline to the scenic vista at the top of Hurlburt's Hill. After taking in the view and breaking for water and conversation, we will return to the trailhead via Tractor Path.

Dunbar Brook Old Growth Forest & Waterfalls

Join us for a rewarding hike through one of the hidden gems of Monroe State Forest. Along the way, we'll experience towering hemlocks, massive moss-covered boulders, cascading waterfalls, and the rushing waters of Dunbar Brook.

Park, Practice and Play at T-Ville

Join us for an evening of friendly, low-pressure whitewater skill-building on the Farmington River, based at Mill Wave (Tariffville section). This is a "park & play" style session, meaning we'll stay in the same area to practice moves repeatedly, get feedback if you want it, and build confidence and muscle memory. No shuttling cars will be necessary.

[LGBTQ+] River Trip

Join LGBTQ+ people to enjoy the Deerfield River (lower Fife Brook/Shunpike/Zoar Take out section, class 1-2) for a late afternoon Friday river trip. We're calling this TGIF! — Thank Gays It's Fife! Float down the river in your preferred vessel: kayak, standup paddleboard, inner tube, canoe, inflatable rainbow unicorn, or whatever your heart desires. No prior training required!

Cycling the Berkshires: Great Barrington to Southfield

Join us for a beautiful but challenging 28-mile ride that begins just south of downtown Great Barrington. We will cycle on quiet but hilly roads through Sheffield and Southfield, including a section riding along the border between MA and CT. Besides the rural scenery, a highlight of our ride will be a stop at the Southfield Store, where we will take a break for a snack or lunch. (The café is locally known for excellent food and coffee.)

Climbing Anchors Course

Join the AMC Western MA Chapter for a one-day, Top Rope Anchors course at Roadside Crag in Montague, MA. This course is designed for climbers who already have a basic working knowledge of climbing and belaying. It is ideal for someone who has top-rope experience in an outdoor setting and wants to learn how to build, assess, and manage safe top-rope anchors.

Pioneer Valley From Above - Mt Tom Historical Hike

Join AMC Staff on a hike up Mt Tom via the New England Trail! We will stop at viewpoints along the way and talk about the history of the Pioneer Valley region, the New England Trail, Mt Tom, and more! This will be a ~4 mile out-and-back hike from the Mt Tom Upper Pavilion, with about 950 ft of total elevation gain.

[20s/30s] Wicked White Water Wiver Wafting

Join other folks in their 20s and 30s for a day of whitewater rafting with Zoar Outdoor! We will be rafting down a Class II section of the Deerfield River (with one Class III rapid). Lunch provided. $120 a person; payment is required by 7/20.

Ride the Actual Farm Roads in Hatfield

Ride on gravel and dirt roads (hard packed, loose dirt, a little sandy) through the farm fields of Hatfield. This ride will have a special opportunity for a nice lunch in a wonderful setting at Black Birch Vineyard after the ride.

Northfield Mountain

Please join us as we hike Northfield Mountain to the reservoir and enjoy the extreme views to the west. The trails are open in the summer months for a variety of uses such as mountain biking and horseback riding, but we will stick to the hiking trails completing approximately a five mile loop, on moderate terrain, with 1200 feet of elevation gain.

Park, Practice and Play at T-Ville

Join us for an evening of friendly, low-pressure whitewater skill-building on the Farmington River, based at Mill Wave (Tariffville section). This is a "park & play" style session, meaning we'll stay in the same area to practice moves repeatedly, get feedback if you want it, and build confidence and muscle memory. No shuttling cars will be necessary.

Holyoke Revitalization Tour

Discover how a city originally designed as an industrial mill town is being reimagined. Visit innovative businesses and developers that have - and are continuing to - put new life into old buildings. Building owners provide guided tours. Easy walking tour, 1.5-2 miles, ends at Choo Choo's restaurant.

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, flywheels, and get an eyeball tour of the Holyoke dam complex. Maps of the canal system are available. Distance: 2.0 miles.

Summer Saturday Spin Along Ashuwillticook Rail Trail!

Celebrate Lanesborough Day with a beautiful bike ride on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail (paved). A leisurely, 24-mile (up and back ride) through towns of Cheshire, Lanesborough and Adams, MA. The trail is between the Mt Greylock and Hoosac Mountains. The Cheshire Reservoir and the Hoosic River abut much of the trail offering views of abundant wildlife.

Amherst Area Gravel Grinder

Join us on a gravel grinder through Amherst, Leverett, and Shutesbury! Though the mileage is relatively short (17.1 miles), we'll be climbing 1350 ft of gain throughout the trip across two hills, with almost all of the climbing being done on gravel roads. This 60% gravel route will bring us past scenic rock formations, babbling brooks, and through these lovely New England forests we all love.

Wildlife Transect, Clarksburg SF, Bear Swamp Area

An end of summer check on what the wild residents of our trail lands are up to. This time we'll be in for a looong day as we'll be checking the Clarksburg SF, Bear Swamp area up near the VT border. So come prepared for a longer day than usual for our transects.

Park, Practice and Play at T-Ville

Join us for an evening of friendly, low-pressure whitewater skill-building on the Farmington River, based at Mill Wave (Tariffville section). This is a "park & play" style session, meaning we'll stay in the same area to practice moves repeatedly, get feedback if you want it, and build confidence and muscle memory. No shuttling cars will be necessary.

[LGBTQ+] River Trip

Join LGBTQ+ people to enjoy the Deerfield River (lower Fife Brook/Shunpike/Zoar Take out section, class 1-2) for a late afternoon Friday river trip. We're calling this TGIF! — Thank Gays It's Fife! Float down the river in your preferred vessel: kayak, standup paddleboard, inner tube, canoe, inflatable rainbow unicorn, or whatever your heart desires. No prior training required!

[20s/30s] Greenfield Gravel Grinder

Join the AMC Western MA 20s/30s group for a gravel ride up one of Greenfield's best dirt roads around! We will head north from Greenfield along the Green River, cross the border into VT, relax at a covered bridge and have a picnic lunch before turning around. If you've been interested in gravel cycling but haven't tried it before, this is a perfect intro to it, with some climbing, dirt roads, and beautiful views!

Park, Practice and Play at T-Ville

Join us for an evening of friendly, low-pressure whitewater skill-building on the Farmington River, based at Mill Wave (Tariffville section). This is a "park & play" style session, meaning we'll stay in the same area to practice moves repeatedly, get feedback if you want it, and build confidence and muscle memory. No shuttling cars will be necessary.

[Women+] Connecting Women, Connecting With Nature

Women, please join the AMC Western MA Chapter's 5^th annual Connecting Women, Connecting with Nature, women's only, weekend retreat at Horace A. Moses Scout Reservation in Russell, MA. (on the Russell Pond not far from Noble View). 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.

Crystal Mountain Campsite Privy Work

We will be converting the privy at the Crystal Mountain campsite from a pit privy to a moldering type. This involves constructing a ~2ft tall "crib" of stacked lumber on the ground to hold the waste, rather than it being deposited into a pit. Contained above the ground, the waste can decompose (moulder) relatively quickly; in a pit, it would linger for years, even decades. Using a moldering privy keeps the environment cleaner, smells less and doesn’t require a new pit to be dug every three to four years. Nearly all privies on the A.T. are of this type.

[20s/30s] Monroe State Forest Backpacking Trip

Join AMC Western MA 20s/30s for an early fall backpacking trip in Monroe State Forest! Over two days, we'll hike around 9 miles over some rolling hills, along some babbling streams, and up Spruce Mountain, where we will find views of the valley below.

Complete Crystal Mountain Privy Work

We will be completing the work begun on September 23. Most, if not all, of the materials have been moved to the site. We'll complete the construction and mount the privy onto the crib. Work involves simple construction with basic hand tools. A brief period of heavy lifting by everyone is required to move the privy onto the new crib - this requires a minimum of 4 people.

Wildlife Transect, County Rd to Finerty Pond Area

On this occasion, we'll be checking what the wild residents of our Appalachian Trail lands are up to in the County Rd to Finerty Pond area of October Mtn SF. This area has an interesting mix of forests of various types, open and wooded wetlands and of course Finerty Pond. Thus we are apt to find a wide variety of wildlife sign.

[20s/30s] Wessels Series: Monument Mountain

Join other folks in their 20s and 30s on a hike to Monument Mountain, learning about the chestnut blight, pillows and cradles, old growth trees, a historic cave, pine weevils, and signs of past agriculture along the way. Starting at the Monument Mountain Trailhead on Stockbridge Rd, we will take the Hickey Trail at a slow pace, allowing for education and discussion about the interesting ecological aspects of this hike. We will then take Peeskawso Peak Trail along the ridge, stopping at the peak for water, snacks, and views. We will continue south and join up with the Mohican-Monument Trail to return to our cars, learning more ecology on the way.

[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.

Art On The NET - Hiking and Creating

Create art of nature with AMC Staff and the New England Trail's artist-in-residence, Alex Salsberg! Join us for a peaceful ~3 mile out-and-back hike through the hemlock forests of Northfield Mountain to a scenic overlook on the Erving Ledges. We will be drawing our surroundings; the plants, animals, views, and whatever else you may see on the trail!

Wildlife Transect, Cady Brook Area

It will be a bit over a year since we last looked in this area, but a check is in order because of prior history. This area has been inactively used by wildlife for a number of years, after years of activity by beaver, moose, otter, etc. So, we'd like to keep an eye on this area more frequently than we typically do.

[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.

Chapter Chair, Family Programs

The AMC Western MA Chapter is looking for a Volunteer Family Programs Chair to join our Executive Committee! We're an active, welcoming chapter, and this role is a great opportunity to support family-friendly outdoor adventures across western MA.

Chapter Conservation Chair

Are you passionate about conservation issues and the outdoors? Come help support the AMC and Western MA Chapter's conservation mission and goals as chair of the Conservation Committee. The Conservation Chair is a member of the Western MA Executive Committee responsible for organizing and directing the Conservation Committee, coordinating conservation events, managing related budgets and supplies, and serving as the liaison to the Chapter Executive Committee.

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.