AMC honored with Outside Travel Award

    GREENVILLE — Outside, America’s leading active lifestyle brand, has selected the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) as an honoree in their annual Travel Awards, which celebrate the top destinations, companies, products, and travel providers — in the U.S. and around the world — that inspire people to participate in an active lifestyle.

    AMC’s Baker Pond Campsite on its Katahdin Iron Works conservation and recreation land was honored in the “Go Dark” section as a wilderness campsite where anglers can fish for native brook trout, but won’t be able to catch a wi-fi or cell phone signal. The entire list of honorees appear in Outside’s April issue.
    This year, Outside tapped its global network of correspondents, who traveled across America, to Belize, Switzerland, Italy, and beyond, identifying the best new adventures, stunning lakes, gorgeous new lodges and hotels, family vacations, secret getaways, high-tech airports and foodie hotspots. The result is more than 50 spectacular trips, plus the best travel apps, tour guides, gear, tips for traveling green, and advice for traveling solo.
    “We’re thrilled that Outside has recognized the quality of outdoor recreational experiences the public can enjoy on our conservation and recreation land in the 100-Mile Wilderness region,” said AMC Senior Vice President Walter Graff. “The two dozen trout ponds and multiple backcountry campsites on AMC’s land are true gems, and it’s exciting to receive Outside’s endorsement on one of the finest of those campsites.”
    “Whether you’re looking to go big for an expedition, splurge on a luxurious paradise, or plan an epic family trip, Outside has unearthed 50 travel gems that will inspire you to renew that passport,” said Outside Editor Chris Keyes.
    The recreational opportunities provided on AMC’s land — including hiking, camping, fly-fishing, paddling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing — are part of the organization’s Maine Woods Initiative, AMC’s plan for land conservation in the 100-Mile Wilderness region. This innovative approach to conservation combines outdoor recreation, resource protection, sustainable forestry, and community partnerships. It represents the most significant investment in conservation and recreation in the AMC’s 138-year history.
    The initiative seeks to address the ecological and economic needs of the Maine Woods region by supporting local forest products jobs and traditional recreation, creating new multi-day recreational experiences for visitors, and attracting new nature-based tourism to the region.
    Founded in 1876, the AMC is America’s oldest conservation and recreation organization. With more than 100,000 members, advocates, and supporters in the Northeast and beyond, the nonprofit AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the mountains, forests, waters, and trails of the Appalachian region. The AMC supports natural resource conservation while encouraging responsible recreation, based on the philosophy that successful, long-term conservation depends upon first-hand enjoyment of the natural environment. 
    With more than 4,000 members in Maine, the AMC offers educational programs for children, adults, and families; operates its Maine Wilderness Lodges for the public in the 100-Mile Wilderness region; publishes the popular AMC Maine Mountain Guide; and maintains offices in Portland and Greenville.
    More information on AMC’s Maine Woods Initiative is available at www.outdoors.org/mwi.