The Western MA Exchange

From the Fall 2003 issue of the Berkshire Exchange (the newsletter of the Berkshire - now Western MA - Chapter), we bring you an article on trail safety from Cosmo Catalano, AT Chair.

The Double Blaze

Chapter 6: Safety on the Trail

I know, I was supposed to talk about "The History of the AT." However, a reader asked me if I would mind a few paragraphs on hiker health and safety. History can wait until next time. Outdoor safety is a broad topic, filled with variations for day hikers, thru hikers, mountaineers, etc. Since I'm an AT guy, I thought I should speak about what I know. Let's look at a person hiking the AT in Massachusetts, maybe out for the day or perhaps for a long weekend. What should they be considering when they load up their pack? I'm sure most of you are familiar with The 10 Essentials needed for safe hiking. In a recent article in Backpacker Magazine, Michael Lanza reported that the new seventh edition of Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills modified the essentials into ten categories, rather than a hard-and-fast equipment list. This makes sense to me – it encourages a hiker to think about what will best suit that particular trip given the anticipated weather, terrain, and duration. Here are the "new" 10 Essentials categories:

1. Navigation (map and compass)
2. Sun protection (sunglasses and sunscreen)
3. Insulation (extra clothing – and I would include rain/wind gear in this category)
4. Illumination (headlamp or flashlight)
5. First-aid supplies
6. Fire (firestarter, matches/lighter)
7. Repair kit and tools (knife or multi-tool)
8. Nutrition (extra food)
9. Hydration (extra water)
10. Emergency shelter (I carry a small tarp, with some rope and tent stakes)

So now you've got some gear to carry. You've made some choices regarding local and seasonal usefulness as well as weight, and you are ready to hike. The biggest risk of personal injury is – hands down – the drive to and from the trailhead. (Followed closely by being alive in a moderately large town or city.) The statistical odds of personal injury on the trail are extremely small – we're not climbing Everest here, or even Mt. Washington. What else should you keep in mind? Let's look at some categories of risk that you may have to manage on our local AT.

Personal Safety

Unfortunately, there are people in the world who prey on those they perceive to be weaker than themselves. Fortunately, there are very few of them in the backcountry. The best defense in this category is to be aware of what's going on around you. Trust your instincts about people and situations. If you are getting a negative vibe from someone, take measures to get away from that person or stay in the company of other hikers. If there is overt activity or threatening behavior, report it to the Mass. State Police as soon as possible, and be specific about the time and location. In our society, females are more likely than males to be the object of unwanted attention. I have met in my day many female solo hikers. Universally they say that an attitude of self-confidence and good social awareness carry them through most situations. Be vague about your schedule and overnight stops. Be prepared to change your itinerary to suit the situation. Spend overnights in a group or well away from road crossings and trailheads.

Natural Threats

In the past 10 years there seems to be an ever-increasing number of diseases you can contract in the backcountry. In the past, a mosquito or tick bite was at worst an annoyance. Today, it makes some sense to limit your exposure to these possible disease carriers. As of this writing, Lyme Disease, carried by deer ticks, is a universal threat in open fields of southern New England and eastern New York. If you will be hiking in this area, take some simple precautions: Wear long pants – lightweight nylon ones are comfortable, even in the summer. Put your socks up over your pant cuffs. Spray your clothes with Permethrin following the manufacturer's instructions, and wear a repellent containing DEET. At the end of the day, check yourself for ticks. It takes 24 to 36 hours for a tick to transfer enough bacteria to infect you. If you have been bitten, see your doctor for prompt treatment. The CDC web page has extensive info on Lyme Disease. The other hot-button disease is the insect-borne West Nile Virus (WNV). This disease is carried by certain species of mosquito, most of which are not regular denizens of backcountry environments. It is unlikely a virus-carrying one will bite you while in the woods, and the risk of debilitating injury from WNV in healthy people is extremely slight. Statistically, people over 50 have a slightly higher risk. DEET is the most effective repellent and adverse side effects are greatly exaggerated – especially for the occasional user. Read the manufacturer's instructions, particularly regarding use on small children. Again, the CDC has some excellent info. Enough about six- and eight-legged denizens of the woods. How about the vertebrates? In southwestern Massachusetts and northwestern Connecticut a small population of rattlesnakes inhabit the vicinity of the AT. There have been a few reported encounters between hiker and snake, and both parties survived unhurt. If you plan to go off-trail in these areas, be careful when climbing rocky ledges and always look where you are placing your hands and feet. Everyone asks, "Are there any bears out there?" The answer is, "Yes, there are quite a few." The standing joke is that the bears are all in town looking in garbage cans, not in the woods looking for hikers. There is a certain lesson here. Bears go where there is food. They have excellent memories and will return to a place where they have foraged successfully before – be it a bird feeder in Stockbridge or a shelter site on the AT. The answer in both instances is the same. Put the food where the bear can't get to it. At several shelter sites we have placed cables that allow hikers to hang their food out of reach of bears and away from the shelter. Since bears will investigate anything that smells, I also put things like toothpaste, cook stove and utensils, and first aid supplies in my bear bag too. And remember, don't eat in your tent or sleeping bag. Most bears do not want to interact with humans and will stay clear of hikers. Injured or sick bears may behave abnormally, but the odds are incalculably small that you will have an aggressive encounter. (Remember that drive to the trail head when some #$%!@ in an SUV cut you off?). There are millions of hikers on the AT and the trail traverses some dense bear populations. Many hikers travel the entire length without seeing a single bear. No hikers on the AT have reported being attacked or injured. There are many resources that describe how to keep your food secure from bears and other critters. It is important to you – and hikers who come after you – not to do anything that habituates wildlife to acquiring food at camping sites. Finally, if you are out for more than a day, water treatment becomes a significant route for pathogens to enter your system. Even if I'm out for just the day, I pack a bottle of water treatment tablets just in case. If you are using a filter to purify water, be sure to understand how to use it and take scrupulous care to keep the intake and discharge hoses and attachments separate. Remember, even if the stream or spring looks pristine, there could be a deer carcass lying in it 100 yards upstream. Treat all water from backcountry sources. Wash your hands after visiting the privy, just like your mother used to tell you (a small bottle of hand sanitizer works well).

Accident and Injury

OK, so here's where we get to the real threats for AT hikers. It's hot, it's cold, it's windy. Protect yourself from these extremes. Wear clothing suitable for the weather and terrain as well as your physical condition. I usually figure I should be a bit chilly at the trailhead, knowing I will warm up once underway. In the winter, being too warm can often lead quickly to being too cold. Sweat-soaked clothes will cool you rapidly once you stop moving, no matter what kind of fibers they are made from. In the warm months, allow some cool-down time. After that climb, stop and rest in the shade or breeze. Stay hydrated. Adjust your pace to the conditions (i.e., hike slower when it's hot out). The biggest downer on a summer's hike is chafing. Those of us who are a little on the plus size find that rubbing body parts, clothing and sweat can create a painful condition. As gross as it sounds, I find spreading a little Vaseline on the affected skin areas before the hike keeps things moving smoothly. A product called "Body Glide" is also used for the same purpose by cyclists and long distance runners. Once in camp, rinse the affected area to get rid of the sweat and provide an opportunity for air circulation to keep the parts dry. It never hurts to carry a little Immodium, Pepto Bismol, Benadryl, Ibuprofen and other similar OTC products with you. Sometimes an hour's relief can be a big help in getting back to the trailhead. Wear shoes and socks that fit and are well broken in. A twelve-mile hike is not the way to test your new hiking boots. Compeed and other similar wound-care products work well in keeping hot spots from becoming blisters. They are thin, porous, and stick well to sweaty feet. Take the time to stop and deal with the problem early. Next to a bad chafe, nothing ruins the hike like a blister. The most common trail injury is to lower leg joints, such as knees and ankles. Travel within your capabilities. Don't set so tight a schedule that you must hurry over rough terrain. Hiking poles will reduce the likelihood of a fall and lessen the load on the lower body. Please use the rubber tips whenever possible to limit trailside damage and unsightly scratches on rocks. Most of the time a sprained or twisted ankle can be patched up enough in the field to get to the nearest road crossing. You know where that is, of course, because you carry your map with you and know your approximate location on it. This brings up the discussion of hiking alone. The sensible person will not hike alone. Even two people hiking together can find themselves in a sticky situation if one of them is seriously injured. Should the uninjured person stay and care for the injured one or go for help? On the Mass AT, this issue is maybe not such a problem. Except mid-week in the worst weather, one is very unlikely not to see another hiker on the trail, especially in the warmer half of the year. Not that one should "depend on the kindness of strangers" to provide rescue. Every hiker should carry enough in their pack and in their head to survive a night in the outdoors. Chilly, uncomfortable, perhaps even a little hungry – but still around in the morning. Since you left info with another person about your route and schedule – you did, didn't you? – you will probably find people looking for you by then. Consider taking a Wilderness First Aid course. Two weekend days can make a world of difference to your personal confidence in the outdoors. The course focuses on ways you can use common hik- ing equipment to render first aid in a backcountry situation without carrying the medicine cabinet with you. So we're a little off-topic here this time, but hopefully there is information to make your next hike more enjoyable. A little forethought before leaving, and a slightly conservative approach regarding your own physical condition and skills will make for safe hiking. Get out there and enjoy it! If you are interested in finding out more about this subject, or want to volunteer on the Trail, contact the AT Management Committee directly at at@amc-wma.org.

Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address

The Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address is an ancient message of peace and appreciation of Mother Earth and her inhabitants. The children learn that, according to Native American tradition, people everywhere are embraced as family. Our diversity, like all wonders of Nature, is truly a gift for which we are thankful. When one recites the Thanksgiving Address the Natural World is thanked, and in thanking each life-sustaining force, one becomes spiritually tied to each of the forces of the Natural and Spiritual World. The Thanksgiving Address teaches mutual respect, conservation, love, generosity, and the responsibility to understand that what is done to one part of the Web of Life, we do to ourselves.

Greetings to the Natural World

Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people.

Now our minds are one.

We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our mother, we send greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

We give thanks to all the waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in many forms?waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of Water.

Now our minds are one.

We turn our minds to the all the Fish life in the water. They were instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They also give themselves to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water. So, we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many life forms. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come.

Now our minds are one.

With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting of thanks.

Now our minds are one.

Now we turn to all the Medicine herbs of the world. From the beginning they were instructed to take away sickness. They are always waiting and ready to heal us. We are happy there are still among us those special few who remember how to use these plants for healing. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the Medicines and to the keepers of the Medicines.

Now our minds are one.

We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as people. We are honored by them when they give up their lives so we may use their bodies as food for our people. We see them near our homes and in the deep forests. We are glad they are still here and we hope that it will always be so.

Now our minds are one.

We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. They help us to bring the change of seasons. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds.

Now our minds are one.

Now we turn to the west where our grandfathers, the Thunder Beings, live. With lightning and thundering voices, they bring with them the water that renews life. We are thankful that they keep those evil things made by Okwiseres underground. We bring our minds together as one to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunderers.

Now our minds are one.

We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun.

Now our minds are one.

We put our minds together to give thanks to our oldest Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the night?time sky. She is the leader of woman all over the world, and she governs the movement of the ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time, and it is the Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother, the Moon.

Now our minds are one.

We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the darkness and bringing dew to the gardens and growing things. When we travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered together as one, we send greetings and thanks to the Stars.

Now our minds are one.

We gather our minds to greet and thank the enlightened Teachers who have come to help throughout the ages. When we forget how to live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed to live as people. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to these caring teachers.

Now our minds are one.

Now we turn our thoughts to the creator, or Great Spirit, and send greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our choicest words of greetings and thanks to the Creator.

Now our minds are one.

We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all the things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything out. If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual to send such greetings and thanks in their own way.

Now our minds are one.

Source: Wabanaki Reach

This beautiful waterfall with multiple cascades is on DCR property in Ashfield, MA. There's a lovely trail that follows the river, and more trails nearby that lead to a peak with beautiful views, and a longer trail to the DAR park in Goshen. Have you been to Chapel Falls?

In honor of National Native American Heritage Month, you can join a virtual screening of two important films, Upstander Project's Bounty and Reciprocity Project Season One's Weckuwapok (The Approaching Dawn) on Thursday, November 30, 2023, from 7:00-8:30 PM.

Upstander Project's Bounty: Part of our Dawnland film series, this film reveals the hidden story of the Phips Proclamation, one of many scalp-bounty proclamations used to exterminate Native people in order to take their land in what is now New England. Reciprocity Project Season One's Weckuwapok: On these traditional homelands, Waponahkik (the people of the dawn land) bring gratitude to the sun where it first looks our way. Song and stories invite us to accept the new day and put behind us any harm done the day before. These are relational lessons shared from ancestors since time immemorial. There will be a post-screening live Q&A with filmmakers Maulian Bryant and Adam Mazo moderated by Institute for New England Native American Studies Director, Cedric Woods. Register here.

Join us for our annual holiday decorations workshop on Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 11:00 AM at the Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell. This hands on workshop will start with a meandering walk in the woods to find natural materials for wreaths and swags which we will create for holiday decorating. With your guides Nan and Laura, we'll listen to music and sip warmed cider or hot chocolate while working on our green winter creations. Everyone is welcome.

Wonderful hike with the Tuesday Hikers up Stratton Mountain to Richardson's Cabin on the New England Trail. Lots of views of Mt. Monadnock, Mt. Grace, and Mt. Wachusett to the east and Mt. Ascutney to the west. Want to join us on a hike? See our Chapter Activities page for upcoming outings. View more photos on our Facebook page.

In honor of Native American Heritage month, please consider contacting your state representatives to support these 5 bills. The 2023-2024 MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda includes 5 priorities: Remove Racist Mascots, Honor Indigenous People's Day, Celebrate and Teach Native American Cultures & History, Protect Native American Heritage, and Support the Education and Futures of Native Youth. Please urge your state legislators to co-sponsor these 5 important bills today!

We appreciate each and every volunteer who makes a contribution to our Chapter, whether leading outings, galvanizing support for conservation efforts, maintaining trails, or promoting Chapter activities. Our Chapter could literally not exist without them. The MVL's demonstrated consistent efforts throughout the year for their respective committees. We are so grateful they have chosen to share their skills, passion, and time with us!

Last Saturday's Third Annual Westfield River Clean Up was an enormous success! Thirteen volunteers joined organizer, Heather Wyman from our Conservation Committee, as they cleaned up the trash along the Westfield River in West Springfield, an area used as an encampment. Inspired by past Westfield Watershed Committee member Dianne, this annual event not only helps keep the river and its banks free of trash, it also creates a welcoming space for local residents to visit. Yesterday was also the first time one of the encampment residents joined the group in the cleanup. He is a younger gentleman named Benny who works full time, but has lived along the river in camp sites after losing his home. He was surprised at how much trash was generated. We were also joined by our beloved Jack, who walks from Springfield to do these cleanups. It was truly a remarkable day with great weather and wonderful people! Many thanks to all the volunteers who came out to help! See more photos on our Facebook page.

Bring the kids up to Noble View to explore the trails and celebrate Native American Heritage Month with a Storywalk^®. This month's Storywalk^® at Noble View is "Keepunumuk: Weeachumun's Thanksgiving Story" by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry and Alexis Bunten. In this story, two children from the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe learn about weeachumum (corn) and the first Thanksgiving, as told in Native tradition. The authors represent the Mashpee Wampanoag, Chicksaw and Yu'pik Unangan tribes.

Native American Heritage Month, takes place in the U.S. each November. Events and exhibits held throughout the country celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of the people who are the original inhabitants, explorers, and settlers of the land now called the United States. Use our interactive map to find events, exhibits, and trails in and around Massachusetts and learn how you can participate. This photo was taken on the Hoosac Range Trail on the Mohawk Trail (Route 2) in North Adams, the ancestral homelands of the Mohican people.

Peggy has been a member of the AMC for 25+ years. She donates generously to AMC with monetary resources and her time. She organizes one fourth of the yearly Western MA Chapter Tuesday Hikes, recruiting leaders and coordinating the Anniversary Hike and celebration, which just celebrated 24 years! Peggy loves attending our in-person Annual Meetings and other events featuring speakers who enrich her knowledge of the natural world. She's volunteered at Noble View for more than 10 years and was a volunteer member of the Noble View Committee who kept the facility running "back in the day". Peggy is a world-wide traveler and enriches the lives of local chapter members and the community with her knowledge and appreciation for the many diverse cultures and countries she has visited. She is a former Peace Corps volunteer and a deserving recipient of the 2023 Appie!

Shorter days and cooler temps are here, but we still lead outings every week, including a hike every Tuesday morning. Visit our activities page to see all of our upcoming outings and volunteer opportunities.

Join fellow Westfield River Watershed Association (WRWA) volunteers in our third river cleanup collaboration on November 4, 2023. We have made a HUGE dent in the amount of dumped trash and abandoned encampments, improving the recreation ability for hundreds of local residents and their families who enjoy visiting the river and walking its banks. There are three camps we will be working on clearing, including remaining trash at "The Bunker". The city will provide trash bags, the WRWA will provide gloves and grabbers, and the Western MA AMC will provide water and light snacks. Masks to wear working around trash will also be provided. Drop-ins welcome, but we do appreciate an RSVP to let us know who to expect as all participants must sign a waiver - available at the event.

On Monday, November 6, 2023 at 7 PM the Allen Bird Club of Springfield will host Understanding Barriers: Bringing People to Conservation in the Tolman Auditorium of the Springfield Science Museum. In this presentation, UMass Amherst PhD. Candidate Sebastian Moreno will share his relationship with nature and the barriers he faced growing up. Mr. Moreno studies avian and urban ecology and the human dimensions of wildlife, focusing on environmental and social justice. He is a co-program coordinator for Latino Outdoors Western Massachusetts. Mr. Moreno will discuss the importance of engaging the public in scientific work while acknowledging biases that currently exist in citizen science. He will also highlight efforts by various organizations that create welcoming and safe spaces for historically marginalized groups to enjoy the outdoors and actively engage with nature. The Allen Bird Club is a nonprofit organization that has been bringing Greater Springfield area birders together since 1912. For more information, please visit AllenBirdClub.org. This presentation is open to the public free of charge.

If you follow the Pitcher Brook Trail from the parking lot, you'll find Little Pitcher Falls and Big Pitcher Falls, then head back to the parking lot on Laurel Lane, for a perfect 3 mile loop. Be sure to make your way to the cottages to see that gorgeous view to the east. Learn more about Noble View or view our trail map. View more photos on Facebook.

Please join us! Our AMC Western MA Annual Business Meeting will be held virtually (online) on Thursday, November 2, 2023 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. We'll share the year's accomplishments, vote on officers and committee chairs (AMC members only), and hear from AMC Headquarters about what's happening in the Club. View the slate of ExCom officers for 2024. Any five Chapter members desiring to place an additional candidate in nomination may do so by sending an email to chair@amc-wma.org no later than five days before the Annual Meeting. Please include a nomination description stating the office to be filled, the proposed candidate, the reasons for nomination, and written verification of consent from the nominee to serve if elected. Our special guest speaker will be author Nancy Condon. Nancy wrote Paddle for Water: Canoeing Across America with a Message and a Man I Never Intended to Marry, about her cross-country canoe trip following the waterways traveled by Lewis and Clark with her now-husband, Tom. She will share her harrowing journey as they traveled 5,000 miles across the U.S. by canoe. Register for the meeting here.