FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 21, 2010

The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) plans to rebuild its Madison Spring Hut in New Hampshire's Northern Presidential Range to provide upgraded alternative energy and waste disposal systems and improved accommodations for guests, according to AMC Director of Outdoor Program Centers Paul Cunha.

Madison Hut will be open for its regular summer season from June 3 through September 5.  While some early site preparation is slated for June, construction work will not begin until after the hut closes in September.

The last major renovations to the hut were completed in 1941.  In the nearly 70 years since, minor improvements have been made, but the mountain environment has taken its toll and the hut is overdue to be rebuilt, Cunha said.

The first phase of the renovation will preserve the historic 1929 core of the hut and the stone walls of the bunkrooms, and will replace existing flush toilets with a waterless system. The reconstruction will make efficient use of AMC-owned land on the Mt. Madison side of the hut.  There will be no change in the sleeping capacity of the hut, but a new floor plan will offer a more comfortable dining room and sitting area that will allow guests to enjoy views of Mt. J. Q. Adams, the Durand Ridge-Air Line, and the town of Randolph in the valley below.

AMC is also planning improvements to the hut's bunkrooms and alternative energy systems, contingent on the success of an ongoing fundraising campaign.

"Madison Spring Hut has seen a lot of years and a lot of use since the current hut was last rebuilt in 1941," said Cunha. "This new project is designed to provide a more energy efficient and environmentally sensitive hut, in keeping with AMC's 'Green Promise' of sustainable operations. At the same time, we hope to improve the guest experience by providing more leg room and elbow room in key areas, and reducing the height of bunks in the bunkrooms. We're also operating in such a way as to preserve and honor the historical integrity of the building," Cunha said.

Lumber, native white cedar shingles, and other construction materials are being purchased from local suppliers, Cunha noted. In addition, AMC is hiring on eight additional crew members from the local community to help complete the work.

Construction is set to commence following the closing of the hut for the season in early September. Crews will continue to work as long as seasonal weather conditions allow. Completion of the project is anticipated for next spring, in time for the opening of the summer full-service season.

Madison Spring Hut is on the site of AMC's first hut, built in 1888. The current hut was rebuilt in 1940-41, following a devastating fire that destroyed all but the hut's stonework.

Completion of the overall reconstruction plan is contingent upon the success of a $2 million fundraising campaign. Those interested in supporting the Spirit of Madison campaign can visit www.outdoors.org/madison or contact Jim Hamilton at jhamilton@outdoors.org or (617) 391-6585.

Madison Spring Hut is one of eight huts operated by the AMC, each a day's hike apart along a 56-mile-long stretch of the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire's White Mountains. AMC's huts in the White Mountain National Forest are operated under special-use permits from the U.S. Forest Service. Lonesome Lake Hut is located in Franconia Notch State Park, and is operated in partnership with the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Lands.  Full-service season begins on June 3. The huts are open to the public, and reservations can be made at www.outdoors.org/whitemountains, or by calling (603) 466-2727.  

AMC's eight huts and three roadside lodges in New Hampshire have been named Environmental Champions, the highest level of certification awarded in the New Hampshire Sustainable Lodging and Restaurant Program, in recognition of their environmentally sustainable operations.

Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club is America's oldest conservation and recreation organization. With more than 100,000 members, advocates, and supporters in the Northeast and beyond, the nonprofit AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the mountains, forests, waters, 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.