LEARN MORE
See a video on the accomplishments of Vision 2010 at www.outdoors.org/vision2010video. See a timeline of the past decade at www.outdoors.org/vision2010timeline.

The seven goals comprising AMC's Vision 2010—a plan laid out by the organization a decade ago—seem very different. But within AMC's mission, they are inextricably linked, like the strands of a carefully woven tapestry.

"AMC moves our members and, in some cases, the general public, on a continuum," says AMC President Andy Falender. "Our recreation efforts introduce to the outdoors individuals and groups who often wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity. Our 'fun' education strategies teach them how to enjoy the outdoors safely and in a responsible way. Then, once people are out there, they develop a love for these special outdoor places and want to protect them. They really become conservationists, whether they know it or not."

Volunteer Spotlight "After hiking a lot of the trails in the White Mountains and Mahoosuc Range I began to realize that they don't just look after themselves. I liked the concept of AMC's Adopt-A-Trail Program—it implies a sense of caring, nurturing, dedication, and responsibility." —George Brown, Adopt-A-Trail Region Leader, Trails Volunteer Leader, and Volunteer Leadership Award recipient in 2009. Photo by Herb Coolidge.

That continuum, moving from outdoor recreation to conservation, ties Vision 2010 together, and provides a guiding principle as AMC's Board of Directors looks toward the next decade.

Vision 2010 consisted of six targets, with the Maine Woods Initiative becoming a seventh once the decade was under way:

• Manage 2,000 miles of trails.
• Attract and support twice as many volunteers.
• Significantly reach at least 50,000 young people each year.
• Provide outdoor safety and recreational information for more than 100,000 members and 2 million outdoor enthusiasts per year.
• Provide quality overnight experiences for 150,000 guests per year.
• Play a significant role in protecting an additional 2 million acres of land in the Appalachian region.

The goals were intentionally ambitious, Falender says. "If we met all of these goals then we probably didn't reach high enough to start with."

The past decade of hard work by extraordinarily talented and dedicated staff and volunteers has transformed AMC and its public image, Falender says. "We are perceived to be an organization that successfully brings together education, recreation, and conservation. We're perceived as an organization that has very significant impact, and an organization that is a force to be reckoned with."

TRAILS
1,585 miles managed in 2010

Before tackling the Vision 2010 goal of greatly expanded trail operations, AMC held a series of planning meetings with the Trails Committee and local trail adopters, where a consensus emerged: AMC couldn't achieve the goal alone; it would need to form partnerships.

GRAFTON LOOP TRAIL "With the Grafton Loop Trail we could think ahead, and use our management techniques to show the users where we wanted them to go" rather than simply respond to existing trail problems, says White Mountain Trails Manager Andrew Norkin. "It leads to my favorite place in this whole area—Sunday River Whitecap—which didn't even have a trail leading to its peak before."

"Now our reach is broader, and our vision has expanded," says White Mountain Trails Manager Andrew Norkin. "Once we did primarily maintenance, and now we do a lot of new trail construction."

In collaboration with a variety of partners over the decade, AMC completed its first significant new trail in 25 years, the 39-mile Grafton Loop Trail; launched the Pennsylvania Highlands Trail Network project; and won federal designation of major portions of the Metacomet Monadnock Mattabesett (MMM) Trail as the New England National Scenic Trail. AMC also took on responsibility for approximately 100 miles of recreational trails on the 66,000 acres protected through its Maine Woods Initiative.

Meanwhile, existing programs have grown. Participation in volunteer trail crews has tripled over the decade and the pro trail crews have doubled in size. While many White Mountain trails used to be available for adoption, just a few remain. And in the greater Boston area, AMC continued to play a significant role in furthering the ambitious Bay Circuit Trail.

AMC is now positioned as a regional leader, providing training to other organizations while continuing to build partnerships—and trails—throughout the Northeast. And, in every case, the highest priority is always given to protecting the lands on which we walk.

HIGHLAND CENTER The planning and construction of AMC's Highland Center at Crawford Notch, built on the historic site of the Crawford House, represented a new model for AMC hospitality. Built through donations to AMC's 125th Anniversary Capital Campaign, the green building project put education and programming at its center, along with the desire to appeal to a broad audience. Walk-on programs and access to free loaner gear from L.L. Bean were designed to make outdoor recreation more accessible. "From the beginning we conceived part of the project as making programming available to guests on a daily basis," says Paul Cunha, vice president for outdoor program centers. Some of the Highland Center's programs, such as multi-day family camps and 50+ activities, are now being offered at other AMC destinations as well.

OVERNIGHT EXPERIENCES
150,000 experiences in 2010

Long known for its White Mountain huts, AMC broadened its range of destinations under Vision 2010. In a span of seven years, AMC introduced its showcase Highland Center and a string of three wilderness lodges in Maine. And over the decade it completed major renovations at the Mohican Outdoor Center, Cardigan Lodge, Noble View Outdoor Center, and two huts.

The two major hut projects bookended the decade. A completely rebuilt Galehead Hut opened in 2000, preserving the traditional hut experience while adding new alternative energy systems. A major remodeling of Madison Spring Hut began in the fall of 2010, with a focus on a more comfortable dining room and bunkrooms, new waterless toilet system, and energy upgrades. Throughout the decade AMC's Berkshire Chapter kept the renovation of Noble View on track, and AMC's full-service camps thrived. Meanwhile, in Maine AMC embarked on upgrading three historic sporting camps, reusing and rebuilding historic structures dating as far back as the 1870s. Gorman Chairback will see a brand new "green" lodge, likely to be the first LEED-certified sporting camp building in Maine.

The Delaware Valley and New York-North Jersey chapters provided thousands of volunteer hours at the Mohican Outdoor Center in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. This allowed AMC to serve its Mid-Atlantic members closer to home. The 125th Capital Campaign provided funds for significant facility upgrades, and the Volunteer Committee developed a range of activities and trail projects. The New York City and New Haven branches of AMC's Youth Opportunities Program now have a place to introduce city kids to backcountry trails.

Providing comfortable accommodations is just part of AMC's goal, though. "Our destinations are where we can really demonstrate the interconnectivity of enjoyment with education about and protection of the outdoors," says Paul Cunha, vice president for outdoor program centers.

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