The Western MA Exchange

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August Camp is an AMC-led camp that is traditionally held somewhere in the northwestern United States. Each year, it brings together AMC members from chapters around the country for a week of hiking, adventure, good food, and community. This year's location in the Northern Cascades provided an incredible backdrop, with dramatic mountain peaks, expansive valleys, and views of glaciers around nearly every corner. The weather and wildfire smoke did provide a few challenges. Smoke from fires in eastern Washington forced us to change several hiking plans, but the flexibility of the camp leaders allowed us to find alternative adventures and make the most of the conditions. On the clearer days, the mountains were spectacular, and the views were well worth the effort. For me, August Camp has begun to feel a little like going home. Although I am still a relative newcomer to the camp, there is something special about returning each year and recognizing familiar faces, reconnecting with old friends, and meeting new ones. There is always someone eager to head out on another hike, share a story around the fire, or sit down for a conversation after a long day on the trail. That sense of community is one of the things I enjoy most about August Camp. The mountains provide the setting, but it is the people who make the experience memorable. I was especially happy to share the experience this year with Deb and Margot as hike leaders and to have such a strong Western MA AMC presence. After a week of mountain peaks, smoky skies, glacier views, campfire conversations, and miles on the trail, I returned home already looking forward to the next August Camp.

This was a successful first time campout for more than half the families. One mom reported that their 4-year old was persistently asking if they could go camping again! Thank you Dawne Piers-Gamble, a Family Programs volunteer, for organizing it! MORE PHOTOS »

The group hiked 1.5 miles to the staging area then organized, cut, and carried the lumber about a half mile to the tent site. Many thanks to the volunteers who worked so hard to help with this project! Work will continue into the fall to build the structures. Stay tuned for details or check the Outdoors Connector for new postings. MORE PHOTOS »

You are invited to join Mass Audubon and the New England Forestry Foundation for a webinar on Wednesday, September 9th from 12-1 PM to learn more about a unique funding opportunity available to landowners with forested properties in northwest MA. Would you like help implementing some of the recommendations that your forester offered in your forest stewardship plan? Landowners often find that taking the next steps with their forest management plan can be overwhelming and expensive. The Forest Climate Resilience Incentive pilot program is designed to help landowners pay for these next steps and provide technical assistance during the planning process. If you have 10 acres or more of forested land in the Woodlands Partnership region of northwest MA and have an approved stewardship plan, you likely qualify for this unique program. Funds will be available until they are exhausted, however all practices much be completed by June 2028. To learn more or to receive a direct invitation by email with the meeting details, please contact climateforestry@massaudubon.org. REGISTER »

This course is great for people of all experience levels and is best suited for those who recreate outdoors where EMS response can be expected in a timely manner (fewer than eight hours). You'll learn the Patient Assessment System, how to provide effective first aid treatments for injuries and illnesses common in the outdoors, and how to make appropriate evacuation decisions. You'll learn both in the classroom and in outdoor settings regardless of weather, so come prepared for wet, muddy, cold or hot environments! This is a fast-track, two-day course that certifies you in Wilderness First Aid and CPR. REGISTER »

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. The cottages at Noble View are no longer available for use or lodging, so we have moved the fun to the Scout camp giving folks the option to stay in a bunkhouse cabin or camp in their own tent. You are welcome to settle in on Friday night to catch up with old, or make new friends over a light dinner. Saturday will be packed with a variety of traditional and non-traditional outdoor activities, 3 delicious meals and camaraderie. The fun and food will continue until the early afternoon on Sunday. If you have joined us before, you know the transformational calm that comes about from a weekend well spent with good women. If this is your first time, we welcome you. Just click below to register. REGISTER »

After the hike, Jeannette's cousin Dave Pierce, opened the historic Chester Railway Museum for a private tour. Dave is president of both the Chester Foundation, which operates the museum, and the Friends of the Keystone Arches. Dave shared so much about the construction of the bridges including that they were designed and built by George Washington Whistler, the husband of Whistler's mother of the famous painting. Dave was instrumental in getting the bridges and the museum added to the list of US Historic Landmarks, putting them in the same category as Mt. Rushmore! The group also viewed the caboose which is available to rent for overnight stays, and the recent addition of the famous dining car from the former Bernie's restaurant in Chicopee. The dining car was moved from Chicopee last December and can be rented for events. Thank you Dave for sharing your impressive expertise with us! MORE PHOTOS »

The AT Committee has a few more projects on the schedule for you to join: 22-Aug-2026: Drainage Improvements to UGPC Access Road (contact at@amc-wma.org for more info) 23-Sep-2026: Crystal Mountain Campsite Privy Work 26-Sep-2026: Complete Crystal Mountain Privy Work

New volunteer Lori Duga shared the experience with her first trail maintenance day and her wonderful photos! Here's what she had to say: "I found my dream volunteer role: crushing rocks! In all seriousness, trail maintenance! Digging, leveling, building hiking trails and meeting people with the same interest as me. Today we began building a stone staircase on the NET: New England Scenic Trail, section 2 in MA. It will probably take all of next season, but camping platforms and a privy are to be built as well. I just learned so much today! I love that!!!" Thanks Lori, the other volunteers, and Connor and Audrey for working all day in the heat to make our trails better and safer! FACEBOOK »

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This book is a gorgeous exploration of perspective, perception, and the passage of time, with an underlying environmental message that is timely and poignant. The book has a rhythmic, calming narrative about the stone and its place in the world with a changing environment and stunning illustrations of cut paper, pencil, collage, and paint. So bring the kids and enjoy this one mile accessible trail as you read the story. You can bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the view of the valley at the picnic table near the large cottage. Noble View Outdoor Center is located at 635 South Quarter Road, Russell, MA. Follow the gravel road about a half mile to the parking lot. The All Persons Trail starts there.

This month marks the beginning of a new chapter. Our longtime free email service is no longer available, so we've moved to Constant Contact, a platform that will allow us to create more engaging and informative newsletters. While the delivery method has changed, our mission hasn't. We'll continue sharing upcoming activities, and you'll also receive updates on special events, chapter news, volunteer opportunities, and other happenings throughout the Western Massachusetts Chapter. Our first Constant Contact newsletter was sent on Monday, July 27th. If you didn't receive this mailing and would like to receive them, please subscribe here. Before subscribing, please check your spam or junk folder in case the newsletter was filtered there. We look forward to keeping you informed — and, most importantly, to seeing you outdoors with us! SUBSCRIBE »

There's a lot happening in the Western Massachusetts Chapter! Whether you're looking for a special event, hoping to try something new, or simply want to stay connected with what's going on, we've got something for you. This month we're excited to announce that registration is now open for our popular Connecting Women, Connecting with Nature Weekend, highlight the many opportunities available through our Paddling Committee, and introduce our new Constant Contact Chapter Activities and Updates newsletter to help you stay informed about activities, events, and volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Read on for details. Happy Summer,
Kathy Martin, Western MA Chapter Chair

Join Our New Chapter Updates Newsletter

Since 1999, we've sent a weekly email highlighting upcoming chapter activities, along with links to the Outdoors Connector (AMC's activity registration site) and the Western Massachusetts Chapter Activities page. Our goal has always been simple: make it easy for you to discover adventures and stay connected with our chapter. This month marks the beginning of a new chapter. Our longtime free email service is no longer available, so we've moved to Constant Contact, a platform that will allow us to create more engaging and informative newsletters. While the delivery method has changed, our mission hasn't. We'll continue sharing upcoming activities, and you'll also receive updates on special events, chapter news, volunteer opportunities, and other happenings throughout the Western Massachusetts Chapter. If you have never received our former Tuesday Hiker emails you can subscribe here. Our first Constant Contact newsletter will be sent on Monday, July 27. We've automatically subscribed many people from our previous email list. If you don't receive the first newsletter and would like to get them, please subscribe here. Before subscribing, please check your spam or junk folder in case the newsletter was filtered there. We look forward to keeping you informed and, most importantly, to seeing you outdoors with us!

Registration Now Open for the Connecting Women, Connecting with Nature Weekend

The AMC Western MA Chapter is pleased to invite you to register for our 5^th annual, Connecting Women, Connecting with Nature Weekend, September 18, 19, 20, 2026 at the Horace A. Moses Scout Reservation on Russell Pond in Russell, MA. 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. The cottages at Noble View are no longer available for use or lodging, so we have moved the fun to the Scout camp giving folks the option to stay in a bunkhouse cabin or camp in their own tent. You are welcome to settle in on Friday night to catch up with old, or make new friends over a light dinner. Saturday will be packed with a variety of traditional and non-traditional outdoor activities, 3 delicious meals and camaraderie. The fun and food will continue until the early afternoon on Sunday. If you have joined us before, you know the transformational calm that comes about from a weekend well spent with good women. If this is your first time, we welcome you. Just click here to register.

July Committee Highlight - the Paddling Committee

The Paddling Committee's goals are to get people on the water, teach safe boating skills, and build a community of paddlers who enjoy the waterways of western MA and elsewhere. Our programs have been growing this year with outstanding leaders and new participants, including new leaders in the Albany area. We run training programs to teach basic flatwater and whitewater boating skills to kayakers and canoeists. This year's flatwater clinic was held on July 7 at Barton Cove in Gill, MA. A whitewater clinic for LGBTQ+ folks was held on the Deerfield River in June 27-28 and a beginner whitewater clinic for 20s/30s folks took place July 18-19. Credit for these programs goes to AMC paddle leaders who have trained as paddling instructors with the American Canoe Association. A series of well-attended trips for LGBTQ+ whitewater paddlers on the Deerfield River Lower Fife Brook section happens monthly on Friday afternoons, May through September. And a new series of evening park-and-play whitewater sessions on the Tariffville section of the Farmington River is starting up. Learn more about our Paddling Committee including upcoming activities on the Paddling Committee's webpage.

Fourteen hikers joined AMC Western MA hike leaders Jeannette Pierce and Kathy Kindness, and AMC staff member William Poole, for a relaxed 4 mile hike with gorgeous views of the East Branch of the Westfield River. While this was geared towards new members, all were welcome and the hike included folks from their twenties to eighties. Hiking is for everyone! Come join the fun! MORE PHOTOS »

The group learned about the importance of sustainable trails: why they exist, how they are maintained, the role that trail crews play in keeping them sustainable, and the involvement of land managers. We have another trails sustainability hike planned on this section of the trail on the evening of Wednesday August 5th. Check out AMC Outdoors Connector for more! AMC OUTDOOR CONNECTOR »

With summer in full swing, we would like to highlight the Chapter's Paddling Committee. Led by Co-chairs Deb Weisenstein and Bonna Wieler, the Committee plans a variety of paddling activities in the warmer months of the year. The Paddling Committee's goals are to get people on the water, teach safe boating skills, and build a community of paddlers who enjoy the waterways of western MA and elsewhere. Our programs have been growing this year with outstanding leaders and new participants, including new leaders in the Albany area. We run training programs to teach basic flatwater and whitewater boating skills to kayakers and canoeists. This year's flatwater clinic was held on July 7 at Barton Cove in Gill, MA. A whitewater clinic for LGBTQ+ folks was held on the Deerfield River on June 27-28 and a beginner whitewater clinic for 20s/30s folks will be held July 18-19. Credit for these programs goes to AMC paddle leaders who have trained as paddling instructors with the American Canoe Association. The AMC 150 relay came through MA in late May, and we organized two paddling legs. One was on the Westfield River, linking AMC's Noble View Outdoor Center and the New England Trail. The other was 12 miles of the Connecticut River in Northampton with our partner organization All Out Adventures. A series of well-attended trips for LGBTQ+ whitewater paddlers on the Deerfield River Lower Fife Brook section happens monthly on Friday afternoons, May through September. And a new series of evening park-and-play whitewater sessions on the Tariffville section of the Farmington River is starting up. We have a women's flatwater paddle coming up July 24. Learn more about the Paddling Committee and find upcoming activities to join.

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