AMC Cold River Camp

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AMC Cold River Camp

A unique destination, in a valley surrounded by mountains and time. Come and have a gem of a vacation with great hiking, fine food, and good friends.

The official page of AMC Cold River Camp. Visit us online at http://amccoldrivercamp.org/ Cold River Camp (CRC) is a volunteer-managed, family-oriented, and full-service facility of the Appalachian Mountain Club that welcomes AMC members and the general public. CRC also works closely with the Chatham Trails Association (CTA). Visit them at: http://www.chathamtrails.org/

About the AMC:
At

AMC, connecting you to the freedom and exhilaration of the outdoors is our calling. We invite and help people of all ages and abilities to explore and develop a deep appreciation of the natural world. AMC helps you get outdoors on your own, with family and friends, and through activities close to home and beyond. With chapters from Maine to Washington, D.C., including groups in Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia, you can enjoy activities like hiking, paddling, cycling, and skiing, and learn new outdoor skills. We offer advice, guidebooks, maps, and unique lodges, huts, and VMF camps like CRC to inspire your next outing. You will also have the opportunity to support our conservation advocacy and research, youth programming, and work maintaining 1,800 miles of trails. We invite you to join us in the outdoors. Our Mission:
Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club promotes the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the mountains, forests, waters, and trails of America’s Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. We believe these resources have intrinsic worth and also provide recreational opportunities, spiritual renewal, and ecological and economic health for the region. Because successful conservation depends on active engagement with the outdoors, we encourage people to experience, learn about, and appreciate the natural world.

08/25/2026

Ode to our Fabulous 2026 Staff & Croo

To our wonderful Staff and Croo full of cheer,
Who made CRC feel like home for us this year.
From Contra dances at night,
With music to delight,
You brought smiles and laughter to all who were here.

You cooked and you baked, washed and cleaned,
And shared all your talents, both seen and unseen!
You scooped ice cream in heat,
Made each meal a treat,
And kept hummingbirds happy in between.

With joy, creativity, and kindness for all,
You answered each challenge, big and small.
We just couldn’t do it,
Without you, one bit,
So THANK YOU everyone, for giving your all!

From making beds and washing dishes to scooping ice cream in 90+ degree heat, you did it all - and somehow managed to do it with smiles, laughter, and good humor. You cooked, baked, cleaned, checked guests in and out, led dances, shared your many talents, crushed the croo skits, and took care of countless details that most people never even see.

Every one of those jobs, big and small, is what makes CRC feel like CRC. You created a place that feels welcoming, joyful, cared for, and like home - and we are so grateful.

Thank you, Eva, Miranda, Nola, Maggie, Aliza, Daniel, Grace, Jamie, Sadye, Catalina, Hope, Iris, Abigail, Jo, Paul, Quintan, and our “fill ins” Zeph and Ava for your hard work, your creativity, your generosity, and most of all, for the joy you brought to the summer. We truly could not do it without you!

08/24/2026

Important notice from the Stone House Property: TRAIL CLOSURE NOTICE - PLEASE SHARE ⚠️

Beginning August 24, 2026, all trails on the Stone House Farm property are closed to the public until further notice.

This closure includes:
• Rattlesnake Pool
• Stone House Trail
• White Cairn Trail
• Shell Pond Loop

Thank you for helping the Stone House property owners keep everyone safe.

08/23/2026

Ode to Week 9

Week Nine brought adventures galore,
With a croo contra dance called once more!
Mad River Falls,
And Boot Spur did call,
With Ice Gulch deserving an explore!

Young Jeremiah, just seven, climbed high,
South Baldface, reaching up to the sky!
Three first-time Circlers went round,
Three croo Skyline hikers were bound,
While a bear made an appearance nearby.

Thirty-nine lobstahs were eaten,
And Magic Bars made their return, sweet and sweetened!
Three birthdays brought cheers,
Lawn games drew us near,
While porch knitters kept busy, needles fleetin’!

But the horn made a mournful sound,
As we realized you were homeward bound,
Though our time went too fast,
We made moments that last,
And made summer’s best memories all around.

And just like that, Week 9 has brought our summer season to a close. A huge thank-you to our Trip Leaders, Holly, Jeanine, and Amanda, and to our intern, Helen, for helping make the week so special. And an especially big thank-you to our incredible CRC Staff and Croo, whose hard work, good humor, and care make the magic of CRC possible all summer long.

Thank you, too, to this wonderful CRC community for filling the summer with friendship, laughter, adventures, and so many great memories. From the trails to the porch, the dining room to the lawn, it has been a joy to share another summer season with all of you.

We’re already looking forward to more adventures, more laughter, and more time together. Until then, take good care, and we can’t wait to welcome you all back in 2027 - we’ll see you on the porch!

08/16/2026

Ode to Week 8

Week Eight brought sunshine and cheer,
As twenty-five Schwartzes celebrated twenty-five years!
With a croo contra dance called,
And a new swimming hole sprawled,
Plus fish caught and released with good cheer.

While one croo did the Skyline with pride,
There were plenty of peaks to be tried!
From Kearsarge to Zealand,
With Caribou in hand,
And a first 4000 footer celebrated besides!

There was knot tying, trivia, and fun,
And Pictionary for everyone;
A canoe slideshow too,
And a BBQ soaked through,
The good times continued their run!

And Oz, leaving no trace as the rule,
Found a kettlebell weighing twenty pounds, cruel;
It lay on the ledges,
Among rocky edges,
So he hauled it away, that’s so cool! (Thank you Oz!)

A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who made Week 8 so special. From the adventures on the trails to the laughter around camp, it was the people, shared experiences, and wonderful sense of community that made the week memorable. We’re grateful to our trip leaders (thank you Oz, Shelly, & Kara, and for the great photos Shelly!), our staff & croo, and every guest who brought their enthusiasm and good spirit to CRC. It’s this welcoming community - and the friendships and memories made here - that make a week at Cold River Camp so special. We’ll see you on the porch!

08/09/2026

Ode to Week 7

Week Seven was busy and bright,
With plenty of adventures, so right!
Grace and Gabriel said, “We would!”
And offered delivery of wood,
While a young biker kept his map right in sight!

The AMC 150 came through,
With the 150 banner and relay croo.
From Carter Notch hut they came,
To ringing cowbell acclaim,
Before Jeanine and Jen took the banner anew!

Mother Nature increased the humidity drip,
But that didn’t much bother any trip!
There were songs to be sung,
Scavenger hunts to be run,
And ping pong, and porch time to sit!

Up Zealand, Baldface, and Meader,
And hummingbirds buzzing the feeders.
Deer Hill Blind had its show,
With wildlife below,
And Norman’s CRC song, what could be sweeter?

From hikes and bike rides to singalongs, scavenger hunts, celebrating AMC 150, ping pong, and plenty of porch time - there were so many ways to connect, laugh, and enjoy being together. It’s this wonderful mix of folks, shared adventures, laughter, and sense of community that makes a week at CRC so special.

A heartfelt thank-you to our Week 7 trip leaders, Jeanine, Will, and Jim, for sharing their time, energy, and love of the outdoors with us.

Thank you all for making Week 7 such a memorable one! Until next time...we’ll see you on the porch!

08/07/2026

AMC 150 Relay Comes to AMC Cold River Camp!

We were honored to be a stop on the AMC 150 Relay on Thursday, as Kate, Brian, Joe, and Parker hiked their way to CRC from Carter Notch hut, traveling through the beautiful Wild River Wilderness.

The team brought the AMC 150 Relay banner with them, where it gathered even more signatures at CRC before heading out this morning for the next leg of its journey. Jeanine, Jen and the team took the banner by bike from CRC to Swan’s Falls Campground, keeping the celebration - and the special relay banner - moving forward!

We’re so grateful to be part of this incredible 150th anniversary journey and thrilled to celebrate 150 years of the Appalachian Mountain Club together. Here’s to 150 years of the people, places, trails, and adventures that make the AMC community so special.

08/01/2026

Ode to Week 6

Here's the ode to Week 6,
Your weather was a bit of a mix.
Lotsa soccer and crafts,
And those puzzles and laughs,
Kept rainy-day spirits well fixed!

The Prezies gave hikers a grand view,
And Baldface drew many there too!
The youngest of all,
Just six, stood so tall,
Reaching the shelter just like seasoned folks do!

Oz shared ways to keep warm in the cold,
And how hypothermia's story unfolds.
Get warm, dry, and fed,
Use good sense instead,
Staying warm is advice worth its gold!

"Lobstah" indoors was a rainy-day treat,
Oh how BBQ nights make our week so complete!
The porch knitting crew,
Kept spirits bright too,
CRC magic made the whole week so sweet!

Thank You, Week 6!

Despite a week that served up a little bit of everything weather-wise, Week 6 proved once again that the spirit of CRC shines no matter what Mother Nature has in store…there was never any shortage of laughter, friendship, and community!

A special thank you to our outstanding Trip Leaders - Jim, Oz, and Hilary - for sharing their time, knowledge, and enthusiasm for getting outdoors! From leading adventures from the Presidentials and Baldface to Little Deer, to teaching practical skills like staying safe and recognizing hypothermia, you helped make the week both memorable and meaningful.

It's the people who make CRC such a special place, and Week 6 was another wonderful reminder of what makes this camp feel like home. Thank you… and we'll see you on the porch.

07/26/2026

Week Five had us smilin’ ear to ear,
The finest weather we've seen all year!
King's, Mines, and Baldface,
Kept hikers setting the pace,
And three new “Circle-ers” were greeted with cheers!

The Kulas' flowers were clearly the best,
Their entries put all others to the test.
Three babies brought cheer,
New generations are here,
Making the CRC family so blessed.

Forty-five degrees greeted porch coffee at dawn,
But sunshine soon urged everyone on.
Contra dancing took flight,
BBQ and lobstah, so right,
Week 5 laughter echoed long after gone!

Week 5 was truly one for the CRC books! Mother Nature delivered some of the best weather of the summer, creating the perfect backdrop for hikes, porch time, laughter, and memories. A huge thank you to Lisa for continuing her beloved annual CRC Flower Show tradition, with wonderful help from Nancy and Chris, and with the Crane/Kulas clan setting the flower show bar high (how many ribbons total? Including Best in Show!). Our heartfelt thanks also go to our Trip Leaders Gayle, MaryStarr, and Chris for sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm. And, huge thank you to our croo for calling the contra dance and filling the rec hall with live music and dancing. From summits to songs, flowers to friendships, Week 5 captured the magic that makes CRC such a special place. We’ll see you on the porch!

07/24/2026

Join us for a weekend of hiking, laughter, connection, and community at Cold River Camp. LGBTQ+ guests, allies, friends, and families are all welcome!

07/20/2026

Thanks to Marc T. For sharing his great Week #4 photos! AND belated thanks to Amanda G. for all of her awesome Week #4 photos in our previous post!

Address

North Chatham, NH

Telephone

+16036943291

Website

http://amccoldrivercamp.org/

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