Looking to spend more time outdoors this winter? Please join Boston's Hiking and Backpacking committee for a modified version of its annual Winter Hiking Program.
The Winter Hiking Program (WHP) seeks to equip hikers with skills and knowledge to hike safely in New England through the winter months. The course will consist of a mix of online instruction and in-person on-trail instructional hikes (as permitted). Virtual instruction will be November 5th, 12th, and 19th, and December 3rd and 10th starting at 7pm. Topics will include: boots & traction, below treeline travel, above treeline travel, backpacking, winter weather and risks, nutrition, and winter clothes and gear. As AMC, state and local guidance allows, the WHP will offer a set of primarily below-treeline day hikes as part of the practical "on-trail" portion of the program. (Please note: Should the virus incidence, AMC, state, or local guidance change, the planned trips may unfortunately need to be adjusted or eliminated. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that the planned trips will be able to proceed.)
This modified 2020-21 program is best suited for avid 3-season hikers who are looking to expand their hiking skills into the fourth season, or to build on previous winter experience. We also hope the online classroom format will allow access to people who may have had trouble getting to the in-person classes in the past. However, those specifically hoping to build winter backpacking or above-treeline skills may wish to wait until a future year, as overnight and above-treeline trips will not be offered as part of the 2020-21 WHP as part of our risk-mitigation strategy. Those signing up should also be aware that carpooling opportunities may be limited due to the pandemic. All trip participants will be expected to acknowledge the inherent risks of group hiking during the pandemic and abide by AMC's expectations for participants in AMC's Phase II activities. Links to information about these requirements are below in the Additional Information section. Please read these carefully and consider whether you will be able to comply with them prior to completing registration. Based on projected trip size and leader availability limitations, overall program size will be limited to 35. No trip will have a group size of more than 10, including leaders.
- Log in to post comments