McClory: There’s still plenty of winter up north

Don’t give up just yet if you love winter.Over the last few days the rain and warm temperatures are discouraging many skiers, but let me tell you – don’t hang the boards up yet. Don’t be fooled by looking out your window at the brown grass.There is still a lot of winter up north in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. On Thursday, my son and I headed to Loon Mountain in Lincoln, NH.The snow was pristine and temperatures were in the mid 30s. With overcast skies, we skied corduroy fresh tracks right up to lunch time. The slopes were empty with no lift wait at all. It was pretty close to a “10” day. The conditions remained good until early afternoon. By then, it was time to quit anyway.At the end of the day we had an après ski drink followed by a great dinner at a local tavern and shared stories and skiing memories from the day.uHelp protect box turtles, Peregrine falcons and other endangered wildlife by supporting the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Fund when you file your state income tax this year.Since 1983, Massachusetts tax filers of Form 1 have had the option of donating to this effort through the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Fund when filing their state income tax (Line 32a: “Endangered Wildlife Conservation”), and tens of thousands of people have done so over the years.All contributions go directly into the Fund, an important portion of the annual operating budget of DFW’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP), which conserves and protects endangered species and their habitats in Massachusetts.Your contribution help to study, protect, and restore endangered animals and plants to their habitats.uAre you a tech-savvy outdoor lover? The public is invited to enter the “Get Outdoors Massachusetts Mobile App Contest.” Environmental agencies are seeking assistance in developing technologies that feature Massachusetts’ outdoor recreation and natural resources.The goal of the competition is to create an application in which people use a smart phone to locate state wildlife management areas, state parks and forests, state boat ramps, farm tours, and other state outdoor recreation venues.Deadline for submitting an entry is March 30. Contest details can be found at www.mass.gov/eea/mobileappcontest.uThe stocking trucks are on the move and I personally can attest to that.This week while eating lunch in the old Fort Devens area, I saw two stocking trucks passing through the compound and they looked like they were heading to Route 2 eastbound! Over 230,000 rainbow trout that average 14 inches or longer and 71,000 rainbows that average 9-13 inches are going to be stocked this season throughout the state.And if that isn’t enough for you, add another 48,000 brown trout in the 12-inch category, and 61,000 brown trout in the 9 – 12 inch range!The larger bodies of water will receive the larger fish and the smaller brooks and streams will receive the majority of the smaller-sized fish. In addition, brook trout will be stocked in a similar fashion, with approximately 45,000 fish measuring 9-12 inches, and more than 38,000 at a foot or more. Still not satisfied?Add in the 5,000 tiger trout, a cross between a female brown trout and a male brook trout. They, too, will also to be released, all topping the 14-inch mark. So this spring, get out and fish!uThe Olympic torch continued to burn last weekend at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area in Princeton where The Nashoba Shooting Stars alpine ski team once again competed in The Special Olympics Massachusetts Winter Games, and walked away with plenty of gold, silver and bronze.Almost all of our athletes scored a medal. What a show the team put on for parents and spectators as they put all of their skill on the line.This alpine ski team of 25 dedicated athletes train to compete in the sport they adore two to three times a week on the slopes of Nashoba Valley, Gunstock and Mount Sunapee, in preparation for their events of slalom, giant slalom,