Updated on July 2nd to correct errors in the original post
To all members,
In recent weeks the provincial health authorities have begun to remove restrictions put in place in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am sure that we are all very glad to see these positive changes as we emerge from the darkness of the last 14-15 months. It means, for many of us, the return to our passion of the outdoors, for hiking, camping and climbing!
We are also hopeful that we will soon be able to return to travelling to the different mountain ranges of the world, most specifically the Adirondacks and the Appalachians.
With the closure of the US-Canada border in March 2020, our members were not able to visit Keene farm and hike and climb in the Adirondacks, something we all greatly miss. While the border is not yet open to non-essential travel, some changes have taken place recently and indications are that the re-opening will continue to move forward.
With this in mind, we are in the planning stages to re-open the Keene Farm property, to you, our Members!
However, in light of the impact of COVID, we will be introducing some changes to the usage policy and fee structure.
Firstly, to allow our members to benefit from the property, and given the possible high level of popularity, the site (both camping and the hut) will be accessible ONLY to members of the Alpine Club of Canada.
The hut has been open to members only for some time, but that restriction is now extended to the camping as well. Guests are no longer permitted, even if accompanied by a member. The executive will review this new restriction monthly, and may revise it in the future.
The costs for camping and the hut will be increased with the re-opening. The hut will now cost 25$ per night per person and the camping will cost 15$ per night per person. Children under 16 years of age continue to be free.
Members over 12 years old must be fully vaccinated to use the facilities and we encourage all members to continue to follow local health restrictions and socially distance.
We will be announcing the re-opening of the camping once we have a date for non-essential travel to the United states, and the hut will be re-opened once it has been inspected and cleaned and any issues addressed.
As usual, our treasurer, Paul Veneziano, has been working with our local resources to ensure that the property has been maintained. However, the health and safety of our members is critical so we will perform an inspection once we can access the property.
We, like all of you, are looking forward to our eventual return to Keene, to some of our signature events, and a chance to watch the sun rise and set on the mountains!
The Montreal section executive