Dartmouth’s Ledyard Canoe Club has organized a spring river festival to celebrate the season when snow packed peaks melt into to high, fast rivers:

Hanover, NH, March 9, 2009 – Ledyard Canoe Club of Dartmouth College is celebrating the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) Centennial by hosting its first annual river festival the weekend of April 17^th-19^th.  The festival will take place in New Hampshire’s Upper Valley with competitions on the Wells River, Pond Brook, and other rivers to be determined.  In addition to the 6^th annual downriver race, the Wells River Rumble, competitions will include a kayak rodeo, an extreme creek race, and a triathlon.  Other events include a presentation on local river conservation efforts, a movie premier, and an awards ceremony, all taking place at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

The festival is open to any and all outdoor enthusiasts including members of the Dartmouth and Upper Valley communities.  The timing of the Ledyard River Festival enables boaters to take advantage of spring runoff and prime water levels on New England rivers.  Paddlers are expected from all over the country as faraway as Alaska.  For safety reasons some competitions require a certain level of boating ability, but there are many events open to all skill levels.  Everyone is encouraged to participate!  River competitions will be complemented by events on campus.  The weekend will be filled with cash and gear prizes, live music, vendors, beer, and food.

Camping will be available near Ledyard Canoe Club for those traveling from afar.

For more information visit our website at www.ledyardriverfestival.com. Contact Ledyard Canoe Club (lcc@dartmouth.edu) with questions.  If your business is interested in sponsoring the festival, contact Jeff Sharpe (jeffrey.sharpe@dartmouth.edu).

Ledyard Canoe Club, founded in 1920, is a student run organization at Dartmouth College under the umbrella organization of the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC).  Ledyard promotes whitewater kayaking and other forms of boating and supports beginner paddlers and experts alike.  Ledyard also runs a canoe and kayak rental business from its location next to the Connecticut River in Hanover, NH.  For more information visit our website at www.dartmouth.edu/~lcc.

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Bretton Woods will host a 50K XC ski race later this month, tho registration has closed:

BRETTON WOODS, NH, March 5, 2009 – The inaugural Bretton Woods Nordic Marathon at Mount Washington Resort, presented by CNL Lifestyle Company, LLC is slated for Saturday, March 14th, 2009, with registration open until Saturday, March 7^th.  For skiers and history buffs alike, the Bretton Woods Nordic Marathon is a fund- and awareness-raiser for the New England Ski Museum, located in Franconia Notch, NH.   The New England Ski Museum keeps the stories, people and events alive that brought the tradition of skiing into our lives and families through the generations, from Europe to New England — as a form of transportation, fertile source of competitive sports and coveted, favorite family pastime.     

The course for the Bretton Woods Nordic Marathon is 50 kilometers consisting of two 25-kilometer circuits.  According to Jeff Leich, Executive Director for the New England Ski Museum, part of the course for the Bretton Woods Nordic Marathon is actually on the grounds of what used to be the golf course for the old Crawford House.  The Crawford House was situated where the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center now stands, at the top of Crawford Notch.   “Hannes Schneider used to bring his ski school up to the old Crawford House golf course from Cranmore early-season to get them on the snow, since the snow would fall first in the higher elevations,” said Leich, noting the area’s specific ties to New England’s ski history.  The 1982 US National Championships were held at Bretton Woods, hosting such Nordic racing legends as Bill Koch and Tim Caldwell.          

The Bretton Woods Nordic Marathon includes timed 50-kilometer and 25-kilometer classes, as well as a Bill Koch League (BKL) race for youngsters.  Un-timed participation at each class level is also open for registration for those who wish to participate in the spirit of the event, and support of The New England Ski Museum, for the fun of it with family and friends. 

The prize for the top male and female finishers in the 50-kilometer class is an overnight stay for two adults at The Mount Washington Hotel, including breakfast and dinner.  Numerous prizes, including raffle prizes for which all registrants are entered, have been provided by sponsors including Mount Washington Resort, CNL Lifestyle Company, LLC, Alpina, the New England Ski Museum, and others.   The young BKL racers will have a separate raffle with prizes including a complete ski package, including skis, boots and bindings courtesy of Alpina.

Registration and event details are provided on-line at www.skireg.com, with registration open until this Saturday, March 7^th at 5:00pm.  Special high school and college team rates are also available by calling Peter Smith at Bretton Woods Nordic Center at 603.278.3322, also by March 7^th. 

Notably, the 35th Annual Mount Washington Cup 10km freestyle (skate ski) race is the following day, on Sunday, March 15th, so racers can sign up for both races on www.skireg.com  and make a Nordic weekend of it at Bretton Woods Nordic Center.

A special overnight package at Mount Washington Resort is available for racers starting at $99 per person, based on double occupancy, including breakfast.   For details, including any additional fees or restrictions, please contact Mount Washington Resort Reservations by calling toll-free 1.877.873.0626. 

For further information about Mount Washington Resort and Bretton Woods Nordic Center, please visit www.MountWashingtonResort.com or call toll-free 877.873.0626.    

About The Mount Washington Resort

Set at the base of the stunning 6,288-foot Mount Washington and surrounded by nearly 800,000 acres of the White Mountain National Forest, Mount Washington Resort, site of the International Monetary Conference of 1944, is a four-season vacation destination for guests of all ages.  The Resort offers a vast array of seasonal activities including championship golf on the Mount Washington Course, a newly restored Donald Ross-design, tennis, horseback riding, hiking and fly fishing during the summer months.  Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, sleigh rides, dog-sledding, ice skating, snowshoeing and ice climbing are offered during the winter.  After launching a new year-round, world-class, eco-conscious Canopy Tour at Bretton Woods in late 2008, the Resort unveiled the new Presidential Wing, part of its $50 million refurbishment.  The Presidential Wing houses a 25,000 square-foot Spa, 20,000 square-foot Conference Center and outdoor pool complex.  As part of a proposed master-planned community, spanning the next decade, plans for the development of approximately 1,000 new homes and homesites have begun with the first offerings now available.  For more information, please visit

 www.MountWashingtonResort.com or call 1.877.873.0626.

About The New England Ski Museum

Located in Franconia Notch next to the Cannon Mountain Tramway, NH, the New England Ski Museum is a non-profit, member-supported museum dedicated to collecting, preserving and exhibiting aspects of ski history.  The Museum is open from 10 AM to 5 PM seven days a week from Memorial Day through the end of March. Admission is free. The Museum also maintains satellite exhibits at the Shops at Norcross Place in downtown North Conway, NH and at Bretton Woods. For more information call 800-639-4181 or visit www.skimuseum.org.