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See additional Madison information, including a time-lapse video of the rebuilding project.

In the same year that the nation's first mountain hut for hikers was built in New Hampshire's Northern Presidential Range, the Kodak camera was invented.

That hut was AMC's Madison Spring Hut, the year was 1888, and cameras—and huts—have seen a lot of changes in the intervening years. You can bet your flash bulbs (Remember those?) that guests returning to the hut this month will be greeted by several welcome changes in the wake of a $1 million rebuilding project.

Madison Spring Hut, which reopens on June 2, is situated in the col between Mount Adams and Mount Madison. The recent rebuild preserved the 1929 core of the hut, including stone walls and foundation, while upgrading systems and layout for 21st century use.

Returning guests and new visitors will notice new floors, walls, tables, and a comfortable dining area with expansive views to the north and west, along with renovated bunk rooms. Bunks formerly stacked four high have been shortened to three tiers. The renovations provide "more leg room and elbow room in key areas," according to AMC Vice President for Outdoor Program Centers Paul Cunha. The hut's guest capacity of 52 has not changed.

Key to the renovation was the upgrading of alternative energy systems and replacement of flush toilets with a more environmentally advanced waterless design.

Spruce framing timbers were harvested off the Kancamagus Highway in the White Mountain National Forest and sawn at a local mill. Pine sheathing was milled locally from locally grown wood, and cedar shingles were locally sourced as well. Local procurement supports the local economy and requires relatively short distances and less fuel to transport materials to the job site than if they had been shipped from farther away. That results in fewer carbon emissions, which speaks to AMC's "Green Promise" of minimizing environmental impacts.

The project was orchestrated by AMC's Construction Crew, despite the wild card of weather and inconvenience of the high-elevation location. "The logistics and weather involved in any backcountry hut renovation are always factors that make these projects more difficult than in the valley," explains Hut System Manager Eric Pedersen. "To be working four miles from the road and have to hike in supplies if something breaks, or if you run out of materials, can pose challenges." Luckily, Construction Crew Manager Charles Muller and Project Manager Tom Bindas have extensive experience with backcountry projects and sent the right materials at the right time, via scheduled helicopter supply lifts, Pedersen says.

The project received wide support from the Spirit of Madison fundraising campaign, which raised $1.5 million to rebuild the hut and create an endowment for educational materials and maintenance. AMC Major Gifts Officer Jim Hamilton says donations are still being received, and are gladly accepted.

Visitors to treeline this summer may just want to pack along a camera (digital, most likely) to document this latest chapter in the Madison Hut story.