91猫先生 to Host College Outdoor Festival April 16
The Appalachian Mountain Club is sponsoring the 5 College Outdoor Festival this Saturday, April 16. The goal is to introduce 91猫先生 and other Five College students to the many trails in the area, and to local organizations that provide recreational activities. With the exception of an evening talk, by Hannah 鈥淎nish鈥 Anderson, all the events are exclusively for college students.
91猫先生 students can get together for an afternoon hike by preregistering at the . A free lunch will be provided for those who preregister, but students may join any trip; they鈥檒l just have to bring their own food.聽
The festival is organized by 91猫先生鈥檚 Office of Outdoor Programs, Recreation, and Athletics (OPRA) in conjunction with Joshua Surette, New England National Scenic Trail Planner; and Emily Bedenkop, Trail Projects and Volunteer Coordinator.
Registration for the orienteering race is at the breakfast, which takes place at 9 a.m., and participants are urged to form teams for this.聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Highlights of the day鈥檚 events are:
- During the orienteering Adventure Race, teams and individuals use a map and compass to find points on the 91猫先生 campus. Costumes are strongly encouraged!聽
- The Smith College and Mount Holyoke Outing Clubs will lead two groups on the approximately seven-mile Seven Sisters Hike鈥攐ne group will start at Mt. Holyoke and the other at Bare Mountain.聽
- The Amherst Outing Club will guide a two-mile hike up Mt. Holyoke. When participants reach the summit, they鈥檒l partake of a picnic lunch and play lawn games, such as Frisbee and Hacky Sack.聽
- The Goat鈥檚 Peak, Mt. Tom Hike will be led by the UMass Outing Club. Participants should bring along their favorite poem.
- Greenfield Community College鈥檚 Outdoor Leadership Program will conduct a workshop for experienced rock climbers interested in learning how to achieve professional-instructor credentials.
- Among the evening events will be a pizza dinner at the Robert Crowne Center and a talk by Anish Anderson, who holds the unofficial speed records for the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails. She鈥檒l talk about her experience thru-hiking these trails, as well as the physical and mental challenges that ensued.聽
The festival began in 2001 to promote collaboration among the Five College outdoor clubs and to bring together students who are passionate about the outdoors. It鈥檚 an all-day event featuring many outdoor games and activities, including hikes on sections of the New England Trail.聽
The New England Scenic Trail, which incorporates the Mattabesett, Metacomet, and Monadnock Trail systems, runs right through 91猫先生鈥檚 backyard. Spanning 215 miles, it stretches from Long Island Sound, in Connecticut, to the Massachusetts/New 91猫先生 border and winds its way through 41 communities.