PINKHAM NOTCH, NH—The Carl Johnson Memorial Ski-a-Thon to benefit ALS will take place at Great Glen Trails on March 10th from 12-3 pm. Carl was the kind of person who always asked someone if they needed a hand, especially on a cross country ski trail…in fact, he was constantly on the lookout for a chance to help or someone to encourage. He was a well known fixture at Great Glen Trails, whether in the timing shack for Nordic Meisters or volunteering in some other way. Most importantly, he wanted to make it fun. Johnson is still remembered fondly at GGT, since the crippling disease ALS took his life in 2006

It is fitting tribute that Great Glen Trails will be hosting the Carl Johnson Memorial Ski-a-Thon on Saturday, March 10th. The FUNdraiser, as it’s called, will give anyone who participates a chance to ski as many laps as they feel like, while raising money for the ALS Foundation. The $20 registration fee includes a trail pass and all proceeds will go to ALS.

“The Carl Johnson Memorial Ski-a-Thon is our annual effort to raise money for ALS. Carl was a good friend and co-worker at Great Glen for many years. Full of fun, just the right outlook on life and very active, Carl was a wonderful role model for many. He was, for years, the friendly volunteer timer for our weekly Nordic Meisters cross country race series. We were devastated when Carl was diagnosed with ALS in 2005. This ski event is held in his memory – and as he would have liked, it’s all about fun. We’ll have a wacky tights competition, then ski as many laps on a 5km course as we can in 3 hours and enjoy food and drinks at the lodge following the ski,” explained Howie Wemyss, Great Glen Trails General Manager.

Prizes will be awarded on event day for the most laps completed and the highest amount pledged. As always, the participant with the loudest and wackiest tights will also win a prize. There will also be an ALS Benefit raffle for two handcrafted wooden vessels made by Ed Good and one made by Sean Doherty. More than $2000 was raised in 2011 for the ALS Foundation.

“It really is wonderful seeing all these people come together to enjoy themselves and help raise money for a good cause at the same time. It has also been great getting all the help from Amy Kuzma, who used to work in the events department at Great Glen and now is with the ALS Foundation–Carl would have loved knowing that even though he’s gone, he’s still making a difference!” Fleming said.

The Carl Johnson Memorial Ski-a-Thon will take place on Saturday, March 10th from 12-3 pm. For more information or to register online click here, or call (603) 466-2333. Day of event registration will take place from 9-11 am.

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH—The 2012 TD Bank Bill Koch League Festival, presented by the “The Valley Originals” restaurants, will take place March 3rd and 4th at Great Glen Trails on Route 16 in Pinkham Notch. This year’s theme will be “Blast from the Past to the Future on Skis” and will offer the hundreds of participating kids and their families a chance to create outfits themed from past, present or future and see how the sport has evolved from its early days. The event is being co-hosted by Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center and the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA).

Event participants and their families will come from throughout the Northeast and will enjoy a full weekend of fun activities and competitions. Saturday will feature the opening ceremonies and parade; relay races based on grade levels; a non-competitive ski tour including themed elements and characters; a fairy house trail; on snow obstacle course and other usual Great Glen Trails activities (like snow tubing). Saturday’s festivities will finish up with a pasta dinner at the Town & Country Motor Inn in Gorham. The event is open to kids from as young as 4 years old right through 8th graders.

On Sunday a series of individual freestyle races based on grade level will be held. There will be a lollipop race available to second graders and under; a graduation on skis for the eighth graders and an adaptive Sit-Ski event. On-snow awards ceremonies will take place both Saturday and Sunday. More than 200 kids of all ages are already registered to participate.

Bill Koch, the only US Cross Country Skier to win both the World Cup and an Olympic medal (silver in 1976) will be on hand for the weekend to cheer on the competitors. Sue Wemyss, Ski School Director at Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center (a XC Olympian herself from the 1984 team) noted that it is a distinct honor to host this event. “This annual event is great fun for both kids and spectators alike. To see hundreds of youngsters enjoying time on cross country skis, making new friends, and putting their all into racing their ski courses is heartwarming and smile-inducing to those of us who love the sport of cross country and want to see it continue to grow amongst the younger generations. It’s going to be a really fun weekend!” Wemyss said.

That sentiment is echoed by NENSA Youth and Introductory Program Director Abby Weissman: “Having the festival at a venue that is accustomed to hosting families and large events really will make a difference to the overall experience. This is a logistically complex event for families and organizers, but it’s also just a great opportunity for everyone involved to enjoy a weekend of winter family activities in an amazingly beautiful place,” Weissman observed.

The title sponsor for this annual event is TD Bank and the presenting sponsors are the “The Valley Originals”, a group of locally owned and operated restaurants in the Mt. Washington Valley. Other event sponsors include: LL Bean, The Trapp family Lodge, Swix, Stonyfield Yogurt, Choucas, Rossignol, Toko, Alpina, Salomon, Ragged Mountain, Polartec and Dasani. For more information about the TD Bank Bill Koch League Festival visit the event website at: www.2012bklfestival.com or contact Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center at 603-466-2333 or www.greatglentrails.com

SLED DOG TEAM TO ATTEMPT HISTORY MAKING ASCENT OF MT. WASHINGTON AUTO ROAD ON MARCH 7-9 AS FUNDRAISER FOR NH SLED DOG RESCUE AND EDUCATION CENTER

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH—An intrepid team of sled dogs and mushers from the Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel of Jefferson, NH will attempt to tackle the Northeast’s highest peak on either March 7, 8 or 9, depending on weather conditions. This will be only the fourth ever attempt of such a feat and the first time ever in winter. The Muddy Paw mushers and dogs will be following in the historic “pawprints” of Arthur Walden and his famed Chinook team, who were first to summit in 1926, followed by the first and only woman, Florence Clark, in April 1932 and then Carl Brown in April 1992.

This event has been undertaken in an effort to not just make history, but raise awareness and funds to help support the more than 130 sled dogs that the Muddy Paws kennel have rescued and care for. Muddy Paw owners Karen Tolin and Neil Beaulieu have been taking in rescue and second chance huskies and giving them a home & job for life while supporting their care with year round dogsled tours.

The couple took their passion for rescue and the rich history of dogsledding in NH and formed a board of local mushers to create the nonprofit NH Sled Dog Rescue, History & Education Center. This new nonprofit will focus on rescuing northern breed dogs in need, preserving NH sled dog artifacts, and educating the public on the history of dogsledding & the care of northern breeds.

In addition to the one team making a summit attempt, a truly unprecedented opportunity will be offered on two additional sleds–two guest seats will be auctioned to the highest bidder for this once in a lifetime opportunity to ascend halfway up Mt. Washington and experience the world above treeline on a dog sled. Local school children will also be involved, as they write letters to the Observatory staff members on the summit (which will be delivered by the sled dog team) and follow the track of the mushers to the summit.

“It will be exciting to see this adventurous episode of Mt. Washington Auto Road history brought to life after all these years. This is not an endeavor to be taken lightly and those involved will certainly earn their place in the history books!” noted Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails.

Taking into consideration the changeable conditions on Mt. Washington, safety of all two and four legged participants is of paramount concern. Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel’s veterinarian, Dr. John Anderson, DVM of Lancaster, NH will be supporting the dog teams on the day of the event and staff members of the Mt. Washington Auto Road, Mount Washington Observatory and the Mt. Washington State Park will be on standby for any emergency circumstances.

For more information, check out www.dogslednh.com or email Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel at info@dogslednh.com Individuals or companies wishing to sponsor the teams or be involved in the auction for the two available seats should contact Karen Tolin at 603-545-4533.