plus, get your Winter Fest Dinner Dance tickets while they are hot! |
Morning glow on Mount Chocorua and Chocorua Lake. | Donna Thompson |
Happy New Year. Whatever this year brings, we wish you the blessings of community and time outdoors alone and with others. Read on to learn about opportunities for all ages to learn and explore together, indoors and out, this winter, for some specific gratitude for the folks caring for the Narrows Bridge, and to get your Winter Fest tickets. February 7 is less than a month away! Registration links for everything are on the calendar below.
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It's winter at the lake, hooray! | Skip Mason |
Moon phases this month: The full moon was on January 3. This full moon is often called the Wolf Moon. Other Celtic names include Stay Home Moon or Quiet Moon. New moon is January 18. This is a wonderful time of year to look at the sky on clear nights, and to track the movements of the moon. We have a couple of chances coming up for you to do so in community!
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Join CLC, Cook Library, and Wonalancet Out Door Club for a Skywatch with Joe Dechene and NH Astronomical Society on Sat. Jan. 17, a chance to see stars and galaxies up close. Come learn stories about some of those stars and constellations with Matt Krug on Mon. Feb. 21. |
| From the In Winter crankie (see below). | In Winter crankie artists |
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Outdoor programs for the whole family! |
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From the In Winter crankie (see below). | In Winter crankie artists |
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From the In Winter crankie (see below). | In Winter crankie artists |
Winter Salt Week 2026: Jan. 26-30 |
Our friends at Green Mountain Conservation Group are partners in this collaboration of governmental and nonprofit organizations across the U.S. and Canada with a goal to raise awareness of the ways winter road salt damages infrastructure and threatens the health of lakes, streams, and drinking water—and to promote salt reduction solutions. Check out the week of free online programs at wintersaltweek.org and GMCG's livestream on Mon. Jan. 26 of "Freshwater Salinization" and round table discussion with Aubrey Volker, Salt Reduction Program Coordinator for NH Department of Environmental Services, and others. Thanks to GMCG for all the work they are doing to keep our lakes and rivers clean!
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Learn, visit, and volunteer with us
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Our educational programs are by donation, kids are free, and all donations count toward your annual giving. Zoom and collaborative programs are free. If you appreciate these programs, please donate to our partner organizations, too! |
What's in Your Water? Important Info for Private Well Users, Wed. Jan. 14, 6:30–7:30 PM. Via Zoom with Amy Hudnor from NH Department of Environmental Services. A partner program with Green Mountain Conservation Group and Cook Library. Info and register HERE.
Skywatch!, Sat. Jan. 17, 6:30 PM, with Joe Dechene and others from NH Astronomical Society. See stars, constellations, even galaxies through powerful telescopes in the dark skies over Wonalancet. Partner program with Cook Memorial Library and Wonalancet Out Door Club. Info and register HERE.
Climate Future Film Festival: Part 2, Sun. Feb. 1, 3–5 PM, at UUFES in Tamworth Village. Short films & community conversation. A Climate & Community program in partnership with Cook Library & UUFES. Rescheduled from Nov. 30, 2025. Info & register HERE.
2026 CLC & Tamworth Outing Club Winter Fest, Sat. Feb. 7, 1–10 PM, at The Preserve at Chocorua. Cold water dip & sauna at Chocorua Lake at 10 AM. Indoor/outdoor activities from 1-5 PM are free/by donation. Winter Fest Dinner Dance 5–10 PM, advanced registration only. More info, sign up for Winter Fest, & purchase sliding scale Dinner Dance tickets HERE. Want to stay at The Preserve that weekend? Email Anna.
Microplastics and Zero Waste, Wed. Feb. 11, 7–8 PM. Via Zoom with Jill Emerson, Staff Scientist at Green Mountain Conservation Group and Cindy Heath from the NH Network Plastics Working Group on Microplastics. A partner program with GMCG and Cook Library. Info & register HERE.
Stories Behind the Stars, Mon. Feb. 16, 6:30 PM. With Matt Krug, Charlotte C. Browne Woods. Info & register HERE.
Winter Ecology: Animals' Superpowers for Winter Survival, Sat. Feb. 21, 10–11:30 AM. With naturalist Hillary Behr of New England Wildlife Tracking, Charlotte C. Browne Woods. Kids 3–9 with a caregiver. Info & register HERE.
Moonlight Owl Prowl, Mon. March 2, 7 PM. With CLC Stewardship Director Debra Marnich & friends, CLC Scott Reserve. Info & register HERE.
Pollinators & Native Plants Crankie, Sat. March 14, 10:30 AM–3:30 PM. Come learn about pollinators & their plant partners, and paint some! Cook Memorial Library. With Cook Library & Green Mountain Conservation Group. No experience necessary! Kids welcome with a caregiver. Registration available later in January at chocorualake.org/events.
To Build a Fire: Survival Fire Skills, Sat. March 21, 10 AM–12 PM. With naturalist Kyle Ball of New England Wildlife Tracking, Charlotte C. Browne Woods. Kids 4+ with a caregiver, and adults of all ages. Info & register HERE.
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The 4th annual CLC & Tamworth Outing Club Winter Fest at The Preserve at Chocorua is coming up on Saturday, February 7, and tickets are selling fast!
We'll kick off the party with a Cold-Water Dip & Sauna with the Tamworth Otters at Chocorua Lake at 10 AM, enjoy all kinds of fun activities indoors and out from 1–5 PM, and then head inside for the Winter Fest Dinner Dance from 5–9 PM, and a silent auction of art, experiences, and handmade items from 1–7 PM. Afternoon activities are by donation; Dinner Dance tickets are sliding scale and are only available in advance. |
Bring your dad to Winter Fest! | Dylan Alden |
Stay at The Preserve over Winter Fest weekend. |
Coming from farther afield? Enjoy a special weekend getaway in the charming Preserve farmhouse or carriage house—just steps away from all the Winter Fest fun. Every stay supports Chocorua Lake Conservancy and Tamworth Outing Club, and each room reservation includes complimentary tickets to the Winter Fest Dinner Dance. A cozy retreat, a great cause, and a festive night out all wrapped into one. Details and/or book a room: info@chocorualake.org
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From the archives: In Winter, a winter ecology crankie, a meditation on winter... |
The Narrows Bridge doesn't repair itself! |
Abundant thanks to Larry Nickerson and Andy Rutledge for their recent work repairing sections of the Narrows Bridge with tamarack logs from CLC's Moose Meadows north of the lake. Thanks also to Don Johnson who cut and skinned the logs. Maintaining a beautiful wooden bridge is an ongoing process. We are so grateful for these bridge stewards! | Alex Moot
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Andy Rutledge and Larry Nickerson. | Alex Moot |
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Repairing pieces of the Narrows Bridge railings with their secret letters... | Alex Moot |
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The completed repair work. | Alex Moot |
Such beautiful craftsmanship. | Alex Moot |
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| Have fun outside this month! |
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💙 THANK YOU TO ALL OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS 💙 |
THANK YOU, MOUNT CHOCORUA PARTNERS |
Thank you, Chocorua Lake Partners |
Thank you, Heron Pond Partners |
Thank you, Narrows Bridge Partners |
Our vision is a Chocorua Lake Basin whose resilient forests, clear waters, and thriving habitats are a welcoming haven for people, plants, and animals for generations to come.
Our mission is to preserve the ecology and pristine waters of the Chocorua Lake Basin, maintain trails on Mount Chocorua and conservation lands, and provide welcoming access to Chocorua Lake for nearby residents, visitors, and future generations. |
CONTACT
MAIL PO Box 105 Chocorua, NH 03817
OFFICE 11 Runnells Hall Road Chocorua, NH 03817 603-323-6252
ONLINE info@chocorualake.org
www.chocorualake.org
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Copyright © 2025, Chocorua Lake Conservancy. All rights reserved. |
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