Appalachian Mountain Club – Maine Chapter

The Young Members Committee of the Maine Chapter is in the process of becoming active again! The goal of the committee is to provide outdoor and social activities for people in their 20’s and 30’s to ensure a strong membership base for the future of the Maine Chapter. The Young Members committee is being restarted by Emma Gildesgame at Colby College who is partnering with other Maine colleges and universities. Goals include providing outdoor activities, outdoor skill workshops, leadership trainings, as well as education on conservation issues. Please visit our Young Members web page for more information!

On Wednesday, February 20, 2008, AMC Member Carey Kish of Portland will show images and tell tales of a June 2006 trek on the GR20 Route across the Mediterranean island of Corsica. The GR20 is one France’s famous “Grande Randones” or very long distance hikes and is reputed to be the toughest trail in all of Europe. In 180 kilometers from Calenzana to Conca the trail climbs over 28 high passes with an astounding 81,960 feet of elevation gain and loss. The rewards for this strenuous effort for Kish and his hiking buddy were two-weeks of spectacular mountain scenery, picturesque villages, remote refuges and bergeries, good Corsican food and beer and plenty of international company.

The location is at the South Portland Library, 482 Broadway, South Portland, ME: parking is available off Highland Avenue. Dinner at 6 pm, presentation at 7 pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring a potluck item and their own dinnerware (plate, utensils etc.). Drinks will be provided and plastic-ware will be available.

Mt Abram has generously agreed to again include AMC in their corporate program. Members will receive the corporate rate of $33 for adults and $27 for children and young adults (thru age 17) any day, a nice savings from the regular rates of $43 and $32! A member need only present the AMC membership card with an up-to-date sticker to receive these rates for the member and that member’s immediate family. On Thursdays and Fridays, tickets are 2 for $36 – not a corporate rate, but certainly a good deal! Continue Reading »

The 132nd Annual Meeting of the Appalachian Mountain Club will be held on Saturday, January 26, 2008 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel, in Framingham Massachusetts. Events will include: AMC Committee Meetings from 8AM – 4PM, Conservation, Education, & Recreation Workshops from 10AM – 4PM, 132nd Annual Business Meeting at 4:00 PM, Reception at 5PM, Dinner at 6PM, and Keynote Speaker at 8PM. Continue Reading »

Remember to join us on Thursday, January 17, 2008 for a potluck and presentation on Thru-hiking the AT. AMC Maine member Ray Ronan will share his photos and stories from his travels from Georgia to Maine.

For more information, please see the AMC Maine calendar.

Edmund Hillary, considered by some one of the 20th century’s greatest adventurers, passed away Friday, January 11 in his native country of New Zealand. On May 29, 1953, Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay became the first people to reach top of Mount Everest (the world’s highest peak at 29,035 feet) AND safely return (Hillary was often critical of subsequent climbers that assumed tremendous risk). After his successful ascent, this humble beekeeper became a strong supporter of environmental causes and living conditions of people in Nepal. Read a full report here.

The Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) Program has begun their process of identifying lands worthy of public conservation for its present budget. This budget of $17 million was established as part of the approval of Question No. 4 by voters on November 6, 2007.

Thanks to the support of partner groups like the Appalachian Mountain Club, the LMF program continues to seek to improve the quality of life for all Mainers through the preservation of higher-value undeveloped land. LMF is presently seeking applications through April 1, 2008 that meet criteria established in their Proposal Workbook.

Please click here for an article from the Portland Press Herald.

The January/February 2008 issue of Port City Life magazine includes an article on recent developments in cross country skiing in the State of Maine. AMC Outdoor Camps in Maine are mentioned for offering backcountry skiing experiences as part of the Maine Woods Initiative (MWI).

The AMC’s two camps in their Maine holdings (Medawisla and Little Lyford Pond) are specifically mentioned for the ability to ski camp-to-camp. AMC has a working relationship with a privately owned camp in this area, West Branch Pond Camps, as part of the camp-to-camp ski adventure. For trip planning, it is suggested you call AMC Reservations directly at 603-466-2727 (9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday) for more information.

For more information on the use of MWI lands for winter recreation, please click here.

Registration for the AMC’s 2009 Annual Meeting is now open. Join us on February 7th, 2009 at the Sheraton Ferncroft Resort in Danvers, MA for a full day of AMC workshops including: Going Green at the AMC Huts and Traversing the Globe With the AMC. We will wrap up the day with dinner and our keynote speaker Greg Mortenson. Mortenson is the much celebrated co-author of the New York Times Best Seller and Time Magazine Asia Book of the Year Three Cups of Tea. A schedule of events and more details about Greg Mortenson and Three Cups of Tea can be found on our website. Seats are ALREADY selling quickly, so register today!

Another year has gone by. What will a new one bring?

Recreation: Trails to hike, bike, and ski? Peaks to bag? Rivers and lakes to paddle? Be sure to keep in touch with ongoing Maine Chapter activities on our calendar.

Conservation: Any resolutions to be more conservation-minded or reduce your impact on our environment? Join AMC’s Conservation Action Network (CAN) e-mail alerts. New subscriptions will be entered into a monthly drawing and January’s winner will receive a free year of AMC membership.

Education: Would you like to learn a new outdoor skill? Check out AMC’s Education page for a complete listing. Or attend Mountain Leadership School, which is celebrating its 50th year!

Recreation, conservation, education- the three principles of the AMC. I hope they will be a part of your New Year’s resolutions!