Appalachian Mountain Club Expands Winter Family Outdoor Programs
Appalachian Mountain Club Expands Winter Family Outdoor Programs
Winter family adventure weekend series introduced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2008
 | |||||
 | | Media Contact | | | |
| | | |||
| | | |||
|
| | |||
| | | |||
| |||||
A full season of AMC’s guided, family-friendly experiences will range from a naturalist-led overnight trip in the backcountry at an AMC hut, introducing older families to four-season hiking, to winter weekends filled with snowshoe walks and naturalist programs in the comfort of a lodge setting.
Snowshoes are available for guests to borrow at AMC’s New Hampshire lodges, plus there is free use of L.L. Bean gear at Highland Lodge, making it easier for families to get outdoors together. All of AMC’s lodges and huts are located in or near National Forests, State Parks, or other forest areas, with access to many miles of hiking, snowshoe, and ski trails surrounded by diverse natural habitats for wildlife watching.
Visit AMC’s Winter Planning Guide for more details, including information about a new health and wellness weekend series, Ski & Stay packages, and other deals – www.outdoors.org/winterguide.
All families are welcome to join winter family weekends and school vacation week activities, designed for kids ages five and older, unless otherwise noted.
Winter Family Weekend Series
- January 30-February 1; February 27-March 1 at Joe Dodge Lodge, White Mountains, NH
Spend the weekend snowshoeing, animal tracking, building a snow shelter, and drinking hot cocoa in the shadow of Mt. Washington, all while making new friends and getting winter tips and techniques from AMC experts. - December 12-14 at Highland Lodge, White Mountains, NH
Get in the holiday spirit at AMC’s sixth annual Gingerbread Weekend. Festivities will kick off with a demonstration about baking and building a gingerbread house, followed by a friendly decorating competition among families with prizes for the top gingerbread house creations. A holiday party, holiday crafts, gingerbread cookie decorating, and guided walks and hikes with an AMC adventure guide will round out the weekend’s activities.
- February 16-20, Winter Fun for Families at Cardigan Lodge, Lakes Region, NH
Exclusively offered this week, guided outdoor adventures and indoor programs will introduce Cardigan Lodge, a quiet road’s-end destination long popular with families in summer, to a taste of winter. The lodge’s sledding hill is a favorite for thrill rides, and families can choose from a variety of daily activities that will include learning to snowshoe, easy to moderate snowshoe hikes in the lower valleys and near the summit of Mt. Cardigan, skating on the lodge’s pond, building different snow shelters, and competing in a three-legged snowshoe race. Nightly rates, including meals and lodging, start at $71 per person, plus taxes, for adult non-members ($46 for child non-members). Stay four nights, get the fifth free. A similar line-up of daily activities will be offered at AMC’s Highland Lodge and Joe Dodge Lodge throughout this vacation week. - February 16-18, Lodge-to-Hut Winter Family Adventure, Joe Dodge Lodge, White Mountains, NH
Especially for families with kids ages 10 and older, this naturalist-led tour will provide a unique opportunity to explore less-traveled, snow-covered trails and stay overnight in the backcountry at AMC’s Carter Notch Hut, part of AMC’s hut system. Learn about winter ecology in the White Mountains while fine-tuning snowshoe techniques and following animal tracks. Package rates, including meals and two-nights lodging, start at $207, plus taxes, for adult non-members ($134 for child non-members).
Rates and reservations
Winter family weekend package rates vary by location and start at $155, plus taxes, per person for adult non-members ($145 for members) and $91 per child for non-members ($85 for members) ages 12 and under. Lodging and all meals are included (except lunches during Gingerbread Weekend). February school vacation package rates vary as indicated above.
All starting at package rates at Highland Lodge, Joe Dodge Lodge, and Cardigan Lodge include private bunkroom accommodations with shared bath for up to six people, use of snowshoes, and guided programs and instruction. Private rooms with private baths and family rooms are available for an additional charge. For reservations, call (603) 466-2727.
Families can take advantage of the discounted member rate by purchasing the $75 annual family membership.
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.