Which Clubs/Organizations do you have Membership?

[percious]

Hey guys. I was just thinking it would be a good idea to find out what kind of memberships everyone has, and more importantly, why. Maybe this will drum up a few people to join some very worthy associations. I'll start.

I am a member of:

ADK - Adirondack Mountain Club
AMC - Appalacian Mountain Club
CCM - Connecticut Climbers and Mountaineers
RMF - Ragged Mountain Foundation

Reasons.

I believe the ADK and AMC are decent organizations that help in the preservation of our lands. They also encourage their members to be good stewards of the lands by maintaining trails, and keeping tabs on the forest. Take a look at the trail up Algonquin someday, and realize all the work that has gone into moving the heavy stones to "harden" the trail.

CCM - CCM is a growing organization in CT. It is a great group of laid-back climbers. I am a member of the group because they are repectful, responsible, creative in their persuit of outdoor activities. www.ctclimbers.com

RMF - The ragged mountain foundation works hard to keep climbing walls open across CT. They meet with land-owners, state officials, and even have a land-trust set up in Southington, which has one of the biggest climbing walls in the state. www.raggedmtn.org

I would like to join the 46ers some day. I am pretty much an "aspiring" 46er, I just have to send in my paperwork. I will also join the NE115 in the future.

-percious

 

[spencer]

Oh boy, I know where this thread is headed...

and, you should make the poll allow multiple selections.

spencer

 

[percious]

Spencer,

Not trying to create contraversy. If it gets ugly, I will pull it.

How do I fix the poll?

-percious

 

[Grumpy]

I belong to the ADK and the Green Mountain Club. Also, the North Country Trail Association. There are so many worthy groups out there I don't think a poll here can list them all and do real justice to them and the support they have and warrant. But the thought that started this thread, as outlined by Percious seems to be in the right direction . . ..

G.

 

[Jay H]

Yeah, none of the above.

I'm a Catskills 3500 member, NYNJ TC, Nat. Conservancy, IMBA, Rails Trails Org, Adventure Cycling, and a member of the insane Catskill Hikes club

Jay

 

[Puma concolor]

Well, I'd vote for multiple clubs because they're all great and I'm in most .... but since I have to choose just one, I'll go with Highpointers. That's the Club I'm most active in these days by quite a long shot.

All mountains rule, all clubs rule, all people who climb mountains rule. Why would this turn negative?

 

[kmac]

AMC
Appalachian Trail Conference
Mount Washington Observatory

Thanks for the links to Ragged Mountain and Connecticut Climber

 

[RGF1]

Can you add the RMC = Randolph Mountain Club? I think a good number of us are members . I do not know if the SPNHF Society for protection of Newhampshires Forests is applicable though .
I also belong ot the Colorado mountain Club and thee Colrorado 14ner Initiative and Aspen Mountain Rescue But those are out in the wild west .

then there is the ATC= Appalachain Trail Conference and then..... so on the are alot of very worthy organizations.

 

[TCD]

ADK, 46ers, and the Access Fund. The Access Fund works to keep climbing areas open, to prevent climbing and bolting bans, etc.

From the web site: "The Access Fund envisions a future in which climbing and access to climbing resources are viewed as legitimate, valued, and positive uses of the land; where climbers respect and appreciate the places they climb so that the climbing environment is conserved for current and future generations."


http://www.accessfund.org/

 

[Neil]

I belong to the ADK (family membership) and am a hair's breadth from meeting the requirements for membership in the 46ers. I joined the ADK because it seemed like the right thing to do allthough my monetary contributuions were higher through parking fees prior to my joining. I suspect the membership #'s are as important as the money. Having hiked a few times with a member of the ADK "brass" I'm learning how much good work is done by this organization: a lot.

 

[percious]

The Access Fund works to keep climbing areas open, to prevent climbing and bolting bans, etc.
http://www.accessfund.org/

The RMF works with the Access fund to keep the cliffs open in CT. For all intensive purposes, RMF is the Access fund for CT. Interestingly, there are zero bolted routes in Connecticut, thanks to some zealous bolt-cutters. Guess I'll have to head up to MA for that.

-percious

 

[Bob]

Msgtc

Monadnock Sunapee Greenway Trail Club

 

[jmegillon149]

AMC-specifically New Hampshire Young Members Group
ATC
Hope to be in the 4000 footers club next summer(what can I say I'm putting of the last 5 of my remaining 6)

 

[hockeycrew]

AMC - mostly Boston Young Members
NUHOC - Northeastern University Huskiers and Outing Club
Hopefully the NH 4k by the end of the fall.

 

[MattC]

Clubs

People clearly tend towards the Clubs most appropriate to their geographic location. Case in point, I'm not an AMC member since I've yet to get over to New England and probably won't get there w/ any frequency any time soon.

I hike in New York primarily-the Catskills, Shawangunks and Adirondacks. Thus: I voted for ADK. I'm in the Mid-Hudson Chapter. I'm also a member of the New York/New Jersey Trail Conference and Catskill 3500 Club. I'm an aspiring 46er (26 so far). I'm also a Mohonk Preserve member, although the Preserve isn't a club-it's a non-profit land trust. I hike the Gunks so much that it's cheaper for me to pay for an annual membership than buy day passes.

I like the clubs for their education, trail work, advocacy, political action, and publications. NYNJTC makes great maps, ADK great trail guides. And of course visiting ADKs legendary properties are part of the whole High Peaks experience, whether one can afford to actually stay there or not-I can't.

As far as friends/hiking partners go, I've met many more though this website than all of the clubs put together. Having said that, I've met a few good friends/partners through the clubs, and overall I'm glad the clubs exist. I think they're an important part of the Northeast hiking/trail-building history/tradition. The Watermans' masterpiece "Forest and Crag" discusses the various Clubs' roles at length. Good post, Chris.

Matt

 

[charlos]

new york new jersey trail conference and the city climbers club.

 

[audrey]

Don't forget the Catamount Trail Association and the Maine Appalachian Trail Club... it would be tough to find more hard-working and appreciative clubs than the first and the third.

Add The Nature Conservancy nationally, the Trustees of Reservations in Massachusetts.

More locally, we also have the Friends of the Wapack, which maintains and helps protect the 22-mile Wapack Trail. Then there's the Friends of the Middlesex Fells ,and the group here in Lexington that works for Great Meadows conservation land...almost every town around here has environmental advocates. It does the heart good.

 

[Y.L.]

Adirondack 46ers.

 

[AntlerPeak]

I bet I qualify for the most far flung

1 ADK 46R's ---Because the people, the organization and the work they do clicked with the way I think more than any other.

2 M.A.T.C.----When I hiked the Maine portion of the AT, that organization was very supportive. The people are great, their trail work and stewardship of the trail is unmatched.

3 WTA ( Washington Trails Association )----I climbed over two hundred peaks in the Cascades, bought property in Wa and likely will be aiming to make that 200 rise to 400 peaks sometime soon.

The 111 ers, AMC 4000 footer clubs are a one time payment thing. I guess, correct me if I am wrong, but when you complete the list and pay a very small fee that is the end of it.

There you have it far flung group and there are other deserving organizations as well. But time and money are not unlimited so the ADK, GMC and AMC are very worthy organizations that do have my respect but alas not any monetary support.

 

[mike46r]

Adirondack Mt. Club
Appalachian Mt. Club
Green Mt. Club
Berkshire Knapsackers, a western Mass hiking group

I have been an Adirondack 46er since the early '90s, but haven't paid my dues for several years