AMC Western MA 20s/30s+

Activity Type: Social | Local Socials
Difficulty: 1 - Accessible
Trip Leader(s): Olivia Laramie
Registration Type: Registration
Please Click Here to RSVP: https://activities.outdoors.org/a5UVX00000158dt
Audience: 20’s & 30’s

Description: Come join other folks in their 20s and 30s with the AMC Western MA 20s and 30s Chapter at Powder Hollow Brewery for Earth Day! We will be hosting a planting/potting gathering with all supplies provided to kick off spring and celebrate our planet! There will also be the opportunity to fill out postcards for a AMC conservation campaign supporting the America the Beautiful Act. These postcards will be sent to congresspeople!
Join us for planting, civic activities, and socializing! We look forward to seeing you :)
**** Leader: Olivia Laramie (she/her) Olivia lives in Easthampton and is a social leader for the Western MA Chapter. Olivia enjoys backpacking, hiking, rock climbing, and volunteering in her community, specifically for causes that support women and girls.
**** Stay Connected with Western MA 20s/30s! Join our 20s/30s WhatsApp Group for upcoming events and informal meetups Follow us on Instagram @AMCWesternMA20s30s We always welcome feedback on your experience with AMC Western MA 20s/30s.

Reminder: Please click the RSVP link above to register!

Activity Type: Hiking, Local Walks, & Trail Running | Hiking
Difficulty: 3 - Easy
Trip Leader(s): Daniel Willig, Hew Hart
Registration Type: Application
Please Click Here to RSVP: https://activities.outdoors.org/a5UVX0000016AYn
Audience: 20’s & 30’s

Description: This 4.6-mile loop with 900ft of elevation gain winds through the rugged beauty of the Mount Holyoke Range in Amherst. We’ll start off easy along the North Side Trail, weaving through a young beech forest and crossing several streams. As the trail begins to climb, we’ll connect with the Robert Frost Trail and steadily gain elevation before linking up with the New England Trail. Next, we’ll scramble through the Horse Caves and, soon after, gain elevation quickly as the trail steepens into the most challenging stretch—a rocky ascent over loose basalt clasts that leads us to the summit. After taking in the views, we’ll descend a moderately steep trail, looping back to the North Side Trail and the trailhead.
Our goal is to finish the loop within the estimated timeframe. We will hike at a brisk, conversation-friendly pace and will adjust the tempo and/or route as needed to keep the group together. We’ll take short breaks as necessary and one longer break to eat and enjoy the views. Hike times may vary depending on trail conditions and weather. If conditions are unfavorable, an alternative route or cancellation may occur. We will also be observing Leave No Trace principles.
*Please come wi th a sturdy pair of shoes with good grip, two liters of water and snacks/food.
****
Dan Willig (he/him): Dan views the outdoors as space for both recreation and deep reflection. He intergrates mindfulness into physical activity, forstering a deeper conection with himself and others in nature. Dan enjoys hiking, backpacking, camping, exploring new trails and just about everything else.
Hew Hart (he/they): Hew lives in South Deerfield, and is a hiking, backpacking, paddling, and social leader for the Western MA Chapter. He thru-hiked the AT in 2022, has completed the NH48, and enjoys building community centered around the outdoors.
****
Stay Connected with Western MA 20s/30s! • Join our 20s/30s WhatsApp Community for upcoming events and informal meetups • Follow us on Instagram @AMCWesternMA20s30s
We always welcome feedback on your experience with AMC Western MA 20s/30s.

Reminder: Please click the RSVP link above to register!

Activity Type: Social | Local Socials
Difficulty: 2 - Relaxed
Trip Leader(s): Stephanie Muldrew, Hew Hart
Registration Type: Registration
Please Click Here to RSVP: https://activities.outdoors.org/a5UVX0000016FNB
Audience: 20’s & 30’s

Description: Join AMC Western Mass 20s/30s for our second book club meetup! Spend a relaxing afternoon with us on May 2nd to discuss our next selection, which is the novel Parable of a Sower by Octavia Butler. Written in the 1990s and set in the 2020s, this book tells the story of a woman who forges her own path and builds community amidst the climate crisis. If you do not have a copy, physical copies are available at local libraries and bookstores throughout western MA as well as in eBook and audiobook form.
We will meet at the Lady Killigrew Cafe which is part of the Book Mill in Montague, MA. Depending on space available, we will sit either inside or outside. After the discussion, folks are welcome to explore the rest of the Book Mill on their own.
This informal meetup is open to all, whether or not you have finished the book (but be prepared for spoilers!). Food and drink are available for purchase.
****
Stay Connected with Western MA 20s/30s! • Join our 20s/30s WhatsApp Community for upcoming events and informal meetups • Follow us on Instagram @AMCWesternMA20s30s
We always welcome feedback on your experience with AMC Western MA 20s/30s.
Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

Reminder: Please click the RSVP link above to register!

Activity Type: Hiking, Local Walks, & Trail Running | Hiking
Difficulty: 2 - Relaxed
Trip Leader(s): Roseanna Lacas
Registration Type: Application
Please Click Here to RSVP: https://activities.outdoors.org/a5UUN000002C3nN
Register By: 5/13/2026
Audience: 20’s & 30’s

Description: Join other folks in their 20s and 30s on a hike along Summit Trail at Wantastiquet Mountain, learning about basal fire scars, stump sprouts, and glacial and flooding impacts along the way. Starting at the Wantastiquet Monadnock Trailhead, we will take the Summit Trail, at a slow pace, allowing for education and discussion about the interesting ecological aspects of this hike. We will then take an old carriage road along the Connecticut River to a viewpoint looking south along the river.
The hike will be 3.0 miles in total with a gradual uphill gain of 482 ft on the way to the site of the 2007 fire on these slopes and a relatively flat track along a carriage road. We will not be visiting the summit of Wantastiquet Mountain. I recommend bringing a small day pack with water and a light snack and perhaps some binoculars or hiking poles if desired.
Please wear appropriate footwear for a short, slightly uphill hike like sneakers, hiking boots, or sandals with a sturdy sole and heel strap such as Chacos. We will still hike in light rain but heavy rain will cancel the hike. I welcome you to join us for lunch somewhere in Brattleboro after the hike.  **** This hike is part of the WMass 20s/30+ Wessels Series in which we will use Tom Wessels’ New England’s Roadside Ecology as a guide to talk about the interesting ecological aspects of the WMass /Southern NH/Southern VT area. Here is the full series schedule: Sunday April 19 Elder’s Grove 10am Saturday May 16 Wantastiquet Mountain 11am Saturday June 6 William Cullen Bryant Homestead 5pm Saturday July 11 Rhododendron State Park 11am Saturday August 15 Bartholomew’s Cobble 4pm Saturday September 26 Monument Mountain 2pm Saturday October 10 Vernon Town Forest 11am Saturday November 21 Pisgah State Forest 11am **** Join the Western MA 20s/30s+ WhatsApp Group , where participants share upcoming events, photos, and occasionally connect around informal, non-AMC outings!
Follow us on Instagram @AMCWesternMA20s30s !
We always welcome your feedback on this activity and your experiences with the AMC Western MA 20s/30s+ community.
**** Rosie Lacas (she/her): Rosie lives in Amherst, MA and is a hiking and social leader for the Western MA Chapter. She has special interests in plant and wildlife ecology and the history of rural New England. She is working on her NH48 and takes great joy in planning outdoor adventures.
(activity photo courtesy of Hinsdale, NH town website)

Reminder: Please click the RSVP link above to register!