RMC Newsletter Archive - RMC History

A Brief History of Trails By Judith Maddock Hudson, Summer 2003 "Up until 1941 the Club hired local woodsmen for trail maintenance, often contracting the job through John Boothman who then himself hired local labor. Volunteer work parties were also a regular summer activity, mostly to clear blowdowns and brush the paths."	A History of RMC Excursions By Judith Maddock Hudson, Winter 2007-2008 "From the 1940s to the present, excursions have generally been held twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The latter have been variously titled "junior walks," "children's climbs," or "short hikes," but were intended for a less athletic clientele than the more strenuous Tuesday hikes."
A History of the RMC Camps: Part 1 By Judith Maddock Hudson, Winter 2003-2004 "In 1947 the Board came up with a different solution: a caretaker hired and supervised by the RMC to run both Crag and Gray Knob, with expenses shared by the Club and the town. The Forest Service still would not allow the RMC to charge even a modest fee, so the Board asked for donations from users."	A History of the RMC Camps: Part 2 By Judith Maddock Hudson, Summer 2004 "Crag Camp, the favorite haunt of many Randolphians, had received ongoing repairs through the years: a new floor, window repair, a front porch, several new roofs. By the early 1990's the original structure had become decrepit, and the Board voted to replace the existing structure."
Challenge in the White Mountains By Judith Maddock Hudson, Summer 2006 "In today's world, a challenge - whether the marathon, triathlon, or another extreme adventure - has become an important part of the amateur athlete's repertoire. Club members are hardly immune to this frenzy. Indeed, for well over a century, Randolphians have been at the forefront in creating mountain adventures that emphasize physical endurance or speed."	Charades at the RMC Picnic By Judith Maddock Hudson, Winter 2004-2005 "Although the parlor game of charades is often played in mime, Randolph’s rules seem always to have allowed elaborate scripts as well as ever more fanciful props and scenery..."
Four Soldiers Path and Underhill Path: Naming RMC's New Trails By John Eusden, Jack Stewart and Doug Mayer, Winter 2002-2003 At its October meeting, the Board voted to name the new trails Four Soldiers Path, in honor of the four Revolutionary soldiers for whom the Pond of Safety is named, and Underhill Path, in honor of Miriam Underhill.	Logging on the Northern Peaks, 1865-1912 By Judith Maddock Hudson, Winter 2005-2006 "The 1892 completion of the Boston & Maine railroad through Randolph Valley made timber harvesting on the Presidentials a reality. First intimations of this appear in 1895 when the AMC purchased, for $400, a strip of land 600 feet wide around the waterfalls on Snyder Brook..."
Managing the Randolph Mountain Club By Judith Maddock Hudson, Summer 2007 "The Randolph Mountain Club, nearing its 100th anniversary in 2010, has been a mostly volunteer operation from the very beginning. Rather casually organized at first, the Club has evolved in response to the needs of the time. Let's take a look at several periods in the RMC's history, beginning with the highly structured outfit of today."	Maps, Guides, T-Shirts and Much More By Judith Maddock Hudson, Winter 2008-2009 "First printed in 1917, Randolph Paths was written by Frank H. Chase (librarian of the Boston Public Library) and Louis F. Cutter. The 27-page pamphlet contained brief information about the Randolph area, the RMC and its three camps (Cascade, Perch and Log Cabin)."
Randolph's Early Pathmakers, 1850-1905 By Judith Maddock Hudson, Summer 2005 "The first explorations of the Northern Peaks had started earlier, around 1850, when hardy walkers engaged mountain guides to take them up Madison, Adams, and Jefferson. James Gordon of Gorham was the most sought-after guide, and it was he who led the 26-year-old Reverend Thomas Starr King's party in 1857..."	The Significance of Lemon Sherbet at Traditional RMC Social Events By Judy Hudson, Summer 2008 "RMC members have always been interested in good food, and there had long been events that that offered gourmet food as an incentive to participation. Who can forget Erika Goetze's plum cake mit schlag, Al Hudson's "Royal Dutch Cocoa Cream Cake" consumed on the shores of the Pond of Safety..."
Winter in the RMC Camps By Judith Maddock Hudson, Winter 2006-2007 "Even then the winds drove snow with such force through the cracks, around the doors & windows that the entire room began to fill with snow - the gusts became so violent that the whole cabin began to shake....Being unable to sleep amidst the blowing snow & fearing a potential collapse, I retreated into the back room..."