About Us
The mission of the Appalachian Mountain Club is to foster the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the outdoors.
Since 1876 we have been working to protect the mountains, forests, waters, and trails you love in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. We envision a world where our natural resources are healthy, loved, and always protected, and where the outdoors occupies a place of central importance in every person’s life. We encourage you to experience, learn more, and appreciate the outdoors knowing that your participation supports the conservation and stewardship of the natural world around you.
AMC commits to welcoming everyone, creating an inclusive community where people of all backgrounds and abilities can come together to enjoy and protect the natural world. We will break down systemic barriers to participation through providing accessible AMC experiences, increasing diverse representation, and upholding a culture of respect and belonging. We envision a future where every AMC experience is inclusive, fosters the preservation of a diverse ecosystem, promotes outdoor stewardship, and enhances the well-being of all living things.
Our History
1882
Public Domain Acts
AMC lobbies the Massachusetts Legislature for the rights of municipalities to set aside lands for public use. One result is the Public Domain Acts of 1882, which grants towns and cities the right to set aside lands for preservation and conservation use.
1893
AMC’s Charter Enlarged
The Massachusetts Legislature enlarges AMC’s charter “to enable it to hold mountain and forest lands and historic sites, and so preserve the beauty and attractiveness of our mountains, and especially of their forests.”
1895
Snyder Brook Reservation
AMC makes its first conservation land purchase, by acquiring thirty-six acres along Snyder Brook in Randolph, New Hampshire, to protect a strip of old-growth forest from imminent logging operations. Snyder Brook Reservation, as it was called, was later donated to become part of the WMNF in 1937.
1911
Passage of Weeks Act
AMC's best-known conservation advocacy project culminates in the passage of the Weeks Act, allowing the use of federal funding to purchase forest land for conservation. It eventually leads to the creation of the White Mountain National Forest.
1930
Mount Washington Observatory
Joe Dodge, AMC Huts Manager, becomes the Weather Bureau’s official observer at Pinkham Notch, where weather data has been collected ever since. Two years later, Dodge helped found the Mount Washington Observatory.
1970
Campsite and Caretaker Program
A seasonal caretaker is placed at Liberty Springs Tentsite to manage use, giving birth to our Campsite and Caretaker program. Caretakers inform hikers on how to minimize their impact on campsites in the White Mountains.
1975
Injunction against I-93 Construction
AMC wins permanent injunction against I-93 construction north of Franconia Notch based on deficiencies in project’s Environmental Impact Statement.
1981
Cloud Catcher Research
AMC begins investigations into the acidity of cloud and rainwater on the upper slopes of the White Mountains at sites on Mount Lafayette and Mount Washington. Our “cloud catchers” continue to collect samples near AMC Lakes of the Clouds Hut.
1995
Air Quality Monitoring Station
An air quality monitoring station is set up at AMC’s Camp Dodge trails volunteer center in Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire, which still runs today in cooperation with the NH Department of Environmental Science.
2004
Highlands Conservation Act
The Highlands Conservation Act is signed, based on advocacy by AMC and other members of the Highlands Coalition.
2009
New England National Scenic Trail
The New England National Scenic Trail (NET) is federally designated. AMC and the Connecticut Forest & Park Association enter a formal partnership with the National Park Service to be the NET’s principal trail stewards.
Our Strategic Goals
Appalachian Mountain Club is the nation’s longest serving conservation and recreation organization. From volunteers teaching essential outdoor skills, to public advocacy seeking to preserve and expand the spaces we love, AMC is the leading organization ensuring that people have the opportunity to be outdoors - now and for generations to come.
Active Conservation
Through conservation research, science-based advocacy, trail stewardship, citizen engagement, and strong coalitions, AMC stands as a leader in combating climate change and protecting our region’s ecosystems and the recreational experiences they provide.
Outdoor Journey
A world-class learning and leadership curriculum in concert with outdoor programs, experiences, and purposeful volunteerism engages our community for lifelong fun and preparedness in the outdoors, with pathways to leadership opportunities. Inherent in the outdoor journey are the tools to help make AMC more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming.
Recreational Network
With support from AMC’s trusted community of members, supporters, and volunteers, we provide a world class recreational network of professionally maintained trails and best-in-class outdoor program centers, lodges, cabins, camps, and campsites. From backcountry campsites to front country lodges to high mountain huts, AMC works to embrace sustainability and become a net zero organization by 2050. A backbone to our efforts to scale and make the outdoors more accessible and inclusive will be the engagement of AMC’s dedicated volunteers.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Appalachian Mountain Club strives to be an inclusive outdoor organization, committed to increasing access to and engagement with the outdoors for all people. We at AMC aim for our leadership, activities, and participants to reflect the diverse communities we serve.
Get Involved
At AMC we’re united in our adventures through mutual trust, collective safety, respect for the natural world, and appreciation for our time together outdoors. We pledge that AMC will always provide a welcoming and respectful environment.
Support the Outdoors
Your contribution helps to build and maintain trails, protect public lands, and support outdoor conservation.
Careers
We are a community built on mutual trust, integrity, and dignity for all. Together we can make a difference.
Corporate Members
Join our community partners who help make a meaningful impact on the natural world.
Leadership and Executive Team
Our Leadership and Executive Team is comprised of a passionate group of people who share the vision and values of the outdoor community.
