AMCBerkshire.OrgThe Western Massachusetts chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club

September 17th, 2011

Save the date and RSVP to Pat Fletcher at hiker6@comcast.net or 413-562-9863

We are going to start building a new cabin on the New England National Scenic Trail in Northfield. The work will continue until Sept. 28 or finished. I am looking for a few good men as the saying goes or as many as can help. I would like to spread the help over the entire project. Any that live down here in the Springfield area can contact me and we can arrange car pooling.

The Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) Berkshire Chapter reports significant progress toward ensuring the long-term protection and maintenance of the Massachusetts portion of the New England National Scenic Trail, commonly known as the New England Trail (NET). In addition to important volunteer efforts and other key accomplishments on the trail in 2010, the AMC has hired a NET Planner to oversee management and administration of the trail in Massachusetts.

The Belchertown Conservation Commission along with the Kestrel Land Trust and Charlie Eiseman of Northern Naturalists are sponsoring a nature hike at Holland Glen and Wentworth Conservation Area on June 12th from 10am to noon. Registration is required, group size is limited. Call 413-323-0405 or email info@kestreltrust.org to reserve a slot and get meeting location details.

Join us on Saturday and Sunday, May 21 and 22, 2011 as we continue restoration efforts on a segment of the New England National Scenic Trail at Mt. Tom.

Reservation staff, the Appalachian Mountain Club, NET personnel and Trailwrights, Inc (a professional trail maintenance organization) will demonstrate to volunteers-and guide them through-the techniques of trail restoration.

A great opportunity to learn or update skills, meet new faces, enjoy hearty food, and help to restore this trail for future generations.

Snacks will be provided on both days; lunch will be provided to all-day participants on Saturday.

Download the flyer (316k) at (http://amcberkshire.org/files/MtTom_LendAHand.pdf).

Pre-registration REQUIRED!

Contact: Bill Finn,
Volunteer Coordinator &
NET Stewardship Council Member
billfinn00@comcast.net
413.265.0404

The meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 24, 2011 from 6pm to 9pm. It will be held in the ‘Glass’ room at the Bangs Community Center which is located at 70 Boltwood Walk in Amherst, MA. All are welcome to attend.

These are the latest trail updates. Feel free to print out a copy. This section will be updated regularly.

John Klebes is an M-M trail maintainer and wrote the account of his hike this spring. Klebes day hiked sections of the M-M Trail for many years, but this April he decided to through-hike the entire trail end-to-end in a week.

Hikers, we have been requested by a property owner to not include their land as part of the MM Trail. Most of the blazing in this section has been painted over. Blazes continue north from Shutesbury Road for .6 miles before ending. Blazes continue west from the Leverett Co-op for .6 miles before ending. Signs have been posted to explain the closing on the trail heads and at the private property boundaries. We are working to find new routing for the Trail and hopefully in the future we will be able to provide a continuous trail from the Connecticut line to Mount Monadnock. In the meantime, please do not hike in the closed (unblazed) parts of this section. View our Trail updates for more information.

Section 13: Pratt Corner/Cushman Roads, Atkins Reservoir to Shutesbury Road, Leverett (Partially Discontinued) Hikers, we have been requested by a property owner to not include their land as part of the MM Trail. Some of blazing in this section has been painted over. Blazes continue north from Market Hill Road for .6 miles before ending at the discontinued section. Blazes continue south from Shutesbury Road for 1 mile before ending at the discontinued section. Signs have been posted to explain the closing on the trail heads and at the private property boundaries. We are working to find new routing for the Trail and hopefully in the future we will be able to provide a continuous trail from the Conn. line to Mount Monadnock. In the meantime, please do not hike in the discontinued (unblazed) parts of this section. View our Trail updates for more information.

Hikers, we have been requested by a property owner to not include their land as part of the MM Trail. Some of the blazing in this section has been painted over. Blazes continue north from North Valley Road for 1.3 miles before ending. Blazes continue south from Pratt Corner Road for .9 miles before ending. Signs have been posted to explain the closing on the trail heads and at the private property boundaries. We are working to find new routing for the Trail and hopefully in the future we will be able to provide a continuous trail from the Connecticut line to Mount Monadnock. In the meantime, please do not hike in the discontinued (unblazed) parts of this section. View our Trail updates for more information.