LGBTQ Spring Wildflower Eco-HIke @ Greylock Glen (Adams, MA)

IMPORTANT: Depending on weather conditions, this may be easy Eco-Hike or Snowshoeing Adventure (where we will provide snowshoes & poles if you don't have them). We assume there will be enough snow for an easy snowshoeing adventure & we will be renting snowshoes & poles for any participants who let us know at least 3 days in advance that they need them, and we will provide snowshoes & poles FREE to low-income participants (who register 3 days in advance). So please donate online if you need snowshoes and make an extra donation if you want to help us rent snowshoes for low-income participants. If you have your own snowshoes, please consider donating extra to help pay for the naturalist, historian, & outdoor guide and to help us rent snowshoes for low-income participants. We recommend donating online as you register, but if you want to donate at the event, please bring cash or check made out to Q-MoB Inc, AND REGISTER AT LEAST 3 EAYS IN ADVANCE so we can rent snowshoes for you. PEOPLE WHO DO NOT REGISTER 3 DAYS IN ADVANCE WILL NEED TO BRING THEIR OWN SNOWSHOES. If unexpectely we do not have sufficient snow for snowshoeing, we will convert this to an Eco-Hike & we encourage you to wear waterproof hiking boots, as parts of trail will likely be muddy. CALL US AT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CONDITIONS AND WHAT TO BRING.

HIKE LEADERS: Join LGBTQ people from all over the region in this easy Eco-Hike or Snowshoeing Adventure (depending on conditions) lead by

• Greylock Glen Senior Naturalist Heather Linscott, who designed & helped build many of the amazing trails at Greylock Glen and who will highlight the diverse winter flora & fauna, & has been leading hikes in the North Berkshires for 25 years.
• Eugene Michalenko, the Adams Town Historian, will also give a short multi-media presentation on the natural & human history of Greylock Glen & Mt. Greylock focusing on how this land evolved & has been used by humans for at least 1000 years.
• Daniel Doyle, Executive Director of the Greylock Glen Outdoor Center will give us a brief overview of the many recreation, stewardship, & educational opportunities at the Outdoor Center & its spectacular surrounding trails & eco-systems. If you are into winter sports, the Outdoord Centers trails have had the best snow in a decade, so he'll also talk about how you might get started in cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, & winter hiking.
• Bart Church, Certified Wilderness First Responder & Q-MoB Recreation Director will help keep our group safe & introduce you to the many Q-MoB LGBTQ receation opportunities coming up this spring & summer, including hiking, biking, eco-walks, & paddling.

WHAT TO BRING:

• SnowShoes and poles if we have snow (or let us know 1 week in advance that you want us to rent these for you) or if we don't have snow bring waterproof hiking boots & hiking poles (we will have a couple sets of hiking poles you could borrow) that can deal with some mud on parts of the trail; if temps are below freezing but without snow, consider bringing crampons for your boots to deal with ice. Please call Greylock Glen Outdoor Center at 413.398.4044 if you want to know current trail conditions on the day of this adventure
• rain-gear & warm layers (rain coat, rain pants, fleece or sweater, warm hat, gloves)
• snacks, water,
• Sunglasses, as the sun can be harmful even reflected off the snow
• Please bring $10-$20 Tax-Deductible Donation (paid online or as cash or check made out to "Q-MoB Inc"), unless this is your very 1st Q-MoB event ever, or you are a Q-MoB monthly donor, or you would like to request a low-income/SNAP/Medicaid scholarship or work-exchange. Q-MoB is a registered 501(c)3 Non-Profit Public Charity in MA and with the IRS & your donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

: Please join us for an optional after-hike supper, 4:30-6:00 pm at the beautiful and delicious & queer-owned Common Table in Cheshire. Please click on the link to register separately for the supper, as we need to have an accurage count for our reservation.

WEATHER: Please check the weather at the hike location from your home before you leave for the hike, so that you will be able bring the right clothes to deal with any last minute changes in the weather. Weather in the Berkshires can change quickly and it always good to be prepared for rain, wind, snow, sleet, ice, mud, & unexpectedly cooler or warmer temps than were forecast the day before. We will only cancel the hike if there is a forecast of a thunderstorm or ice storm or the Mass DOT declares a weather emergency and discourages driving. We will text you should this happen the morning of the hike. We hike in rain or light snow, so long as trail conditions are safe.

SERIES OF LGBTQ RECREATION ACTIVITIES: Bart Church, Q-MoB Executive Director & a Certified Wilderness First Responder, will be co-leading the hike & helping the group to remain safe & able to have fun. Bart is coordinating a series of 12 LGBTQ hiking, biking, eco-walking, paddling events funded by the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation (MOOR) and the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Barrett Fund. Q-MoB wishes to thank Greylock Glen Outdoor Center, Mass Audubon, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Berkshire Reginal Planning Commission, Mass Cepartment of Conservation & Recreation & the many state parks we will be exploring in the Berkshires,Berkshire Outfitters, Arcadia Outdoor Shop, True Wheels Bike Shop, and all of the town & park volunteers who will be co-leading these 12 recreation activities.

WORK-EXCHANGE & RECREATION VOLUNTEERS: We encourage low-income participants & anyone interested in volunteering to if you want to learn about how you could donate time as a work-exchange volunteer for Q-MoB's ongoing LGBTQ outdoor recreation program. We need help with social media, flyer distribution, photographers & videographers, leading or hosting outdoor recreation activities near where you live, & lots of other easy tasks that connect you with other LGBTQ people who love the outdoors.

CARPOOLING/RIDE-SHARE: Carpooling is a great way to get to know other people, save money on gas, and help to reduce your carbon footprint and save the planet. If you need a ride or are open to carpooling, please indicate that when you are registering, & our ride coordinator will try to match you with people nearby who are interested in carpooling or offering rides.

REACHING US DAY OF HIKE: If you have trouble finding us, will be late, or can't make it, please call/text Bart at 413-344-8162

Also check out other Trips & Adventurous Activities in Adams.