Adventure Awaits in Western Massachusetts

What a month it has been! From celebrating AMC's 150^th anniversary on trails, rivers, roads, and at Noble View Outdoor Center to recognizing the volunteers who care for the Appalachian Trail (A.T.), our chapter continues to show what can happen when people come together around a love of the outdoors. This month we're sharing highlights from the AMC 150 Relay, introducing you to the work of our A.T. Management Committee, and inviting someone with a passion for families and the outdoors to help lead our Family Programs. As always, we welcome our new chapter members! Looking forward to SEEING you on one of our many adventures! Happy Summer,
Kathy Martin, Western MA Chapter Chair

AMC 150 Recap

After months of planning, the AMC 150 Relay entered MA on May 17 with a 6.2-mile hike from Northwest Camp to Guilder Pond, then made its way through western MA over 16 days before crossing into Worcester County. Thirty-two Western MA leaders planned 14 adventures with 224 participants. We hiked, backpacked, paddled, and climbed our way along the A.T., the Westfield and Connecticut Rivers, the New England Trail, and roadways through Berkshire, Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin Counties before passing the official AMC 150 banner to the Worcester Chapter to continue its way through MA and on to NH. We also enjoyed a fabulous celebration at Noble View Outdoor Center, welcoming the cyclists on a 26-mile ride from the town of Washington to Russell with much fanfare, a barbeque, and a 150^th anniversary cake. The western MA segment of the relay functioned as a regional showcase of the chapter's outdoor community: it connected trails and waterways with volunteer leadership, conservation, and accessible ways for people to participate in AMC's anniversary. Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped make this epic celebration a huge success! Follow the relay in real time and view photos of the relay segments.

June Committee Highlight: The A.T. Management Committee

This Committee of the Western MA Chapter is charged with the maintenance and management of the A.T. in MA, including many of the associated side trails. The 14 volunteers on the Committee work with the National Park Service and Mass DCR on this effort, coordinating and supporting the efforts of around 100 individual volunteers. Opportunities for volunteering are available in many different areas:

• Regular trail maintenance: Clearing pathways, clipping brush, painting blazes, mowing, etc.
• Overnight facilities maintenance: Monitoring and maintaining camps, shelters, campsites, privies, etc. along the Trail.
• Corridor monitoring and boundary maintenance: Keeping the boundary of trail lands marked and monitoring for any misuse.
• Natural resource monitoring: Visiting more than 50 sites to document the presence of rare, threatened or endangered plants and the habits of wildlife.
• Cultural resource monitoring: Visiting, researching and documenting the remains of historic structures and sites on Trail lands and monitoring them for any changes.
• Supporting A.T. Communities along the Trail: North Adams, Cheshire, Dalton, Lee, and Great Barrington.
• Connecting with sponsored or organized groups using the Trail and its overnight facilities: Providing information about group use regulations and best practices.
• Working with land managers and other staff: Proposing and designing major maintenance and repair projects on damaged or eroded sections of the Trail.

We are incredibly grateful for all the hard work the A.T. Committee volunteers put into maintaining the incredible and beautiful A.T. in MA! Learn more about the A.T. Committee and find upcoming projects to join.

Volunteer Opportunity: Family Programs Chair

The AMC Western MA Chapter is looking for an enthusiastic individual interested in helping families spend time outdoors. The Family Programs Chair coordinates family-friendly outings and events, supports volunteer leaders, and helps grow a welcoming community for new generations of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Experience organizing events is helpful, but enthusiasm, communication, and a love of the outdoors matter most. Learn more about the Family Programs Committee or email Chapter Chair, Kathy Martin (chair@amc-wma.org) for more information about this exciting opportunity!