Local clubs can help you explore the outdoors just
like John Muir
Photo by J. Barnabee
If you have been inspired by the series The National Parks: America's Best Idea, now airing on PBS, you might want to check out these three local clubs that can help you explore the natural world right here in Maryland:
The Sierra Club – Greater Baltimore Group
As noted in The National Parks series, naturalist John Muir was elemental in promoting the idea of national parks. Through the Sierra Club, which he founded in 1892, he worked to have what is now Yosemite National Park transferred from state to national control. The Sierra Club has since promoted exploring, enjoying and protecting our natural world through its national and local chapters. In Maryland, the Sierra Club's Greater Baltimore Group encourages people of all ages to experience the local wilderness – in keeping with John Muir's philosophy that the best way to understand the natural environment's importance is to get out and see it. The club also acts locally by identifying and responding to threats affecting critical wetlands in Baltimore County. The club organizes and leads hikes throughout the year, as well as youth-oriented outings led by the Young Sierrans. In addition, the club's Baltimore Inner City Outings Program partners with Baltimore schools and community centers to help young people in the inner city experience the outdoors. Check out the web site (see link above) to learn more about the Sierra Club and our local chapter.
Another local club that has been around for many years is the Mountain Club of Maryland (MCM). In fact, it is the oldest hiking club in the state. It formed in 1934 when a group of hikers from Baltimore grew tired of traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet up with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and decided to start a Maryland-based club. The MCM continues to maintain a portion of the Appalachian Trail – from the Susquehanna River to Pine Grove Furnace. It also organizes and leads hikes as well as backpacking trips, canoe trips and camping trips. Club membership costs $20, but nonmembers can participate in most hikes by paying a $2 guest fee. An exciting upcoming outing for the MCM is its 75th Anniversary Hike on Oct. 17. It starts at Gathland State Park and goes from Crampton Gap to Weverton Cliffs. To register, contact Mike O'Connor at 410-871-0066 or email sharonmike2002@msn.com by Oct. 12. Registration for this event is $5.
One of the newer clubs in our area is the Maryland Outdoor Club (MOC), which was founded in 2002. This club organizes about 100 events a year, featuring not only hiking but also mountain biking, paddling, climbing, skiing and other adventure sports. The club also organizes trips and social events. Membership is free, and members only pay for the events they attend. The club's web site is very interactive and designed as a "virtual clubhouse" to allow all participants to network and communicate with each other. Detailed information for each of the club's events can be reached through links on the Events page. Many events require registration before the day of the event, so be sure to plan in advance.
For more info: See the clubs' web sites for more information about membership and upcoming events. And be sure to check out these other articles by the Baltimore Backpacking Examiner:
- Training in the Baltimore area to hike Mt. Rainier
- Sugarloaf Mountain hike
- Selecting the best hiking boots and avoiding blisters
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