As I was bushwhacking in three feet of snow with a group of Leaders-in-Training during our Winter Mountain Safety School this past weekend at Cardigan Lodge, signs of spring were nevertheless apparent. The full moon this month is the Sugar Moon, reminding us that sugar season is near, and soon we will be able to visit our local sugar shack to pick up some delicious New Hampshire maple syrup. The awakening of the forests in spring calls back the birds that have flown to warmer climes. Soon we’ll see the crocuses, trout lilies, and trillium pushing up from the forest floor. And with the melting snow, we’ll prepare for swollen streams and larger water crossings on the trails, along with the ubiquitous “monorail.” Spring in New Hampshire, or Mud Season, is just around the corner, ushering in warmer days and thoughts to what lies ahead for our Chapter and the Club.

This year is the 150^th anniversary of our Club’s founding in 1876, when a few people who were interested in exploring the mountains got together to do much the same as what we do today when we get out to enjoy our time in nature. In celebration, we have a Club-wide relay from Virginia to Maine beginning March 14^th.  The AMC 150 Flag will be passed from one relay group to the next via hike, bike, or paddle over several months and hundreds of miles. The Flag will make its appearance here in New Hampshire during a bike trip from Lowell to Derry on June 27^th. I will be co-leading a segment with Jon Randall on July 25^th, as we bring the Flag from Zealand Hut to the Highland Center. There will be a celebration that evening at the Highland Center, and all are welcome. I hope everyone has an opportunity to take part in the relay as the Flag moves through New Hampshire and then on to Maine.

As you move through the year, enjoying the mountains and forests and waters, the way our Club predecessors did, remember that we are also stewards of the environment. Our developed frontal cortexes gift us intelligence and the ability to make informed choices unlike other creatures on Earth. This gift is also a responsibility to protect the land and creatures who may not be able to protect themselves.