Welcome!  Please CONTACT US with any questions about events.

Tusi ritachild@hotmail.com and Nira niraharper@gmail.com

April, May and June 2023

When you participate in an event, you assume the risk as stated here:

Please note that all Women Outdoors trips are cooperative trips led by volunteers.  While members are concerned for safety, our experience levels differ and mistakes may be made.  There may also be equipment failure, unexpected dangers, or conditions beyond our control (such as weather).  There is also an inherent level of risk in many of the activities that cannot be eliminated.  Women Outdoors and its coordinators don’t train, screen or certify any of the leaders or supervise the trips.  All trips are offered in the common adventurer spirit – where each participant is responsible for her own skills level and safety.  Please be sure to verify all of the information above as well as the organizer’s experience and trip plans to your own satisfaction so you can make an informed decision about whether the trip is right and safe for you.  Remember that in choosing to participate you are agreeing to assume responsibility for all risks associated with the activity.  Women Outdoors trips have an excellent safety record.  We ask that you take care to keep it this way!

Wednesday Hikes. Nira and Noor will lead Wednesday hikes or walks, usually at 1:00 or 1:30 pm. Details will be posted over the listserv.

Sat. April 8. Buffam Falls Hike.  Join us at 1:00 pm at the parking area on N. Valley Rd. in Pelham to hike the trails to beautiful waterfalls.  This is an easy to moderate walk. 

Sun. April 16. Bike Ride. We’ll do a 15 mile bike ride TBD. 

Sun. April 16. Book Group.  We’ll be discussing The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict over Zoom.  

Sat. April 22. Walk at Greenberg Family Conservation.  Meet at 2:00 at Greenberg at 113 Southampton Rd., Westhampton for a one hour or so easy to moderate hike.  

Sat. April 29. Hike Noble View Outdoor Center.  We’ll hike the perimeter trails of AMC’s Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell, MA, 635 South Quarter Road, Russell, MA 01071. Total mileage is 4.3 on Border and Pitcher Brook trails.  Moderate difficulty at leisurely to moderate pace.

Sun. April 30.  Hatfield Bike Ride.  We’ll bike fairly flat roads in Hatfield, 12-15 miles. 

Fri. May 5.  Full Moon Hike with Poetry.  Place and time will be posted on the listserv.  

Sat. May 6. Williams College Art Museum, Sculpture Garden, picnic and 2.25-hour hike through Hopkins Memorial Forest. Williamstown, MA. Admission free. Meet at JFK Middle School in Florence, MA, to carpool at 10:15 AM. 

Sun. May 7.  Southwick Rail Trail Bike Ride. Start time 10:30 am. This is a slow bike ride meant to enjoy the surroundings. Please bring lunch or a snack for a break. Please bring water, prepare for ticks and make sure your bike is in shape to ride (and tires have air). Specific details of location will be communicated to those that respond. Approximate miles is 12 - 14. Scale of difficulty is easy. Rain will cancel event. 

Sun. May 14. Mt. Holyoke Hike. Please join me for a Mother’s Day hike @12 noon. Whether you want to honor your own mother, yourself as a mother, mother earth, or just to bring gratitude to the concept of "Mother", please join me!

Details: 4.6 mile moderate/strenuous hike up Mt. Holyoke. From Mountainside Parking on 47 up to Halfway House, walk down Mountain Road to the trailhead up to M and M trail.

Walk along the ridge to Mt. Holyoke, return to parking lot via Taylor Notch Trail. Some steep sections and rock scrambles. Moderately paced hike.  Roughly 2.5 hours. Dogs welcome. We can  set a moderate pace and take our time with this hike. Bring water and snacks! 

Thurs. May 18. Bike Ride Florence.  First & third Thursdays. Ride will start at 8:30am, a regular loop, with some variation, always about 9-12 miles, approx. an hour and 15 minutes of riding. Ride will start on Day Ave and go to bike trail to Florence, exit at North Maple towards Mountain Ave for the loop. Options for breakfast afterwards at local restaurants. 

Fri. May 19. Friday Kayaking.  Celia will lead paddles near Northampton with easy access most Fridays.  Details will be posted on the listserv.  

Sat. May 20.  Walk TBD. 

Sun. May 21. Slow Poke Bike Ride.  Join us for our annual bike ride from Sunderland to Montague with a stop at the Lady Killigrew Café at the Book Mill.  This is a lovely, scenic ride, fairly easy, with just one short, steep hill at the end.  10 miles round trip. 

Sun. May 21. Book Group.  We’ll have a Zoom discussion of Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker. 

Wed. May 24.  Tully Lake Paddle.  Tully Lake Boat Ramp, 2 Athol-Richmond Rd, Athol, MA 01331. 11:00 start time. Paddle as long as you would like. This event is open to kayaks, paddle boards, canoes and other self propelled watercraft. We will put our boats in at the main Recreation Area Boat launch and explore Tully Reservoir/Lake. We can find a nice island for hauling out and having lunch. Please note personal flotation devices must be worn in canoes and kayaks through May 15 due to the water temperature and risk of hypothermia. The water still will be cold on May 24th so everyone must wear their own PDF for this event. This event is okay for dogs. 

Sat. May 27. Westfield Rail Trail Bike Ride.  Start time 10:30 am. This is a slow bike ride meant to enjoy the surroundings. Please bring lunch or a snack for a break. Please bring water, prepare for ticks and make sure your bike is in shape to ride (and tires have air). Specific details of location will be communicated to those that respond. Approximate miles is 12 - 14. Scale of difficulty is easy. Rain will cancel event. 

Sun. May 28.  Bike Hatfield to Whately.  This is a moderate and scenic 15 mile ride with some hills.  

Thurs. June 1. Bike Ride Florence. First & third Thursdays.  Ride will start at 8:30am, a regular loop, with some variation, always about 9-12 miles, approx an hour and 15 minutes of riding. Ride will start on Day Ave and go to bike trail to Florence, exit at North Maple towards Mountain Ave for the loop. Options for breakfast afterwards at local restaurants. Please RSVP by 7pm the night before. 

Sun. June 4. Bike in Sunderland & Deerfield Area.  We’ll do an 18 mile, moderate ride by the CT River and farmlands.  

Tues. June 6. Mt. Wachusett Hike. Join Patty and Sandy for a mid-week hike up Mount Wachusett (elev. 2008') in Princeton, MA.  Sunset is at 8:22 pm but it will also be two nights past the full Strawberry Moon.  We'll hike up the west side on wood trails until we near the top, where we'll switch to the admin road to avoid rock scrambles.  This will be a moderate roughly 5 mile hike round trip.  The pace will be moderate (not fast) hike and the trail will be rocky with tree roots exposed in some places.  Wear hiking boots.  Bring water, a snack, a headlamp, and the other 10 essentials.  Bug spray suggested as well.  

Meeting Time: 5:00 pm. Meeting Location: Harrington trail head on Westminster Rd, Princeton.  Note, if you turn onto Westminster from Mountain Rd, you will first pass by the parking area for the Echo Lake Trail and the Administration Rd.  This is not the parking lot that you want.  Continue on Westminster as it curves to the right.  The trail head will be the next trailhead.  There will be a sign and parking is along the road.   GPS coordinates from Google Maps (42.47593673669386, -71.9030496376684)

Sat. June 10. Hike in W. Holyoke.  I am offering a scenic hike with white blazes starting at 10:30 am.  Please bring water and prepare for ticks. Approximately 2 miles. Scale of difficulty is moderate. Specific details of location will be communicated to those that respond. Rain will cancel event. 

Sun. June 11.  A Hike & Pot Luck! Do one or both! Meet at Mt. Tom North Trailhead 96 East Street Easthampton.  Come join us for a hike at 11:30 and/or a pot luck at 1 pm. We'll meet at the picnic tables at the "picnic lawn" area - about a quarter of a mile up the trail. There is limited parking at the trailhead but there is overflow parking on Underwood Avenue. More details to follow a week or so prior to the event. 

Thurs. June 15. Bike Ride Florence. First & third Thursdays.  Ride will start at 8:30am, a regular loop, with some variation, always about 9-12 miles, approx an hour and 15 minutes of riding. Ride will start on Day Ave and go to bike trail to Florence, exit at North Maple towards Mountain Ave for the loop. Options for breakfast afterwards at local restaurants. Please RSVP by 7pm the night before. 

Sun. June 18.  Bike Ride TBD.  We’ll do approx. 18 miles with some hills.  

Sun. June 18.  Book Group.  We’ll have a Zoom discussion of The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd. NOTE: There are only 3 copies in the library system. Used books and audio are available to buy online, and it’s available on Audible (Tilda Swinton reads). So plan ahead! Maybe a few women could read this far in advance so the books are available to recirculate.

Sun. June 25. Hatfield to Deerfield Bike Ride. Meet in Hatfield Center for a scenic 15 mile ride with a few hills.  

Tues. July 4. Potluck, Swim & Social.    Details to follow.