AMC introduces guided, Lodge-to-Hut Family Winter Adventure, expanded holiday and February school vacation programs, and new Family Adventure Weekend
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 8, 2007
Families have a choice of new outdoor adventure experiences this winter with the Appalachian Mountain Club in the White Mountains and Lakes Region of New Hampshire.
AMC’s naturalist-led Family Winter Adventure, a new addition to AMC’s White Mountain Lodge-to-Hut trips, will offer families a blend of winter ecology and a guided, overnight snowshoe tour to AMC’s backcountry Lonesome Lake Hut. The trip expands on this winter’s mix of guided, family-friendly AMC Outdoor Explorations programs, including many one-hour to half-day “walk-on” programs offered free to guests at AMC’s lodges. A variety of special programs are also planned during the holidays and President's Day school vacation week at AMC’s Highland Lodge, Joe Dodge Lodge, and Cardigan Lodge. AMC’s Winter Family Adventure Weekend at Joe Dodge Lodge rounds out the range of guided experiences for families introduced this winter.
Additionally, families looking to hit the slopes or go cross-country ski touring can take advantage of AMC’s Ski and Stay packages. The Joe Dodge Lodge package includes free skiing or tubing with Great Glen Trails.
AMC’s Lodge-to-Hut Family Winter Adventure, being offered February 18-20 during the President’s Day school vacation week, is designed especially for families with kids ages 10 and older. This naturalist-led tour will provide an ideal opportunity to explore less-traveled, snow-covered trails under the watchful eye of an expert guide, as well as a chance for children and adults to fine-tune snowshoeing techniques, follow animal tracks, and learn about winter ecology in the White Mountains. Families will spend their first night at AMC’s Highland Lodge at Crawford Notch before heading to Lonesome Lake Hut, part of the oldest hut-to-hut hiking network in the U.S., for a truly unique overnight experience.
AMC is also expanding its Outdoor Explorations program this year to Cardigan Lodge during the February 18-22 school vacation with the addition of free, expert-led activities for all guests as part of Winter Fun for Families week. Families at Highland Lodge, Joe Dodge Lodge, and Cardigan Lodge can choose from a full week’s worth of indoor and outdoor adventure activities, including walk-on snowshoeing and cross-country skiing workshops, winter skills sessions, and special evening programs. All-inclusive, full-service packages at each lodge during the week will offer families the convenience of providing lodging, meals, and activities.
The new Winter Family Adventure Weekend at Joe Dodge Lodge February 29-March 2 is another opportunity for some family bonding while snowshoeing, animal tracking, building snow shelters, and learning the best snowshoeing techniques. Geared toward families with kids ages 5-10, the weekend will start with an overview of winter preparedness and safety tips essential to enjoying the outdoors. Lodging, meals and snacks, snowshoes, expert guides and instruction, and a free AMC guidebook are all included.
Every day throughout the winter, AMC’s experienced staff will continue offering the flexibility of opting for family-friendly, “walk-on” AMC Outdoor Explorations programs ranging in length from one-hour skills clinics to half-day naturalist-led cross-country skiing tours.
Starting in January, winter AMC Outdoor Explorations at Highland Lodge and Joe Dodge Lodge will include:
- Free, one-hour winter skills sessions, including winter gear, animal tracking, map and compass navigation, animal adaptation, winter ecology, and AMC Junior Naturalist activities. Offered daily at Highland Lodge and Thursday through Sunday at Joe Dodge Lodge.
- Free, one-hour cross-country ski refresher sessions and learn to snowshoe clinics. Offered every weekend at Highland Lodge.
- Free, half-day guided snowshoe or cross-country ski tours with an AMC naturalist. Offered daily at Highland Lodge, including day hikes to AMC’s winter backcountry huts, and every weekend at Joe Dodge Lodge.
For additional details about AMC winter outdoor adventure experiences, visit AMC’s Winter Planning Guide at www.outdoors.org/winterguide.
AMC is playing host for the holidays as well – taking care of the cooking, cleaning, and making it easy for families to relax while enjoying an outdoor adventure getaway.
- Thanksgiving Weekend at AMC’s Highland Lodge and Joe Dodge Lodge is an annual tradition that gets started with a Thanksgiving Dinner Buffet. New this year, Cardigan Lodge is also getting into the holiday spirit with a big Thanksgiving feast and a long, full-service weekend with a variety of activities to bring families and new friends together. Special activities offered free to guests at all three lodges will include a mix of guided hikes and naturalist-led programs with AMC's expert staff. Programs offered daily at Highland Lodge, November 24-25 at Joe Dodge Lodge, and November 22-25 at Cardigan Lodge.
- AMC’s 5th Annual Gingerbread Weekend at Highland Lodge, December 7-9, kicks off with a demonstration about baking and building a gingerbread house, and then families will have a chance to decorate their own houses. Holiday crafts, gingerbread cookie decorating, and guided walks and hikes with an AMC naturalist round out the weekend’s activities.
- During the December holiday vacation, Joe Dodge Lodge will join Highland Lodge in treating guests to a special slate of expert-led, “walk-on” programs as part of December Adventure Week. Some of the options available to guests will include animal tracking with a naturalist, map and compass navigation, animal adaptations to winter, and snowshoe walks and techniques. Offered daily at Highland Lodge and December 27-31 at Joe Dodge Lodge.
For full details about holiday celebrations and family specials, visit www.outdoors.org/lodging/current-specials.cfm.
Rates and Reservations:
For rates and reservations, call 603-466-2727. Space is subject to availability for all packages. All AMC programs and destinations are open to AMC members and non-members, with additional discounts available to members. Membership is $75 for families and $50 for individuals. Specific package deals must be mentioned when booking, and packages cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.
Lodge-to-Hut Family Winter Adventure
The Family Winter Adventure from Highland Lodge to Lonesome Lake Hut package starts at $187 per person, plus taxes, for adult members ($210 for non-members) and includes all meals, one night's lodging at Highland Lodge, lodging at Lonesome Lake Hut, guides, instruction, and use of snowshoes. Child rates apply to ages 10-15 and start at $122 per person, plus taxes, for AMC child members ($135 for non-members).
Family Adventure Weekend at Joe Dodge Lodge
AMC’s Family Adventure Weekend at Joe Dodge Lodge starts at $138 per person, plus taxes, for adult members ($148 for non-members) and includes room with shared bath, all meals and snacks, snowshoes, expert guides and instruction, and a free AMC guidebook. Child rates apply to ages 12 and under and start at $88 per person, plus taxes, for AMC child members ($104 for non-members). Rates assume double occupancy.
Ski or Tube for Free at Joe Dodge Lodge
AMC and Great Glen Trails are teaming up again this season and offering a free trail pass for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or tubing to all overnight guests at Joe Dodge Lodge. Great Glen’s network of groomed trails includes double tracks and a skating lane that run through the forests at the base of Mt. Washington. Rates start at $58 per person/night, plus taxes, for AMC members ($64 for non-members), with no restrictions or minimum. Package includes room with shared bath, dinner, breakfast, and Great Glen trail pass. Child rates apply to ages 12 and under and start at $37 per person, plus taxes, for AMC child members ($41 for non-members).
Downhill and cross-country Ski and Stay packages are available at AMC’s Highland Lodge with Bretton Woods and at Joe Dodge Lodge with Wildcat and Great Glen Trails. For full details and rates, see www.outdoors.org/winterguide. Packages are valid during the 2008 winter season of the respective ski areas. Peak rates apply during holiday and vacation periods.
Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club is the oldest conservation and recreation organization in the nation. With 90,000 members in the Northeast and beyond, the nonprofit AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and wise use of the mountains, rivers and trails of the Appalachian region. The AMC supports natural resource conservation while encouraging responsible recreation, based on the philosophy that successful, long-term conservation depends upon first-hand enjoyment of the natural environment.
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