The History of August Camp
The first August Camp was held in 1887. Almost every year since, it has continued as a unique, nomadic adult hiking camp, essentially run by volunteers, immersed in nature, and bound by cherished traditions. Our camps today follow the same model as they did in 1887: fixed tent camps with daily climbs.
In its early days, August Camp was a group of hikers whose main purpose was to explore. The goal of the first “camping-party” was to seek new routes to visit Mt. Katahdin, ME. The 1887 camp was comprised of 20 campers – men and women. Camp was a log shelter 20 feet long and required a two-day climb. Ladies hiked in tweed skirts.
In years following, that exploration continued to other regions beyond the White Mountains, the stomping ground of the first AMC members. As they explored, August Campers often established good hiking routes. Early ‘trampers’ explored areas which would later become some of the fixed camps we enjoy today. The ‘1901 camp was a ‘try out’ for the permanent camp on Three Mile Island on Lake Winnipesaukee, NH. What is now Cold River Camp was also once an August Camp base.
August Camp continues to be a place where we live in a simple manner, close to mountains and streams. Many of the same traditions are carried on. “Follies” – the impromptu performances at the end of each session – is still a forum for camp stories, skits and jokes. Nightly campfires are still the place to plan for the next day’s hiking. The croo person overlooking the lunch tent will forever be known as “the cookie monster.”
In its early years, August Camp was influential in club affairs, exploring new territories and finding new hiking routes. Now it is a marvelous community, a summer "family" of friends many of whom we cherish and look forward to seeing each year.
Past Camp Locations
2023 Mt. Hood, Sandy Oregon
2022 North Cascades, Concrete, Washington
2021 Maine Woods, AMC Little Lyford Camp and Cabins
2020, NO CAMP
2019 Mt Rainier, Packwood, Washington
2018 North Cascades, Concrete, Washington
2017, Columbia River Gorge, Stabler, Washington
2016, Olympic, Quilcene, Washington
2015, Central Cascades, Sisters, Oregon
2014, Mt Rainier, Washington
2013, North Cascades, Concrete, Washington
2012, Whistler, British Columbia
2011, Golden, British Columbia
2010, Golden, British Columbia
2009, Central Cascades, Sisters, Oregon
2008, Pilot Creek, Wyoming
2007, Eastern Sierras, Bishop, California
2006, North Cascades, Washington
2005, Mt. Rainier, Washington
2004, Keene Valley, New York
2003, Stratton, Maine
2002, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho
2001, Jefferson, New Hampshire
2000, Southern Cascades, Packwood, Washington
1999, Keene Valley, New York
1998, Stratton, Maine
1997, Glacier National Park, St. Mary's , Montana
1996, Banff, British Columbia
1995, Keene Valley, New York
1994, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho
1993, Jefferson, New Hampshire
1992, West Branch Penobscot River, Katahdin, Maine
1991, Keene Valley, New York
1990, Glacier National Park, St. Mary's , Montana
1989, Campton, New Hampshire
1988, Rangeley, Maine
1987, West Branch Penobscot River, Katahdin, Maine
1986, Southern Cascades, Packwood, Washington
1985, Jefferson, New Hampshire
1984, Keene Valley, New York
1983, Yoho National Park, British Columbia
1982, Campton, New Hampshire
1981, Eustis, Maine
1980, Crawford Notch, New Hampshire
1979, West Branch Penobscot River, Katahdin, Maine
1978, Southern Cascades, Packwood, Washington
1977, Keene Valley, New York
1976, Evans Notch, Stowe, Maine
1975, Stratton, Maine
1974, Campton, New Hampshire
1973, West Branch Penobscot River, Katahdin, Maine
1972, Keene Valley, New York
1971, Randolph, New Hampshire
1970, Southern Cascades, Packwood, Washington
1969, West Branch Penobscot River, Katahdin, Maine
1968, Keene Valley, New York
1967, Stratton, Maine
1966, First Mono Recess, Sierra National Forest, California
1965, Six Mile Bridge, Campton, New Hampshire
1964, Adirondack Region, New York
1963, West Branch Penobscot River, Katahdin, Maine
1962, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
1961, Keene Valley, New York
1960, Randolph, New Hampshire
1959, Robson Pass, Pacific Arctic Divide, Canada
1958, Kennebago, Stratton, Maine
1957, Abol Pond, Katahdin, Maine
1956, Aspen, Colorado
1955, South Meadow, Lake Placid, New York
1954, South Meadow, Lake Placid, New York
1953, Waterville Valley, New Hampshire
1952, Abol Pond, Katahdin, Maine
1951, Stark, Riley Lund's Farm, New Hampshire
1950, Warren, Vermont
1949, Stratton, Maine
1948, Clifford Falls, Keene Valley, New York
1947, Clifford Falls, Keene Valley, New York
1946, West Branch Penobscot River, Katahdin, Maine
1945, Moose Brook, Gorham, New Hampshire
1944, Bartlett, New Hampshire
1943, Dolly Copp, Gorham, New Hampshire
1942, Stark, Riley Lund's Farm, New Hampshire
1941, Newcomb, New York
1940, Keene Valley, New York
1939, Katahdin Iron Works, Maine
1938, Dead River, Flagstaff, Maine
1937, Albany Intervale, New Hampshire
1936, No Camp, N/A
1935, Bowman, New Hampshire
1934, Crawford Notch, New Hampshire
1933, Wildwood, Kisman Notch, New Hampshire
1932, Bryon Notch, Weld, Maine
1931, Bear River, Grafton, New Hampshire
1930, Wild River, Gilead, Maine
1929, Rocky Branch of the Saco River, New Hampshire
1928, Lancaster, New Hampshire
1927, Albany Intervale, New Hampshire
1926, No Camp, N/A
1925, Kidney Pond, Katahdin, Maine
1924, Dunn's Notch, Andover North Surplus, Maine
1923, Chimney Pond, Katahdin, Maine
1922, Echo Lake, Mount Desert, Maine
1921, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire
1920, Jefferson Notch, New Hampshire
1919, Moose Island, Moosehead Lake, Maine
1918, Albany Intervale, New Hampshire
1917, Sunday River Valley, Grafton Notch, New Hampshire
1916, Chimney Pond, Katahdin, Maine
1915, Dixville Notch, New Hampshire
1914, Bear River Valley, Grafton Notch, New Hampshire
1913, Cold River, New Hampshire
1912, North Woodstock, New Hampshire
1911, Whiteface Intervale, New Hampshire
1910, Glenn House, Gorham, New Hampshire
1909, Three Mile Island, New Hampshire
1908, Waterville Valley, New Hampshire
1907, Livermore, New Hampshire
1906, Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire
1905, Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire
1904, Albany Intervale, New Hampshire
1903, Whiteface Intervale, New Hampshire
1902, Randolph, New Hampshire
1901, Three Mile Island, New Hampshire
1900, Three Mile Island, New Hampshire
1899, Lake Mooselookmeguntic, Maine
1898, Lake Winnepesaukee, New Hampshire
1897, Randolph, New Hampshire
1896, Moosehead Lake, Maine
1895, Banff, British Columbia
1894, Whiteface, North Sandwich, New Hampshire
1893, No record of an August Camp, N/A
1892, Grafton Notch, New Hampshire
1891, Moosehead Lake, Maine
1890, No record of an August Camp, N/A
1889, Student Island, Lake Mooselookmeguntic, Maine
1888, No record of an August Camp, N/A
1887, Katahdin Lake, Maine
1876, Founding of the AMC, N/A