Tufts Mountain Club

As one of the largest clubs at Tufts, Tufts Mountain Club has a wide and extended reach into the community. Many students at Tufts rely on the resources provided by TMC. Last year TMC ran 270+ trips which included climbing, hiking, kayaking, whitewater rafting, skiing, ice climbing, nature walks and stargazing. The TMC membership is unique in that students of all abilities and backgrounds have the opportunity to experience and come together in the outdoors. Our vans are critical for supporting these endeavors and having an additional van will extend the support and accessibility TMC is able to provide. A second van will impact the Tufts community the following ways:

• It will allow students who might not have the means to access the outdoors otherwise go outside

• It will allow students to explore and connect with the local nature areas around Tufts

• It will allow students to engage in new outdoor activities

• It will allow the growth of our stewardship program which works with the Boys and Girls Club and Students of the Fells to get younger students outside.

For all these reasons and more it is critical for TMC to obtain use of a second van because it will not only help TMC grow but also help the Tufts community grow as well.

The Mountain Club is currently looking at SUV vans with 7 seats and large trunk space for gear. These vans range between $20-30,000. Our budget, however, only permits us to spend $10-12,000 on a new van. We are seeking help in raising the remainder of these funds in order to continue to provide the same resources, fun, and adventure that TMC has promised for the past 85 years.

Who is Riding in the TMC Van?

Name: Maxx Grossman

Year: Junior

Major: Biopsychology and Spanish

Favorite TMC Memory: Hearing Senior speeches as a Freshmen at Pass the Torch Weekend

Favorite Peak: Liberty and Flume

What Trips Will You Take With a New Van? I want to lead an overnight trip to Acadia National Park in Maine and do a sunrise hike of Cadillac Mountain which is the first mountain to see the sunrise in the US.

Name: Caroline Fett

Year: Sophomore

Major: Environmental Studies & Creating her own major

Favorite TMC Memory: My favorite TMC memory is probably last year’s Lojstock. It was right after spring exams ended, and a big group gathered up at the loj to hike and listen to some live music. It was the perfect end to my first year at Tufts, and it made me miss the Whites all summer.  

Favorite Peak: My favorite TMC peak was this fall. Hans and I were lucky enough to not have Thursday classes, so we drove up to beloved loj Wednesday night and made quesadillas before seeing 3 shooting stars under the clearest night sky I’ve ever seen up in the Whites. The next day, we climbed Mt. Osceola and spent about an hour up at the peak. You could see for miles, and we both took some time to ourselves to just breathe it all in. We ate triple layer PB&Js, made a few fellow outdoor-lover friends, and hiked down. By 6 pm Thursday night, we were back at Tufts.

What Trips Will You Take With a New Van? I would love to break in the new van by taking it to Acadia National Park up in Maine!!! Acadia in the snow, or during peak foliage, is a dream for hikes and views

Name: Josh Kim

Year: Sophomore

Major: Psychology and Film and Media Studies

Favorite TMC Memory: Learning about the area surrounding the Loj in the Pass the Torch Scavenger Hunt

Favorite Peak: West Bond

What Trips Will You Take With a New Van? I want to try going on an Aqua trip!

Name: Max Migdail

Year: Sophomore

Major: English and Environmental Studies

Favorite TMC Memory: One of my favorite TMC memories is probably thanksgiving at the Loj my first year.  There were only six of us there and it was one of my first experience with winter conditions, especially in the northeast.  It was pretty windy and overcast the whole time we were up but I went out hiking every day.    We took Beetlejuice up and the aux was blown so we spent the whole way to the trail heads tooling around with the CDs that had accumulated in the van over time.  At the Loj we just cooked and baked the whole time.  That week really helped cement the Loj and the whites as I place I feel at home.

Favorite Peak: I’ve had so many great hikes with so many great peaks.  One that really stands out is Eisenhower during my presi traverse earlier this year.  The whole day was pretty cloudy and windy but when we got to Eisenhower the sky cleared up really suddenly and we could see these super vibrant colors from the flora surrounding us, and looking up we could see all around us.  The peak itself was also so different from what we had been hiking earlier that day.  Everything else had been pretty rocky and a very traditional idea of a peak but Eisenhower was this smooth saddle like peak that just spanned this large area.  It was a really relaxing peak that reminded me of some of the mountains (especially the ridges) that I would hike back home.

What Trips Will You Take With a New Van? I’ll probably use the new van to go finish my 48 if we get it in time.  I’ve only got two hikes left and I’m gonna clear them up this spring: the Wildcats + Carters and the Bonds + Galehead.  If we don’t get it by then I’ll probably just use it to help others finish their goals or go climbing.  I’ve got two more years in this club and there are so many trips I’m gonna go on that I haven’t even thought of yet for which I need a way to get around.  Honestly, it’s all just about going outside and with a new van I can help make sure this club keeps getting people out there and keep going on great trips.

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