Category: news sidebar

Green Mountain Club
Worcester Section
Activities for April 2025

Dear Members and Friends,

Join us for the following Green Mountain Club, Worcester Section, activities for April 2025. Please also check our website at Green Mountain Club Worcester to learn more about our hiking club and activities.

Saturday, April 5. An exciting paddle on the Seven mile River. A narrow winding stream, more challenging. Call leader David Miller at 508-853-8964 for more information and to register.

Saturday, April 12, 9:00-11:30 AM  Crow Hill Ledges- Midstate Trail.
Join us for this lovely 5.6 mile section hike in Westminster and Princeton, MA. We will meet at the Wachusett Mountain Ski Area main parking lot near the lodge, then shuttle to Narrows Road. The terrain is a mix of ups and downs and is steep in a few short sections. There are several spots with great views. Dogs are allowed. Bring water, snacks, a rain jacket, and (optionally) hiking poles. Email Mike Peckar at fog@fognet.com, or call him at 508-835-2959 to register and for more information. 

Game Night will be held on Tuesday, April 15 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM at the home of Pat and Stuart Howe, 33 Pine Acres Road, Spencer, MA. Pat and Stuart have many types of games, but if you have a favorite please bring it. You may also bring sweet or savory snacks to share. RSVP via text or call Pat on her cell phone (508-868-5949), or email Pat at phowe@wpi.edu. The speed limit on their dirt road is 10 mph. Please be mindful when crossing the two small bridges

Saturday, April 19. White Oak Trail, Holden, MA. We will meet at 9:30 AM in the parking area located near 233 North Street in Holden. This is a 3 mile hike over fairly level terrain. Dogs are allowed. Bring water, snacks, a rain jacket and (optionally) hiking poles. Email Margos Stone at mstone12242@gmail.com tor call him at 508-826-6842 to register or for more information.

Saturday, April 26. Eight miles on the Assabet and Concord rivers, with lunch under the historic Old North Bridge, a good beginner’s trip. Call leader David Miller at 508-853-8964 for more information and to register. 

We hope that you can join us for some of these activities. If you have any questions about the Green Mountain Club, our activities or our camp, please feel free to contact Ram at the contact information below.

Happy trails,

Ram Moennsad, President                                                                       Green Mountain Club
GMC, Worcester Section                                                                           Worcester Section
508-210-6965                                                                                               345 Rawson St.
shivratri@gmail.com                                                                                   Leicester, MA

Green Mountain Club
Worcester Section
Activities for February and March 2025

Dear Members and Friends:

Join us for the following Green Mountain Club, Worcester Section, activities for February and March 2025. Please also check our website at Green Mountain Club Vermont to learn about our hiking club and activities.

Saturday, February 8 at 10:00 AM. Join us for a National Park Service (NPS) ranger led hike at Wolf Hill (Smithfield Conservation Commission). Wolf Hill Forest Preserve offers a look into a quintessential New England landscape. Accompany GMC members and other hikers in this ranger led hike as we traverse this rocky terrain to take in all the beauty this Blackstone Valley has to offer. Please wear sturdy footwear and comfortable gear suitable for the weather. This hike will cover uneven terrain (expect exposed roots, rocks and mud). Bring your own water and wear orange. Hikes will proceed in the event of light rain, but will be cancelled in the event of harsh or dangerous conditions. If participants are interested, we can find a RI restaurant to have lunch before driving home. 

We will meet at 10:00 AM at 5 Waterview Drive, Smithfield, Rhode Island for the start of the hike..The length of the hike is 2.4 miles, and is moderate to difficult. Hazards include some uphill elevation with exposed roots and rocks. Please contact Pat Howe to register (phowe@wpi.edu) or 508-868-5949. Carpooling will be available from 

1A Kensington Heights in Worcester, MA at 8:15 AM for those interested in carpooling to the start of the hike.

Saturday, February 15 at 9:30 AM. Poutwater Pond Snowshoe or Hike (depending on conditions). Meet at 9:30 AM at Maypother Baseball Field, 309 Princeton Road in Sterling, MA. You may wish to bring microspikes for hiking. This 3 mile round trip hike will ascend 300 feet in elevation through the North Sterling woods, traversing Sterling Land Trust, Mass Fish and Wildlife and DCR open fields. Come along and enjoy this isolated pond that few venture to in winter. Contact Mike Peckar at fog@fognet.com or call him at 508-209-1833 to sign up for the hike. 

Game Night will be held on Tuesday, February 18 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM at the home of Pat and Stuart Howe, 33 Pine Acres Road, Spencer, MA. Pat and Stuart have many types of games, but if you have a favorite please bring it. You may also bring sweet or savory snacks to share. RSVP via text or call Pat on her cell phone (508-868-5949), or email Pat at phowe@wpi.edu. The speed limit on their dirt road is 10 mph. Please be mindful when crossing the two small bridges

Saturday, February 22 at 10:00 AM. Venture out with GMC members and a National Park Service (NPR) ranger for a trek through the Blackall Family/Ballou Farm Preserve in Cumberland, RI. Explore trails preserved by the Cumberland Land Trust and see remnants of farming communities lost to time. Please wear sturdy footwear and comfortable gear suitable to the weather. Bring your own water and wear orange. This hike may cover uneven terrain (expect exposed roots, rocks and mud). Hikes will proceed in the case of light rain, but will be cancelled in the event of harsh and dangerous conditions. If participants are interested, we can find a RI restaurant to have lunch at before heading home. We will meet at 10:00 AM at 3751 Mendon Road, Cumberland, RI for the start of the hike. The length of the hike is 3.2 miles. It is an easy to moderate hike. Hazards include some wet areas and exposed roots and rocks. Please contact Pat Howe to register (phowe@wpi.edu) or 508-868-5949. Carpooling will be available from 1A Kensington Heights in Worcester, MA at 8:15 AM for those interested in carpooling to the start of the hike. 

Saturday and Sunday, March 15 and 16. Join us for a snowshoe hike to Grout Pond in Stratton, Vermont (weather depending, we can hike if there’s no snow). The hike is over fairly level terrain, about two miles unless by group consensus a longer route. Overnight accommodations at the Nordborg’s cabin, 44 Pike Hollow Road, Stratton, Vermont. RSVP by March 11, 2025 to Steve and Terry Nordborg at srnord7925@gmail.com or text to 774-633-0099, as space is limited. (Maximum 10 people if folks don’t mind bunking together in the bunk room, one semiprivate double in the loft.)

Plan to arrive anytime on Saturday morning. Hot soup and bread on the stove for a warm meal on Saturday afternoon before we head off to Grout Pond by 4:00 PM. After our hike we’ll return to the Stratton cabin and enjoy time around the campfire. BYOB and sweet or savory snacks to be shared. Bring your snowshoes, warm clothing, flash light and sleeping bag. We will provide a continental breakfast, but as always feel free to bring something to share.

On Sunday morning, March 16, there will be an optional hike to Stratton Pond on the Stratton Pond Trail leaving at 10:30 AM from the Nordborg’s cabin. This is an easy to moderate hike of about 4-5 miles total over fairly level terrain.

We hope that you can join us for some of these activities. If you have any questions about the Green Mountain Club, our activities or our camp, please feel free to contact Ram at the contact information below.

Happy trails,

Ram Moennsad, President                                                                       Green Mountain Club
GMC, Worcester Section                                                                           Worcester Section
508-210-6965                                                                                               345 Rawson St.
shivratri@gmail.com                                                                                   Leicester, MA

Green Mountain Club
Worcester Section
Activities for October & November 2024

Dear Members:

Please join us for the following Green Mountain Club activities for October and November 2024. The GMC Worcester Section annual meeting will be held on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 12:00 noon. Lunch will be served. Our camp is located at 345 Rawson Street in Leicester. Please join us by responding to this email or by calling Margos Stone at 508-826-6842.

Thursday, October 17, PotLuck Picnic and Horseshoes at the GMC camp. Please join us for our final potluck picnic and horseshoes for the year from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. We will have a horseshoe championship tournament at the picnic. Bring a potluck dish to share with others. Whether you are a beginner or long term player, come join in and have some fun. The address of the camp is 345 Rawson Street in Leicester.

Saturday, October 19. In the land of King Phillip . We will paddle the Great Swamp in Rhode Island and enjoy the fall colors. We will encounter beaver dams and may encounter fallen trees obstructing the waterway. Call leader David Miller at 508-853-8964 for more information and to register for the trip.

Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20. Please join us for trail work on the Long Trail in Stratton, Vermont. Carpooling is available from Paxton, MA for those interested. We will meet on Saturday, October 19, at 10:00 am at the home of Steve and Terry Nordborg, 44 Pike Hollow Rd., Stratton, Vermont. Steve Nordborg’s cell number is 774-633-0099 if you have trouble finding his house. For more information, about the weekend or carpooling, please call, text or email Steve Crowe at 508-450-1091 or steve@sunshinelandscapingco.com. For driving directions, use google maps for 44 Pike Hollow Road, Stratton, Vermont.

Saturday, November 2. GMC Camp Clean Up, 345 Rawson Street in Leicester. We will meet at 9:30 am to noon. Bring rakes, shovels, loppers, clippers, hand saws, chain saws and cleaning supplies. Coffee, tea and donuts will be supplied. We will clean up the grounds and lodge. Lunch will be supplied. For more information, call or text Ram Moennsad at 508-210-6965 or email him at shivratri@gmail.com.

Saturday, November 2. Ware River Day Trip from Barre to Gilbertville, passing historic King Phillip’s camp and portaging around a mill dam. Call leader David Miller at 508-853-8964 for more information or to register for the trip. 

Saturday, November 9, 12:00 noon. GMC Worcester Section Annual Meeting at the Green Mountain Club camp located at 345 Rawson Street in Leicester. Lunch will be served at 12:30 pm followed by a business meeting. Officers will be elected for the new fiscal year beginning 

October 1, 2024. Mike Peckar, President of the Midstate Trail, will be our featured speaker. Please respond to this email directly if you plan to attend, or call or text Margos Stone at 508-826-6842 so that we can better plan the meal. Let us know if you have any special dietary restrictions. We look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting.

Please join us for some or all of these activities.

Happy trails,
Ram Moennsad, President
GMC, Worcester Section

Green Mountain Club
Worcester Section
Activities for September 2024

Dear Members & Friends,

Saturday, September 7. A strenuous Tully River paddle over beaver dams in a scenic valley with a short hike to Spirit Falls thrown in. Contact Leader David Miller at 508-853-8964 for more information or to sign up for the paddle.

Thursday, September 12.  PotLuck Picnic, Horseshoes and Corn Hole at the GMC camp. Please join us for horseshoes and  corn hole at the our camp each Thursday evening from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Bring a potluck dish to share with others. You may also just come for a swim and to relax. We will fire up the grill when needed. Whether you are a beginner or long term player, come join in and have some fun. The address of the camp is 345 Rawson Street in Leicester.

Friday, September 20. Bike Ride on Fort Hill Recreational Rail Trail in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. We will meet at 9:30 AM at the Dole Junction off Route 63 in Hinsdale, NH. Mountain bikes are recommended for this trail which has a varied surface of ballast, cinder, dirt, grass, gravel and sand. The length of the trail is 7 miles each way, and is considered an easy to moderate route. For more information or to sign up for the ride, please contact leader Margos Stone at 508-826-6842 or email him at mstone12242@gmail.com. You may also contact co-leader, Dick Kisten,  at  508-892-8866 for more information. For driving directions, use Google Maps for Dole Junction, Hinsdale, NH. 

Saturday and Sunday, September 28-29, Ipswich River Overnight Paddle. We will camp at Perkins Island on Saturday. Each camper is responsible for his/her own food and camping gear. There are no shelters or restroom facilities on the island. Camping cost is $15.00 per person. The length of the trip is 10 miles over 2 days. There may be portages (some strenuous) due to downed trees or other blockages in the river. Please contact Pat Howe at 508-868-5949 for more information or to sign up for the trip, or you may email her at phowe@wpi.edu. The leaders of the trip are Pat and Stuart Howe and David Miller (508-853-8964). Please see attached paddle description below.

2024 Ipswich River Paddle.docx.pdf

We hope that you will join us for some of these activities! All are welcome.

Green Mountain Club, Worcester Section
345 Rawson Street, Leicester, MA

Dear GMC Members and Friends,
Attached please find a copy of our GMC newsletter for January and February 2024. We hope that you can join us for some of these hikes and other activities (these are also on our Google calendar).You do not need to be a member to participate. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns about the club. I can be reached by email at shivratri@gmail.com, or by phone at 508-210-6965.

We wish you and your family the very best of health and happiness in the New Year by staying active through walking, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

Happy hiking,
Ram Moennsad, President
GMC, Worcester Section

Green Mountain Club
Worcester Section Newsletter
January and February 2024

Saturday, January 13. 9:00 AM. Join the Greater Worcester Land Trust for a hike at Cascades West, 50 Boynton Parkway, Paxton, MA. This moderate loop hike will be led by Mike Peckar, who is a board member of the Greater Worcester Land Trust and a director of the Green Mountain Club. For directions to Cascades West, use google maps: 50 Boynton Parkway, Paxton, MA. Parking will be at Boynton Park. For more information, you may go to the Greater Worcester Land Trust website and look up board led hikes; or you may email Mike at fog@fognet.com or call him at 508-209-1833.

Join us for Game Night on the third Thursday evening of January (1/18), and February (2/15) from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at the home of Pat and Stuart Howe, 33 Pine Acres Road, Spencer, MA 01562. Pat and Stuart have many types of games, but if you have a favorite and want to bring it, please do. RSVP via text or call Pat on her cell phone (508-868-5949), or email Pat at phowe@wpi.edu. The speed limit on their dirt road is 10 mph. Please be mindful when crossing the two small bridges. 

Saturday, January 20. Hike the Asnebumskit Trails in north Holden. These trails extend from where the Asnebumskit Brook crosses Mill Street in north Holden to the Princeton Road by scenic Maple Spring Pond. The hike follows a loop of about five miles on mostly gently inclined terrain, much of which follows a rail trail. The hike takes about three hours to complete. Participants will meet at the Unitarian Universalist Church parking lot at 140 Shore Drive in Worcester at 10:30 on Saturday morning, January 20, and drive to the trailhead. Participants are asked to bring their lunch, water bottle, warm clothes, and rain gear in case of a shower. Micro spikes  will be helpful for snow or icy trail conditions. Those riding with David Miller are requested to wear masks in the car. To join the outing or for more information, contact David Miller at 508-853-8964 or sentierdeau@gmail.com.

Saturday, February 10. Buffumville Lake South Loop Trail.
AllTrails describes this area as follows: “Explore this loop trail near Charlton, Massachusetts. Generally considered a moderately challenging route….This is a very popular area for birding, hiking and paddle sports, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas.” Participants will meet at the Unitarian Universalist Church parking lot at 140 Shore Drive in Worcester at 10:30 on Saturday morning, February 10, and drive to the Buffumville Lake boat launch for parking at 11:00. We will proceed counterclockwise around the lake completing the South loop (about 4 miles) and looking for a scenic lookout by the lake shore, where we will pause for lunch. We will return to the church parking lot in late afternoon. Participants are asked to bring their lunch, water bottle, warm clothes, and rain gear in case of a shower. Micro spikes will be helpful for snow or icy conditions. Those riding with David Miller will be requested to wear masks in the car. To register for this outing or for more information, contact David Miller at 508-853-8964 or sentierdeau@gmail.com.

Saturday, February 24. Join us to hike the Beaver Brook Association Conservation Land in Hollis, New Hampshire. The Beaver Brook Association manages over 2,200 acres of land protecting habitat for wildlife and providing an extensive trail system through beautiful forest and wetlands. Our hike will begin at the Wildlife Pond Trailhead and follow the Wildlife Pond Trail around Wildlife Pond. From Wildlife Pond Trail we will connect with the Hatfield and Hidden Pond Trails, and then onto the Rocky Ridge Trail. The Jeff Smith that follows along the Rocky Pond Brook will lead us back to the parking area. Expect to hike up to 6 miles over relatively level terrain, except for the Rocky Ridge Trail, which requires scrambling over rocks and boulders with some elevation gain. Please contact Margos Stone at mstone12242@gmail.com or 508-826-6842 for more information or to register for the hike. You may also contact Richard Lombard at rllombard2@gmail.com or 978-394-9619 for more information or to register for the hike. Carpooling will be offered from Worcester, MA for those interested.  We will meet at the Lorden Oil Company, 21 Ash Street in Hollis, New Hampshire on Saturday, February 24 at 10:00 AM and drive to the trailhead. For directions to the meet up, use google maps: 21 Ash Street, Hollis, NH. Participants are asked to bring their lunch, water bottle, warm clothes and rain gear in case of a shower. Weather and trail conditions could change at any time so pack a pair of micro spikes for traction on snow, ice or equivalent terrain.