The Western MA Exchange

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As we begin the new year, we're excited to share a snapshot of the energy, dedication, and community that make the AMC Western Massachusetts Chapter so special. This January highlight features the incredible work of our Appalachian Trail Management Committee, opportunities to get outside (and inside!) during the winter months with some truly unique outings, and an introduction to the volunteers who will be guiding our chapter forward as the 2026 Executive Committee. Together, these stories reflect the heart of our chapter: caring for the trails and lands we love, creating meaningful experiences for members of all ages, and supporting one another through strong volunteer leadership. And if you are new to our Chapter, we warmly welcome you and hope to get to know you better! Kathy Martin, Western MA Chapter Chair

Join Us for Some Fun and Unique Winter Activities

The winter months provide many opportunities for both indoor and outdoor activities. We are offering guided hikes, downhill skiing, indoor climbing in the gym, outdoor ice climbing, volunteer opportunities, a book club, and family activities. And coming up on February 1^st, we have two unique outings to consider. If you like to cross-country ski or snowshoe, come join us for a day of socializing and cross-country skiing or snowshoeing at Prospect Mountain in Woodford, Vermont. Prospect Mountain is the highest Nordic base lodge in Vermont at 2,250 feet and includes 40 km of groomed and tracked XC trails and snowshoe trails. We will meet for lunch at noon with complimentary hot cocoa. Click here for details and to register. Also on February 1^st, is an Owl Prowl, a family-friendly walk along a gravel road at the Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell, where great horned, barred, and screech owls may be calling from the shadows. Wrapped in scarves and starlight, we'll walk along the road lit by the full moon, listening for hoots and learning how these remarkable birds survive the harshest season of the year. We'll even teach you how to hoot and whistle like an owl. With luck, and a little patience, we may hear a pair calling back and forth across the icy hills.

January Committee Highlight- the Appalachian Trail Management Committee

The Chapter's AT Management Committee maintains and manages the Appalachian Trail in Massachusetts by partnering with Mass DCR and the National Park Service. The Committee organizes and supports the work of over 100 active volunteers who contributed over 8000 hours in 2025. In addition to "just" trail maintenance, the Committee's work covers multiple AT-related program areas: AT Lands Corridor monitoring and boundary maintenance, Natural Resource monitoring, Historical/Cultural Resource stewardship, and Overnight Site Maintenance. Volunteers also serve as 24/7 caretakers at Upper Goose Pond Cabin during the hiking season. The Committee's work also benefits from the support of four active AT Community organizations in North Adams, Cheshire, Dalton and Lee. You can find more information, resources, and upcoming volunteer activities on their committee page. The Committee holds an annual AT Volunteer Gathering for all AT volunteers and anyone interested in finding out more about what we do. This year's AT Gathering is on February 7^th in Dalton. All are welcome! Contact Cosmo for more information.

Meet the 2026 Executive Committee

At the 2025 Annual Business Meeting and Social in October, several new members were voted into the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee (ExCom) is the organizing level of chapter leadership, representing all the committees that keep bringing the wonderful AMC chapter activities and initiatives to members. The ExCom is made up entirely of volunteers, consisting of four officers, twelve committee chairs, and two members-at-large. The Executive Committee meets monthly to oversee all of the activities offered by the Chapter. Here are the 2026 Executive Committee Members.

FEATURED EVENT

Join AMC's Club-wide Conservation Committee (CCC) for an informative virtual open house on January 27 where volunteers, chapter leaders, and conservation champions from across AMC come together to shape what's next. Learn about our 2026 conservation strategy, celebrate 2025 local conservation actions, and explore chapter as well as volunteer camp & cabin opportunities to engage in 2026. Everyone is welcome, regardless of your experience and prior AMC conservation involvement. Learn more and register here.

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The gathering will start with some coffee and socializing, followed by a general session to highlight past activities and outline projects for 2026. After lunch there will be some breakout sessions to learn more about the activities of the Committee. This is open to all current A.T. volunteers and anyone interested in learning more about the Committee's projects. Contact Cosmo Catalano (catalano.cosmo@gmail.com) with questions and to register.

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Among several key themes, the need for better, more consolidated communication about the full range of outdoor recreation activities available in the region was a top priority. Thanks to funding received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission developed this website in partnership with several fellow stakeholders. The AMC Western MA Chapter has several links on the Resources page that direct users to our activity committees' pages and to the Chapter Activities page of our website. Just click the link and find your next adventure! RESOURCES »

Thirty members hiked, cooked meals, played games, crafted, did puzzles, and practiced yoga and forest bathing throughout the weekend. They're planning to make this an annual event, renting out the entire lodge next year! Bravo to the leaders who planned this event and to all the folks who joined in and made it such as epic weekend! MORE PHOTOS »

The Western MA Chapter invites you to help us celebrate AMC's 150^th anniversary in 2026 by participating 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 in November. Come on out! Enjoy the outdoors! Try a new activity! Make new friends or renew old acquaintances! Activities with ANY AMC chapter count toward your goal. To register, email info@amc-wma.org. Once you've registered for the 150 Anniversary Challenge, find an activity to join on our activities page, or check out the upcoming outings offered by other chapters on AMC's Outdoor Connector. After completing each activity, email info@amc-wma.org with the trip name, leader, activity type, and miles. Our membership committee will track your progress and let you know how close you are to reaching the 150-mile goal. Since not all outings are alike, and to encourage your participation in different AMC-sponsored activities, we've created mileage equivalents:

• Hiking: number of miles hiked in one outing
• Snowshoeing: number of miles per outing
• Alpine Skiing: one outing = 10 miles
• Biking: one outing = 10 miles
• Conservation: one 1/2 day = 15 miles
• Cross Country Skiing: one outing = 10 miles
• Family Programs: one outing = 10 miles
• Mountaineering: one outing = 10 miles
• Paddling: one outing = 10 miles
• Trail Work: one 1/2 day = 15 miles
• Volunteering and Shelter Watch: one outing = 10 miles

Questions? Click here for details or email Kathy Kindness at info@amc-wma.org.

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With the proper clothing and equipment, winter hiking is super fun. Here's an excellent list of essential gear for winter hiking to make sure you are well-equipped to go out in the cold. And, if you're looking for some great places to go hiking in the winter, check out this list on our Member Favorites page. This interactive map will point out 10 great spots for winter hiking and snowshoeing, or even cross-country skiing, in western Massachusetts. Once you get to the map, click each hiking icon to see the name of the location, a description of it, directions, contact information, and a website when available. And of course, you can always join us on our winter guided hikes, that are happening every week.

The group of current leaders and two folks interested in becoming leaders enjoyed sunny skies, fresh snowfall, and great comradery as they explored parts of the Robert Frost Trail, enjoying views of a heron rookery, the Mill River, and Puffers Pond. The group then gathered for hearty beef stew and hot cocoa at Mike's house. Thanks Mike for providing this awesome way to ring in the New Year! MORE PHOTOS »

Thinking about your New Year's resolutions? How about resolving to do more outdoor adventures? Or trying a new activity? Our January schedule is chock full of outdoor adventures like hiking, skiing, ice climbing, wildlife transects, and some indoor ones too - a winter book club and gym climbing. We have a few ways to search. View upcoming activities with the AMC Western MA Chapter in your favorite format via one of the following avenues: Activities Mosaic. Use the buttons on this page to show Western MA's overall scheduled activities or activities by committee (BOLDED) in mosaic format. This page is manually updated once a day, usually before 9AM. Check activities on AMC's Outdoor Connector for up-to-the-minute additions not yet posted here. Upcoming Activity List. Use this page to display upcoming activities in list view, show additional information provided by the leader, or to sort activities by type, date, difficulty, and title. This page is also manually updated once a day, usually before 9AM. Activities Calendar. This calendar displays upcoming activities downloaded directly from AMC's Outdoor Connector. It is updated approximately every 6 hours. Clicking on the activity titles will display more information about each activity, including a link to the registration page. Outdoor Connector. Use this link to go directly to the AMC's Outdoor Connector to search for activities in any region. Come join the fun!

Each month, we highlight one of the committees in the Western MA Chapter, to showcase who our volunteers are and what they do, and to highlight Chapter programs, recreational activities, and volunteer opportunities. This month we'd like to highlight the work of the Chapter's Communications Committee, which is just two people - the Communications Chair, Jeannette Pierce, and the Webmaster, Lisa Taylor. Together, they manage all of the communications from the Chapter. Lisa is hard at work making daily updates to the website, including the Chapter Activities page, listing all of the chapter activities that have been posted on AMC's Outdoor Connector, and our online newsletter, the Western MA Exchange. This newsletter is jam-packed with upcoming and past Chapter activities and events, articles of interest for the outdoor enthusiast, monthly Committee reports, volunteer opportunities, some of our social media posts, and more. Everything you need to know about Chapter happenings with just one click. Jeannette manages our Facebook page and an Instagram account. Besides following those accounts to see what's happening in the Chapter, you can now engage directly on Facebook by sharing your adventures with the Chapter in the recently added Facebook group. Just click the link, join the group, and share your photos of Chapter activities and outdoor adventures. We just ask that you adhere to the Group's rules: all posts must be positive and respectful and adhere to the AMC mission to foster the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the outdoors. Political posts and sales are prohibited. The Communication Chair also sends out a monthly email message to its members highlighting Chapter activities and events. If you are an AMC member you should be receiving them on the last Friday of the month. You can find the December message here. We look forward to seeing your posts, likes, shares, and comments in the New Year!

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The three-mile hike started and ended on the New England National Scenic Trail - NET Section 5 in Holyoke, bringing the group to a ridge with a view to the west of Hampton Ponds. After making a solstice toast with delicious hot cocoa at sunset, the group donned their headlamps, headed back to the cars, then to a local restaurant for dinner. What better way to celebrate the shortest day and the beginning of winter? MORE PHOTOS »