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.

PINKHAM NOTCH, NH-The Ski to the Clouds race is returning to the snow covered Mt. Washington Auto Road for the 16th year on February 26th, 2012. This challenging event, thought by many to be North America’s toughest 10k race, takes place on the Northeast’s highest peak and includes a climb of more than 2200 vertical feet over the final 6K of the course.

The Ski to the Clouds is presented by Maxiglide and is limited to a field of only 150 skiers. Some competitors are there to attempt to make or break a record, while others consider it an opportunity to personally test their abilities in this mountain environment. In either case, participants will find themselves skiing in a winter wonderland, while taking in the most spectacular views imaginable of the Presidential range and beyond.

There will be a mass start at 10 am on race day. Online registration closes on February 24th at 12 pm. Any available slots left after that will be offered on Feb. 25th. There will be no day of race registration. An early registration discounted price of $35 will be offered through Feb. 20th, followed by a rate of $45 until Feb. 25th or until the race is sold out.

A $1400 prize purse is being offered by the presenting sponsor, Maxiglide. The prizes will be allotted as follows:

MEN:      1st place $250; 2nd place $150; 3rd place $100
WOMEN: 1st place $250; 2nd place $150; 3rd place $100
Top Male over 40:     $200
Top Female over 40: $200

Volunteer registration is also now open for those who would like to be a part of this uniquely exciting event without making the 10k climb! All volunteers will be given lunch on event day and day passes for Great Glen Trails.

“Our Ski to the Clouds race is another great example of the kind of uniquely compelling events that have always been and continue to be a part of life on Mt. Washington. Each event, whether a footrace, bike race, car race, or even on skis or snowshoes brings out those who are passionate about their sport….and for reasons both obvious and subtle, Mt.Washington continues to be the place those passionate competitors come to make their mark, even if it’s just for the experience of being here,” observed Howie Wemyss, General Manager of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center.

For more information or to register as either a racer or volunteer, please call the Mt. Washington Auto Road or Great Glen Trails at 603-466-3988 or online at www.skitotheclouds.com.