AMC Berkshire Chapter

We invite you to join us at our next chapter potluck, on Saturday, August 20, 2016, 6:00PM - 9:00PM at the Unitarian Society in Northampton.

Meet fellow outdoor enthusiasts, learn news about our club, have a tasty meal and hear a wonderful local speaker: former Berkshire Chapter Chair and newsletter publisher Jon Hanauer. Jon will do a photo presentation entitled "Outdoors Across America."

AMC is working with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to create primitive campsites in Montague and Whately, MA as part of the Connecticut River Paddlers’ Trail, http://www.connecticutriverpaddlerstrail.org. Volunteers are needed to help us build the campsites during the weeks of July 4 and July 11. We are also in need of volunteers to help maintain the two campsites once they are built. Any interested maintainers are invited to attend a campsite maintenance training on Saturday, July 9th.

We are saddened to announce that Gary Forish passed away recently. Gary’s family has asked us to share the below information.

There will be a celebration of life service for Gary at 10:30am on Monday, June 6. The service will be at Central Baptist Church in Westfield. There will then be an ash spreading ceremony at Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell, at 1:00pm. All are invited to attend, and to speak and share a memory of him if you wish.

We are saddened to announce that Patrick H. Fletcher, our long-time Trails Chair, passed away earlier this week.

Pat worked tirelessly for the AMC, for our chapter, and for his beloved M-M / New England Trail. As Trails Chair for more than two decades, Pat volunteered countless hours building shelters, maintaining trails, organizing, and working with other local groups to maintain and improve the trails under his purview. In 2009, Pat was a leader in achieving the designation of the New England National Scenic Trail.

The New England Trail (NET) recently partnered with Artifact Cider Project, a Springfield-based company that makes hard cider with all local apples. The product of this partnership is Trail Hopper cider, a dry-hopped cider made with apples from Pine Hill Orchards in Colrain. To promote the cider, Berkshire and Worcester Chapter leaders will be leading a series of "views and brews" hikes throughout the spring and early summer.

Our New England Trail (NET) Committee works to ensure the protection and promotion of the NET for the enjoyment of current and future generations. This is done through a combination of maintenance work and public advocacy. The committee is led by a chairperson elected to a one-year term by members of the Berkshire Chapter at our Annual Meeting each November.