Mt Washington Valley Vibe - Summer 2021

Summer 2021 | Volume 5: Issue 16

artsSummer culture 2021

food

health

history

libations

music

outdoors

people

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Summer 2021

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THOUGHTS FROM THE PUBLISHER

FOUNDER/PUBLISHER/CREATIVE Dan Houde dan@wiseguycreative.com MANAGING EDITOR Cam Mirisola-Bynum SALES MANAGER Chris Pacheco ads@mwvvibe.com DISTRIBUTION / CIRCULATION Mt Washington Valley Vibe is published four times annually and is available for pick-up, free of charge, in over 250 locations throughout the White Mountain Region of New Hampshire and into the communities of Western Maine.

Live music, art shows, fundraisers, farmers’ markets have all reemerged back into our lives. Are they here to stay?

Only time will tell.

Each week that passes, there seems to be another “first,” since covid consumed our everyday lives in 2020. I can only speak for myself, but it does seem like there really is a greater appreciation for what used to be completely normal events and occasions.

We’ve been through a lot. Will we be able to take the positive from all the negative?

It feels like we’ve actually learned to be better. We’ve learned to become more efficient with what used to be routine occurrences. Personally, I’ve learned to slow down and to be more aware of my surroundings and those in it.

I can think of many examples. As awkward as it was at times, stepping aside on a hike to let others pass by became common etiquette. Funny how it “forced” us to look up to say hello to strangers. But even now it seems to have become the norm. Will it continue?

It’s difficult to know how or when we’ll overcome some of these feelings.

But the vibe throughout the Valley so far this season does indeed seem to be a happier one. As it should be. We’ve been through a lot.

Please be well this season, be smart, and be supportive of those around you.

Dan Houde dan@wiseguycreative.com

MWV Vibe is also available at many New Hampshire Welcome Centers throughout the state.

MWV Vibe can also be found in select retail shops, dining establishments, lodging properties, and grocery stores throughout the same area.

If your business, or one you know, would like to make MWV Vibe available to customers, please contact us.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without the written permission of: WISEGUY CREATIVE MEDIA 126 Allens Siding Road, North Conway, NH 03860

Spring 2019 | Volume 2: Issue 8

Winter 2018/19 a rts

culture

events

food

history

people

s h o p s1 Premier Edition

Summer 2020 | Volume 4: Issue 13

Spring 2021 | Volume 4: Issue 15

Winter 2020/21 | Volume 4: Issue 14

ADVERTISING For advertising, feedback, and subscriptions, call (603) 986-5761 or email info@mwvvibe.com www.mwvvibe.com

arts

culture

events

food

history

libations

music

people

shops

arts

culture

food

health

history

libations

music

outdoors

people

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artsSpringculture 2021

food

health

history

libations

music

outdoors

people

shops 1

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Bernadette Donohue, Fryeburg, ME Bernie’s love of adventure, beauty, and people started her 35-plus-year real estate career. Creator of MWV Photo Contest/ Calendars for Charities and Hands of Hope cancer survivor banner, she continues to dedicate herself to bettering the lives of others with her positivity.

Mike Cherim, North Conway, NH Mike is a trailwork-and SAR-volunteer in the WMNF. His passions are primarily hiking and skiing (plus biking and fishing)– and he also loves to write.

He makes his living, however, running a local guiding company, Redline Guiding out of Intervale.

Ryan Smith, Bartlett, NH As owner of Rooted in Light Media, a photography, video, writing, and design company, Ryan splits his time between North Conway and Massachusetts’ North Shore. Ryan’s passion for outdoor recreation and conservation is evident in the work he has done throughout the Valley as a creative professional and a steward of the environment.

Matt Maloney, Jackson, NH Matt is a teacher natutralist at Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany, New Hampshire. Formerly the Adirondack Mountain Club’s coordinator for interpretive programs, he has a degree in environmental education from Antioch in Keene, NH. Joe Russo, Jackson, NH Joe is the current cask ale brewer at Sea Dog Brewing Company in North Conway and also works as a cellarman at Moat Mountain Brewing. As an avid homebrewer, beekeeper, and snowboard instructor—be careful—he will talk your ear off about any of them.

Tim Scott, Jackson, NH Tim is a writer and consultant and has provided assistance to Fryeburg Academy to build three new buildings and help quadruple its endowment. He has also worked with Ham Arena, the Gibson Center, Tin Mountain Conservation Center, the Jackson Church, the North Conway Community Center, the New England Ski Museum, the MWV Rec Path, and currently with the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust.

Dan Szczesny, Manchester, NH Dan is a long-time journalist, author, and speaker who has written several books of travel memoir, fiction, and poetry. Dan writes a syndicated column on fatherhood called “Transcendental Dad.” More on Dan’s work can be found at www.danszczesny.com.

Clem McAuliffe, Bartlett, NH Clem McAuliffe, owner of Vista Bev & Market in Intervale, loves beer. He loves talking about beer, reading about beer, writing about beer and, of course, drinking beer. All who enter the store quickly understand the benefit of asking, “Clem, what am I drinking today?”

Sarah LaCourse, Madison, NH Sarah is a strength coach and sports nutritionist, and can be found in the mountains, having moved to the Valley after graduating college with the intention to be closer to them. She also writes a blog about hiking, trip reports, gear, and mental health.

Jason Gagnon, North Conway, NH Jason serves as superintendent of North Conway Water Precinct and serves on the School Board for Northeast Woodland Chartered Public School.

Jason enjoys mountain biking and hiking and tries to hold up his end of the deal at home with his wife Brett, two sons Brannock and Elyas, and their menace of a dog, Finn.

Keith Wehmeyer, Intervale, NH Keith lives with his wife Liz and daughter Ellie. He moved to the Valley when working with the AMC to rebuild the Madison Spring Hut, and is now project and facility manager for OVP Management. He enjoys foraging for mushrooms, paddling a whitewater river, or on a trip down the Allagash.

Alyssa Riley, Intervale, NH Alyssa’s passion for the outdoors blossomed while living in Vermont working as a therapist. She took that enthusiasm and went abroad traveling around the globe—climbing along the way. Drawn to the human experience and wonders of nature, Alyssa serendipitously found Kismet when she returned home.

Christine Thompson, Jackson, NH Christine is an educator and grant writer. She spends most of her free time enjoying the outdoors or “doing theater” at M & D Playhouse. She believes that everyone has a story and she loves to be the one to discover it.

Brian M.Coffey, Bartlett, NH Brian been happily married to his wife Linda for 37 years, has two children, plus three grandchildren. He loves spending time with his family, and enjoying the great outdoors. His passion is fly-fishing and walking in the woods with his grandchildren.

Sven Cole, Bridgton, ME Sven Cole is a local writer and adventurer. He holds the title of “Assistant Head of School” at Bridgton Academy as his day job, but his downtime is spent exploring the region on a bike or skis with his daughters (and he tries to keep up with them)!

Additional Contributers - Jesse Wright, research - Karissa Masse, writer - Dr. Trish Murray, writer - Joe Klementovich, photography

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE VIBE TEAM?

If you reside locally or have ties to the Valley and would like to offer your creative talents, please contact us at info@mwvvibe.com.

Summer 2021

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SUMMER 2021 • CONTENTS 18 - USVLT CELEBRATES 20 YEARS

34 - NORTH CONWAY WATER PRECINCT

68 - 24 HOURS OF GREAT GLEN RETUNS

FEATURES 10 LOCAL POTTER,

JENNIE BLAIR

26 HOW SUN SMART

ARE YOU?

46 CATHEDRAL LEDGE DISTILLERY

By Joe Russo

68 24 HOURS OF

GREAT GLEN

16 KISMET ROCK FOUNDATION

30 ESSENTIALS OF

SUMMER HYDRATION

50 GROWING UP

ON THE FARM

76 WILDCATS IN

THE WHITES

18 UPPER SACO VALLEY

LAND TRUST

By Tim Scott

34 NORTH CONWAY

WATER PRECINCT

By Jason Gagnon

54 THE ART

OF GRILLING

82 HOME AMONG

THE TREES

24 EASTERN SLOPE

AVIATION ACADEMY

42 WHITE MOUNTAIN

BREWS & NEWS

By Clem McAuliffe

60 WHITE MOUNTAIN

TRAIL COLLECTIVE

84 THE TOWERING MAPMAKERS

By Karissa Masse

By Alyssa Riley

By Christine Thompson

Dr. Trish Murray

By Sarah LaCourse

By Keith Wehmeyer

By Brian M. Coffey

By Ryan Smith

REGULAR DEPARTMENTS

ON THE COVER

7 SPRING EVENTS 8 SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 9 REAL ESTATE CORNER 10 ART IN THE VALLEY 26 HEALTH & NUTRITION 42 LOCAL LIBATIONS 50 LOCAL FOOD & FARMING 82 FICTION 84 HISTORY IN THE VALLEY

“Silver Lake Sunset Splash”

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By Sven Cole

By Matt Maloney

By Mike Cherim

By Dan Szczesny

Camera: NIKON D750 TAMRON SP 15-30mm F2.8 Exposure: 1/640 sec; f/9; ISO 160 Wiseguy Creative Photography Location: Silver Lake with Mount Chocorua in the distance.

MWVvibe.com

SUMMER 2021 • EVENTS There’s nothing quite like summertime in the Mt. Washington Valley! We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, please call ahead to confirm dates, times, location, and other information.

Cotopaxi Fall Trail Run/Walk Series • Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center, September 2 - October 7 A weekly trail running/walking series for all abilities and ages.

Every Thursday for six weeks, racers can run/walk the long, short, or mini courses between 3:30 and 7 p.m. The course uses both wide carriage roads and more challenging single track. www.greatglentrails.com

Arts Jubilee • Outdoor music concerts Arts Jubilee is a non-profit organization that presents an outdoor 5-concert series every summer at Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway. July 15 - Classic Rock Orchestra; July 22 - Ceili Rain; July 29 New Legacy Swing Band; August 5 - 7 Bridges: The Ultimate Eagles Experience; August 12 - Pat Colwell & the Soul Sensations. Online tickets available for purchase until 12 p.m. on the day of each show. www.artsjubilee.org • (800) 786-6754 No Two Tails Alike, Presented by Squam Lakes Science Center Conway Public Library, July 21 • 3:30 p.m.

An animal’s tail can serve as a rudder when swimming, help with agility during flight, or can even function like an extra hand. Meet live native wildlife ambassadors as a naturalist from Squam Lakes Natural Science Center tells tales of the tails of some of New Hampshire’s native wildlife. www.conwaypubliclibrary.org • (603) 447-5552

The White Mountain Arts Festival • Hosted by the White Mountain Trail Collective at Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center Saturday & Sunday, September 17 & 18 Celebrating trail stewardship and the arts in NH’s White Mountain Region, the festival will be in the fields at the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road in view of Mount Washington.

The festival features local and regional artists and trail stewards with site-specific performances, workshops, visual art exhibits, film screenings, panelists, and more. www.whitemountainartsfestival.com Diane Blue & the Boston Soul-Blues Allstars • Tuckerman Brewing Company Presents Live Music in the Beer Garden Sunday, October 10 • 1 - 7 p.m.

Visit the brewery and outdoor beer garden located in Conway, NH, offering 13+ beers on tap, light food, and weekend entertainment (family-friendly; no dogs). www.tuckermanbrewing.com/events

All About Mammals Presented by Tin Mountain Conservation Center • Conway Public Library, August 4 • 3:30 p.m.

What has bones, fur, and four legs? MAMMALS! In this program, learn about what makes a mammal a mammal, as well as the cool adaptations that our local mammals have to survive in our sometimes-harsh environment. www.conwaypubliclibrary.org • (603) 447-5552 Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb presented by Yokohama Tires • The Climb to the Clouds, Friday - Sunday, August 13 - 15 A thrilling car race from the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road to the 6,288-foot summit. The race has a three-day format, with practice runs on half of the mountain on Friday and Saturday morning. www.mt-washington.com/climb-to-the-clouds Jason Spooner Band • Tuckerman Brewing Company Presents Live Music in the Beer Garden, Saturday, August 21 • 1 - 7 p.m.

Tuckerman Brewing Co is now one of the longest-running owner-operated breweries in the state. Visit the brewery and outdoor beer garden located in Conway, NH—offering 13+ beers on tap, light food, and weekend entertainment (family-friendly; no dogs). www.tuckermanbrewing.com/events Summer 2021

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SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Tell us about your unique Valley business at info@mwvvibe.com.

RIPL ADVENTURES

Bringing paddle boarding and paddleboard yoga (SUPY) to Mt. Washington Valley, Ripl Adventures offers weekly opportunities to explore the water in a new way with new perspective and a great workout. Looking to give the sport a try and not sure where to get started? A paddle adventure is just the activity with guided assistance to get you feeling confident out on the water.

SUP CLUB has begun, and offers a seasonal rate with or without board rental to give you the chance to SUP on regular basis. Sessions are weekly Tuesdays and Thursdays 8 to 9 a.m. on Chocorua Lake.

SUP Yoga is an emerging sport, and the Valley provides a unique opportunity with so many incredible lakes and ponds surrounded by mountains and the sounds of nature, it’s sure to be an experience of a lifetime. Ripl Adventures SUP Yoga offers an hour-long yoga class, with some paddling, water safety, and time for photos if you desire. This experience is roughly two hours long.

Private sessions of groups from four to 10 people are available by request in 60- or 120-minute sessions. Rental gear is always available, as well as SUP board sales. Ripl has the knowledge to get you set up with a board that suits your adventure.

Classes are currently posted in the Mindbody app (under RIpl Yoga) on Conway Lake, Echo Lake, Chocorua Lake, and Silver Lake. Sign-ups are required 24 hours in advance. Regular Vinyasa-style yoga classes are available according to season and will be posted when available.

ripladventures HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: • Private group/event sessions available • Rental equipment • Great exercise • Based in the Mt. Washington Valley • Guided adventures

For more information, call (603) 489-3454, or visit www.ripladventures.com.

FISH NERDS GUIDE SERVICE Fish Nerds Guide Service offers scenic pontoon boat adventures on some of the prettiest lakes in the White Mountains.

They are fully licensed fishing guides who love to take people out for fun on the water—and their best day on the water is your perfect day. They offer fishing, tubing, swimming, on-boat grilling, sightseeing, and new this year, paddleboarding off their pontoon boat.

Able to accommodate up to 10 people, Fish Nerds has superior experience and knowledge of local waters such as Conway Lake, Silver Lake, and Ossipee Lake.

Captain Clay Groves has been a science teacher, environmental educator, and is a fully licensed fishing guide who loves the White Mountains and showing guests how to enjoy the region. With a focus on family fun, Captain Groves is happy to bring you to the best fishing spots or to the picture-perfect spots on the lakes for a sunset to remember.

FishNerdsGuideService HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: • Fishing, boating, and tubing for up to 10 people • Water tubing for all ages • Sunset cruises • Paddleboarding

For more info, call (603) 986-4335, or visit www.fishnerds.com.

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MWVvibe.com

REAL ESTATE CORNER By Bernadette Donohue

Riding the Wave to Your Home Away from Home

WiseguyCreative.com photo

Vacations really do feed the soul. Many of my favorite memories of summer fun are those spent at our family’s camp: a sweet seasonal lakefront cottage with a small sandy beach and beautiful mountain views. The pond became a perfect getaway that we looked forward to each year. With nothing but present moments to spend together, we quickly relaxed into “camp mode” and let go of the outside world to soak it all in.

Sipping tea on quiet mornings, watching the fog lifting off the lake’s glass-like sheen. Cocktails on the beach giving way to glorious sunsets reflected in choppy afternoon waves with the colorfully painted sky. Rocking for hours on the porch with a book or puzzle, then falling to sleep by the enchanting call of the loons. Always the simplest of pleasure would create the most smiles—with our favorite pastimes being paddling kayaks,

Here in the Mt. Washington Valley, we see families returning, generation after generation, for a slice of what many of us are fortunate enough to enjoy in our own backyard.

building sandcastles, splashing on inner tubes, playing board games, singing and telling stories by the beach fire, roasting marshmallows, going on a moose hunt, and snuggling into cozy beds where only a franklin stove warmed the chilly mornings. A lifetime of memories made from in and outside the four walls of this cherished abode.

When I see the many out-of-state license plates here in the Valley, I smile to myself knowing that these families to are here to enjoy some (much) needed time away from their everyday world. People come from all over to experience the richness of our New Hampshire and Maine lakes and mountains. I am sometimes envious of these road warriors who faithfully make their trip up north to have their weekends together to ski, hike, boat, play, eat out, and enjoy. Having been in real estate for 35 years (and having grown children of my own), I see firsthand how quickly these special vacations can and do change. Overshadowed by sports and commitments as the years go by, many people choose to buy a vacation home to help protect Summer 2021

and preserve those special years—when family time can be made a priority.

Here in the Mt. Washington Valley, we see families returning, generation after generation, for a slice of what many of us are fortunate enough to enjoy in our own backyard. Recently, I listed a home where the owners had framed an entire wall of their vacation memories. Not just photos from 27 years of fun, but also ski and Story Land passes, race awards, maps, patches, and even trinkets from local attractions of unforgettable times with kids, grandkids, and family friends. The loving bonds were an obvious part of this multi-generational chalet.

Although it was with mixed feelings they chose to finally sell, they were equally ecstatic with the multiple offers that came and lead to a much higher selling price. For owners who are ready to carry their treasured memories with them, 2021 is an exceptional time to sell.

Serious buyers know that the trend of multiple offers has become the new norm, thus, many want to know how to become the winning bid in a robust market. Being well prepared and putting your best foot forward includes having an agent who you know has your best interest at heart. Bring a positive mindset to the table, which includes a good measure of patience and persistence. Be clear on your reason for wanting to own and focus your intentions on your “why.”

Continually rebalance any discouragements with this perspective and remember that the home(s) you missed out on may not have been the best one for you. New listings will come, and if you trust that your reason for buying is strong, you will find your way home … or to that special home away from home.

Bernadette Donohue is a seasoned real estate professional.

Bernie has dedicated her career and lifestyle to serving the community and helping clients reach their housing goals.

For a complimentary 2021 Guide of Tips for Buying or Selling, Bernie can be found in Badger Realty’s North Conway office, (603) 356-5757, (207) 542-9967. Bernie@BadgerRealty.com; www.berniedonohue.badgerrealty.com

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ART IN THE VALLEY By Karissa Masse With Her Hands in the Clay

Photo by Chalie Freiberg

Highlighting Local Potter, Jennie Blair

L

ike veins of precious ore, there are rare creative talents tucked in and rooted in the rich mountain soil of the Mt. Washington Valley. One such talent falls into the generative and creative hands of potter and farmer, Jennie Blair.

A formidable powerhouse of productivity, Jennie heaves pounds of clay onto her pottery wheel, and churns out beautifully crafted stoneware pottery at her family homestead in Conway, NH. Jennie’s pottery is rich and earthy, with sweeping throwing lines that subtly

hide the earthy raw clay beneath. The resulting dish in your hands speaks the language of the artist: earth, nature, harvest, nourishment.

Although she is a true Conway native, Jennie Blair spent a good deal of her adult life working for pottery production studios in Montana. She found her way there after completing her BFA in studio arts and ceramics at Plymouth State College in 2000. In September of that year, she landed a year-long position for a studio apprenticeship in Whitefish, Montana.

the Montana border. Several hundred dollars later and an eight-hour push north to Whitefish, we arrived. The crew at the studio was in the early stages of building a 40-foot anagama kiln, named Agnes. It was my intro to kiln building, and with one wood firing under my belt during college with John Baymore, I knew I was where I belonged.”

In case you’re wondering, an “anagama” is an ancient, multi-chamber, wood-fueled kiln. Originating in China, and common in Japan, the anagama dates

enhance her strong graceful forms. She uses earth-toned glazes, from turquoise greens and toasty browns to iron reds and buttery yellows, which are poured over the surfaces of her pottery so that they run over and around but do not

She described her first experience away from home as “freeing.”

“We, my brother and I, left New Hampshire driving I-90. Barely making it out of Wyoming, we lost the alternator of my two-tone red Chevy Blazer just crossing

back to at least the 5th century. Also called a “dragon kiln,” the firing chamber has a firebox at one end and a flue at the other, and is built into a sloping tunnel shape, taking advantage of heat’s tendency to rise. Ancient anagama kilns were

Over time, her workflow as a potter went from productive to prolific, and her own unique style as an artist germinated and emerged.

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FINE CRAFT GALLERY

Photo by Meghan Simone

often built by digging sloping tunnels directly into banks of clay.

Jennie spent a total of about 15 years working and apprenticing for independent studio potters in New Hampshire and Montana. These experiences gave her opportunities to utilize the studios’ resources to develop her skills, both as a potter and an artist. Over time, her workflow as a potter went from productive to prolific, and her own unique style as an artist germinated and emerged.

“After my regular studio hours, I hunkered down in my cubby to throw into all hours of the night.”

After a year and a half spent in Whitefish, an opportunity arose for her at Mountain Arts Pottery in Bozeman, MT. She became the studio’s first full-time employee, doing anything and everything they needed, from cleaning, glazing, loading kilns, to throwing pots for big orders, including one for Yellowstone National Park. While under employment there, the studio’s owner bought an old log cabin adjacent to the property and they renovated and transformed the old, ragged building into a pottery showSummer 2021

room and bakery. Her job description as studio manager grew to include demolition and construction.

“My job as a potter included stripping and power washing three layers of paint off the exterior of the cabin, tearing out insulation, and re-chinking the cabin interior,” Jennie said.

During her years there, they also built a new kiln and transformed a garage into an additional pottery studio. By the time Jennie left the position, she was filling orders for wholesale accounts, attending retail shows, organizing catalogs for the business, and had helped turn the already productive studio into one with five employees. She was ready for her own studio.

It didn’t take long for Jennie to become a celebrated local artist and community member upon her return to the Mt. Washington Valley in 2013. She hit the ground running, immediately securing a job at the pottery studio at the League of NH Craftsmen Gallery in North Conway, where she began helping with pottery production and teaching pottery classes.

With the purchase of a small gas-fired

DISCOVER

New Hampshire’s finest artists & craftsmen www.nhcraftsmen.com 603-356-2441 2526 Main St. North Conway Village

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Summer 2021

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JACKSON

Photo by Chalie Freiberg

JACKSON ART STUDIO & GALLERY studio & gallery

An ART gallery of contemporary work from local artists & ART classes for all ages!

ART GALLERY

ARTISTS AT WORK

PAINTING CLASSES

KID/TEEN ART CAMPS

*JOIN US EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT FOR A WINE/CHEESE RECEPTION, 5-8PM, “Meet the Artists”

Painting, photography, jewelry, glass, wood, ceramics & more.

GALLERY OPEN FRI-SUN. AND MON-THURS BY APPT OR CHANCE!

Jackson Art is located at 155 Ridge Rd. Jackson NH 03846 WWW.JACKSONARTNH.COM (603) 387-3463

kiln to get her started, she commenced building her own pottery studio from the ground up on the Lanoie family homestead of her origin. She was pumping out beautiful pots within her first year back home, and applied to become a full-fledged

She was pumping out beautiful pots within her first year back home, and applied to become a full-fledged juried member of the League of NH Craftsmen.

juried member of the League of NH Craftsmen. This granted her access to the retail venues of eight League galleries across the state, and the opportunity to showcase her work at the League’s Annual Craftsmen Fair at Mount Sunapee, a nine-day craft fair and one of the oldest craft shows in the country.

These venues, along with additional exposure for her pottery in shops and galleries around New Hampshire and Montana, gave her the jump-start she needed to build her enterprise in earnest. With the help of her friends and family, she transformed a portion of the old family barn into a studio and rustic showroom for her pottery business, With These Hands Pottery.

In 2016, she built a 32-cubic-foot, gas-fired kiln that fires to over 2300 degrees, housed in a newly renovated “shed” that doubles as a packing and processing facility for her farm.

Yes, I did say farm. It’s not such a big stretch, you know, going from clay to dirt. In addition to a successful career as a studio potter, Jennie operates an organically grown, no-till vegetable farm called A New Day Farm, also located on the family’s property on Tasker Hill Road. The farm consists of a 26-by-52-foot

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MWV ARTISTS & GALLERIES

greenhouse, newly built in 2020, and a fertile 1/8 of-an-acre parcel of land, servicing about 20 CSA members who buy shares in the farm’s crops. The property also serves as a local community garden, the Tasker Hill Community Garden, with a cooperative perennial herb garden and 27 individual 12-by-4-foot growing plots available to anyone in the community.

Luscious piles of Swiss chard, kale, and lettuces, ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and robust root vegetables are cleaned and packaged daily for her local customers in the outdoor kitchen adjacent to the kiln. The adjoining structures allow her to keep a close watch on her kiln while processing garden produce, all the while tossing stems and imperfect organic produce to the chickens that peck and scratch nearby.

For Jennie Blair, dirty fingernails and muddy boots are a part of life, but well worth the bounty of her creative lifestyle, deeply rooted in the earth.

With her hands, Jennie Blair digs into the richness of the soil and brings forth food, friendship, and community. With her hands, she presses deep into the clay, and brings forth beautiful earthy pottery with which to nourish the body and enrich the experience of living. She is a genuine treasure, nestled in the hills of the Mt. Washington Valley.

Jennie Blair’s pottery can be found: By appointment at With These Hands Pottery, Tasker Hill Road, Conway www.withthesehandspottery.com (207) 256-2522

The League of NH Craftsmen Gallery, 2526 White Mountain Highway, North Conway Village www.nhcraftsmen.com, (603) 356-2441 Summer 2021

ARTWORKS* 132 White Mountain Highway, Chocorua, NH (603) 323-8041 www.chocoruaartworks.com

Louise Perry of Vintage Frameworks 28 Norcross Circle, North Conway, NH (603) 356-7711 www.vintageframeworks.com

Bill Fein Gallery 106 Fein Lane, Center Conway, NH (603)-356-7943

Main Street Gallery/MWVArts 16 Norcross Circle, North Conway, NH (603) 356-2787 • www.mwvarts.org

CASSIDY GALLERY* 28 Main Street (Majestic Theatre Building) Conway Village, NH • (603) 662-2074 www.cassidygallery.com

Nathan Macomber Glass Studio 480 Eaton Road, Conway, NH (603) 447-1825 www.macomberglass.com

Cook Memorial Library 93 Main Street, Tamworth, NH (603) 323-8510 www.tamworthlibrary.org

Patricia Ladd Carega Gallery 69 Maple Street, Center Sandwich, NH (603) 284-7728 www.patricialaddcarega.com

Edge of Maine Art & Framing 182 Main Street, Brownfield, ME (207) 935-2817 www.edgeofmaine.com Erik Koeppel Fine Art P.O. Box 325, Jackson, NH (603) 383-7062 • www.erikkoeppel.com Fryeburg Harbor Antiques and Fine Art Gallery 506 Harbor Road, Fryeburg, ME (207) 925-2848 www.fryeburgharbor.com Gallery 302 112 Main Street, Bridgton, ME (207) 647-2787 • www.gallery302.com Gateway Gallery & Gifts 32 Exchange Street, Gorham, NH (603) 466-9900 • www.gatewaygallery.biz Harvest Gold Gallery 1082 Main Street, Center Lovell, ME (207) 925-6502 www.harvestgoldgallery.com JACKSON ART STUDIO & GALLERY* 155 Ridge Road, Jackson, NH (603) 387-3463 www.jacksonartnh.com Jesse Mixer Metalsmith North Conway, NH www.jessemixer.com Karen Eisenberg Designs North Conway, NH • (603) 662-9887 www.kareneisenberg.com LEAGUE OF NH CRAFTSMEN NORTH CONWAY* 2526 White Mountain Highway, North Conway, NH • (603) 356-2441 www.northconway.nhcrafts.org

Robert Gordon Gallery Kancamagus Highway, Conway, NH (603) 356-7943 Roger C. Williams Fine Art 125 Main Street, Lovell, ME (207) 925-3380 www.rogerwilliamsfineart.com Skyforest Gallery 407 White Mountain Highway, Conway, NH (760) 770-3777 Surroundings Art Gallery 12 Main Street, Sandwich, NH (603) 284-6888 www.surroundingsart.com STAINED GLASS SHACK STUDIO 63 West Main Street, Conway, NH (603) 447-4949 www.stainedglassshack.com St. Kieran Community Center for the Arts 155 Emery Street, Berlin, NH (603) 752-1028 www.stkieranarts.org White Mountain Artisans Gallery 3358 White Mountain Highway, North Conway, NH • (603) 356-6546 www.whitemountainartisansgallery.com White Mountain Photography 95 Main Street, located inside Snowflake Inn Jackson, NH • (603) 374-6050 www.whitemountainphoto.com WITH THESE HANDS POTTERY* 397 Tasker Hill Road Conway, NH (207) 256-2522 www.withthesehandspottery.com Please report corrections to info@mwvvibe.com. * Direct supporters helping to make MWV Vibe possible

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Youth Discovering Their Potential Through Climbing

By Alyssa Riley

Photo by Jared Heath

“Kismet is one of the most important things in my life, and I cannot wait to spend my summers on the other side— helping and changing lives through Kismet, just like Kismet did for me.”

The Mt. Washington Valley is a wonder, nestled in the expansive White Mountains, home to New England’s highest peaks. There are opportunities to recreate, connect with nature, deepen personal relationships through remarkable shared experiences, and discover a more nuanced understanding of self. If you are reading this, you probably

well-being. By expanding access to the outdoors and offering mentorship in a loving, caring way, Kismet consistently receives feedback such as, “Kismet taught me what being happy and feeling love is truly like.”

Kismet Rock Foundation emerged out of a desire of the founder, Mike Jewell, to offer the same climbing instruction to economically disadvantaged children, as he had given to many children with greater resources throughout his guiding career.

In 1999, he arranged for four children from southern New

know this to be true. However, these benefits are too often exclusive and out of reach for many people.

Kismet Rock Foundation is a nonprofit located within the Valley dedicated to offering under-served youth opportunities to discover their potential through rock climbing, within the context of a family-like atmosphere. For 21 years, Kismet has developed and curated a curriculum and environment that nourishes its students’ physical, intellectual, and emotional

Jersey to travel to New Hampshire during the summer for one week of technical climbing instruction. At the completion of the project, community members approached Mike about starting a nonprofit organization. Kismet Rock Foundation was established in 2000.

In collaboration with middle school guidance counselors, Kismet conducts thorough interviews with interested students to learn who each student is and determine who would benefit

Kismet Rock Foundation is a nonprofit located within the Valley dedicated to offering under-served youth opportunities to discover their potential through rock climbing, within the context of a family-like atmosphere.

16 MWVvibe.com

BOOK YOUR ADVENTURE ONLINE IN ADVANCE!

1712 Lost River Road, North Woodstock, NH

royal_sweet_t978

DISCOVER

Photo by Eric McCallister

derekfinnertyphotography

hhromanski

Photo by Lindsey Garland

most from the program. Kismet accepts students from a broad range of ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, and gender identities. Students come from eight sending schools: Manchester, Bartlett, Berlin, and Gorham, NH; Portland and Fryeburg, ME; and Boston, MA.

Kismet scholarships are offered to accepted students and cover four years of week-long summer programming. Students begin at age 13 and remain in the program, with the same group of peers, for the duration of the scholarship. It is critical to eliminate all barriers of participation, as Kismet is committed to student engagement. Therefore, the scholarship includes rock climbing instruction, housing, meals, transportation, daily activities, and any other individual needs.

Kismet finds success in meeting the needs of its students by creating a loving community. The diverse makeup of the Kismet student body provides its students an extraordinary opportunity to develop friendships and learn from kids whose experience is very different from their own. Additionally, all of the summer program interns and staff are graduates of the program. This provides students with role models they can closely relate to and gives space for honest empathy.

Opportunity for individual growth and self-exploration takes place in the rock-climbing education. Climbing inherently teaches analytical and problem-solving skills, enhances physical strength and grace, encourages emotional regulation, and fosters a sense of collaboration (instead of competition). For some students, Kismet is their first experience being within a natural environment; for others, nature may be familiar, but Summer 2021

ADVENTURE

lostrivergorge.com • 603.745.8031

they have not had a deep immersive experience. The time spent in the White Mountains offers students the chance to connect with nature, witness its vast beauty, and gain an understanding of its need for stewards. Kismet cannot guarantee to produce environmentalists, but it can promise to try.

After a challenging 2020 and adapting the program to a virtual model, Kismet is moving ahead with an in-person 2021 season. Kismet is looking forward to a six-week summer program with the intention to work back up to eight weeks in the near future. There are ongoing goals of expansion, growth, and serving more students—but at the core of Kismet’s vision is doing the most they can for the current students.

As you have come to learn, Kismet is unique in many ways, but it is the compassion and commitment to its students that will continue to guide Kismet. Listening to students, hearing and seeing each as a whole person, and making sure they feel loved will always be at the forefront of this remarkable program.

“Kismet is one of the most important things in my life, and I cannot wait to spend my summers on the other side—helping and changing lives through Kismet, just like Kismet did for me.”

Alyssa Riley, Executive Director, Kismet Rock Foundation director@kismetrockfoundation.org.

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Joe Klementovich/USVLT photo

“Conservation is creating a state of harmony between humankind and the land.”

- Aldo Leopold

UPPER SACO VALLEY LAND TRUST CELEBRATES 20 YEARS

By Tim Scott

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Just over 20 years ago, a small group of citizens concerned with the rampant and poorly planned development prevalent in so much of the area, banded together to create the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust (USVLT), a nationally accredited organization devoted to the preservation of land for community benefit.

I

f you are reading this, chances are that you love the Mt. Washington Valley and western Maine, the region known as the upper Saco River watershed. The watershed boasts remarkable places to live, work, and for recreation, with pristine forests, rivers, and lakes dotting the landscape. But just over 100 years ago, this region was barren, the forests were on fire, and the rivers were choked with debris. It took the Federal Weeks Act and the birth of the National Forest system to begin the process of ending the damage and permanently conserving land for public benefit, a noble process that is still alive today.

Just over 20 years ago, a small group of citizens concerned with the rampant and poorly planned development prevalent in so much of the area, banded together to create the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust (USVLT), a nationally accredited organization devoted to the preservation of land for community benefit. The first conservation easement was completed in December of 2001, and today the USVLT is proud to have completed over 80 land projects covering more than 12,000 acres in its 11-town, two-state service area. If you have ever hiked, biked, walked, paddled, or even driven anywhere here in the Mt. Washington Valley, you have likely enjoyed the benefit of conserved USVLT lands.

Inherent in our philosophy is the concept of community. By conserving land for the public good, the goal is to protect it from development but not to keep it from people. In almost every instance, the creation of an easement still allows for traditional activities, such as farming, year-round recreation, hunting, and even timber management, all based on the needs and desires of the land donors and the community. Increasingly, this has become a practical way for longtime owners and their often-extended families to ensure that their land will stay as it was, and is, forever.

Given the development pressures today, both here and virtually everywhere in our country, the timing and need for this work have never been more critical.

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The Pine Hill Expansion Project USVLT is working to purchase a 134-acre addition to the beloved, existing 460-acre Pine Hill Community Forest in Conway. This project will significantly improve access and trail networks in the heart of town.

The Pine Hill Expansion property will expand the Community Forest in size by 30 percent to a total of 593 acres. Adding in this piece of land will significantly improve the protection of habitat for plant and animal species and will greatly enhance the Community Forest’s opportunities for outdoor education, transportation, and recreation.

The Pine Hill Community Forest is managed to balance ecological and social values for the long-term benefit of the natural and human communities in the Mt. Washington Valley. Management decisions are made by the Pine Hill Management Committee, a multi-stakeholder group.

This project is significant for an area under high development pressure.

USVLT’s purchase of this land will protect: • • • •

134 acres of undeveloped hemlock-hardwood-pine forest 92 acres of important forest soils 30 acres of soils of important agricultural soils 0.3 miles of scenic, undeveloped road frontage to be added to the nearly mile-long protected “green corridor” along NH Route 16

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VALLEY PROJECTS Examples of community projects here in the Valley include the 460-acre Pine Hill Forest in Conway, to which another 134 acres will soon be added. Included in this land are recreational trails, as well as prime S aco River and scenic Route 16 frontage. This project became a partnership among the Town of Conway, Tin Mountain Conservation Center, and USVLT, to ensure that this complex project would benefit all for generations to come.

USVLT has also conserved historic farmlands, including Weston’s Rivercroft Farm in Fryeburg, the Hussey and Lucy farms in Conway, the Amos Merrill Homestead in Conway, and the Earle Family Farm in South Conway. In each instance, conservation easements have enabled current use to continue as before while forever removing the threat of development.

To celebrate the accomplishments of the past 20 years, USVLT launched a $5.97 million capital campaign to establish a Land Action Fund, a Capital Reserve Fund, and a Farmland Acquisition Fund.

The Land Action Fund (at more than $4M) will be used to both complete the Pine Hill expansion and to acquire the Dundee Community Forest, more than 1,200 acres of land in Jackson and Bartlett near the National Forest. The Dundee Forest includes old-growth habitat that supports a wide array of wildlife as well as 3.5 miles of pristine headwater streams.

Future uses will include sustainable timber management, public access for all, and the creation of new trails for hiking, skiing, and other low-impact recreational uses. If you have ever traveled up and over the wild and scenic Dundee Road, you will surely agree that this is an important opportunity, and an investment for the future.

The Capital Reserve fund invests in USVLT’s future work.

Summer 2021

Affordable, Convenient, Luxury In The White Mountains

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603-356-3551 | StarlightLodgeHotels.com 3537 White Mountain Highway | North Conway, NH 21

DUNDEE COMMUNITY FOREST

Dundee Community Forest

JACKSON/BARTLETT, NH

USVLT is partnering with The Trust for Public Land to conserve one of the largest unprotected properties in the Mount Washington Valley. The property has pristine streams, mature timber, old-growth forest, rare plants, and mountain views.

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The Dundee Forest property consists of 16 parcels in Bartlett and Jackson that have been assembled and carefully stewarded by a local family over the course of the last 50 years.

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The Dundee Community Forest project aims to conserve 1,172 acres in Bartlett and Jackson for sustainable forestry, outdoor recreation, and wildlife habitat.

This community forest will host new trail systems, protect numerous rare plant sites, safeguard old growth areas, and buffer the headwaters of Wildcat Brook, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River.

Tin Mountain 2031’

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USVLT invites you to envision the future Dundee Community Forest with them—built with intention and community backing. Financial support helps to create a community resource that gives back for generations to come.

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USVLT plans to manage the Dundee Forest as a community forest in partnership with the towns of Bartlett and Jackson. The property will be further protected by a conservation easement that will be held by the NH Division of Forests and Lands.

The Dundee Community Forest will be open for public access, and as a working forest, it will supply logs to local mills, create jobs in the forest products sector, and provide revenues for the towns.

N BA RT LE TT

WARE PRESERVE Map created by USVLT. Updated 3/23/2021

I N T E RVA L E

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It will provide the financial stability to help sustain USVLT’s stewardship obligations well in the future, as well as scout out the next great group of land projects.

The Farmland Fund will match government grants to conserve agricultural properties and support advocacy efforts on behalf of local family-scale farms. USVLT has already conserved hundreds of acres of prime farmland soils throughout their service area (including many historic farms along West Side Road in Conway and in the Fryeburg intervale). Despite these victories, less than 10 percent of the eligible farmland in the Mount Washington Valley has been protected.

To date, the USVLT has raised just over $5.4 million from state and federal grants and private donations. This was made possible, thanks to the generosity of USVLT’s committed donors, and also to the work of the Trust for Public Land, a

USVLT has also conserved historic farmlands, including Weston’s Rivercroft Farm in Fryeburg, the Hussey and Lucy farms in Conway, the Amos Merrill Homestead in Conway, and the Earle Family Farm in South Conway.

project partner that has brought to the table the largest of the government grants—a $500,000 award from New Hampshire’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program and $2.9 million in federal funding from the Forest Legacy program. That leaves just over $500k to be raised from the community between now and October 2021.

This summer and fall, there will be a broad array of public events and learning opportunities put on by USVLT volunteers to inform, inspire, and promote involvement. Here is a partial list.

SATURDAY, JULY 17, 2021 | 9 A.M. -12 P.M. Dundee—Past and Future SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2021 | 9 A.M. -12 P.M. Follow the “Old” Paths of Dundee MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2021 | 4 P.M. -8:30 P.M. Benefit Night at Flatbread, North Conway

1

Almost There

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Albany • 603-447-2325 2

Barley & Salt

New!

3

Black Cap Grille

5

6

7

8

Cafe Noche

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N. Conway • 603-356-4747

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Jackson • 603-383-4313

21

N. Conway • 603-356-9231

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New!

Christmas Farm Inn Deacon Street

Delaney’s Hole In The Wall Horsefeathers

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Visit USVLT.org for a complete list.

Some believe that we will be one day judged by what we leave behind for future generations. USVLT is uniquely positioned to ensure that the land we love stays that way—rich in natural resources, and available for recreation and scenic enjoyment for all, for generations to come. Our grandchildren will be glad we did.

For more information on the 20 Years and Onward—Preserving Land for Life campaign, or to make a pledge, visit USVLT.org or call (603) 662-0008. The Upper Saco Valley Land Trust is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization and gladly accepts tax-deductible gifts. EIN 02-0521030

Joseph’s Spaghetti Shed Glen • 603-383-6680

11

J-Town Deli & Country Store

Jackson • 603-383-8064 12

Max’s Restaurant & Pub at Snowvillage Inn Eaton • 603-447-2818

13

Merlino’s Steakhouse N. Conway • 603-356-6006

14

Moat Mountain Smokehouse

N. Conway • 603-356-6381 15

Notchland Inn

Hart’s Location • 603-374-6131

Shalimar Of India

North Conway • 603-356-0123

Shannon Door Pub Jackson • 603-383-4211

The Shovel Handle Pub Jackson • 800-677-5737

Thompson House Eatery Jackson • 603-383-9341

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N. Conway • 603-356-7776 9

Red Parka Steakhouse & Pub Glen • 603-383-4344

Conway • 603-447-5050

Chef’s Bistro

Priscilla’s

North Conway • 603-356-0401 18

N. Conway • 603-356-2225 4

Oxford House Inn Fryeburg • 207-935-3442

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N. Conway • 603-356-1037

N. Conway • 603-356-6862

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2021 | 9 A.M. -12 P.M. The Treasures of the Pine Hill Community Forest

Summer 2021

Over 20 locally owned & operated restaurants

White Mountain Cider Company Glen • 603-383-9061

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Wildcat Tavern

Jackson • 603-383-4245 25

302 West Smokehouse & Tavern Fryeburg • 207-935-3021

In addition, the VO also donates over $13K in member gift certificates to over 180 Organizations/Charities in the MWV area, each year!

We also strive to work with local farmers and local producers of high quality products whenever possible.

theValleyOriginals.com ★ The Valley Originals is a 501 (c)3 Non-Profit Organization ★

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EASTERN SLOPE AVIATION ACADEMY

Joe Riddensdale photo

Giving Aspiring Pilots a Competitive Edge By Christine Thompson

T

he Mt. Washington Valley has a flight school. Yes, you heard that correctly. Aspiring pilots and aviation mechanics now have an avenue to obtain the skills necessary to follow their aeronautic dreams. The Eastern Slope Aviation Academy (ESAvAc) founded in 2019, was created to fill the need in Mt. Washington Valley for focused, affordable education and guidance in the field of aviation. The Aviation Academy was born out of several years of hosting summer STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) aviation camps for seventh- and eighth-grade students. Given that the aviation camps were quite successful, stakeholders decided to expand aviation education to high school age students.

Build it and they will come. That seems to be the philosophy of the Eastern Slope Aviation Academy. Tireless advocate and president of the ESAvAc, Ed Bergeron, stated that the academy’s charge is to “introduce careers in aviation of all sorts and make flight training as affordable as possible.”

The need to replace pilots and aviation mechanics who are aging out of the workforce is compelling. According to Statista. com, “The aviation sector has been hit in recent times with a

deficit of 3,170 in 2016.”

Similarly, according to a recent U.S. News article, “Boeing predicts a global need for 754,000 technicians and 890,000 new cabin crew members in the next two decades. While those numbers are grim for airlines, they’re a positive sign for aviation majors looking to land a job after college.”

With this tremendous need in mind, the ESAvAc got to work.

As one might imagine, 2020 presented its fair share of challenges for the fledgling program, but despite those challenges ESAvAc managed to build a strong board of directors, develop governing bylaws, purchase a simulator, refurbish a classroom, and obtain a plane.

As noted above, perhaps one of the most exciting steps forward was the purchase an FAA approved Redbird Flight Training Device (simulator) capable of providing qualified training time. According to the Redbird website, “Redbird started as a familiar conversation amongst pilots: learning to fly is expensive and hard, but once mastered, few pursuits can match the life changing impacts aviation brings. At first glance, the costs and difficulties seemed intractable, but we thought our collec-

growing demand for new pilots as the airline industry continues to experience global shortages in the number of certified pilots. In the next 20 years, airlines in North America alone are going to be in need of around 208,000 new pilots. Projected shortage of airline pilots in the U.S. is expected to increase to over 4,505 pilots by 2025, compared to the recorded pilot

tive backgrounds in technology and passion for aviation might provide at least a few solutions. So Redbird was founded in 2006 with the simple idea that we could help make it easier for anyone to become a pilot.” Now Eastern Slope Aviation Academy can make it easier, too.

Equally as exciting was the generous donation of a plane to

Tireless advocate and president of the ESAvAc, Ed Bergeron, stated that the academy’s charge is to “introduce careers in aviation of all sorts and make flight training as affordable as possible.”

24 MWVvibe.com

Joe Riddensdale photo

the program by Chip Henry. Chip Henry—a lifelong valley resident, ski jumping legend, and supporter of aviation education—donated his Grumman American aircraft trainer, affectionately dubbed “Ramp Bird Refurb,” which will provide a hands-on experience for students interested in general and electrical aviation mechanics. Students will learn these skills by tearing apart the Grumman and putting it back together again so it can return to the friendly skies. The project will cost between $40,000 and $50,000, but the resulting skills the students learn will be priceless.

Building on its commitment to education, ESAvAc partnered with Mount Washington Valley Career and Technical Center (MWVCTC) at Kennett High School to adopt the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) STEM aviation and aerospace curriculum. According to MWVCTC’s director Virginia Schrader, “AOPA is the world’s largest aviation community, and what they have crafted is a comprehensive STEM aviation curriculum for high school students. The program is the first of its kind, offering students a four-year aviation study option that is aligned to rigorous math and science standards. Two career pathways are embedded in the program, which students can decide upon in their 11th-grade year. The options are aircraft pilot or commercial drone pilot. We are Summer 2021

proud that our program, combined with the resources, support, and educational opportunities afforded to us by ESAvAc, is the first in the nation to be recognized as an official career and technical education (CTE) program.” So far, 25 STEM aviation students from Kennett High School have received simulator training. Students from Fryeburg Academy will receive some training during their spring ‘21 “Maymester,” and it is hoped that more area schools will catch the “flying bug” and adopt this model as well.

As if all of that wasn’t enough, the ESAvAc also wants to enhance the offerings for seasoned pilots. In the spirit of lifelong learning, the academy plans to offer membership to the general public as well, in an effort to reach more aviation students. Older pilots will be able to take refresher courses. A recently acquired Cessna 172 will be available for training.

Instruction will be given by one of several certified flight instructors. Bergeron hopes to offer “mountain flying workshops” because we are uniquely located in a mountainous area that lends itself to challenging situations.

If you’d like more information about this industrious undertaking or if you’d like to make a donation, check out their website at www.easternslopeairport. com/aviation-academy.

ALL THAT’S MISSING IS YOU! Bring drinking water, sleeping bags and a cooler full of food.

OUR SECLUDED YURTS HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR A PERFECT GETAWAY!

(802) 233-7010 www.FrostMountainYurts.com Brownfield, ME 25

HOW SUN SMART ARE YOU? Dr. Trish Murray

WE ALL WANT SUNNY DAYS FOR OUR LAKE AND LAND ADVENTURES. BUT BEING SUN SMART IS THE KEY TO BEING SAFE.

W

e treasure our warm-weathered summers in the Mt. Washington Valley filled with an abundance of outdoor activities to choose from.

Fresh air and natural sunlight have amazing health benefits, when enjoyed safely.

Here are some tips to help optimize your health this summer season.

Vitamin D When we think about the benefits of longer daylight hours and increased time outdoors, vitamin D is at the top of the list. This fat-soluble vitamin is vital for our immune system and our overall health. It helps build strong bones by increasing the absorption of calcium.

cognitive decline and dementia.

The human body is able to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight, but how much sun is enough? While it is uncertain exactly how much sun exposure is required for sufficient levels of vitamin D, somewhere between five to 30 minutes of exposure to the sun on one’s unprotected arms, legs, and face during midday hours should provide adequate UV (ultraviolet) rays for vitamin D synthesis. Factors such as season, time of year, cloud cover, and a person’s age and skin melanin content also affect the synthesis of vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiencies are fairly common among those who live in the Northeast United States or similar climates. Talk

beneficial, too much of a good thing can be detrimental to our health. To protect ourselves from the risk of overexposure, many people routinely use skin products containing sunscreen or sunblock.

Ingredients such as zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and other minerals act as a physical barrier and reflect the sun’s UV rays. These mineral sunscreens that once donned the noses of beachgoers in the 1980s and 1990s are now formed from microscopic nanoparticles that blend in with the skin. Evidence suggests that these products are safe to use as few, if any, zinc or titanium particles penetrate the skin to reach living tissues.

Sunscreens can also contain ingredi-

with your doctor to find out if seasonal or year-round vitamin D supplementation is appropriate for you.

ents that are not safe, such as avobenzone or oxybenzone. These organic chemicals absorb UV radiation rather than reflecting it away from the skin. Animal studies report lower sperm counts and sperm abnormalities, as well as delayed puberty,

Vitamin D deficiencies are fairly common among those who live in the Northeast United States or similar climates.

Research has shown that it may have anti-cancer properties, slowing the progress of colon, prostate, and pancreatic cancers.

In addition, vitamin D is important for regulating genes related to brain health and could potentially decrease the risk of

Sunscreen While some sun exposure is certainly

26 MWVvibe.com

WiseguyCreative.com photo

REMINDERS FOR SUN PROTECTION

The obvious and not-so-obvious after exposure to these chemicals. In addition, some sunscreen products contain parabens, fragrances, and other substances that may provoke allergic or

at optimal strength for up to three years, and some will include an expiration date.

Discard sunscreen that is past its expiration date. If you buy sunscreen that does

inflammatory reactions in some people.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non-profit organization that helps consumers understand the risk and safety of many products on the market, including makeup, cleaners, haircare, and sunscreens. In general, mineral sunscreens tend to rate better than chemical sunscreens in the EWG sunscreen database. The best way to choose safer sunscreen is to visit EWG’s website (ewg. org) and look up the sunscreen products rated “safe” based on toxicity.

Sunscreens are designed to remain

not have an expiration date, write the date of purchase on the bottle and use it up within three years after purchase.

UVA radiation is responsible for age spots and wrinkles, as well as some types of skin cancers, so remember “A for aging” in UVA. UVB radiation is what causes burning and skin cancer, so remember “B for burning” in UVB.

Summer 2021

SPF SPF stands for the sun protection factor and refers to how well a sunscreen can protect against the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Look for sunscreens labeled as “broad-spectrum” to ensure that it protects from both UVA and UVB rays.

UVA radiation is responsible for age spots and wrinkles, as well as some types of skin cancers, so remember “A for aging”

• Apply and reapply broadspectrum sunscreen with SPF 30.

• Cover up with lightweight, light-colored clothes.

• Wear a hat with a brim to cover your eyes and scalp.

• Wear sunglasses on a bright day.

• If you use lip balm or makeup, choose products that include at least an SPF of 15.

• Limit your exposure to direct sunlight between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

• Be extra diligent if you are spending time around water, sand, or concrete, as these surfaces reflect UV rays and can cause more severe sunburn.

• Wear sunscreen even on cloudy days, as up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds.

• Stay hydrated when you’re spending time in the sun to avoid heatstroke.

• Consider the UV index forecast for your location, limiting time out in the sun on moderate and high-exposure days.

27

Courtesy of www.simplysunscreen.com

Look for sunscreens labeled as “broad-spectrum” to ensure that it protects from both UVA and UVB rays.

in UVA. UVB radiation is what causes burning and skin cancer, so remember “B for burning” in UVB. Currently, there is no standard in the United States for listing UVA blocking power on sunscreens. The SPF only indicates the factor that blocks the UVB (burning) rays and not the UVA (aging) rays, so opt for broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect from both. Apply a generous coat of sunscreen 15 minutes before you venture outside, then reapply every two hours for as long as you’re going to be outdoors in the sun.

It’s a common misconception that darker complexions don’t need sunscreen.

While melanin, the pigment in skin, does offer some protection from a small amount of UV rays, every shade of skin needs sun protection. If you have a dark skin tone, you likely have a natural skin protectant of about SPF 13. Everyone needs SPF 30 for solid and reliable protection over numerous hours out in the sun.

Skin Cancer Skin cancer is prevalent and can be dangerous. Millions of Americans are diagnosed with some form of skin cancer

every year, totaling more skin cancer diagnoses per year than all other cancers combined. Chronic exposure to sunlight is the cause of almost all skin cancers, which most commonly occur on the face, ears, neck, scalp, shoulders, and back. Women, in particular, also have an increased risk of cancer on the lower legs.

If you know what to look for, you can spot warning signs of skin cancer early on and avoid danger of it spreading or going too deep within the layers of the skin. Do a full body check monthly in a well-lit room in front of a full-length mirror, using a hand mirror for areas that are hard to see.

Follow the ABCDE rule when observing spots or moles:

A – Asymmetry. One section of a mole or birthmark doesn’t match the other section.

B – Border. The edges of a spot are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.

C – Color. The color of a spot is not the same all over and may include shades of brown, black, pink, red, white, or blue.

D – Diameter. The spot is larger than ¼

inch across (about the size of a pencil eraser), although melanomas can sometimes be smaller than this.

E – Evolving. The mole is changing in some way, either in its size, shape, or color.

Point out anything you’re concerned about to your doctor, including:

• Any spots that are new • Any spot that doesn’t look like the others on the rest of your body • Any sore that doesn’t heal • Redness or new swelling beyond the border of a mole • Color that spreads from the border of a spot into the surrounding skin • Itching, pain, or tenderness in an area that doesn’t go away or goes away and comes back in the same area • Changes in the surface of a mole, such as oozing, scaliness, bleeding, or the appearance of a lump or bump changes in some way To learn more, check out www.discoverhealthfmc.com/podcast or the Discover Health Functional Medicine Center YouTube channel.

28 MWVvibe.com

YOU TRIED TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS BUT STILL GOT A SUNBURN? HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO HELP TREAT AND HEAL A SUNBURN.

• Take frequent cool baths or showers and immediately apply a moisturizer to help trap water in your skin when you step out of the shower or the bath.

• Keep aloe gel cool by storing it in the fridge. Apply to your skin as needed.

• Consider taking an anti-inflammatory like aspirin or ibuprofen to help reduce swelling and the discomfort from the sunburn.

• If your skin blisters, do not pop or pick at the blisters. Blistering skin means you have a second-degree sunburn, and you may cause scarring and further damage to the skin if you pop them.

• Take extra care to protect sunburned skin from the sun and elements as it heals. Wear loose, tightly woven fabrics that will help protect your skin from sun and wind when you have a sunburn.

Dr. Trish Murray is a highly accomplished physician that has been certified in internal medicine, osteopathic manipulative medicine, energy medicine, and functional medicine. She is the founder of Discover Health Functional Medicine Center in Conway, New Hampshire and has collaborated with four other wellness professionals to create Discover Health Movement Membership.

For more information, visit www.discoverhealthfmc.com.

Discover Health Functional Medicine Center 24 Pleasant Street, Conway, NH • (603) 447-3112 Summer 2021

Healing Dimensions Massage Therapy “Bridging the Mind and Body through Touch”

Julie Sargent, LMT- NH Lic. # 3358 Member AMTA, Nationally Certified www.JulieSargentMassage.com (603) 502-5326 • 24 Pleasant St. Conway, NH 29

THE ESSENTIALS OF SUMMER HYDRATION

By Sarah LaCourse

WiseguyCreative.com photo

Hydration is a requisite component of overall wellness, and in the hot and humid months of summer, can become even more essential. Whether you are an avid outdoor athlete, adventurer, or spend hours outside for work or play, proper hydration is key.

T

he human body is composed of roughly 60 percent water by weight.

For a 150-pound person, that amounts to approximately 90 pounds of water. When thinking about nutrients for the body, have you previously considered water to be one? Water is arguably the most important nutrient and is essential for numerous functions.

It is not uncommon to hear the recommendation to “drink eight cups of water per day,” along with conversations around preventing dehydration in sports, or that drinking water is good for your overall health. Beyond these general themes, the water discussion is often missed. Most individuals know that drinking water is important, but why? What does water do for the body that makes it so important to consume? We are told dehydration can be dangerous, but how? There is talk of electrolyte replacement for athletes and

the general population, but what is an electrolyte?

At a basic level, the human body is, in essence, a compilation of trillions of cells.

These cells make up organs, muscles, bones, blood cells, and more. Each type of structure contains a varying amount of water by weight. The brain is a higher percentage of water than bone, for example. Beyond being a component of cells, water also serves functions within these organs and other tissues. Water is also critical for the transport of nutrients and wastes. It is the vehicle by which nutrients are brought to various sites in the body, and is also what removes waste and by-products of cellular processes from the body. Structure and transport make sense when thinking about the functions of water in our bodies, but what about reactions? Water is a key player in many chemical reactions throughout the body.

Water is not only a component of organs, bones, and other body structures, it serves functions within these areas as well. In the brain, water is essential for neurotransmitter and hormone production and function. Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers in the brain and body that instruct the recipient cell on how to function. Confused by what neurotransmitters actually are? One of the most commonly known neurotransmitter categories is endorphins, often connected with the experience of a “runner’s high.”

They are the minuscule molecules that lead to a reaction; in the case of endorphins, one of the reactions is the runner’s high feeling. Another key role of water in the brain and nervous system has to do with sending these messages from cell to cell. In this case, water is involved in the electrical energy for messages to be transmitted.

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8 CUPS PER DAY: FACT OR MYTH?

SOME NOT-SO-OBVIOUS BENEFITS OF STAYING HYDRATED Regulates temperature by sweat and respiration Functions within components of body structures such as bones and organs Transports nutrients Flushes out waste Helps breakdown nutrients for digestion Helps manufacture chemical substances needed by the body Neurotransmitter production and sending messages are far from the only chemical reactions in which water is needed. Cooling and dissolving are two types of chemical reactions that water is involved in that can be affected by the external environment, such as heat and humidity. When picturing water as a coolant, an easy depiction is sweat. When our temperature increases, sweat is produced and the water in sweat is evaporated. The evaporation releases heat and cools the body down.

In the hot and humid months of summer, the function of water as a coolant is both helpful and something to be aware of. Sweat offers important relief, and is also highly individual. Some people naturally have a higher sweat rate and others do not sweat as much or often. Some are salty sweaters and others do not have as much sodium lost through sweat. For those who are salty sweaters, especially with a higher sweat rate, hydration and electrolyte replenishment will need more attention than an individual with a low sweat rate.

Another mechanism by which water assists in chemical reactions is as a solvent.

That is, it dissolves other substances.

Some of these substances include glucose, minerals, and amino acids. In this scenario, water is involved in the dynamic process of breaking down substances for absorption. These substances, as mentioned above, include glucose (sugar), minerals (such as electrolytes: sodium, potassium, and chloride), and amino acids (the building blocks of proteins).

Simply put, by water being present, these Summer 2021

substances are able to be absorbed by various cells in the body for their specific purpose. When dissolving substances for absorption, it is not uncommon for two or more substances to exist together in this pathway. It is also not uncommon for two substances to aid in the absorption of each other.

When talking about absorption, an easy way to explain this concept is to turn to sports drinks; there are many on the market. They are targeted towards athletes, as they contain electrolytes and sometimes carbohydrates, mainly sugars. The reasoning behind this is for the replacement of lost water, electrolytes, and sugar with exercise. With products that combine electrolytes (mainly sodium), and sugar (mainly glucose), there is a reason. On a cellular level, it is an intricate process. In essence, sodium absorption, when sugar is also present, is increased. This is an example of how two different substances can aid in absorption into a cell.

Discussing absorption leads to a needed explanation of intracellular versus extracellular fluid. Water and substances do not just simply exist within the cells, or intracellular. They are also extracellular, in the space surrounding the cells. Respectively, these are referred to as intracellular fluid (ICF) and extracellular fluid (ECF). Where the cells of organs, bones, muscles, and blood cells mentioned above make up the ICF, it is the space between constituting the ECF. Water does not stay in ICF or ECF forever; it can move between. One of the main promoters of water movement between

While it is common to hear or be told to drink eight cups of water per day, it simply is not this straightforward. Eight cups could be the average amount one individual needs per day, but this is far from covering each individual’s hydration requirements. When it comes to hydration, there are many factors at play: age, gender, overall health, medications, outside temperature and humidity, altitude, and activity level.

According to The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the average adult male needs 3.7 liters per day, while the average adult female needs 2.7 liters per day. This recommendation is given based on an individual being in good health, with no personal medical conditions or medications, which could change fluid requirements. Remember also that other factors will influence this recommended amount, such as if the individual is highly active or outside in hot and humid environments often.

While it is easy to think of water needs in terms of water alone, this is not the only source. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of water and also contain many vitamins and minerals that are great for the body.

Along with containing water, fruits and vegetables also provide electrolytes in varying amounts. Ever hear that bananas are high in potassium?

They are a good source of potassium, which is an electrolyte, and they also contain water.

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DON’T FORGET THE PUP!

Keeping your dog hydrated is essential to their health and maintaining a healthy amount of water intake regularly will ensure that your pup is ready for the next adventure.

But how do we know how much they should get? How do we carry it? Dogs require anywhere from ½ oz to 1 oz per pound of body weight. This figure varies on the amount and type of exercise your dog gets per day.

Lori Emery, owner of Ultimate Canine Adventures, pays close attention to temperatures and location during her daily adventures. “When we’re out we try exercise near water, but if it’s not possible then we carry a collapsible bowl, or something similar, with us.”

So what’s the easiest way to bring your dog’s water with you?

Brian and Kathy Ahearn of Four Your Paws Only, in North Conway recommend a container that holds, but doesn’t waste, unused water called an AutoDogMug® Leak-Tight.

Simply squeeze the AutoDogMug® Leak-Tight and water fills the bowl for your pup to drink, release and the remaining water returns to the bottle, not wasting a drop. It is available in three sizes and comes with a carabiner that can attach to a pack or your belt loop.

these two areas is osmosis.

With osmosis, water has a tendency to move from an area with a lower concentration of substances to an area with a higher concentration. These substances are known as solutes—minerals, glucose, amino acids. Water will move between the ECF and ICF depending on the concentration of solute and solvent. This process controls the distribution and

hypernatremia can occur when there is a lack of fluid intake or excess loss. Usually, excessive thirst will be the symptom, but it can lead to others as well. The best way to prevent both hypo- and hypernatremia is to monitor hydration levels and stay on top of your individual needs.

Another important consideration is that hydration is not only fluid intake.

Fruits and vegetables contain water,

an electrolyte mix to your water to get what you need. Even baby-food squeeze packs are a good option for helping, as they have some water from the fruits and veggies, plus some other nutrients to keep you going. Are you working outside all summer long? Make sure to pack and bring with you for your day what will help you stay on top of your hydration requirements. Perhaps this is a meal or

cellular “balance” of electrolytes based on their availability.

When considering hydration, it is important to understand that hydration is not only water. In the example of a salty sweater possibly needing to replenish electrolytes more than an individual who has a low sweat rate or does not lose as much salt, you might see that water alone is not the only factor. While only water is appropriate for some, it might not be for others. This is especially true during the hot and humid months. Too high of a water intake without proper electrolytes can lead to hyponatremia or low blood sodium; whereas hypernatremia is high blood sodium. It is an intricate balance that our body manages. This is one of the reasons that sports drinks contain sodium, to help with the prevention of hyponatremia in those exercising and needing fluid replacement.

Hyponatremia can occur when taking in large amounts of fluids without electrolyte replacement. It can cause symptoms such as fatigue, headache, loss of appetite, nausea, confusion, cramping, and more serious effects. Whereas

along with vitamins and minerals. While water alone, and sometimes with the addition of electrolytes and/or glucose is important, our food intake is another factor of hydration.

There are easy ways to monitor your hydration status. Are you sweating a lot and noticing a salty residue on your shirt or backpack? Do you find yourself feeling fatigued on a hike even though you have been chugging water throughout? What is your urine color? A pale yellow tint is a good indicator of hydration, whereas a darker yellow could signal a need to increase fluid and potentially electrolyte intake. Do you feel thirsty? How is your appetite? These questions can help you understand where you are on the hydration spectrum.

Remaining hydrated is also requires preparation. If you know you are going to be engaging in a long activity, stay on top of fluid needs the few days prior, and plan to have access to fluid throughout the activity. This might mean packing a water filter on a long hike so that you have enough water available to drink. It might also mean adding a little salt or

snack with more veggies or fruits. When thought about in advance, hydration becomes much easier to manage.

While the processes occurring in the body involved in hydration are vast and complicated, hydrating ourselves does not need to be. It is all about finding what works for you based on what your needs are.

Another important consideration is that hydration is not only fluid intake.

Fruits and vegetables contain water, along with vitamins and minerals.

Sarah LaCourse is a certified personal trainer and certified sports nutritionist with a bachelor’s in psychology (neuroscience focus) and minor in nutrition from The University of New Hampshire. She coaches endurance-and adventure-loving humans with the mission of helping them develop resilient foundations and fuel appropriately to keep pursuing the activities they love. Give her a call to learn how she can help!

Sarah LaCourse, CPT, CSN. www.sarahlacourse.com (603) 686-3846 snlacourse@gmail.com

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SOAK. SIP. RELAX.

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For deeper relaxation, add a massage-treatment and enjoy a delicious bevy & lite fare, while you Soak. Sip. Relax. at The SoakingPot Infusion Spa White Mountains of North Conway, NH. in the Whi

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FROM TUCKERMAN TO TAPS: North Conway Water Precinct Delivers Some of the Best Water on the Planet

By Jason Gagnon

Why It’s Important We All Do Our Part to Help Protect It

T

he rich natural beauty of New Hampshire’s White Mountains attracts thousands of visitors every year to the Mt. Washington Valley, many of whom use North Conway as the base camp for their adventures. In many instances, visitors come to enjoy the water they find above ground. In the summer, via a lazy float in a tube while soaking up the warm sun or while fishing from the banks of the Saco or Swift rivers; and in the winter, as they race downhill searching for the perfect stash of untouched snow on the ski

slopes, or scale the sheer ice walls found off the beaten paths. After a full day of play, they retire to the hotels and restaurants to clean up, refuel for the next day, and reminisce the day’s adventures over a nightcap with friends—all while dishes are washed, showers are had, and toilets are flushed in the background.

While most of us are keenly aware of the direct role water plays in recreation—a bad snow year, for example, or how drought or major flooding affects the rivers—fewer of us ever think about

what’s going on with the water under the ground and in the pipes, or how that water supports nearly every aspect of our daily lives. This is where the North Conway Water Precinct comes in.

In most communities across New England, public water and wastewater services are provided by the towns or cities.

The Mt. Washington Valley is somewhat unique, in that public drinking water is not provided by the towns themselves, but rather by municipal corporations called village districts and precincts.

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WiseguyCreative.com photo

These entities are legally recognized political sub-governments of the State of New Hampshire—similar to towns in many ways, but with a more narrowly defined scope of operation focused on public drinking water, wastewater, and fire and rescue services. As you explore the Valley, your travels may take you through no less than nine (including fire districts) of these entities, each within an 8-mile radius of North Conway Village.

Each of these precincts and village districts arose from a simple need: as Summer 2021

individual villages within the Valley grew, the density of development could no longer be supported by individual water wells. Whether to support a rail depot or industrial use, or to provide fire protection for tightly packed downtown buildings, each of the villages recognized the value of a reliable, on-demand source of water.

From a practical standpoint, a single town-wide system was not feasible.

Today’s expansive water systems exist mostly thanks to high-powered pumps

that push water over great distances to storage tanks that provide adequate pressure to all users. In the mid-to-late1800s, when most of these systems were first being imagined, available technology involved moving water from a reservoir at a higher elevation by gravity down to the village below—making proximity to the source of your water much more important—and so the many separate water systems throughout the Valley were born.

Although evidence has been found of wooden pipes in use earlier on specific 35

North Conway Water Precinct photo After a brief holding period in the waste-activate sludge (WAS) holding tank, WAS is pumped to the dewatering building where it is mixed with a polymer to encourage water release. At this point, the WAS contains about just one percent solids—still almost entirely water. WAS is made up primarily of microorganisms, and the polymer helps break down water surface tension so that the microorganisms will more easily release the water they’re holding on to in the dewatering process. The WAS/polymer mixture then flows into three Huber inclined screw presses where, in a nutshell, most of the water is squeezed out. The water returns to the headworks of the WWTF to be treated again, while the dewatered solids are conveyed into dumpsters for disposal at a secure landfill.

properties, the first documented attempt at a larger scale water system in North Conway came in 1877 with the incorporation of the North Conway Aqueduct and Water Company. In 1883, the water system was built under the direction

miles of water main, 200 service connections, and 35 fire hydrants, with a total investment of $20,000.

The North Conway Water Precinct (NCWP) was created by an act of the New Hampshire legislature on February

sure and storage for firefighting.

Today, NCWP operates five gravel-packed wells within the deep, clean sand and gravel aquifer of the Saco River Valley. This aquifer is fed by the melting snow of the White Mountains and

of Nathan Whitaker, Lycurgus Pitman, and W. M. Pitman. The system collected water from a reservoir built along Artist Brook (near the end of what is now Thompson Road) with 3.5 miles of cast iron pipe ranging in size from 10 inches to 3 inches in diameter and including six fire hydrants, eight gate valves, and 40 service connections—at a reported cost of $10,000. In 1891, the waterworks was reorganized as the North Conway Water and Improvement Company, this time with the additional purposes of providing sewer and fire protection services.

By 1897, the system had expanded to 11

14, 1905, for the purpose of purchasing the privately held North Conway Water and Improvement Company by the citizens of North Conway. In the following decades, the citizens of NCWP continued to invest in their public water system to meet the growing demand for clean, reliable water service, including the addition of another reservoir off Hurricane Mountain Road. Eventually, groundwater wells were drilled to replace the surface water reservoirs, further improving the reliability and quality of supply. Large storage tanks were also added to the system to provide reliable water pres-

provides some of the cleanest, best-tasting drinking water in the world. Water department staff take great pride in their work to maintain our water system.

The purity of our source and continued investment in a modern, well-maintained distribution (piping) system has allowed NCWP to be the largest non-disinfecting water system in New Hampshire.

Our water treatment process is simple: pump the water from deep within the aquifer, adjust the pH slightly to help protect our piping, and fill the tanks so that customers have a safe, reliable supply of water at their disposal. No chlorine

Today, NCWP operates five gravel-packed wells within the deep, clean sand and gravel aquifer of the Saco River Valley. This aquifer is fed by the melting snow of the White Mountains and provides some of the cleanest, best-tasting drinking water in the world.

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Water & Sewer Demand During the peak summer months, water demand is more than double what it is during the shoulder seasons— much of this use is for irrigation, which never makes its way back to

North Conway Water Precinct photo NCWP is constantly looking to invest wisely in infrastructure that creates long-term savings for customers and taxpayers. In 2011, NCWP was one of the first municipalities in New Hampshire to install a solar array and geothermal HVAC at our WWTF. In 2020, faced with the cost of a much-needed new fire station, NCWP invested in expansion of the solar array. The estimated $130K+ electricity savings from the array will be used to offset the cost of the fire station over the next 20 years and continue to return those savings over the full 40-year life of the solar panels.

or other disinfectants are added to our water supply. When you get a glass of water from the tap in North Conway, you are drinking water from the same source as the fancy store-bought spring water—the major differences being that NCWP water costs customers $0.003 per gallon (more than 1,000 times less expensive than the store-bought stuff) and doesn’t come with the potential environmental and health impacts of a single-use plastic bottle.

Our water system provides more than just incredibly high-quality drinking

West Side Road, and an interconnection with Conway Village Fire District provides the water supply and fire pressures needed to support continued development in the northern end of their system.

At the height of tourism season, NCWP’s water, wastewater, and fire and rescue departments support an estimated 30,000 users over a single weekend—roughly equivalent to the entire population of cities like Dover or Rochester.

This intense tourism activity brings with it an increased risk to the natural

At the height of tourism season, NCWP’s water, wastewater, and fire and rescue departments support an estimated 30,000 users over a single weekend—roughly equivalent to the entire population of cities like Dover or Rochester.

water. Our four million gallons of water storage also ensure reliable water pressure and fire protection to support and protect economic activity within North Conway and beyond. Water from NCWP is purchased by Pennichuck Corporation for the Birch Hill residential water system off Summer 2021

resources of the Valley. NCWP recognizes that the foundation of life in the Mt. Washington Valley is the rich natural environment that surrounds us. The ecological services it provides are often the primary reasons people chose to live and vacation here, and the mountains

the WWTF for treatment. In rainy/wet months like April, tourism and water production decrease, but groundwater gets into old leaky sewer pipes in sending systems, causing NCWP to treat more water at the WWTF than it produces from its wells.

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WiseguyCreative.com photo Most tubers and paddlers around this unique part of the Saco River have no idea they’re floating right past a wastewater treatment plant, responsible for cleaning a million gallons of sewerage every day. And that is just the way plant management prefers it. The Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) opened in 1997, and since that time, NCWP has continued investing in expanding the sewer collection system throughout North Conway—and in 2016, began receiving all wastewater flow from Conway Village Fire District as well.

and rivers and the recreational opportunities they provide are the basis for our local economy. Because of the strong connection between our natural environment and our way of life, NCWP takes very seriously its role as a steward of Mt. Washington Valley water resources.

In the 1980s, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) presented the findings of a study showing NCWP’s

Valley. The Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) opened in 1997, and since that time, NCWP has continued investing in expanding the sewer collection system throughout North Conway—and in 2016, began receiving all wastewater flow from Conway Village Fire District as well. Additional treatment capacity still remains to accept future wastewater flows from other Valley communities.

removal, as needed, to meet the demands of influent sewerage that is constantly changing in response to seasonal tourism activity. Varying levels of dissolved oxygen are used in each section of our treatment process to create a unique metabolic environment in which different naturally occurring microorganisms remove specific components of pollution found in wastewater. After the microor-

drinking water wells were at risk of contamination from the growing impacts of development and intense tourism activity. Over more than a decade, NCWP worked to develop plans and build support for a public wastewater system with the capacity to protect drinking water resources throughout the Mt. Washington

The treatment process at the WWTF involves careful monitoring and control of the natural biological process by NCWP’s skilled operators. Operators combine knowledge of microbiology, water chemistry, and fluid processes with hands-on industrial mechanic skills to regulate mixing, aeration, and solids

ganisms “eat” the pollution in the wastewater, they then fall to the bottom of one of the final treatment tanks where some will be recycled to the beginning of the treatment process, while others will be removed, dewatered, and disposed of at the Conway landfill.

In addition to NCWP, other local

Our water treatment process is simple: pump the water from deep within the aquifer, adjust the pH slightly to help protect our piping, and fill the tanks so that customers have a safe, reliable supply of water at their disposal. No chlorine or other disinfectants are added to our water supply. When you get a glass of water from the tap in North Conway, you are drinking water from the same source as the fancy store-bought spring water.

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Saco River Brewing photo

Affordable tree services, based in Fryeburg, Maine, servicing the Mt. Washington Valley region.

• Tree Removal • Tree Pruning Courtesy photo You might never have realized that part of the reason the coffee and beer tastes so good in town is that it started with some of the best water on the planet. When pouring a glass of water in North Conway, you’re basically drinking water from the same source as the fancy store-bought spring water.

municipal water providers include Conway Village Fire District, Lower Bartlett Water Precinct, Bartlett Village Water Precinct, Jackson Water Precinct, and the Village District of Eidelweiss. Although water distribution technology has improved through the years to hypothetically allow consolidation of these various public water suppliers, the individual precincts and districts continue to thrive independently. Here in New Hampshire, these entities embody the spirit of local control as the citizens of each precinct or district invest locally to support and enrich their communities through robust public infrastructure. In many cities and towns, the type of progress achieved by precincts and districts might not be possible due to competing funding priorities and large numbers of voters not served directly by the water and sewer systems.

It is important to understand, however, that precincts, districts, and towns are most successful when they work together in the best interest of the larger community. In North Conway, for example, the water, wastewater, and fire infrastructure built and maintained by NCWP is vitally important to the development of the commercial tax base that promotes lower tax rates for residents. Likewise, proactive planning and zoning at the town level is vitally important to focus development in areas that pose less contamination threat to the drinking water supply. NCWP and the Town of Conway have historically worked well together to leverage the strengths of each organization for the benefit of the community. Examples of this include coordination of town road projects with NCWP water and sewer projects, and treatment of the town’s landfill leachate in exchange for disposal of WWTF sludge, Summer 2021

J & C Tree Service LLC (603) 348 7454 • JandCTreeService.com

david@fishstreetdesign.com (207) 697-2277 • Fish St., Fryeburg, ME

www.FishStreetDesign.com 39

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North Conway Wastewater Treatment Facility AERIAL TOUR 1. Headworks 2. Carousel Influent 3. Fermentation Zone 4. First Anoxic Zone 5. Aerobic Zone 6. Carousel Effluent Weir 7. Second Anoxic Zone 8. Re-Aeration Tank 9. Secondary Clarifiers 10. Disinfection and Effluent Pumping 11. Waste-Activated Sludge Holding Tank 12. Rapid Infiltration Basins 13. Septage Receiving 14. Septage Holding Tank 15. Dewatering 16. Solar Array For detailed information, go to www.ncwpnh.org/ wastewater-treatment-facility/pages/aerial-tour.

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The North Conway Wastewater Treatment Facility is a state-of-the-art, five-stage Bardenpho process providing advanced biological nutrient removal and capable of effectively treating 2.25 million gallons per day (MGD) before returning cleaned effluent back to the groundwater within the Saco River aquifer.

Wastewater treatment is both an art and a science. Operators use their knowledge of microbiology, chemistry, and physics to analyze and optimize WWTF performance—but at the end of the day, any operator will tell you that working with the hundreds (if not thousands) of possible adjustments within the WWTF to optimize treatment is an art that is developed over many years of observation and experience.

which alone saves the taxpayers of Conway nearly half a million dollars each year. As development pressure continues to grow in the Valley, the importance of collaboration between the towns, precincts, and districts to protect our natural resources cannot be understated.

NCWP has also prioritized partnership with state and federal funding agencies, such as NH Department of Environmental Services, USDA Rural Development, and U.S. Economic Development Administration. These partnerships leverage NCWP’s local commitment, opening a pipeline that brings outside funding into our local economy and allows a relatively small precinct with less than 5,000 residents to build systems capable of supporting the regional economic engine in an affordable manner.

Perhaps you had never heard of NCWP before. You might never have realized that part of the reason the coffee and beer tastes so good in town is that it

started with some of the best water on the planet. You also might not realize you’re floating past a wastewater plant cleaning a million gallons of sewerage every day when you pass by on the Saco on a hot July day. That’s okay. We know we’re doing our job well when the water doesn’t raise eyebrows for the wrong reasons.

But the next time you find yourself skiing Tuckerman Ravine in the spring, you might reflect for a minute about how the snow you’re skimming over will eventually melt and become North Conway’s drinking water. If you can choose between actions that threaten our groundwater, or a little extra effort to do your part to keep it clean, I hope you think about how much better your beverage of choice tastes here, or the nearly $100 million NCWP has invested over the years to protect our Valley’s natural resources—and decide to do your part to help keep our water clean.

North Conway Water Precinct will continue to do our part to ensure that clean water is a touchstone of the Mt. Washington Valley.

Jason Gagnon has served as superintendent of North Conway Water Precinct since 2018. Prior to arriving in North Conway, Jason’s career involved time as a director of public works, consulting engineer, and in the heavy commercial construction field. He currently serves on the Advisory Commission for the New Hampshire Drinking Water Groundwater Trust Fund, on the Board of Directors for the New Hampshire Water Works Association, and as a board member of the Saco Headwaters Alliance.

He is a strong believer in the value of public infrastructure and public education, both of which he believes are foundations of every strong community.

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Mt. Washington Valley

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By Clem McAuliffe

THE SUMMER SCENE FOR BEING SEEN & TIPPING BACK A FEW BREWS For the past 14 months, I mostly took my work home. When I say “work,” I really mean product, and when I say “product”—it really means beer. The constant barrage of new brews, ciders, and seltzers was starting to take its toll on me. The flood of suds began to swallow me up and dunk me down. All I could do to keep afloat was fight back the only way I know ... belly-up beer boy! I’m not complaining. The wave was euphoric, even dizzying at times. Through the haze, a quote kept hopping around the drafty space between my ears, “… ye cannot see the wood for the trees.” John Heywood, circa 1546, was right. I lost touch of what was right in front of me. Local beer. Local music. Local vibe. It’s here, they’re here, and I’m here, making up for lost time. Luckily, I’m a quick study and got back to speed lickity-split. Here’s a sneak peek into what’s coming, and some callbacks to some of my favorites.

Nothing says summer is here more than a pair of flip-

flops, and no one has better Flip-Flops than Saco River Brewing in Fryeburg, Maine. Their rotating IPA, Flip Flop, stays tasty every step of the way. The latest batch #56, is a juicy topaz dry-hopped 6.7% NEIPA. I can’t wait for the next shoe to drop, because just like Jimmy Buffet, I never met a flip-flop I didn’t like. Hard seltzer has crow-barred itself into their tap room as subtly as me mentioning my craft beer and wine shop, Vista Bev & Market on Hurricane Mountain Road. Also, pack an epipen and keep a look out for their new killer imperial IPA, Murder Hornet’s Nest. This IPA isn’t fatal, but you may suffer some symptomatic slurred speech. A quick congrats to Mason and his staff as they celebrate their 5th anniversary. Fittingly, the traditional gift of wood will be symbolically available every other Wednesday, served up by White Mountain Wood-Fired Pizza & Catering. Plus a bevy of other food trucks all summer.

If you’ve heard this one before, it’s because when something

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is this good, you repeat it. What do you get when you have a new tap room, dog-friendly beer garden with fire pits, yard games, food trucks, live music, and throw in classic car shows and a weekly farmer’s market? You get me, my son’s 1972 Mustang Mach 1, and our dog with big smiles at Hobbs Brewing on Route 16 in Ossipee, NH. Add to that fresh local brews, and it’s just not fair! Back in the saddle with a paddle is Lake Life, a citrusy summer pale ale, perfect for life on the lake. The newbie in a tubie is River Drifter, which is perfect for (yeah, you got it) drifting on the river. Arrr, she’s a light, crisp American pale lager that cruises at a crushable 4.5% ABV, matey! Be there or be square, Peggy Sue.

There’s a current theme in the Valley beer scene, and I love it. Fresh brew, friendly food, cornhole, and hanging outside listening to live music.

Rek’•lis Brewing in Bethlehem, NH has so much going on, they can satisfy any taste—plus they’re always giving back to the community. Forgive me … I’m starting to tear up. Tito, hand me a tissue. Their partnership with White Mountain Trail Collective (read all about them on page 60) inspired Trail Call, a dry-hopped pilsner. This beer will forever support that fabulous non-profit and pairs perfectly with picking gravel out of your palms. If that isn’t enough, then check out their partnering with The Colonial Theatre for a July 3 and 4 music festival. Ten bands, two days, and about a million little bubbles from a boundless bunch of beer barrels. Beautiful!

One of the state’s most visited destinations is Woodstock Inn Brewery, located at the base of the White Mountains. As if the brewery,

Bear Notch Road to the “Kanc” is my favorite route, but any way is a good way for a short visit, or a long stay. award-winning restaurant, and stylish inn weren’t enough, the drive through the mountains is a hidden treasure unto its own. Bear Notch Road to the “Kanc” is my favorite route, but any way is a good way for a short visit or a long stay. For those who want the mountain brought to them, Woodstock beers are available just about everywhere in the Valley. Their

Summer 2021

IT’S BAAACK ...

The Hopstroski NEIPA colaboration is back in cans and on shelves at Rek’•lis and Saco River Brewing (at the time of this writing). This hazy IPA was inspired by two breweries in their desire to donate to Ride NOCO and Bethlehem Trails Association (two local groups that create and maintain bike trails).

Find out more at @Sacobrewery and @Reklisbrewingco. Get it while it lasts!

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Mosaic Pineapple Pale Ale, a hoppy, smooth fruit-influenced brew, is a great 5% ABV day-drinker. I strongly suggest ye see the “wood” through the trees.

Our newest hot spot in town, Ledge Brewing Company, on Route 16 in Intervale, is sizzling for summer. With 10 beers on tap, they keep it fresh and fun for everyone. Solid standbys like As You Wish NEIPA, Foxhound Brown, and Hobo Joe Coffee Stout (infused with local cold brewed coffee from Frontside Coffee Roasters) can be tasted in a 4-ounce pour, pounded in a pint, or grabbed to go in a growler. Many more mouth-watering minions are making their mark on me. Bramble On, a mixed fermentation beer aged on raspberries is stunning. The lagers are built for summer, a hard seltzer option for non-beer drinkers, and some barrel-aged dubbels or stouts round out the sharp brewing at the Ledge. There is ample space in the beer garden, plus live music, food trucks, and great staff. This just in—Cody tells me they put in a slushie machine to serve up frozen Bramble On. That’s a big gulp I can get behind!

As usual, Moat Mountain Brewing is solid as a rock and sneaky as a fox. They’re slipping in a lemongrass and ginger Witbier, Ooh La La, to their line-up. This unique libation is very light, refreshing, and will hit the spot on a hot summer day. An upgraded canning line means more Moat for the masses and less headaches for the canners. Thank you, people of the Moat, for keeping me fed and sated for as long as I’ve been in the Valley.

Tuckerman’s summer Pils is back! This single hopped pilsner has Citra and orange peel to thank for the bold fruity flavor, and you to thank for being picked as a huge crowd pleaser. Keeping the summer season in mind, Tuckerman Brewing tickles our tongue with Twilight. Full on flavor, low in calories (only 120!). The 4.2% American light lager is crisp, clean, and delightfully thirst

Come by to say hi to BOOMER!

• Over 500 Craft Beers • Make Your Own 6-Pack • Just South of Storyland

779 ROUTE 16, GLEN, NH (603) 383-4800

COPPER PIG BREWERY

SCHILLING BEER

WHITE MOUNTAIN BREWERIES

IRON FURNACE BREWING

LEDGE LEDGE BREWING BREWING COMPANY WOODSTOCK INN BREWERY

MOAT MOUNTAIN BREWING SEA DOG BREWING SACO RIVER BREWING TUCKERMAN BREWING

TWIN BARNS BREWING CO.

Intervale, NH (603) 356-6381

Saco River Brewing www.sacoriverbrewing.com

Fryeburg, ME (207) 256-3028

Tuckerman Brewing Co. www.tuckermanbrewing.com

Conway, NH (603) 447-5400

Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Co. www.hobbstavern.com

West Ossipee, NH (603) 539-2000

Sea Dog Brewing Co. No. Conway, NH www.nconway.seadogbrewing.com (603) 356-0590

REK’•LIS BREWING

ONE LOVE BREWERY

Moat Mountain Brewing Co. www.moatmountain.com

HOBBS TAVERN & BREWING

Rek’•lis Brewing Co. www.reklisbrewing.com

Bethlehem, NH (603) 991-2357

Ledge Brewing Co. www.ledgebrewing.com

Intervale, NH

Woodstock Inn Brewery No. Woodstock, NH www.woodstockinnbrewery.com (603) 745-3951 Iron Furnace Brewing www.ironfurnacebrewing.com

Franconia, NH (603) 823-2119

Schilling Beer Co. www.schillingbeer.com

Littleton, NH (603) 444-4800

Copper Pig Brewery www.copperpigbrewery.com

Lancaster, NH (603) 631-2273

One Love Brewery www.onelovebrewery.com

Lincoln, NH (603) 745-7290

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quenching. Back by popular demand, Dawn Patrol, a juicy NEIPA, is up early and ready to save you from boring beer predicaments. For those who prefer to sleep in, a special summer release will fit the bill. The 6.3% nitro coffee stout, Night Mission, is a collaboration with the Ski the Whites Coffee Co. Night or day, light or dark, Tuckerman hits the mark.

Breaking news: cider on draught at the tap room!

On our way back from trying times, I would like to say THANK YOU and welcome back to the bartenders and cooks, the servers and singers, and the winers and diners. Without each other we have nothing. Together, we have it all.

CHECK OUT SOME OF CLEM’S CALLBACKS Rek·lis: BYP (Barn Yard Pimps) – super clean, crisp Pilsner;

Jefe – light Hefeweizen with soft banana notes Moat: Call It A Day – 8% DIPA with low bitterness;

Miss V’s Blueberry Pale Ale – 90 pounds of wild Maine blueberries!

Tuckerman: Pale Ale – a valley classic, superior flavor Kolsch – silky summer sippa’ Woodstock: Pig’s Ear – flagship, mellow brown ale

Mosaic Papaya Pale Ale – hoppy, smooth, fruit-influenced Saco River: Ha Ha! – juicy DIPA, dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin & Citra Old Course Porter – 6.6 % with roasty chocolate notes Ledge: Vaquera – 5% light Mexican Lager. Muy Bueno!

One Trick Pony – 5.3% Pale Ale with Mosaic Hobbs: Hi-Jack – 6.1% NEIPA, juicy & smooth with Citra, Simcoe & Mandarina

Bavaria Salinity Now! Raspberry - kettle-soured Gose

with Isle of Shoals (NH) sea salt

PLEASE CHECK

Clem McAuliffe, owner of Vista Bev & Market, loves beer. He loves talking about beer, reading about beer, writing about beer and, of course, drinking beer.

All who enter the store quickly understand the benefit of asking, “Clem, what am I drinking today?”

V

S TA

(603) 356-5084 • Intervale

FOR OUR DAILY SPECIALS

Where Life is Good!

Summer Release

Visit Our Brewer y Summer Pils - 4.5% A single hopped Pilsner style beer brewed with Citra hops and orange peel.

Available seasonally, find Summer Pils in stores across NH, ME and MA.

Outdoor Beer Garden Open Daily Located at 66 Hobbs St, Conway, NH Over 13 beers on draft Now serving a light food menu daily Live enter tainment ever y weekend

OPEN DAILY FROM 11:30AM

Almost There Sports Tavern & Restaurant tuckermanbrewing.com

Summer 2021

(603) 447-2325 • 1287 Route 16, Albany, NH Just south of the Kancamagus Highway

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Cathedral Ledge Distillery Something New, Something Bold ... and 100% USDA-Certified Organic

by Joe Russo

A

s you head north and drive around the Mt. Washington Valley, you may have noticed a lot of new construction underway. I know I can’t miss it; it is everywhere. One afternoon I drove by the area around the Local Grocer and Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery, and I saw a parcel of land being cleared—and in what seemed like a blink of an eye, a brand-new timber-frame building was being erected on Route 16. I was curious as to what this site would be. Was this going

location? Well, it was! What I didn’t realize was that we were getting New Hampshire’s first USDA-Certified Organic distillery.

I was even more excited when the company’s sign was installed, and it read “Cathedral Ledge Distillery.” I love the name and could not wait for the place to open!

Fast forward many months, and the distillery is open for business and turning out vodka, gin, whiskey, and of course, bourbon. There is something different about this place, and I’m

to be a new restaurant, a tourist trap selling tchotchke items, or maybe a new store? I was hearing chatter from many locals in the area that we were getting a new distillery. Could this be the

excited that I got to check it out. Recently, I sat down with owners Tracy and Christopher Burk. Their journey started out like so many other people we know; full life at home with three boys

They were up for the challenge of opening a true “grain to glass” distillery and were learning two completely new facets of this endeavor: distilling spirits and opening an organic business.

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WiseguyCreative.com photo

WiseguyCreative.com photo

and a corporate finance job. Life was sweet and fulfilling. Then the kids went off to college, and Tracy and Christopher wanted to do something different—something new and something bold.

They followed their passions and opened this distillery, taking it a step further by opening a USDA-Certified Organic distillery.

To do this, they would need to source all organic ingredients, use organic methodologies and processes, and do all this while buying as many products from local farms and businesses as possible. They were up for the challenge of opening a true “grain to glass” distillery and were learning two completely new facets of this endeavor: distilling spirits and opening an organic business. How did it all start? Christopher said, “In addition to years of reading and visiting distilleries, I went to MB Roland’s ‘Camp Distillery’ in Pembroke, KY, and took a course through Vermont Technical College.” Christopher described the organic business piece as having three parts: organic ingredients, organic process, and paperwork … lots and lots of paperwork.

Summer 2021

WiseguyCreative.com photo

There are many facets of this unique endeavor. First is the beautiful, brand-new building. You can tell Tracy and Christopher put their hearts into this new business venture. They built a true timber-frame building, where the mortise and tenon joinery connect the posts and beams together with trunnels (wooden pegs). There are no metal brackets or braces in the structure.

The building is a classic barn. It is massive, with two levels and a huge vaulted ceiling. This place is magnificent. When you enter the building, the sheer size will blow you away, as will the smell of fresh-cut wood. Then you see it through the glass partition— their beautiful copper-topped still. It’s hard not to miss New Hampshire’s largest vodka column, which is actually made up of two condensers. They have two for improved energy efficiency, comprised of a recycled cooling loop and a potable water loop for preheating water for mashing and cleaning. It’s very impressive, to say the least, but the wow factor goes well beyond what you can see through the glass wall. Under the building are mul47

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tiple large holding tanks to store water chilled to, on average, 55°F. The stored water is used both in the next mash-in process and in their distilling process. Their vision was, and is, all about minimizing and eliminating their environmental impact. They are even working on the possibility of installing solar panels. It’s nice to see the dedication to both the craft and the environment.

Try their products, and you can even top off your electric car’s battery using one of the available charging stations! You will be glad you did.

To be USDA-Certified Organic isn’t as easy as one might think. The government dictates that Tracy and Christopher must use USDA-Certified Organic ingredients, organic cleaning

well as their botanicals, blueberries, and other flavor enhancers (horseradish, fig, and ginger, to name a few). Every item has an organic tracer so that it can be verified as organic.

As for distilling their spirits, Christopher works with James McCoy, a master distiller, and they are currently distilling an average of five days a week. I was told their steam-powered still can make as little as 20 gallons or as much as 350 gallons.

Christopher said he likes making smaller batches, as all of it is bottled, labeled, and dated by hand. The bottles are vintage-looking and have an amazingly cool label that perfectly depicts the distilling heritage of hand-crafted spirits. Their gin and vodka are not aged, but the bourbon and whiskey must be

methods, and organic record keeping and audits. Christopher said that in the first few months they were audited twice.

Another challenge is that there is a limited supply of organic farms and products. If they need an ingredient, they must find an organic-certified version of it. The paperwork is intense and complex. The corn used in making their vodka is from an organic farm in New York and must have all the certificates in place to prove it is organically sourced, grown, and processed. This is the same for their super sacks of rye, wheat, and barley, as

aged in white oak barrels. They offer whiskey that has been aged a few days, while their bourbons will be released at various stages through the process. The straight bourbon will age for two years before being bottled and released. They even have a bourbon club where members get exclusive access to an invitation-only barrel tasting, receive advanced notification on their aged product releases, and accrue $100 towards their first “straight bourbon” release. You get a hat or tee shirt, too.

What’s not to like about that?

As for distilling their spirits, Christopher works with James McCoy, a master distiller, and they are currently distilling an average of five days a week.

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Largest Flooring and Tile Showroom in the Mt. Washington Valley

Tile • Luxury Vinyl • Hardwood • Carpet • Area Rugs

Full design and installation available on everything we sell!

ENJOY A HURRICANE MOUNTAIN MULE! • • • •

2oz Cathedral Ledge Ginger Vodka Sliced jalapeños Aromatic bitters Ginger beer

Muddle 1-3 slices of jalapeño and aromatic bitters in the bottom of a glass.

Add ice and pour your ginger beer overtop.

SHOWROOM HOURS: Monday-Friday: 7:30am-5pm Saturday 9am-1pm

(603) 356-6031 179 Route 16/302, Intervale, NH LOCAL, FRESH, AND FUN FOR EVERYONE!

Top with ginger beer and a jalapeño slice for garnish.

Visit www.cathedralledgedistillery.com for dozens more recipes using our organic spirits!

Want to know more or where to try their organic spirits?

Head to the Cathedral Ledge Distillery, 3340 White Mountain Highway in North Conway. Tracy and Christopher love to talk about their craft, and you can try their ever-expanding line of USDA-Certified Organic products: vodka, gin, whiskey, and bourbon. Try up to five half-ounce samples of their spirits in the beautiful barn. They also have picnic tables for those who want to enjoy their tasting outside. Select products are also available at the New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlets.

By the way, if you were keeping count, I typed the word “organic” no less than 22 times already. Tracy and Christopher said it many more times during my interview—proof positive they are dedicated to their goal. New Hampshire’s first USDA-Certified Organic Distillery has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Okay, make that 23 times. Go and check them out. Tell them Joe sent you.

Cathedral Ledge Distillery 3340 White Mountain Highway, North Conway (603) 730-5696 www.cathedralledgedistillery.com www.facebook.com/cldistill Summer 2021

Please check

for our latest spring hours!

Located on main street in the heart of North Conway village, we are your neighborhood restaurant serving up fresh, local and delicious food in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

(603) 356-4747 • ChefsBistroNH.com 2724 White Mountain Hwy, No. Conway Village, NH 49

GROWING UP ON THE FARM

By Keith Wehmeyer, Dundee Ridge Farm

Birch bounces away like a ping pong ball, oblivious to the heartache she is inflicting upon a 4-year-old. Tears well up in Ellie’s eyes as I do my best to explain to her the inevitability of her baby goat growing up. “She’s getting too big to hold, sweetie,” I explain, kneeling in the hay as she presses her face into my shoulder. Babies grow up. I am not sure who will be comfortable with reality first, Ellie or me.

I cannot blame her, though. She has witnessed the birth of almost all the farm’s kids—13 this year alone. Birch, Softy, Mischief, Star, Heifer, Brownie, Bean, Blacky, and The Twins, known separately as The and Twins, to name a few. The idea of birthing goats while juggling a toddler used to stress us out, but being

Ellie is growing from a spectator to a participant in many aspects of the farm. This year she has been helping trim umbilical cords, spray iodine to disinfect, and read the numbers on the scale as we record birth weights. This has led to her baby dolls having imaginary weigh-ins on a regular basis, after they are born, again, from underneath the wooden reindeer in our living room.

The farm cycles with the seasons. Maple sugaring season blends into baby goat season, which leads to the madness of spring with gardens going in, piglets and baby chickens arriving, and the kickoff of whatever projects we have dreamt up over the winter. Now with the farm in full bloom, we have settled into

a parent and farming are similar in that you need to figure it out as you go. The necessity multiplies exponentially when you combine the two.

When a goat goes into labor, “Where are the headphones?” is one of the first worries. Births can be loud, and the noise sends Ellie running from the barn where she will sit on a rock waiting for us to announce that a baby has arrived. Now, we make sure to grab her pink Stihl ear protection headphones. Ellie, perched on her three-step stool peering over 4-foot-high stall walls as a goat gives birth has become a normal part of our spring routine.

maintenance mode while harvesting and enjoying the farm’s bounty, frequently sitting down for meals with every major ingredient coming from the farm. When we point this out to Ellie, it leads to a chorus of “Thank you!” being shouted from the dinner table to all corners of the farm. “Thank you, chickens.

Thank you, pigs. Thank you, goats. Thank you, gardens. Thank you, trees.”

One of our favorite farm meals on these hot summer nights is what we call our protein salad. Some greens, tomatoes, garlic scapes, and whatever else looks good from the garden.

One of the most difficult realities of the farm cycle is that animals come, and they also go.

Raising well-loved animals for meat is difficult, no matter one’s age. We have always taken solace in that we take good care of the animals, and then they take good care of us.

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Some hard-boiled eggs from the coop and maybe some bacon, if we’ve managed to save any over the long winter. We top it all off with some goat cheese along with blueberries and raspberries, freshly picked. The only ingredients not from our land are in the dressing.

On Saturday morning before breakfast, Ellie will march through the barnyard selecting baby goats for us to catch like she is picking a team for kickball. The youngest of the group is chosen first, as they are the top cuddlers. Then, with half a dozen baby goats joining her, she will head into a barn stall and ask for the door to be latched behind her. Stall time with the baby goats has become our version of screen time—coveted by Ellie, convenient for us as parents, and rationed into reasonable time allowances. Screen time doesn’t exist here.

One of the most difficult realities of the farm cycle is that animals come, and they also go. Raising well-loved animals for meat is difficult, no matter one’s age. We have always taken solace in that we take good care of the animals, and then they take good care of us. Ellie knows these goats will grow up, go away in the fall, and then come back to feed our family and others.

Same for the pigs, who arrived in late April, and have since been moved up onto our hill to forage for beech nuts, acorns, and whatever other goodies they can find on the forest floor.

As we do our chores on a hot summer night, Ellie will grab a hose and drag it towards the pigs’ area at the bottom of the hill.

The herd of pork will then happily rumble down through the woods, crashing over logs and through the brush to the barnyard to get hosed down by the giggling child. They spin, bounce and twirl in the spray, exercising their bacon and hams, which we will enjoy come fall when we refill our freezers.

Not to be left out, the chickens get extra attention, too. All the spent grain leftover from brewing the delicious beer at Ledge Brewing comes up the hill to our farm. The chickens Spring 2021 Summer 2021

see Ellie coming, and crowd around their gate, which she pulls open with a bucket of the brewer’s grain in tow. Once inside, she’ll take her trusty scoop and begin scattering the mixture of barley, oats—all meticulously measured and mixed by Cody at the brewery earlier in the day. If you ever enjoy one of our roast chickens while drinking an As You Wish IPA from Ledge, you will be enjoying a full-circle example of well-loved local food and drink at its best.

For information on how to enjoy food from this farm, send them an e-mail at dundeeridge@gmail.com, or check out their website at www.dundeeridge.com. You can also follow them on Facebook or Instagram @DundeeRidgeFarm and enjoy plenty of outtakes with Ellie, the baby goats, and more. They are also putting the finishing touch on a farm stand, which will be open with limited hours in the near future. There will be a self-serve option for regular customers.

Keith, Liz, and Ellie Wehmeyer live on Dundee Road in Intervale.

They’ve built their farm from scratch on abandoned properties over the last five years. In addition to the farm, Keith and Liz both work full-time jobs in the Valley and enjoy kayaking, canoeing, and skiing in whatever free time they have left.

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MWV Farmers’ Markets A - Bridgton Farmers’ Market B - Bethlehem Farmers’ Market C - Gorham Farmers’ Market D - Lovell Farmers’ Market

E - MWV Farmers’ Market F - Tamworth Farmers’ Market G - Wakefield Farmers’ Market H - Wolfeboro Farmers’ Market

B

Local Mt. Washington Valley non-profit MWVEG (Mount Washington Valley Eaters and Growers) has recognized the community need to connect consumers with farms in the region.

Visit www.mwveg.com for an interactive version of this map, which offers a searchable database for farms and local food information in the MWV.

Please note that MWV Vibe has created this list with the help of MWVEG. Some farms or markets listed may not be actual members of MWVEG, and therefore, may not be found on the MWVEG website. Please contact MWV Vibe with corrections and/or suggestions.

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MWV Farms

Visit www.mwveg.com for a searchable database for farms and local food in the Mt. Washington Valley region.

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A New Day Farm Conway, NH Abundant Blessings Brookfield, NH Apple Acres Farm Hiram, ME Athena’s Bees Apiary Ossipee, NH Behr Farm Tamworth, NH Berry Knoll Eaton, NH Bly Farm Wolfeboro, NH Boys Fresh Catch Brookfield, NH Brown’s Ridge Family Farm Wolfeboro, NH Davis Natural Produce Eaton, NH Densmore Orchard Conway, NH DeVylder Farm Wolfeboro, NH Double Rainbow Farm Eaton, NH Dundee Ridge Farm Intervale, NH Earle Family Farm Conway, NH Fly Away Farm Stow, ME Full Moon Farm Wolfeboro, NH Good Buddy Farm & Flower Hiram, ME Goshen Corner Farm Conway, NH Grand View Farm Conway, NH Hatches’ Orchard Conway, NH Highwater Farm Bartlett, NH Hosac Farm Cornish, ME Howlin’ Winds Farm Fryeburg, ME Lily Hill Farm Tamworth, NH Loon’s Point Honey Bees Madison, NH Meadowfall Farm & Forage Porter, ME Merrybrook Farm Tamworth, NH MiVida Gardens Madison, NH Moonset Farm & Floral Porter, ME Mountain Breeze Farm Sandwich, NH Mountain Flower Farm Intervale, NH Mountain Heartbeet Farm Effingham, NH Mountain Laurel Farm Sanbornville, NH NH Mushroom Company Tamworth, NH Patch Farm Denmark, ME Pork Hill Farm Ossipee, NH Red Gables Farm Tamworth, NH Remick Museum & Farm Tamworth, NH Sap Hound Maple Co. Brownfield, ME Schartner Farm North Conway, NH Sherman Farm Conway, NH Snow Brook Farm Eaton, NH The S.o.L Farm No. Conway, NH Spider Web Gardens Tuftonboro, NH The Farmstand Tamworth, NH Thompson House Farm Stand Jackson, NH The Farm by the River Effingham, NH Top of the Hill Farm Wolfeboro, NH Tumbledown Farms Brookfield, NH Waxing Moon Gardens No. Sandwich, NH Weston’s Farm Fryeburg, ME White Gates Farm Tamworth, NH Whispering Pines Farm Effingham Falls, NH Wotton Farm Ossipee, NH

Summer 2021

We are passionate about our local community!

the o t s ank h t ests 4 u 1 g 0 r ou e2 Sinc nage of ted over o a patr ave don 0!

0 we h 0 , 8 local 4 8 , $1 orthwhile izations! to w e organ tabl chari

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A

hhh ... summer is finally here, and the warmth feels good. A feeling of normalcy is stirring in the warm summer air.

People are getting ready to celebrate after a long winter that seems like it has been going on for years! It’s time to have family and friends over for a time-honored American tradition that we all have enjoyed for decades … grilling! We are creatures of habit who need to socialize—and what better way to do that than by inviting friends and family over for a backyard cookout.

Grilling is a universal cooking technique— and here in the U.S., an American institution.

Although popular all over the world, grilling and outdoor dining have become a mainstay part of our culture. Simply defined, grilling is a method of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food—most commonly by fire or flame. We often term grilling and barbecue, and to some degree, smoking to mean the same thing.

Even though the terms are often intertwined, there is a difference. BBQ is typically a method using low-heat and a short cooking time;

THE ART OF GRILLING

By Brian M. Coffey CEC, AAC

The outdoor grill has became the centerpiece of the backyard, with BBQs and cookouts high on the summer favorites list for most. But a thorough understanding, and a few surprising tips, will help ensure you’re the grill master of the neighborhood.

grilling is high-heat with even a shorter cooking time; and smoking is a method using lowheat (often indirectly) and long cook times.

The History of Grilling

Grilling food has a very long history. Once controlled fire was discovered, the early caveman learned how to cook by throwing something he gathered into the coals of a burning fire (roasting). One of the earliest cooking methods that developed from that was grilling, which started by taking green branches and weaving them together to create a wooden grate, or grid, and placing the grid above an open flame to place cuts of meat on, instead of placing the meat directly onto the burning coals.

It is interesting to note that fire blazed the way for humans to evolve into the species we are today. Scientists suspect that without control over fire, humans probably would never have developed large brains and the benefits that come along with it. I developed a passion for grilling at a very young age. I grew up on the south shore of Boston, where, as a teenager in the early 1970, I learned to scuba dive. My friends and I would catch fish and lobsters, bring them from the ocean to the beach, and

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cook them on an open fire made of driftwood directly on the shore. I kept an old cast-iron grate on the boat, which we would build up with rocks over the driftwood coals, and grill our fish and lobsters.

Over centuries, the evolution of grilling from the days of the caveman to modern times has come a long way, as grilling has become seriously woven into the American fabric of our society.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the architecture of the American home had a large front porch for family and friends to gather, entertain, and socialize. The post-war 40s and 50s brought a dramatic change in the American lifestyle as the backyard became the new front porch.

Moreover, as the country prospered, people moved into the suburbs where they had backyard patios, garages, and lawns. The outdoor grill became the centerpiece of the backyard, with BBQs and cookouts becoming the new way of entertaining and showing off. As the backyard became a popular area of the suburban home, the art of grilling became the newest American summer pastime.

Constantly Evolving

As the art of grilling evolved, so did the equipment. It was Henry Ford that played a big part in the popularity of the backyard cookout with the creation of the charcoal briquette. As the story goes, Edward G. Kingsford—a distant relative of Henry Ford—helped Mr. Ford procure over 300,000 acres of timberland for wood used in the production of his automobiles. There was an abundance of residual scrap wood—and Mr. Ford hated waste. He developed the idea of pressing the leftover wood into charcoal briquettes as a form of fuel. Soon, the product was promoted for grilling. The product gained momentum, and Ford Charcoal Briquettes was later named Kingsford Charcoal in honor of his cousin-in-law E.G. Kingsford.

Grills come in many shapes and sizes, and use a variety of fuel to cook with. Grills can be categorized into open grills, kettles, hooded grills, smokers, portable grills, and tabletop grills. The heat source also varies: some use seasoned wood, wood chips, hardwood charcoal, charcoal briquettes, propane, and electricity.

The Right Tools

Having the right equipment is important to ensure your outdoor grilled items are cooked properly and that the grill master, whoever that may be, is safe.

Summer 2021

Here is a list of tools and utensils I recommend for successful grilling: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Wire brush; always brush your grill before you start Grill mitt Long-handled metal utensils: a spatula, a two-tine fork, and a spoon Tongs Skewers Hand towels Thermometer Knives Cutting board Flashlight Basting brush Marinade pans Serving platters Trash can

Seasonings are an important part of grilling because they not only add flavor, but often change the texture of the food being cooked.

• • • •

Dry rubs Marinades Sweet sauces Spice mixes

Tip: Seasoning the hot grill before grilling is key to keeping your grilled items from sticking to the grill. I have found the best way is cutting a large raw onion in half, then stab the onion with a twotine fork, then dip it in olive oil, and rub it along the hot grates, just before cooking. (continued on page 59)

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How to prep & Grill the classic burger Ingredients 4 8 oz burgers 4 3 oz brioche buns 2 tsp seasoning mix 1 Tbsp olive oil There are many ways to make your hamburgers really pop with flavor. A variety of steps can help you get great results when creating great-tasting hamburgers!

TIP #1: GET ONLY THE BEST

Purchase high-quality meat as freshly ground as possible.

The fat content of your hamburger meat is important, too.

You want a good meat-to-fat ratio. Too much fat will make the burger shrink and cause the outside of the burger to get too charred with soot. Too little fat causes the burger to be dry. I recommend 81/19 to 85/15 burger meat.

TIP #2: SEASON FOR FLAVOR

In everything I make, my first rule is always to remember, “flavor is king,” so properly seasoning the hamburger meat is important.

Here is a seasoning mix and rub that I use on both my burgers and my steaks. Most people have these items in their cabinets already, so the mix is easy to put together and really makes the burgers explode with flavor.

CHEF COFFEY’S RUB (SEASONING MIX) 1 tsp paprika ½ tsp garlic powder 1 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp onion powder 1 tsp black pepper ½ tsp celery salt 1 tsp brown sugar ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

I also like to season the burgers with about 1/4 teaspoon of the seasoning mix on the top side just before I place the burgers on the grill.

Remember to keep your burgers cold until you are ready to grill them. I like a good-size burger, so I suggest a 7- to 8-ounce portion.

TIP #3: KEEP IT HOT

Make sure your grill is blazing hot, so the burger sears quickly on the outside, trapping all the juices in. But don’t let the burgers flare up or your juices will burn off as well.

TIP #4: LETS SEE THOSE DIMPLES

Dimple the meat before grilling, right in the center. Press your thumb into the center of the burger and leave about a 1-inch dimple. This helps the center cook evenly.

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TIP #5: USE THE BEST OLIVE OIL

I brush the surface of the burger with a little olive oil to help sear the meat quickly.

TIP #6: RESPECT THE BUN

The bun is very important and should be treated with great respect, as well. I have tried them all—sesame seed buns, potato flour buns, and whole wheat and multi-grain buns—and they are all good. But if you want the best flavor, my choice is the brioche bun. I also like to lightly butter and grill the bun. Grilling the bun keeps the bun from getting soggy and definitely adds more flavor.

FINAL TIP ... AND ITS A BIGGIE!

The key is to only flip the burger once, and never press on the burger and push all the juices out.

Place the burger on the grill dimple side up and grill for 2-3 minutes with the lid down; after that, rotate the burger 180 degrees to get the charred diamond-shape grill marks on the meat.

Flip once, repeat the process, remove, garnish ... enjoy with your favorite summer beverage!

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GRILLED LOBSTER

Make sure your grill is HOT! Yield: 1 Ingredients 1 each 1-1/4 lb lobster (live) ¼ cup drawn butter Lemon wedges Salt and pepper Always buy fresh lobsters, and keep them alive until just before grilling. The most humane way to dispatch a lobster is to put the live lobster in a freezer for 6-7 minutes. The lobster simply falls asleep and passes.

Remove lobster from freezer, place a kitchen towel on top of a cutting board, and place the lobster on its back, on the towel.

Using a chef’s knife, make a deep cut down the length of the lobster—being careful not to cut through the shell. Open the lobster and remove the stomach and the black vein all the way to the end of the tail. Remove and save the green tomalley, and the roe or coral to make a compound lobster butter. Crack the claws and brush the flesh and body with drawn butter (clarified butter), and season flesh with salt and pepper.

Make sure your grill is nice and HOT. With the grill on high heat, grill the lobster, flesh side down, for 6-7 minutes; turn lobster, baste with butter, and cook 1-2 more minutes.

Remove from heat and serve immediately with butter and lemon.

I suggest you make a compound butter with the tomalley; add white wine or sherry, with lemon for a flavorful experience.

GRILLED PEACHES Yield: 8 half peaches (4 orders) Ingredients 4 each fresh peaches, ripe 3 Tbsp melted butter 1 Tbsp maple syrup 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 can vegetable spray (PAM) 8 oz whipped cream or ice cream Again, be make sure grill is really hot.

But remember, grilling is high heat for a short period of time.

Slice peaches on the axis, and remove pits. In a small bowl, mix butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and blend thoroughly.

Spray the peaches with vegetable spray and place on grill, flesh side down.

Remembering to quadrillage, cook 1 minute, and re-angle to diamond mark, for 1 more minute.

Flip peaches onto skin side and brush peaches with cinnamon butter mixture, liberally. Cook 1 more minute and flip again; brush skin side with cinnamon butter and cook until peaches are slightly charred, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, and drizzle with maple syrup or a balsamic glaze.

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(continued from page 55)

Quadrillage

As a cooking term, it refers to the square charred marks that are branded onto food that is cooked on the hot grate of a grill. This culinary term is derived from the French word “quadrille,” meaning marked with squares or diamonds. Quadrillage cooking ensures your food is cooked evenly and uniformly. I recommend this technique when cooking proteins and vegetables. It also makes your presentation more desirable.

A full grill is a happy grill! To keep everyone happy, a variety of grilled items ensures a successful cookout.

• • • • •

Hamburgers Steaks Spareribs Sausage Chicken

• • • •

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There are lots of videos on YouTube on how to grill almost anything. I offer you a few simple choices and encourage you to be creative, have fun, and enjoy cooking in your own backyard. We live in an area where locally sourced food is abundant from all the farms for meats, vegetables, and fruit. Have fun grilling and backyard entertaining!

Chef Brian Coffey has worked in the Valley for the past 40 years, and is a certified professional chef, and a proud member of the American Academy of Chefs. He is a personal chef and caterer, cookbook author, culinary instructor, and food historian. His passion is for quality food, creatively presented, and high in flavor; with an eagerness to help others truly enjoy cooking, and eating well-prepared food.

Visit www.BrianCoffeyCatering.com or contact Brian at (603) 730-2267 or Brian@BrianCoffeyCatering.com

Summer 2021

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Joe Klementovich/WMTC photo

WHITE MOUNTAIN TRAIL COLLECTIVE Stepping it up

By Ryan Smith

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In 2021, the White Mountain Trail Collective has focused its efforts in the Saco River district of the White Mountain National Forest, where they’ve partnered with more than 15 organizations from local, state, and federal levels to conduct projects ranging from long-overdue trail maintenance to new projects built from the ground up.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s to come.

Summer 2021

As we return to life as we (mostly) know it, it’s expected that most people will still choose to travel in their cars, trucks, and RVs to vacation destinations across the country and save their time in the sky for another trip. For those opting to hit the open road, it’s only a matter of time before their luck runs out and a road construction project rears its ugly head. It’s no fun waiting in miles-long traffic; a lack of air conditioning or a backseat of restless kiddos just adds to the stress. And convoluted detours can throw a wrench in your plans that even your GPS mapping app couldn’t find its way out of. In New England, the road work season is limited to the days the ground is free of frost, which in northern New Hampshire is typically from late spring to early fall. Workers have a narrow window of opportunity to address a laundry list of projects, from filling potholes to conducting major reconstruction projects. If not attended to, our roads would be even worse for wear, putting drivers at greater risk of accident and injury.

The maintenance required of our thoroughfares isn’t limited to those that are paved, however. Think about the White Mountain National Forest trails and what would happen to them if they were left unattended. The steepest trails, which are often the wettest, would become so hazardous that the cost of repairing them would become prohibitive—they would need to be rerouted, or possibly closed completely. Trails with easier grades still need to be maintained annually to ensure drainages are free of impediments, namely sticks and leaves, to allow water to flow freely off the trail and prevent it from pulling valuable soil—the treadway we hike on—with it.

No doubt, we all value our trails and appreciate the work that goes into maintaining them. Who doesn’t enjoy a well-placed wooden bridge that saves us from having to get our feet wet or a mountain biking trail that is free of blown down trees? But as our trail system continues to age, some of which date back to the

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1890s and earlier, the level of care, commitment, and professionalism to maintain them continues to rise. One of the organizations responsible for orchestrating where the trail work projects take place in the region and how they are funded and managed is the White Mountain Trail Collective (WMTC). Conceived in 2017, the nonprofit has already made an impact on some of the region’s high-profile trails, including the 202-year-old Crawford Path on Mount Washington’s southern Presidential Range and the access trail to Pinkham Notch’s Glen Ellis Falls. Every year, WMTC works with partners to identify trail projects that are considered high need. These trails

Other projects may have components that mitigate user conflict or benefit the economic impact of a community. WMTC executive director Melanie Luce says the hardest part of her job is not identifying the trails that need work, but finding and training the right people to work on them. are usually areas where overuse and erosion have degraded the trail, thus endangering its sustainability. Other projects may have components that mitigate user conflict or benefit the economic impact of a community. WMTC executive director Melanie Luce says the hardest part of her job is not identifying the trails that need work, but finding and training the right people to work on them. “Historically, trails have been maintained by skilled and trained volunteers doing level 1 basic annual maintenance,” she says. “However, over the last 10 to 15 years, those volunteers have aged out and we now face a significant backlog of maintenance needed. We face a dire need for skilled professional crews who are trained to do level 2 and 3 work, which involves moving, cutting, and shaping stone steps; relocating sections of trail; repairing and rebuilding water bars; and removing failing trail structures and rebuilding them.” But training volunteers comes at a considerable cost, she says. For the WMTC, their goal is to continue building up their level 1-certified volunteer base and supplementing any shortcomings with paid workers from partner organizations (see “Partnerships”).

Previous page: Veterans on the 48 trail crew pause for a photo before heading out on the Cedar Brook Trail to clear downed trees and drainage runoffs. The trail crew included Michael York (Marines), Eric Jackson (Army) and Olivia Carle, and Dylan from the WMTC. This page: Trail workers from WMTC, Access Fund, and Appalachian Mountain Club are three weeks into a 10-week project to rehab the Echo Roof area at Whitehorse Ledge. Pictured on this page, workers are cutting blocks from native materials and using highline systems to move materials approximately 300 feet across and up a steep slope. Joe Klementovich/WMTC photos

Photos on this page courtesy of Joe Klementovich/WMTC

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In 2021, the WMTC is focusing its efforts in the Saco River district of the White Mountain National Forest, where they’ll partner with more than 15 organizations from local, state, and federal levels to conduct projects ranging from long-overdue trail maintenance to new projects built from the ground up. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s to come.

IRON MOUNTAIN TRAIL

Summer 2021

Beginning on Iron Mountain Road, approximately 3 miles west of downtown Jackson, the Iron Mountain Trail crosses a field and enters a young forest adjacent to the historic Hayes Farm property, where it begins to climb steeply in sections to the summit of Iron Mountain. The trail rolls over the top and continues to a series of expansive cliffs overlooking the Saco River Valley and the towns of Glen, Intervale, and Bartlett. A side trail (signed) near the southern end leads to an old iron mine site.

Although the trail is less than a mile to the top, hikers currently have to navigate a web of tangled roots and eroding embankments as they climb 800 feet from the trailhead to the summit. During heavy rain events, water funnels through and picks up speed in this section of trail, which runs

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Dyane McIndoe photo

Trail crew members received training from Ally Scholtz of WMTC and Pete Ostroski of Ride NoCo. They performed routine maintenance, clearing drainages, and performing surface touch-ups on the flank trail connecting Cranmore to the Hurricane Mountain Road water tower. Looking ahead, this trail crew will be performing construction and maintenance work, together with trail builders and the efforts of dedicated volunteers to build and maintain this incredible network of trails. (left to right) Ally Scholtz, Pete Ostroski, Reed Karnopp, Sean Doherty, Ethan Frechette, and Kylan Morneau.

straight down the fall line of the mountain, pulling soil with it and exposing more roots and rocks. This section has become so gullied that repairing it would require more effort and funding than rerouting it on a new trail with more sustainable grades would cost. This summer, WMTC work crews will focus their efforts on adding new drainage structures on the lower section of the Iron Mountain Trail toward the trailhead and relocating more than a half-mile of trail around the steepest section. Luce says the project will take six to eight weeks to complete, and though it will be time consuming and labor intensive, it will ensure the sustainability of the trail for 50-plus years to come.

SANDWICH RANGE WILDERNESS TRAILS

Located in the southern portion of the White Mountain National Forest, the bold peaks and long ridgelines of the Sandwich Range form a rugged series of valleys, glacial cirques, and high mountain passes. Many of the trails traversing this part of the forest were originally roads that connected remote mountain villages, including Ferncroft and Wonalancet. As hiking grew in popularity over the decades, more trails were carved out to the region’s high summits. Most of the early path-makers paid little attention to long-term sustainability, and instead sought to create trails that marched up the mountain’s fall line, connecting the valley floor to the summits in the shortest possible way.

As these trails age, more level 2 and 3 maintenance is required

as the backlog of projects continues to mount. This summer, the WMTC will chip away at this backlog on the Old Paugus Trail, Paugus Beeline, and Dicey’s Mill Trail to shore up sections of these trails that are in “critical need” due to erosion and visitor-use issues. The project will also include a week-long wilderness-skills-specific training with the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards.

WHITEHORSE LEDGE

One of North Conway’s most popular rock-climbing destinations, Whitehorse Ledge, is in need of some love, as the 800-foot mass of granite celebrates its 100th anniversary this year of the first-known climber to scale its world-class slabs. Whitehorse is still renowned for its slab-style climbing and has birthed many of today’s well-known climbers. Over time, increased use has contributed to the degradation of the staging areas where climbers put on their gear and prepare to climb. Efforts to conserve these areas were made around 15 years ago, but the native timber used for the structures is rotting. Luce says the work will entail constructing approximately 20 linear feet of stone stairs and a 117-foot wide retaining wall to stop the erosion of the earthen bench where climbers stage. Crews will also build belay staging areas, re-routes around eroded sections of trail, and other trail infrastructure improvements.

The construction skills required are just as complex as

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THEKANESCHOOLS.COM Above: Work crews from the Veterans on the 48, a nonprofit dedicated to getting Veterans outside and on the trails, is helping the WMTC do much needed annual maintenance on 200+ miles of trail on the U.S. Forest Service/White Mountain National Forest this season.

climbing the wall itself. Crews will need to employ highly technical skills, including highline rigging, stone splitting and shaping, and dry stack stonework to achieve their goals. “To be able to ensure a natural outdoor recreation resource is around for another 100 years is humbling and its sustainability speaks right to WMTC’s mission,” Luce says.

RAVINE TRAIL | PINE HILL COMMUNITY FOREST

Nestled between Route 16 to the west, Route 302 to the east, and the Saco River to the south, the 460-acre Pine Hill Community Forest is an area of undeveloped woods and wetlands surrounding Kennett High School in Conway that boasts high recreation value. With immense support from the local community, the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust (USVLT) acquired the property in 2018 and formed a local advisory committee that guides the ongoing stewardship and vision for the land. Representatives from Summer 2021

USVLT, the Conway School District, Tin Mountain Conservation Center, the Mt. Washington Valley Trails Association, and other community members are working together to sustain the property’s vision of creating a community resource that will enhance recreational opportunities, foster educational spaces, protect unique natural resources, and preserve access to open space for all in perpetuity. To support this vision, the WMTC will work together with Matt Coughlan of Recon Trail Designs this summer to create the Ravine Trail, a 1.4mile interpretive trail that will comply with accessibility guidelines in some sections. The WMTC will also work together with Kennett High School students to design the trail’s interpretive signs, which will educate hikers about the forest’s flora and fauna. The new trail will skirt the eastern perimeter of Kennett High School and along the edge of a ravine filled with old-growth hemlock trees, known locally as the “Cold Brook Fjord.”

SUSTAINABLE TRAIL DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND MANAGEMENT OF ALL TYPES From backyard pump-tracks to large community projects and everything in between. Building access and adventure for all users.

(603)986-2015 www.TulipTrails.com 65

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Anne Skidmore photo

Above: Hikers Kiana Cheney, Samantha Soviero, and Zara Cheney, (plus husky Mookie), approach the expansive cliffs off the Iron Mountain Trail, which overlooks the Saco River Valley. This summer, WMTC work crews will focus their efforts on adding new drainage structures on the lower section toward the trailhead and relocating more than a half-mile of trail around the steepest section. Above, right: Climber Sara Rice heads up Wavelength on Whitehorse Ledge, one of North Conway’s most popular rock-climbing destinations. Whitehorse is still renowned for its slab-style climbing and has birthed many of today’s well-known climbers. Over time, increased use has contributed to the degradation of the staging areas where climbers put on their gear and prepare to climb.

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PARTNERSHIPS

The trail work community benefits from groups of like-minded volunteers who dedicate selfless hours of backbreaking work for the greater good. Volunteers look after each other like a family and would drop whatever they are working on to help someone else out. To build on this community and to give back to the veterans who have selflessly served for the country, the WMTC is partnering with Veterans on the

In a blog post written by Luce on WMTC’s website, she remarked that “their partnership with Veterans on the 48 is bigger than trail work; it is giving back to those who have served and protected us. We are so honored and proud to be collaborating with this amazing organization!”

48 this summer to assist the nonprofit in developing professional trail crews and providing jobs for veterans. The mission of the organization is “to promote healthy lifestyles, both physically and mentally, through organized group hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.” To kick off the partnership, WMTC hosted two level 1 trail maintenance training sessions in May, and it plans to host more trainings this summer. The partnership will help support Veterans on the 48 by adding capacity to their organization, which in turn, will add capacity to the Forest Service by helping them with the level 1 maintenance needed on the trails. In a blog post written by Luce on WMTC’s website, she remarked that “their partnership with Veterans on the 48 is bigger than trail work; it is giving back to those who have served and protected us. We are so honored and proud to be collaborating with this amazing organization!”

So, if you happen upon a trail crew working this summer, be sure to share some appreciation for what they’re doing— heck, maybe consider signing up as a volunteer. Organizations in the White Mountain National Forest are seeking new blood as older trail-tenders hang up their helmets and saws. The work isn’t easy, but the rewards of maintaining our public lands and building something that will last decades to come will outweigh the blisters and backache. Our roads and highways are always in need of repair, and we’re fortunate that there are companies out there that can fix them. In the volunteer-dependent field of trail work, paid companies do exist and serve as great assets for the forest, but it is the dedicated community of trail volunteers who have been and always will be the core group that stewards our trails and maintains them for us and generations in the future to enjoy.

WANT TO HELP? You can contribute to the Mount Washington Valley Trail Collective, or any the specific projects they manage, via their website, www.wmtrailcollective.org.

Summer 2021

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WiseguyCreative.com photo

By Sven Cole

T

he air temperature was so cold that the stopwatch protested the idea of keeping time. Skiers made their way around the course at a new weekly cross-country series called Nordic Meisters at this new Nordic center in Pinkham Notch. The recently appointed marketing and event guy was talking to another guy about events while they timed the skiers crossing the finish line. While they waited for coffee, in an effort to warm themselves up, they talked about summer events. It was December of 1995.

“You should do a 24-hour bike race up here Gib, like the one they did down in Cannan, West Virginia. It would be

THE 24 HOURS OF GREAT GLEN COMES FULL CIRCLE IN 2021 great; you’ve got a perfect set-up here in the Glen. I think it would go.” That line, or something close, was uttered by Dave Mark, who, at the time, owned Red Jersey Cyclery down in Glen. Dave was a guy that knew a thing or 10 about cycling, skiing, and events. The guy he said it to was Paul Giblin, who knew a great deal about motorsport events, but nothing about the world of cycling. As luck—and legend—would have it, he was about to learn fast.

A few months later, Giblin and Howie Wemyss, the GM of the Mt. Washington Auto Road (MWAR) and Great Glen Trails, jumped in a car and drove to West Vir-

ginia for the 1996 “24 Hours of Cannan” race. They had reached out to Laird Knight, the organizer of the race and the godfather of 24-hour bike racing, to see if they could go and get a crash course on the event and to purchase the rights to use his rules and timing.

They jumped in the car, drove over 13 hours, ran around the race venue observing, taking pictures, asking questions, and then about 20 hours later, jumped in the car to make the 13-hour drive back. Their adrenaline was high, they were excited, and now they had about six weeks to put on the event with their newfound knowledge.

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WiseguyCreative.com photo

RACE #1 - RACE AGAINST BERTHA “If you can build it, they can ride it.”

Those were the instructions Giblin gave to Rik Dow, the operations director at Great Glen. So Rik, a lifelong ski instructor by training, headed off into the woods to lay out a track for the first-ever “24 Hours of Great Glen (24HOGG).”

What they lacked in cycling knowledge they made up for in how to put on a good event and how to treat their guests. These were the folks that ran the Mt. Washington Auto Road, the country’s oldest man-made attraction, so they had a lot of history behind them in the world of putting on a good show—and they were about to lean on all of it.

“I’ve always believed that if you are putting on an event, you have a responsibility to put the best product out there, Summer 2021

regardless of what you have for a budget, and we didn’t have a budget in that first year,” laughed Giblin. “But we did have some sponsors, and we had a ton of course-making materials in the way of snow fencing, hay bails, and course ribbon—because we also ran the Mt. Washington Hillclimb. So the banners were tight and square, and the course was very well marked,” he continued.

At noon on race day, the cannon fired (a real cannon, albeit small, but nonetheless a real cannon) and the racers ran a short distance to get to their bikes before they headed out on their first lap.

That first year saw only a couple of dozen teams, but the race was underway and fun was being had.

At some point that night it started to rain. A bit later it started to rain harder. A

storm had moved up the Atlantic seaboard, Hurricane Bertha, and it started raining even harder. Around 10:30 p.m., reports were coming in that the campground by the river was starting to flood.

By 11 p.m., Rik Dow was out in a backhoe trying to pull vehicles out of the field to higher ground. At a little past 11:15 p.m., they halted the race and held a rider meeting to decide if they should stop the race or take an hour to make some course adjustments and start again—with riders leaving based on when they came in on their last lap.

Remember Dave Mark, the guy with the original idea? Well, at this point he’s racing, and according to him, “Riders voted to continue at midnight in a hurricane, nearly unanimously. I just shook my head in disbelief and headed out into the rain.”

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wikimedia.org

Lori Palmer photo

ABOVE: Hurricane Bertha barreled up the eastern seaboard during the very first race weekend in 1996. Just before midnight, flood waters forced a temporary halt to the race and a meeting to discuss whether to proceed. The riders voted nearly unanimously to continue, and the race carried on. LOWER RIGHT: Over time, events like the “24 Minutes of Great Glen” were added to give the younger kids a chance to race like Mom or Dad. Before long, bike-riding kids were the norm.

The riders had spoken, Dow and a couple of other helpers headed into the woods to reroute a section of the course that had disappeared in the rain. While that was happening, many of the racers had retreated to the great room in the relatively new building at Great Glen Trails—a beautiful timber-frame build-

pro from Cannondale was leading the pack, with the local hot on his wheel. The cannon had fired only about 30 minutes prior when cheering started coming from the final spectacular descent that dropped riders back down to the floor of the Glen. It was a section of trail aptly named “The Plunge,” as it dropped about

pro from Cannondale on the opening lap.

“I had never not led, the first lap in all the years that I did the race,” Solar said, “so maybe it was ego, but I had been trying to make a pass on Outback and couldn’t get by, even though I knew I was faster. I knew the only chance was going to be on The Plunge; I knew there were two fast

ing, and muddy bodies and clothing were strewn about as people tried to find gear to head back out once the race started back up. “I walked through the great room with Howie and just shook my head and said that it looked like Woodstock,” Giblin recounted.

The hour elapsed and the race … rolled on.

Those who were there in the first year all talk about the hurricane, about the stoppage, about the mud, about the campground flood. They all say it, look down at the ground, shake their head, and smile. Somewhere in their answer “It was awesome,” is always stated.

75 vertical feet in a very short distance— all to a very flat bridge that brought the riders back toward the start-finish. This was where the crowds were the largest and the loudest. It was also where the spectacular crashes and recoveries were seen. Many a rider would approach with a bit of Kodak courage, only to bail at the crux of the descent and tumble down the face to the bridge below. It was here that “The Pass” took place—and cemented the legend of a kid from Dummer.

Ward Solar was the reigning solo champ of the 24 Hours of Great Glen— having won it several years in a row and setting new lap records each year.

Those efforts even got him a slot at the 24 Hours World Championships in 2001.

But in local lore, nothing topped what happened when Solar was trailing the

lines, and as soon as I saw the other guy pick his line, I let go of the brakes and just sent it. I guess the pass looked cool because people were going crazy, I was just hoping I could absorb the transition at the bottom by the bridge. It worked out and I came into the timing tent first.”

The pass sent the crowd into a frenzy.

It was caught on video by RSN’s Scott Bowie, who was up in the crane filming, “It was the coolest thing I had seen, it was like he just dropped from the sky.”

Solar had excited the crowd, but also showed a lot of folks that a rider from the area could hold their own against the pros. A few young guns’ eyes sparkled a bit more that day.

Moments like the pass were seen or experienced by hundreds of riders, hundreds of times during each race. That

While that was happening, many of the racers had retreated to the great room in the relatively new building at Great Glen Trails—a beautiful timber-frame building, and muddy bodies and clothing were strewn about as people tried to find gear to head back out once the race started back up. “... it looked like Woodstock,” Giblin recounted.

THE PASS The report on the course was that the

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was another part of 24HOGG—the stories that every rider got to take away. It might not have been seen by many like Solar’s pass was, but it was in their minds, and everyone had their own legends that they could share. The stoke continued to grow.

A FESTIVAL FOR THE FAMILY As the race moved into the mid-2000s, Howie Wemyss realized the event needed to evolve. He noticed people came to the race for one or two years, but then they would not return. Feedback had been very positive about the event, so why weren’t they coming back, he wondered?

Come to find out, the preparation and subsequent racing of a 24-hour race, much like putting one on, took a lot of time and energy.

For people who had families, it was hard to leave on Friday and return home a shell of oneself Sunday evening, or maybe even Monday. Up to that point, racers came with their team and maybe a camp helper, but not a lot of families. That was when Wemyss realized that if they turned the weekend into a festival with a lot of other things going on for those hanging out in the Glen, it would be much easier for families to make a weekend of the event. Over time, events like the “24 Minutes of Great Glen” were added to give the younger kids a chance to race like Mom or Dad. Moat Mountain Smokehouse got involved and brought their legendary

food to the venue. Eventually, evening movies under the tent, outdoor climbing walls, and music all became a part of the growing event. The racers were well taken care of, but they already had something to do—this was for everyone else!

With that came themes, from disco to cowboys to this year’s Land of Oz theme.

The campground became a pageant show of costumes and decorated campsites.

The opening lap would see racers in costume for the Le Mans start. The race became more than a race: it became an event. While there were always racers on the course, there always seemed to be more going on under the tent or in the campground—which made sense, that was where the most people were.

“Keep in mind, at any given time, you only have between 100 to 200 riders on the course at once. For every four-person team, there are three people back in camp. We realized we had to make sure we were putting in as much effort to keep them engaged and happy as we were with the racers. So every year we’d get course feedback, and we’d put a great deal of effort into improving the course, and we’d also get feedback about the overall event. From food to amenities, to other activities. We eventually added real-time scoring that enabled teams to see their standing without having to pour through the manual timing sheets, we added hot showers, and added a ton of food options, entertainment—it really became a

festival,” said Wemyss.

This is not to say the racing got soft— far from it. The spirit of competition and the desire to ride hard only grew. But there was a balance between the race on the course and the vibe of the campground.

“It’s always been a race, but my perspective has been from the point of view as a wrench there. A race to get someone’s bike fixed, a race to find parts, a race to make sure the racer can get out there. Because whoever is out there, when they are on course, they are racing. It may not be about the fastest lap, it might be a race for the most style or a competition for the best costume.

In camp, it was fun and relaxed, but on course, it’s game on,” as stated by Jeremiah Beach, provider of Red Jersey Cyclery neutral support from 1996 through 2006.

Despite the ongoing evolution of the 24 Hours of Great Glen, the sheer magnitude of running the event began to put a significant strain on the staff at Great Glen Trails, as well as on the company’s bank account. “There were years where we did okay, but for many years the event just couldn’t break even. We never looked at it as something that needed to be a major profit center, but it did need to pay its own way,” Wemyss said. “Eventually the writing was on the wall that this wasn’t sustainable without significant sponsorship. As we came into the 20th year, it just seemed like the right time to put a bow on it and say that it had had a

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In 2011, Jeffrey Palmer rode the race for the first time, solo, at 10 years old.

He was the youngest to do it at the time. Jeffrey is seen here riding with Dad, Dan Palmer, who also rode solo.

good run. We promoted the event as a last hurrah event—and wouldn’t you know that year we did okay!” Wemyss continued.

But the decision had been made: 2015 was the last race, the cannon had fired for the last time. A lot of fun had been had. A lot of laps had been ridden. A lot of friends had been made. But the ride was over.

MEETING HER FUTURE HUSBAND The 24 Hours of Great Glen has seen its fair share of riders giving racing a shot. The scenario often plays out like this: someone’s phone rings and on the other end a version of this conversation, “How’s it going? Listen, a group of us are doing this event up in New Hampshire, it’s sort of a team thing, well (insert name here) just dropped out and we have an opening, and, well, I thought you’d be great. Get to ride your bike around and hang out with us all weekend.” The level of details provided varies, but inevitably the person says, “Sure,” with little idea of what they are getting into. Baptism by fire, and everyone comes out very alive.

“In 2009, I had just started getting into mountain biking and I got a call from some friends that needed a female rider for their five-person team. I really didn’t know what I was getting into, but thought it could be fun, so I did it. That was my introduction into mountain bike racing,” said Heather Thomas of Jay, Vermont.

Thomas would do her first race in 2009, and it ignited a fire in her for endurance bike racing. Not just the 24 Hours of Great Glen, but also the 24 Hours of Pats Peak, the Carrabassett Backcountry Cycle Challenge, and other endurance races all around the East Coast. But 24 Hours of Great Glen had a special place. “It’s such a fun event, racing at night, seeing the camping area all lit up. The music, the people,” Thomas said.

That first year she also met a guy. He was on another team from Vermont, and they became friends during the Summer 2021

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it’s a race, and people are going hard, but people are also having fun. Pace yourself and if you have to walk a section, walk it—there is plenty of time to try and clean it later if you have the legs. But most of all, just enjoy it.”

race. Then in 2010, Thomas raced solo, and that guy passed her during the night and patted her on the back with words of encouragement. “I don’t know why I remember that, but it stuck with me. He

They dated, got married, had a daughter, all while continuing to race, eventually taking turns watching their daughter between laps. They even got to take their daughter to the podium when they got second place in the five-person open category.

was super supportive and it was motivating,” said Thomas.

The next year she returned, this time on a five-person team again. And that guy, Matt, he was on that team too. “I was a late addition to that team; another guy’s wife had decided she didn’t want to race for that team and I got the call. Matt and I really hit it off and that was the start of our dating,” Thomas said. They dated, got married, had a daughter, all while continuing to race, eventually taking turns watching their daughter between laps.

They even got to take their daughter to the podium when they got second place in the five-person open category.

“We were all so bummed when the race ended in 2015. Obviously, for my husband and I, this race is special—it’s where we met. When we heard it was coming back, we knew we had to be there. I’m racing solo this year and Matt is on a four-person team. We are pretty psyched,” Thomas said. When asked about advice for a first-time racer, Thomas shared, “Have fun, soak it in, there’s nothing like the vibe at this event. Yes,

THE RETURN - August 7, 2021 The race ended in 2015. Twenty years of spinning laps came to a stop. The party was over. In some ways it made sense—the sport of mountain biking had been moving away from cross-country style racing and much of the energy of the sport was focused on flow and gravity style riding. The event took an enormous amount of time and energy from the staff and volunteers, and the reality was it cost a huge sum of money to put on; in the best of years, it broke even, and maybe there was some profit, but most years it lost money. The origins of the race came from a desire to promote Great Glen Trails. It had done that very well, but maybe it was just too much.

“As soon as we heard that 2015 was the last year of the race, we were heartbroken. I began talking to folks about what we needed to do to bring it back, I told Nate Harvey that we’d do anything to make it happen again,” said Don Seib, owner of Barker Mountain Bikes and a 24-hour competitor.

Seib had missed out on many of the early years of the race, as his race schedule had been focused on one-day events like the old Route 66 series. While he got to the 24 Hours of Great Glen late, he fell in love. His family raced, he was on competitive teams, and he loved the vibe.

He and his wife had just purchased a bike shop in Bethel, and he saw events like the 24 Hours of Great Glen as vital to the health of the sport, so to see the race fold in the same year he bought the shop was tough. “I knew that we had to find a way to bring it back: it was just too good of an event,” Seib said.

At the same time, efforts were underway to build and open a new hotel on the site of the original Great Glen Trails building. For many at the MWAR and Great Glen, the 20-year run of the race was now a closed chapter, one full of many great memories, but a chapter that had ended. For Nate Harvey, who had worked at Great Glen since he first interned there in 1997, it was an event that he knew still had life in it. He pushed his boss Howie on what it would take.

The answer: sponsorship dollars.

Harvey knew that Seib and Barker Mountain Bikes were on board. In fact, Seib had written a verbal blank check to

make it happen … so there was momentum. There also was a longtime sponsor in Moat Mountain Smokehouse that was coming up on a 20-year anniversary of the opening of their famous brewery and restaurant. Steve Johnson loved the race, and maybe there was something that could happen.

When Johnson was asked about why getting involved with the race was important, he said, “This race is a great tradition in the Valley, and it’s really important to the area. We’ve been involved from early on and it was a focal point for many of us during the summer season. To have a great partner like Great Glen Trails, and to be a part of this event—it was an easy decision. And this year, our 21st year, the 21st running of the race, in 2021—come on—you can’t make that up!”

For Lisa McCoy, taking on the job as event director for the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails meant she was stepping into a role that had a lot of history: famed events like the bicycle and running hill climb races, the car race, all of the Great Glen Trails events, as well as hearing a lot about an event that was no longer running. “I would be in town and introduce myself as the new event director up at the Mt. Washington Auto Road and Great Glen, and unsolicited, people would tell me that we needed to bring back the 24-hour race. They would get all excited and tell me stories

Harvey chimed in, “And Moat stepped up huge and is making this happen. Once Moat was on board, Barker Mountain Bikes came on board, and next thing we knew, we were in a position where we could make this happen.”

about how great it was and how there was nothing like it in the area. I knew there was support for the event, but I also knew that while everyone at Great Glen loved the event as well, there was a reality about what it took to pull it off. We have a small staff and a limited budget, and to do this event right, it takes a lot of people giving all they have, and it takes a lot of cash,” she shared.

Harvey chimed in, “And Moat stepped up huge and is making this happen. Once

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The event takes an enormous amount of time and energy from staff and volunteers—who for the most part, enjoy every minute of it. Long after riders depart, and hours of clean-up later, weary volunteers will make their way across the street to the “Honeymoon Cottage” for a solid meal, beverages, and a few final laughs before heading home to catch up on sleep.

Moat was on board, Barker Mountain Bikes came on board, and next thing we knew, we were in a position where we could make this happen.”

McCoy continued, “The call went out for racers, and it took no time for the race to sell out, and then the call went out for volunteers and a lot of people raised their hands. The support has been huge, and the energy and excitement is through the roof. Then to have the event get put off a year by COVID, the anticipation is only greater at this point.”

“I am excited to see those people that said, ‘Bring this event back!’ I’m excited to see them here having fun in this spectacular environment, and I’m hoping that it all goes well. Obviously the COVID piece is challenging—to keep everyone safe—but we have good protocols in place to make this work. Things are heading in a good direction, but we all know that planning is a tough thing right now,” McCoy stated.

Harvey’s voice got excited as he said, “People are ready for this. People need this. Moat and Barker Mountain Bikes have stepped up. Voz (Steve Vosburg, chief trail builder) has been working hard on new course features. Racers are ready.

Volunteers are excited to be here. And we are going to throw down Moat Mountain style in terms of food and beverage. We’re ready. Let’s get to August.”

If you’ve never seen this event, you owe it to yourself to head up to Pinkham Summer 2021

Notch at some point between noon on Saturday, August 7 to some point midday on Sunday, August 8. It will awaken something in your soul. It will renew your faith in humanity. It will make you want to ride your bicycle. It will stir your competitive spirit. It will excite your creative side. It will be a type of fun that will seep into your DNA. To everyone who has made this event happen, from that fateful December day back in 1995 to now: THANK YOU!

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WILDCATS IN THE WHITES & NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE

By Matt Maloney

As the weather warms, more visitors make their way to the Mt. Washington Valley and they and locals head out on the many hiking trails in the area. Chances to swim, stargaze, and nap on a mountaintop abound; and for many, encounters with wildlife are a hopeful thought. Sightings of moose, bear, pine marten, or porcupine make for a memorable encounter. Bring a child along and they will always delight in the smallest of creatures—searching for frogs, salamanders, and insects under stones. Birdsong fills the air at dawn, and at dusk, overnight campers are serenaded with the drawn-out whistles of the white-throated sparrow and the flutelike tones of the forest thrushes. Sometimes chance encounters with one of our wild dogs, a fox or a coyote, from a trail or roadside reward wildlife seekers.

But what about so-called “wildcats?” What is a wildcat?

There is no species known as a “wildcat” and terms like puma, catamount, and panther have no exact tie to any scientifically recognized species. Rather they’re all just nicknames for one or more species of wildcat. And, yes we do have wildcats in these

parts—and they are just that, wild species of feline.

One of the fascinating things about wildcats is that they are seldom seen, and thus, seemingly elusive. Think about how dogs and cats hunt. Dogs are constantly on the move, seeking prey with their keen sense of smell, their bodies designed for great stamina as they travel long distances tracking prey. Cats are stalkers, patient hunters who will stay in one spot for many hours waiting for their sharp eyes to catch some movement, and when the time comes, they pounce with ultra-quick reflexes. I suspect, because cats are stalkers, they are seldom seen by human eyes.

Movement catches the eye after all, not stealth and stillness.

THE CANADA LYNX - Lynx candensis As one gets into more northern climes with deeper snowpacks or higher into mountain regions, there is another cat that is more adapted to hunt and survive successfully: the lynx, or Canada lynx. Lynx are spectacularly handsome creatures and highly elusive. They have massive hind legs and large furry paws in proportion to their body size. Their tail is a little longer than a bobcat’s and their furry ear tufts are distinctively longer and pointy. Seemingly the higher terrain of the vast White Mountain

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Joy Hebert of Pittsburg, NH was in the right place at the right time when she came upon this Canada lynx on a recent paddling trip in a Pittsburg bog.

“I was lucky enough to capture this magnificent cat chasing a red squirrel up an evergreen tree, while kayaking on one of the bogs in Pittsburg, NH. It climbed up and down the tree several times before it gave up on catching its prey and disappeared.” The sighting would later be confirmed to be a Canada lynx by NH Fish and Game. You can see more of Joy’s wildlife photography at www.facebook.com/joyhebertphotography.

interior could be lynx habitat. So, are these spectacular creatures in our mountains?

This question is something biologists with both New Hampshire Fish and Game and the White Mountain National Forest didn’t really have an answer for until a relatively recent study was completed. Lynx are native to the White Mountains historically, reaching a population highpoint in the 1930s, after which there has been a steady decline. In fact, it was legal to hunt lynx in New Hampshire until 1965. By the late 1970s, the only place in the White Mountains where lynx were being seen was the in Zealand Valley area. As the lynx was no longer conclusively being seen in the White Mountain Forest outside of anecdotal sightings or claims, New Hampshire Fish and Game approached the White Mountain National Forest about conducting surveys in the White Mountains. Unlike northern New Hampshire, where an abundance of snowmobile trails allowed for easy surveying access in the winter months, the White Mountain National Forest is largely inaccessible in the higher elevations to rapid transport via snowmobile, and thus, hard to survey effectively.

In collaboration with organizations such as the Appalachian Mountain Club, NH Fish and Game was able to round up volunteers to monitor game cameras set up along trails in the higher terrain of the White Mountains, that which was deemed most suitable for lynx.

Unlike bobcats, lynx are highly tied to and dependent on snowshoe hare as a food source. No snowshoe hares, no lynx.

Another related study was conducted by Alexej Siren, a PhD candidate at UMass Amherst, working in conjunction with NH Summer 2021

Fish and Game and the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center. This intensive study of potential lynx habitat in the White Mountains was developed by monitoring snowshoe hare population densities. Snowshoe hare need lots of cover in the form of thick, shrubby evergreen vegetation. This habitat is found primarily in high elevation spruce-fir forest in the National Forest (most of the logged areas with shrubby/dense vegetation re-growth are in hardwood forest), most notably in fir waves. Fir waves occur near the ridgelines of high elevation areas above 3,000 feet where high winds and thin soils combine to fell many trees over time in a “wave-like” pattern, producing areas of thick and vigorous regrowth balsam fir, perfect for hiding snowshoe hares.

Surveys found, however, that these areas were just not big enough to produce enough snowshoe hares per hectare to produce a viable lynx habitat. Siren’s survey method involved counting snowshoe hare pellets (droppings) found along marked line transects. On fir waves above Jefferson Notch Road, the highest elevation road access in the National Forest at over 3,000 feet, just about .5 hares per hectare were found as opposed to .9 hares per hectare, as was found at another study site in the wetland-rich Nulhegan Basin of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom Region, and another site area in the Connecticut Lakes Region of northern New Hampshire. The results pointed toward their not being enough snowshoe hare population density to support lynx in the White Mountains. The more abundant thick growth of lowland spruce-fir forest in the more northerly and wetter regions found in northeastern Vermont, northern New Hampshire, 77

Emily Hoyer photo / Flicker CC

Courtesy graphic

and especially in northern Maine seems to better favor lynx.

As alluded to before, a follow-up study used game cameras to see if there were, at the very least, lynx passing through or occasionally hunting in the White Mountains, if not breeding or using the forest as regular habitat. The good news is that a few lynx were occasionally caught on the game cameras. One of the areas that came up consistently with a “handful” of lynx passing through was the Zealand Valley, which was also the last known stronghold of lynx in the White Mountains. Although there is no evidence of breeding or suitable hunting habitat to support permanent home ranges for lynx in the National Forest, there does seem to be some consistent use of the national forest for hunting and as a travel corridor. So, lynx are around—at least at times.

The deep snowpack of winter particularly favors lynx’s use of the National Forest, as they don’t compete well with bobcat for food sources, and bobcats tend to disperse to lower elevations when there’s a lot of snow in the national forest. Your odds of seeing them, though, are quite low unless luck is on your side.

It is quite fascinating to think that such a beautiful and elusive creature might lie out there sometimes amongst all those trees

and mountains, a creature suited to the harshest winters and snows of the far north.

THE BOBCAT Lynx rufus If you do catch a look at a wildcat in these parts, it’s most likely to be a bobcat, by far our most common cat. Bobcats are named for their distinctive stumpy tail (only about 5 inches long) which apparently reminded its namers of the “bobbed” or short haircuts popular with many women. Bobcats are relatively small, about 1 to 2 feet tall at the shoulders, and weighing in anywhere from 15-45 pounds.

I’ve had the privilege of seeing two bobcats in the area within the last year. The first one was in Jackson, crossing the town business loop on a cold winter morning, near the perhaps appropriately named Wildcat River, just above the junction with the Ellis River. When you see a bobcat for the first time, it is common to mistake it for a house-cat for an instant, as I have done, upon first sight. A second look quickly clears up any confusion. An extra gaze reveals the very short “stump” of a tail, the fur-tipped ears, and most remarkably, the longer, more muscular legs as compared to a house-cat. Another feature good for distinguishing a bobcat from a house-cat is the much

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thicker, longer fur. This is truly a survival necessity for a wildcat that lives through our cold northern winters in the outdoors, not snuggled up on a couch like our domesticated feline friends.

Bobcats in the wild seem to have a knack for eluding human sight. To come upon a bobcat involves pure luck in almost all instances. They are most commonly seen by people crossing roads, simply because cars don’t give quite the advance notice that the sounds and scents of a human moving down a trail can.

Nearby to the Mt. Washington Valley, the high elevation interior of the White Mountain National Forest is at the fringe of our local bobcat’s home and hunting ranges. Bobcats can take advantage of a wide array of habitats and prey, from mice to full-grown deer, reaching their peak of abundance in lower elevation brushy areas interspersed with forests and open fields, the kind of habitats seen most commonly in lower elevations. The deep snows and mature forest of the interior regions of the White Mountains present a challenge to the bobcat’s survival and ability to find enough prey. In the winter months, bobcats will leave the higher elevations of the forest, as they are not well adapted to travel and hunt prey in deep snow, according to Jillian Kilborn, a wildlife biologist with New Hampshire Fish and Game (who provided much of the information here regarding lynx in her article “Shadow Cat” published in the New Hampshire Wildlife Journal in January/February 2019). This is partly why northern New England is near the northern fringe of the bobcat’s habitat, which extends southward through the Florida peninsula.

THE MOUNTAIN LION - Puma concolor couguar One more cat is native to the Mt. Washington Valley and White Mountains Region: the mountain lion. Sometimes referred to as a puma or cougar, the mountain lion is believed to have been extirpated from this region, essentially meaning that it is functionally extinct and is no longer believed to breed or have estab-

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That doesn’t mean that the mountain lion couldn’t come back. Mountain lions are apex predators at the top of the food chain; they need large areas in which to seek prey and require large food sources such as deer and moose. The moose population is quite low in the White Mountains at the moment due to winter tick mortality rates, and deer densities are not high with so much contiguous forest in the White Mountains.

Could mountain lions come back or even pass through occasionally? It’s possible. A wild mountain lion that ended up

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While it’s entirely possible that mountain lions may occasional show up in New Hampshire, it would be a rare occurrence given the lack of evidence.

There have been numerous sightings in the White Mountain region over the years, but none have been officially confirmed and photos are virtually nonexistent. Photo provided by the U. S. Forest Service.

in Connecticut a few years ago was traced to an origin in the western states, and mountain lion DNA has been confirmed from a piece of scat found in 1997 in the extensive forests that surround the Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts. As confirmed on the Mass.gov, Division of Fisheries and Wildlife website, the scat was found near a beaver carcass and lab testing confirmed it came from a mountain lion. These two instances were notable in that they were not believed to be tied to the pet trade in mountain lions, but from wildcats. No breeding evidence has turned up, and it’s highly doubtful they breed anymore in their ancestral homeland. Nonetheless, sightings are reported every year to New Hampshire’s Fish and Game, but hard proof in the form of scat or photo evidence is needed.

Keep your eyes open and spend enough time in the woods, and who knows what you may see. Seeing a cat in the wild is a gift, something to remember and cherish.

TAILS OR TALES? The eastern cougar is considered a subspecies of the cougar or mountain lion. Unlike the Florida panther subspecies, which lives in southern Florida, the eastern cougar is considered extinct by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It was taken off of the endangered species list in 2018 as a result. Is there evidence of the possible existence of eastern cougars or mountain lions, as they’re most commonly known? Depends on who you ask. The bottom line is there has been no credible evidence to prove the existence of an eastern population in the form of a live specimen, DNA taken from scat, or a clear picture with proof of where it was taken. State agencies throughout the Northeast, including New Hampshire’s Fish and Game, receive many reports but never any credible evidence. This doesn’t mean they don’t exist, just that the evidence isn’t there.

How do you know if you’ve seen a mountain lion? The tail!

If it doesn’t have a long tail, it’s not a mountain lion, plain and simple. Without a good look at the tail, you can’t say for sure you saw a mountain lion, as no other eastern cat has a long tail.

While it’s entirely possible that mountain lions may occasional show up in New Hampshire, it would be a rare occurrence given the lack of evidence. Why so many reportings? We can probably blame the common bobcat for that.

Mt Washington Valley Vibe reached out to a handful of people throughout the area to hear about their mountain lion

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sightings. One of the more credible tales came from Bill Thompson, former owner of the North Country Angler.

“I was coming home from work on Route 25 going east. The cat came out of the woods just past where the highway crosses the Pine River. I slammed on the breaks and came very close to hitting it. There was another car behind me and I was afraid I was going to be rear ended. The woman who was driving the second car saw it too. The cat cleared the road in two bounds and went into the woods. There is no question in my mind that it was a wild cat. The tail was the give away, no other animal has a long tail like that. I tried to tell myself that it might have been a bobcat or a fox, but the color, size and that tail told a different story.”

The last officially recognized eastern cougar subspecies was trapped in the deep woods of Somerset County, Maine in 1938.

It was trapped by Rosarie Morin of St. Zacharie, Quebec. It was the last known mountain lion specimen in the Northeast until 2011, when a solitary young male cougar was hit by a car in Milford, Connecticut. DNA taken from blood and tissue of the mountain lion showed that it originated from a population in the Black Hills of South Dakota over 2,000 miles away, and traveled through Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York state, and then Connecticut before being hit by the vehicle in Connecticut.

There is proof that western mountain lions can occasionally travel all the way to New England. Mountain lion DNA found in scat has turned up in Massachusetts as well, although of unknown geographic origin. There is no breeding evidence anywhere of an eastern cougar subspecies yet. Someday, perhaps?

If you believe you have seen a mountain lion, or any wildcat, report it to NH Fish and Game, the Wildlife Division, at (603) 271-2461 or wildlife@wildlife.nh.gov.

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T

HOME AMONG THE TREES

he deal was, I could share my discovery and describe what I saw in detail, but I was forbidden to supplement my dissertation with photos or video. Nor could I divulge—or even hint at—their general location. This deal was done on a handshake. A grimy, but firm and trustworthy, handshake. One that meant something. They had to trust me, or kill me, not that the latter was out of the question. But they were a good lot, it seemed; cautious at first, but kind folk once they warmed to my presence. The encounter was a bit of a shock … to both of us. Finding them was dumb luck. A pure accident. I was bushwhacking, as I am known to sometimes do, quite a ways off the beaten path this time—and there they were. Well, here’s my story …

to following a bearing through the woods, happily enjoying my day.

I went on for another 10 minutes or so, tramping through the forest, and then there it was again. Bam. A cocktail of odors with smokey overtones—stronger than ever—and now I could smell blood or something visceral mixed in, or added as a new layer. I looked around, still not

It Began with a Chance Encounter

It was a beautiful day early on in the winter of 2021. It was part sun and clouds; cold, but not too bad, and there were light winds out of the west with an occasional stronger gust. The snow wasn’t yet too deep for easy backcountry travel. I had been at it for a few hours, enjoying my day, hiking in a valley somewhere within the White Mountain National Forest (that’s all I can say). The first unusual thing I noted was the smell of smoke. But I couldn’t see any. The air was clear. And there was something else.

A smell, or smells, lingering under the waft of a campfire. Part of the odor was a wild, fat, or musky smell. Maybe earthy is the word; and another part of it was an off-putting stench. Like body odor.

I didn’t see anything, though. Then the breeze shifted or settled, and the smell went away. Before long the whole thing went out of my thoughts and I was back

seeing anything to clue me in. I swiveled around, scanning a full 360-degrees, as I continued looking for the source, unconvinced I wouldn’t see it. The smell was that strong. As I panned from north to east making my second rotation, I noted movement to the north in the periphery of my left eye. I snapped back to that direction quickly, but there was nothing.

Nothing, that is, until a twig snapped.

Still, however, there was no movement. I cautiously walked in the direction of the sound. The smells were still strong in the air. Getting stronger, perhaps. My heart was racing. I approached a couple of blowdowns, a tangle of roots and branches nestled among the hobblebush. I

By Mike Cherim

peered over the trunk of one of the trees, trying to see if something was there. And much to my surprise, there she was: a little girl!

The girl was maybe eight years old with a dirty face and bright green eyes, clutching a grungy, worn, awful-looking stuffed animal, maybe a dog or bunny.

It was so nasty you couldn’t really tell.

Only later would I learn it was a koala bear. She had straggly, lifeless blond hair.

On her head was an obviously hand-knit wool hat. She also wore a long wool coat, which was slightly oversized and dropped almost to her knees. Snow pants with a spun synthetic insulation protected her legs, marginally. Probably polypropylene.

I know this because I could see it; she had holes in the outer material, some of which were covered with failing silver duct tape. On her hands she wore wool mittens similar to the ones made by the lady in Vermont; you know, the ones Bernie Sanders wore during the Presidential inauguration. And lastly, on her feet were dirty pink rubber boots with some type of animals printed on them. They looked sort of like whales.

The girl shied away from me, but remained silent. I spoke softly, hoping to reassure her and not frighten her: “I won’t hurt you,” I said, but she didn’t reply.

“Are you lost?” I asked. “Is your mom and dad around? Are you okay? Do you need any water?” I sort of bombarded her with questions. Still, though, there was nothing from the little girl.

“Please talk to me,” I pleaded with her.

She began to cry, tears streaking down her dirty face, and I felt terrible. I tried to make reassuring gestures, though I felt pretty useless. I was far out in the

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woods. In winter! I didn’t expect to see anyone, not even the hardcore hikers working on their winter lists. Let alone a crying little girl. A smelly crying little girl, I suddenly realized as a breeze carried her to me. She smelled of smoke and of all the things I mentioned. Aside from the strange rubber boots, she was like a little thru-hiker, maybe one that got all her gear from her grandmother or from a second-hand store. It dawned on me, at that point, that she was possibly homeless. It still didn’t completely explain why the hell she was way out here in the woods where I found her, but the rest of the pieces seemed to fit.

“I’m so sorry,” I told her, then added, “I just want to help.”

“MOMMY!” she yelled, finally speaking, then repeating it, drawing the word out even further: “MOOOOOOOOOOOMMY!” I was feeling frantic at this point and backed away from her even farther. I didn’t know what to do, but apparently, her mother was out here with her—that much was clear—since the girl had called out for her. Somewhere, anyway.

Becky—that she give me a wide berth.

I realized at this moment that I was between a mother and her child. A stranger.

I thought of black bears, and they’re fine, I’m not afraid of them, but this sent chills up my spine, making me feel even colder.

I shuddered briefly.

The woman calling to her child was probably in her late 30s, maybe 40. A pretty woman with no makeup, the same hair as her daughter, and also like her daughter she was dirty, her bedraggled attire stained, torn, and beyond well used. She also wore a hand-knit wool hat, and I realized the two matched. Almost.

The woman wore no coat, but had a thick sweater under which she appeared to be wearing several dresses, all layered, which stopped a foot short of the ground.

On her feet were what looked like Army boots, an old insult running through my head as I notice them—your mother wears Army boots. On her mom’s right hand was a wrap of ace bandages. Maybe for an injury, or maybe for warmth. I couldn’t see the mother’s other hand, but then I realized she may very well have

Or so I hoped. I wondered if her mother was hurt, or worse. Were they lost?

Homeless? I had so many questions running through my head. The girl stopped yelling and now just cried softly. I scanned the woods again, this time hoping to see an adult, a member of this little girl’s family. Even an older brother or sister would do, but there was no one. The wind began to blow. I shivered, realizing I was cooling down.

The girl seemed fine. Again, I spoke.

“Are you cold?” I asked, even though she clearly wasn’t, and added that I had more layers if she needed them.

The girl stopped crying, looked up, her eyes meeting mine. Then her gaze continued on past me, over my right shoulder as I knelt on the ground, and that’s when I heard a woman say: “She’s fine.”

Before I could turn around to see whose voice it was, she added, “Rebecca, come to me. Come here, Becky.”

I turned in time to see that she was motioning with her arm to Rebecca—or

her hand on a weapon. I will never know the answer to this.

The little girl was now next to her mother, having taken a detour around me to get to her. The girl, silent, just looked at me with her vivid eyes. Her mother pulled her close, the girl leaning her head into her mom’s waist. Secure at last.

“You can’t tell anyone you saw us,” the mother said to me, then added: “We’re fine.”

I asked, “Are you lost?” To which she shook her head no.

I added, “Are you okay?” and to that, she nodded.

“COVID-19,” she said. “It hit us bad.

Not the disease, we avoided that by coming up here, but everything else about it.

Money and stuff. We didn’t make it—my restaurant … .” she trailed off, looking away, her eyes getting moist.

“Coming up here?” I asked, repeating the words she had used.

“Yes,” she said, “We came up from Homestead, Florida in September and have been up here ever since.”

My heart was racing. I approached a couple of blowdowns, a tangle of roots and branches nestled among the hobblebush. I peered over the trunk of one of the trees, trying to see if something was there.

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The girl was maybe eight years old with a dirty face and bright green eyes, clutching a grungy, worn, awful-looking stuffed animal, maybe a dog or bunny. It was so nasty you couldn’t really tell.

“By ‘up here’ you mean up here, in the middle of the woods?!” I asked, astonished.

“Yes,” she replied. “Up here in the woods of New Hampshire. Lovely state, by the way.”

It was a strange encounter, to be sure.

And I thought that would be it, as odd as that seems. She would go her way with her daughter, pink rubber boots and all, and I would continue on mine. I began to stand up and fully turn toward her. I was going to ask if she was sure she didn’t need any help, but I paused. She eyed me and her features seemed to relax. I come across in a friendly manner, so animals, kids, and even protective mothers are usually at ease with me. I guess she was no different. She spoke again, but it wasn’t a goodbye. She might have had second thoughts about sending me off.

She may have realized that this was a rare opportunity.

“My name is Angela,” she said, “and maybe you can help us,” she added. I suddenly noticed a sad desperation in her also-green eyes.

Becky looked up at her mother and asked very quietly: “Can we go back to camp, Mommy?”

“Will you promise to not tell anyone we’re out here?” she asked again, looking directly at me, almost scowling, and ignoring Becky’s question for the moment.

I nodded my head vigorously.

“Of course,” I added, still unsure of what I was about to be shown.

“Please follow us,” Angela instructed.

“I am going to bring you to the others.” I nodded, curious, and followed the pair.

Taken to a Village in the Forest

We hiked at a bearing perpendicular to my own for about 18 minutes. I kept track of the time, noted my elevation, and counted my paces, as I wanted to stay oriented. We trudged through the snow into an area thick with fir and spruce trees.

The smell I noted from Becky—which was shared by Angela—was strong in the air now. I could now see a low smoke in the trees. Not a lot of smoke, but clearly someone had a fire going nearby. Maybe from what looked like a clearing coming up ahead. Their camp, I thought. Focused on seeing ahead, I was startled when a male voice boomed from behind me.

“Who the hell is he?!” asked the voice, as we all swung around to see.

“Becky wandered off like she does and found this man in the woods,” Angela explained. “He asked if he could help. I said no at first … but, then I thought … well, you know … ” “Well, what? What do I know?” he interrupted, though softening his tone a bit.

“The medicine,” she replied. “I thought maybe he could help us get the medicine we need for little Louis.”

The man considered this. I watched him furrow his dirty brow in thought.

He looked at Angela, then down at Becky who was still by her mother’s side, then

he looked over my way. He, too, wore a hand-knit woolen hat like the others. I realized that Angela, or someone here, probably made them all. His long, messy hair was dark brown, and he had a full beard. Like the others, he wore clothing that had seen better days years ago. An inappropriate-for-hiking dungaree coat, one of those with sheep’s fleece lining.

Under this it appeared he had a chamois work shirt and other layers on. His pants looked like Dickies or Carhartt, or one of those with the hammer loop on the side of the leg. On his hands he wore battered leather gloves, and his feet were layered with Crocs, socks, and plastic bags (over the socks) to keep his feet dry. I hoped this was his camp wear, but I was seriously starting to wonder. This was all pretty surreal.

“You can’t tell anyone where we are. Is this clear?” He asked, but didn’t wait for my answer. It showed in my eyes—and I meant it—just as his threat had shown in his, and how he meant it as well.

“My name is Carlos,” he informed me, then asked, “And you are?”

“Mike,” I told him.

“Becky’s younger brother, Louis—he’s four—is ill and we need medicine,” he told me. “Mike,” he added and looked directly at me.

“If I am able to get the medicine you need, I will help.” I told him.

“Please follow me,” he said, and began to walk toward the clearing beyond the trees. Becky ran off ahead and Angela followed close behind her. “Wait for me, Beck. You’ve done enough running away for today.”

Once in the clearing, I quickly realized that “camp” was more like a makeshift village. And Carlos, Angela, Becky, and Louis were not the only ones living here. They were but one family among many. I was stunned, and it took me a few minutes to take it all in. There were several “homes”—structures ranging from stick-built, bushcraft-style cottages like one might imagine the Three Little Pigs living in, to elaborate, though grimy, Wal-Mart tents, even a small teepee and rough-looking quinzee made of snow.

There were four fires that I could see at various points throughout camp.

People were curious, looking my way like they hadn’t see a soul since September, and were beginning to come out of hiding. One person approached and asked that I put on a mask. I pulled up my neck gaiter to comply with his request.

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I had momentarily forgotten all about the coronavirus.

People got back to work doing all sorts of bushcrafty things, making stuff, reviving some lost arts. I noted meat drying on racks, plus deer, moose, pine marten, and other animal pelts being stretched, dried, or tanned. The person who asked me to don the mask was the apparent leader of the village, and once he came over, Carlos took off with Angela and Becky. I didn’t see them again that day.

The leader was a retired doctor, also from south Florida. And also dirty, worn, and disheveled like the others, though perhaps less so. Everyone in sight seemed rather healthy, and happy, despite their rough appearances and mildly foul odor.

Living outside for months had worn them down, but they didn’t break, and now, despite the cold New Hampshire winters (even at a higher elevation), these people were thriving. They learned to live off the land and to be completely self-sufficient.

Just like it was back in the day.

I learned of their plight, their struggle, and their escape. We spoke for a while before I had to leave to beat night-

fall and get out safely. They are on living on public land, but doing so illegally, and they know it, hence the secrecy. Yet, even with the state’s forested areas being so small, relatively speaking, these people have managed to persist undiscovered for quite some time. To thrive, even. I’m impressed. In awe.

Fast Forward … Months Later

They’re still there. Still undiscovered. Still thriving. I found them their medicine, and Louis is now fine. They’re all fine. I did bring them a few other items I knew they could use, and I have visited them four times since. I am considered a friend of the village; we all know each other’s names. I still bring a few items when I visit, all luxuries like flour for bread or pre-made iron goods, but they have learned to do without a lot of things we deem essential here in our time zone—or they make their own.

I fear they will be caught once summer comes, but through the winter they were fine. I was careful to approach them by different directions each time I returned, trying to help them maintain their privacy. These folks all had some-

thing in common: their lives were turned upside down by the pandemic. But then they showed the true strength possessed by humans, the true resilience. I admire these people.

I was allowed to write about this, but they ask that you don’t try to find them.

To leave it, and them, alone. They realized they don’t need any more help and don’t want it. I showed up at the right time, in the right place, and now have a second family in the forest. But there is no room for more. They hope to stay … if they don’t get caught. And, honestly, they’re an inspiration. I’m rooting for them. I hope you, dear reader, will respect their wishes and allow them the joy of living their own existence in peace. As a model for us all.

Mike Cherim, a North Conway resident, is a trailwork- and SAR-volunteer in the WMNF. His passions are primarily hiking and skiing (plus biking and fishing)—and he also loves to write fiction.

He makes his living, however, running a local guiding company: Redline Guiding out of Intervale.

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THE TOWERING MAPMAKERS

By Dan Szczesny

MOUNT WASHINGTON AND THE EARLY EFFORTS TO MAP THE WHITE MOUNTAINS

F

rom virtually the moment the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) formed in 1876, members were trying to make maps of the White Mountains.

At its start, the AMC was comprised nearly to a person of professors, engineers, naturalists, and scientists—many

to summits on their excursions the way hikers today carry trail mix.

By 1880, all the elements were in place for what would essentially become the first common hiker’s guide to the Presidential Range in the White Mountains. AMC members, including co-found-

elevation and location.

At the same time, member Elihu T. Quimby, a Dartmouth geography professor, had been working for the United States Coastal Survey (which eventually became the United States Geological Survey), taking readings around the state

from Ivy League universities—of whom enjoyed surveying as a hobby or their profession. These enthusiasts—most of whom were men—carried survey equipment such as alidades or theodolites up

ers Sam Scudder and Edward Pickering, along with councilors whose names would become associated with trails and summits like Charles Hitchcock and J. Rayner Edmands, were gathering data on

for the quadrangle maps the government was building.

Tourists were staying at the stone hotels at the summit of Mount Washington.

A working, accurate trail map was the

The top of New England had become the primary survey position, but Quimby, Edmands, and William Pickering, needed to get above the increasingly crowded summit to take their readings.

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LEFT: The Mount Washington tower was built in 1880 and reached heights of 27-55 feet above the summit before being removed in 1902. Charles Pollock photographer, copyright 1882. Courtesy Mt. Washington Auto Road. ABOVE: Summit view showing USCGS tower, Mount Washington, 1882, from a Pollock photo. Ron Walters collection.

last piece of the puzzle. Only one obstacle remained. The top of New England had become the primary survey position, but Quimby, Edmands, and William Pickering, Edward’s brother, needed to get above the increasingly crowded summit to take their readings. As unlikely as it seemed given Mount Washington’s open summit, they needed to build a tower. This would be expensive and difficult work. But Quimby had a plan.

TOWER WORK BEGINS Quimby did what any smart academic seeking funding would do: hat in hand, he turned to private organizations; in this case, to The Mount Washington Cog Railway. Since 1869, the Cog had been taking tourists to the summit, and since 1873, customers had been able to stay in the Cog’s 91-room hotel, the Summit House.

Quimby’s pitch was simple. The Cog would build a tower to the specifications of the survey team, Quimby and his team would use it to do the survey work, and the Cog could attach it to the hotel and charge tourists to use it.

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ABOVE LEFT: A Lewis Rogers photo from 1892 shows more of the equipment in the “dynamo room” or “engine room.” We’re looking at a water-filled lamp mounted above the summit marker containing a red light. The electric dynamo is in the back right corner. Out of frame to the left would be the boiler and engine. Note the sign at right that reads “Search Light Codes” for the benefit of visitors. The large log at left and the one behind the sign are part of the original 1880 tripod. Courtesy Mt. Washington Auto Road. ABOVE RIGHT: Signal pole used for triangulation on the Mount Washington summit, ca 1876, from a Kilburn stereoview. Ron Walters collection.

tower would be built to stay as a “permanent feature.”

And so, in the summer of 1880, work on the great Mount Washington tower finally began.

THE FIRST GUIDEBOOK The primary challenge of building a tower at the site of the “world’s worst weather” in the late 19th century was the

planking and clapboard; but even then, the weather was so severe that moisture was always penetrating the tower.

Still, tourists began going up for $0.10 a person. And with perfect sightlines over the tops of all the summit buildings, AMC engineers and scientists began triangulating the White Mountains in earnest.

Once the tower had been built and the data began coming in, building the

been flung wide open.

By the early 1890s, the Pickering brothers had moved on from mapmaking and the AMC. But the original White Mountain map was used as the basis for AMC maps extending well into the 20th century.

And to this day, many of the originally mapped trails continue to be cared for by the AMC trail stewards, or other main-

same as it’d be today: the wind. So, they built a giant log tripod and then encased it in an outside shell.

The tripod was 27 square feet at the base, tapering to a 14-square-foot top. Inside the shell, eight 9-inch spruce timbers reached from the foundation to the top.

The structure was then covered in heavy

first hiker map was easy. By June 1882, Appalachia issued a copy of the map and Pickering authored an accompanying field guide called Walking Guide to the Mt. Washington Range, considered AMC’s first guidebook. Suddenly, hikers and tourists had a reliable map, and the doors to hiking in the White Mountains had

taining groups, such as the Randolph Mountain Club’s Trail Crew or the White Mountain Trail Collective. But what of the original tower? As it turns out, the Mount Washington tower had one more illuminating chapter to its life.

The primary challenge of building a tower at the site of the “world’s worst weather” in the late 19th century was the same as it’d be today: the wind.

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ABOVE: The Mount Washington tower search light spotlight was said to be so bright, that were the light to be shined on Fabian’s, 8 miles away, in the middle of the night, it would be enough to read a book by. Lewis Rogers collection, Library of Congress, Courtesy Mt. Washington Auto Road archives.

Moonlight for Sale The initial idea for installing a massive steam-powered electric searchlight at the top of the Mount Washington tower appears to have originated from the mind of salesman Lewis Rogers. He was a selling agent for Thomson-Houston Electric, a maker of generators, or dynamos.

The proposal, which The Cog Railway accepted in 1892, was that the searchlight would be funded through hotel and railroad subscribers, and there would be a $0.25 admission to go to the

Tower operators even considered using the light as a beacon to aid lost hikers, a sort of lighthouse to show hikers the way.

top. The tagline for the whole operation was jokingly referred to as “moonlight for sale.”

But it was no joke. In fact, the light became a wonder of modern science. According to a visiting reporter, the tower spotlight was so bright, that were the light to be shined on Fabyan’s, 8 miles away, in the middle of the night, it would be enough light to read by.

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ABOVE: William H. Pickering (1858-1938) was primarily an astronomer, but as the brother of Appalachian Mountain Club founder, Edward Pickering, also became active in that organization’s attempts to map the White Mountains. He issued this map in 1882 in two publications, the June 1882 issue of Appalachia, the quarterly journal of the AMC, and in a handbook entitled Walking Guide to the Mt. Washington Range (Boston: A. Williams and Company, 1882).

beacon to aid lost hikers, a sort of lighthouse to show hikers the way. Rogers had other ideas, though, and the searchlight didn’t last long. Seeking a greater audience for such a wonder, the following season, Rogers moved the light to Manchester, NH, and installed it on a tall building in the center of the city. But then the story about the tower’s whereabouts gets fuzzy. The light moved to Boston, and then on to either the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893 or Mount Echo in California.

Back in New Hampshire, the tower, no longer serving a cartographical purpose, became a simple observation platform. As tourist traffic decreased, however, maintenance also ground to a halt and the mountain’s infamous weather began to take its toll. So, in 1902, without much fanfare, the tower was taken down and another important chapter in the mapping of the White Mountains closed.

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