Mt Washington Valley Vibe is published four times annually and is available for pick-up, free of charge, in over 300 locations throughout the White Mountain Region of New Hampshire and into the communities of Western Maine.
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THOUGHTS FROM THE PUBLISHER
Earlier this spring, I decided a break from the office grind was needed. Long hours and too much screen time had led to unproductiveness, and the warming sun outside had become a distraction. At that particular time, we were in the midst of researching and writing about the King’s Pines, an article finalized in this very edition. As the story goes, in the 1600s, England’s King James I, sent his men to search out and mark the tallest and straightest eastern pines known to grow in northern New England forests. I had heard rumors of these giant white pines, but never really knew where to find the big ones—or if they even still existed.
My furry office mates were also seemingly thrilled with the change of plans, and eager for their mid-morning walk. Within the hour, we were headed to the nearby trailheads of the Big Pines Natural Area in Tamworth and the Bolles Property, owned by The Nature Conservancy. According to our contact at the UNH Cooperative Extension, Wendy Scribner, these two areas have many giant white pines, including two state champions. Finally, we would witness and photograph some of these massive trees in person.
Halfway up the trail, I stumbled on a hidden root and barely caught myself before regaining my composure with a chuckle. Typically pretty sure-footed, I attributed my near-face-first encounter with the ground to carelessness and wondered how many others had tripped on that same root. My mind wandered to what it may have been like for these early surveyors during such a long journey from home to a forest of unknowns. What was it like to venture into areas where settlers had never, ever, been?
But then, there it was. One of the tallest eastern white pines known to exist. This particular one was recently nominated as a national champion single-stem pine. At 158 feet tall and over 15 feet in circumference, it was certainly massive for this region; and as tall, straight, and healthy as can be. While there is no way to know if this specific tree—or any of the others in the area—were ever marked as a King’s Pine candidate, it was easy to imagine why these trees were sought after to be used as masts for the tallest ships of the era.
Suddenly, an eerie feeling overwhelmed me as we stood dwarfed by this giant presence. Not one of fear, but a sobering feeling of the vastness of time, and not knowing who stood here before me.
And then I was brought back to the present, looking down to witness my dog marking this territory—the base of this majestic pine—as his, as they do. It was then that I became keenly aware that it was ... our time … to leave :).
We hope that you enjoy the story of the King’s Pines, and the many others in this edition. Happy ... and safe trails to everyone this summer!
Lily loves to write about health and outdoor recreation. Before making her way back to New Hampshire, she studied publishing and journalism at Emerson College. She often thinks of story ideas while exploring trails in the White Mountains. In 2021, she discovered Hiking Buddies NH 48, a 501(c)(3) organization, where she met lifelong friends who helped her finish the NH 48.
Bernadette Donohue, Fryeburg, ME
Known as the Dream Home Matchmaker, Bernie’s love of adventure, nature, and people started her real estate career 37 years ago. Bernie’s passion is also to facilitate caring connections and community. She is co-chair of local REALTORS® Community Service Committee, Creator of MWV Photo Contest, Calendars for Charities and Hands of Hope, cancer survivor banner.
Ryan St.Onge, North Conway, NH
Born in rural Gorham, NH, Ryan has formed a fulfilling music and writing career in the bustling ski town of North Conway, NH. He loves to explore, cook, and experience. When he’s not performing live, writing new songs, or contributing material, he enjoys time with his family and friends playing sports, cards, and all that the MWV has to offer.
Dave Greenslit, Conway, NH
Dave is a retired newspaper reporter and editor who moved to the Mt. Washington Valley to be close to the hiking, skiing, and mountain biking the area has to offer. He has section-hiked the Appalachian, Long, and Cohos trails and completed New Hampshire’s 4,000-footers.
Mike Cherim, North Conway, NH
Mike is a hiker and skier, and a WMNF volunteer, lending some of his time to search and rescue and to trail maintenance. When Mike isn’t busy with those volunteer pursuits, his guide/outfitter company, Redline Guiding, keeps him and his merry band of guides pretty busy, offering guests plenty to do in all seasons.
Karissa Masse, North Conway, NH
With a background in ceramics and sculpture, Karissa has made her living teaching art, making pottery, and managing galleries since she earned her BFA from RIT in 1999. She has been the owner and curator of the historical League of NH Craftsmen Gallery in North Conway since 2006 and fully enjoys her creative life, enriched by the community and the beauty of the White Mountains.
Ryan Pacheco, West Ossipee, NH
Ryan is a journalism student, freelance writer, and macand-cheese enthusiast from West Ossipee. A lifelong Granite Stater, he enjoys embracing the natural beauty of the Valley. He spends his summers working to prevent aquatic invasive species from contaminating the natural ecosystem through his lake-hosting work with NH Lakes.
Christine Thompson, Jackson, NH
Chris is an educator, a writer, and an outdoor enthusiast. When she’s not working, you can find her sipping coffee, hiking, running, or acting at her second home, M & D Playhouse. She loves learning and sharing people’s stories with you in this beautiful publication.
Deb Dunn, Bartlett, NH
Deb splits her time between Chilmark, MA and Bartlett, NH. She is at her happiest hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, mountain biking, skiing, and enjoying the mountains with family and friends. When she’s not outdoors, she’s teaching literacy, coaching K-3 teachers, or reading a good book.
Ashley MacPherson, Conway, NH
Ashley is a local writer, passionate about telling stories that reveal our shared human experience. Currently living in Conway with her husband and their rescue pup, she is a lover of film, food, wine, and travel. The outdoors is her happy place—on any given day, you can find Ashley cycling, running, hiking, skiing, and generally enjoying all the Valley has to offer.
Colin Higdon, North Conway, NH
Colin is the secretary on the board of directors at Ride NoCo, which focuses on building and maintaining sustainable mountain bike trails in the Mt. Washington Valley. In his free time, he can be found riding bikes, exploring trails and dirt roads, or drinking coffee at Frontside Coffee Roasters.
Mindy Leone, Fryeburg, ME
Mindy teaches at Northeast Woodland Chartered Public School. She enjoys living in her secluded cabin with her family. In her spare time, you can find Mindy by the river, practicing healing arts, making herbal remedies, and creating art. She chooses to live in the Mt. Washington Valley for its inclusive-minded community and abundance of nature.
Mik Oyler, North Conway, NH
Mik Oyler is co-CEO & founder of Aerie Healthcare, an innovative mental health day treatment program for adolescents in Concord, NH. Mik and his family live in North Conway, where they enjoy all forms of adventuring in the White Mountains together. He is an avid birder, a Mountain Birdwatch volunteer researcher, and an instructor at the Hog Island Audubon Teen Camp. Mik also serves on the Board of Directors of Mount Washington Valley Adaptive Sports, helping individuals of all abilities and disabilities to access recreational opportunities in the Mt. Washington Valley.
Additional contributers
Brian Solomon, writer
Randy Roos, photography
If you reside locally or have ties to the Mt. Washington Valley region and would like to offer your creative talents, please contact us at info@mwvvibe.com.
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
SHERMAN FARM MARKET
The businesses below are members of White Mountain Independents! Learn more at www.whitemountainindependents.com.
This year, Sherman Farm is celebrating 60 years of farming! On May 8, 1964, Al and Phyllis Sherman moved to East Conway with their three children, and they have been growing ever since. At Sherman Farm, the family’s mission has always been to produce high-quality, great-tasting farm food products. As thoughtful and committed stewards of the land and animals, they produce goods in the most progressive, efficient way possible, with the utmost respect for community, customers, employees, and family.
Sherman Farm also extends friendly community connections by welcoming families to enjoy their wide-open space in the great New Hampshire outdoors. Their market is overflowing with farm-raised vegetables and beef, milk in glass bottles, local goods, and New England-made products. More than just a farm market, Sherman’s offers other activities, including the highlights to the right.
Make Sherman Farm a regular stop on your grocery run, or bring the family for a picnic and fun afternoon of play at the farm. In the summer, you’ll want to indulge in the homemade waffle cones and locally made ice cream at their ice cream shop, The Barnyard Scoop.
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Farm-themed play area and petting area for feeding goats
• Events (see website for a full list) and Fall Corn Maze
• Outdoor games and picnicking
• Cut-your-own flowers (late July through August)
For more information, call (603) 939-2412 or visit www.shermanfarmnh.com.
ATLANTIC POOL & SPA
Atlantic Pool & Spa in North Conway opened in March 2006, and continues today in the same location under the same owners, Mike and Melissa Monfet.
Three brands of hot tubs are offered:
Dimension One, Nordic Hot Tubs, and Cal Spas, and they service all brands of spas, regardless of whether or not they sold them. In addition, they sell Radiant Pools and Optimum Pools, and service all pools, including in-ground. Atlantic Pool & Spa offers liner replacements for all in-ground and above-ground pools. They also have a wide variety of commercial customers whom they service and who buy products through them.
Much of the company’s growth can be attributed to returning customers who have either moved and need a spa for their new home or who have decided to upgrade their old spa. Their extensive customer network has helped grow their business by recommendations of their products and services.
Atlantic Pool & Spa’s helpful team can provide as little or as much service as you need, and they offer spa or pool visits for weekly maintenance. Other services include checking and adjusting chemicals and cleaning the pool or spa, as needed. Tight on time? Ask about having your spa drained, cleaned, and refilled, along with adding the start-up chemicals for those customers who have full schedules or who might not want to do it in the winter months.
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Service all brands of pools and spas
• Year-round delivery
• Liner replacements for all pools
• Water care made easy
For more information, call (603) 356-0039, or visit www.atlanticpoolandspa.com.
shermanfarmnh
FOOTHILLS FABRICATION
Foothills Fabrication (FHF), LLC is a metalworks and design studio, focusing on fine architectural elements and precision, with a heavy emphasis on quality and craftsmanship. FHF specializes in modern/contemporary features, functional art pieces, and mechanical/industrial fabrication. Some of these products include custom handrails and guardrails, stairs, fireplace surrounds, kitchen hoods, and refined features.
They utilize modern technologies like 3D CAD modeling, CNC plasma cutting, and up-to-date welding practices to take your project from concept to completion. With the ability to work with all common metals, steel, stainless and especially aluminum (great for our corrosive environment in the NE) they are completely customized to your needs. From clean lines to blacked steel and patina’d panels, it’s all doable!
FHF is owned and operated by Daniel Rowe, a native to the region. Rowe has an education in integrated manufacturing technologies with over 15 years of experience. Before starting his own company, Rowe spent eight years employed as a project manager, building military prototype off-road vehicles and robotics, luxury tracked vehicles for foreign royalty and Inc. 500 CEOs as well as for Hollywood (FF8 and “the grand tour”). He also managed a program to make tracked off-road personal vehicles accessible for disabled people. He follows through from concept to finish without sacrificing quality.
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Custom metal fabrication
• Architectural, furniture, interior/exterior
• 3D design/CAD & CNC plasma cutting
• From concept to completion
more information, call (207) 228-3039, or visit www.foothills-fab.com.
• Assets Jean Company
• Atlantic Pool & Spa
• Bavarian Chocolate Haus
• Cathedral Ledge Distillery
• The Christmas Loft
• Designed Gardens Flower Studio
• Four Your Paws Only
• Hudson’s Art, Home & Gifts
• It’s My Girlfriend’s Boutique Consignment
• Jewelry by Tim & Friends
• League of NH Craftsmen
• The Local Grocer • Mystic Sugar Bakery • North Conway Olive Oil Co.
• North Country Fair Jewelers
• The Penguin Gallery
• Ragged Mountain Equipment
• RavenWood Curio Shoppe
• The Root Cellar: an Aveda Salon & Boutique
• The Rugged Mill
• Sherman Farm Market
• Soyfire Candle Bath & Body
• Spruce Hurricane
• Valley Artisans & Vintage Market
• Veno’s Specialty Foods & Meats
• White Birch Books
• White Mountain Winery
REAL ESTATE CORNER
By Bernadette Donohue
A Gateway to Nature and Nurture
In the picturesque mountain and lakes regions of New Hampshire and Maine, a screened porch is much more than an architectural feature of a home—it is a gateway to an immersive outdoor experience and a sanctuary where nature and comfort coexist harmoniously. Integrating a screened porch into a primary or vacation home not only enhances the property’s aesthetic appeal, it provides
hood add to my enjoyment, as I listen to children at play and the nearby rooster’s morning call in this “outside the box” home experience.
When our children were young, the screened porch served as a safe and secure space for kids and pets to play, without the risk of wandering off. We had a Fisher-Price picnic table set up with a constant rotation of toys, depend-
begin to drop, it becomes an ideal haven for unwinding with a good book, a warm blanket, and perhaps a glass of wine to accompany the symphony of crickets and the peacefulness of the night.
Providing extra space also comes in handy for summer’s social gatherings. Whether it’s a large family barbecue, a dinner party, or just a few friends stopping by, a porch party offers a fun space to accom-
On hot summer days, a screened porch’s utility becomes a sanctuary from the heat as it shades the sun’s intensity and provides a breezy retreat. Even during inclement weather, it allows for outdoor fun while staying dry and connected to nature.
a therapeutic and joyful quality-of-life experience that we all yearn for.
Sitting amidst blossoming gardens and greenery, I savor a morning cup of tea while listening to the songbirds and feel a renewed sense of tranquility and joy during “screened porch season.” A quintessential benefit of having a screened porch is its ability to seamlessly extend the living space of a home. For me, opening my French doors completely transforms the first floor with more space, light, and fresh air. Our east-facing porch invites the morning sun and allows the backyard to become an extension of our kitchen. Furnished with plants, wicker armchairs, and a glass-top table, it is an ideal area for dining and relaxation. The familiar sounds of the neighbor-
ing on their age. Perfect for summer and the shoulder seasons. I recall one unseasonably warm early April, excited to celebrate our daughter’s birthday on the porch. As the kids became teens, it became a hammock hangout and maintained its versatile appeal as a retreat for us all. This playpen’d area also served as a favorite refuge for our family’s 19-yearold cat, Mittens, as he stretched out in the sunshine to nap or watch the birds, staying safe from any outdoor threats.
On hot summer days, a screened porch’s utility becomes a sanctuary from the heat as it shades the sun’s intensity and provides a breezy retreat. Even during inclement weather, it allows for outdoor fun while staying dry and connected to nature. As the sun sets and temperatures
modate a variety of social activities that integrate both inside and out, without bugs.
Without question, one of the most significant and practical advantages of having a screened porch in this region is its ability to mitigate the nuisance of summer’s insect population. Mosquitoes are a persistent challenge with our proximity to dense woods, ponds, lakes, wetlands, and slow-moving streams. Naturally, nature provides many of the most compelling reasons we all love where we live, but it also provides an ideal environment where biting bugs like to live, too. This makes a screened porch extremely advantageous (sometimes indispensable) for enjoying the outdoors.
When I speak to potential buyers of homes in New Hampshire or Maine, I
often bring up the many advantages of having a screened porch. Of course, if a home does not have one, it becomes a conversation about how it may benefit them to consider this type of home improvement. The overall investment of dollars to add or improve a screened porch will have a significant return on investment that goes far beyond financial gain. In addition to economic and lifestyle advantages, there are many priceless health and happiness benefits as well.
Scientific research has been written about the benefits of fresh air flowing through a home, directly contributing to the well-being of its occupants, as well as the overall health of the structure. The American Lung Association emphasizes the importance of good ventilation to reduce indoor air pollutants and maintain a healthy home environment, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises proper ventilation to mitigate issues that can cause structural and health problems. Allowing your home to breathe is essential, and a screened porch is an easy way to create good airflow during warmer months.
For most homeowners, a screened porch is both an essential and favorite seasonal room. It doesn’t matter whether the porch is rustic or refined, it is often a beloved space that enhances the overall character of a home and where cherished memories are created. Being fortunate enough to have enjoyed years of memories at a beloved family summer camp on Roxbury Pond, the screened porch provided as many endearing moments as the lovely lake did for us. Decorated with fishing gear, eclectic adornments, and rocking chairs, this screened extension was a magical place where our family played games, completed puzzles, ate meals, and enjoyed conversations with a picturesque bird’seye view of lake life at its best.
In my 40 years as a real estate professional, I have also had the privilege of seeing thousands of homes while representing the needs of sellers and buyers. Some of the most memorable homes were those with amazing screened porches, providing a unique immersion of beauty and breeze, a true sanctuary from the stressors of daily living or the challenges that life unexpectedly may throw our way.
If you don’t already have one of your own to enjoy, the cost of adding a screened porch varies greatly as you might expect, depending on factors such as size, type of materials, electric components, roof, floors, and the complexity of how it is tied into an existing roof line. If the screened porch is being created from an existing farmer’s porch or deck it will be a much less expensive and an easier project than being built from the ground up, so getting professional estimates is recommended. There are also many ways to DIY this project. But whether you use a “kit” or are starting from scratch, you can find a wide selection of great options to match both your style as well as your budget. The main point is to create one you’ll enjoy!
If you already have a screened porch, take a few moments next time you are enjoying yours to truly appreciate one of life’s simple pleasures. I would also invite you to download my free e-book, “Happy Home, Happy Hearts”, to help you infuse your home with more joyful ideas. www.freegiftfromBernie.com
Bernadette Donohue, REALTOR & Certified Residential Specialist, CRS. Serving the real estate needs of NH and ME since 1985. Contact Bernie at Badger Peabody & Smith Realty, BernieD@BadgerPeabodySmith.com, (603) 356-5757 x 310 or mobile (207) 542-9967
By Mik Oyler
Mountain Birdwatch in Huntington Ravine
Ilove the wide variety of reactions I get when I tell someone I am a “birder.”
Their curiosity intensifies after explaining the many adventurous birding pursuits beyond feeder watching that birders like me enjoy. While pelagic trips, “big years,” and birding competitions such as the Superbowl of Birding (Yes … this is very real and awesome) are interesting and exciting, Mountain Birdwatch is, perhaps, the most impressive and meaningful in the birding community.
Since 2000, every June, hundreds of volunteer citizen scientists embark on adventures into the montane sprucefir forests of the Adirondacks, Green Mountains, and White Mountains to help monitor the health of bird populations and mountain ecosystems through the Mountain Birdwatch (MBW) program managed by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. In the spring, volunteers apply for and are assigned designated routes to survey, along with maps, GPS coordinates, data collection forms, and training materials clarifying protocols to ensure data efficacy.
For nearly 20 years, I have had the pleasure of surveying, including Mount Success #84 along the Appalachian Trial (AT), Stairs Mountain #16 along the Davis Path, and, for the past five years, Huntington Ravine #6 along the Raymond Path. Every route is unique, and every year is different due to varying conditions and the birds and wildlife encountered. However, there are many constants that make the MBW experience one I look forward to with great anticipation every year.
What makes the survey so interesting is that it starts with the “morning chorus” of birds, just before dawn at around 4:30
Local duo team-up with Vermont Center for Ecostudies to perform annual surveys for declining bird populations.
a.m., requiring surveyors to hike and navigate in the dark to arrive at the first GPS coordinate on time. I have conducted surveys alone, many times, and had some unsettling moments, losing the trail for 20 excruciating minutes, crossing a stream with potentially dangerous high volume, or seeing very large eyes intently watching me through the trees. These days, I am grateful for my long-time hiking buddy, Aaron (trail name “Mosey”), who makes the trip every year to join me (trail name “Birdman”).
While the adventures of Birdman and Mosey are legendary, we’re pretty conservative with risk, and are much more organized now. We have our systems down: wake up at 1:30 a.m., leave the house in Kearsarge at 2 a.m., arrive at AMC Pinkham and start hiking the Tuckerman Ravine Trail by 2:30 a.m., hike 2 miles with 1,400-foot elevation gain and multiple stream crossings, arrive at point #1 no later than 4:15 a.m., layer up, break out the
Swainson’s Thrush, and lower elevation species that are likely to colonize higher elevation areas as the climate warms, such as the Black-capped Chickadee. MBW annual monitoring of nearly 800 montane locations reveals that most of the species that we monitor (Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Winter Wren, Bicknell’s Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, Hermit Thrush, Blackpoll Warbler, and White-throated Sparrow) have declined by an average of 40 percent since 2010.
The MBW 2023 report is most alarming because it indicates declines of greater than 60 percent since 2010 for both Hermit Thrush and White-throated Sparrow, two species that are declining essentially everywhere they breed in the United States. All bird species and population segments that nest within the high-elevation spruce-fir zone, however, are highly susceptible to the effects of global climate change. As temperatures continue to rise this century, quantitative
“The MBW 2023 report is most alarming because it indicates declines of greater than 60 percent since 2010 for both Hermit Thrush and White-throated Sparrow ...”
coffee and survey sheets, and prepare for an experience that most have not experienced—and that never gets old.
Dawn in the heart of the White Mountains can be spectacular … the subtle lightening of the darkness, dimming of the stars, colors emerging, fog or mist that leaves dew drops on the spruce tips, and then the first, then second, then third bird sings, building off each other until it reaches a crescendo making it difficult to discern them. Sometimes we get so enthralled by it, we forget that the survey instructions said we should be starting by 4:21 a.m. this year. It’s survey time!
We are listening and looking for 10 bird species, and one very loud and predatory mammal (red squirrel). The bird species are a mix of montane specialists, such as the famous Bicknell’s thrush, intermediaries that occur in the lower hardwoods and spruce-fir, such as the
ecologists predict that boreal species will shift their breeding ranges upslope and poleward. By the end of this century, it is likely that the breeding ranges of dozens of our spruce-fir forest breeders (e.g., both crossbill species, Canada Jay, and Bay-breasted and Blackpoll Warblers) will be entirely restricted to the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska.
Back to the important survey work. For four consecutive five-minute surveys per location, surveyors count and map on a grid the target species and their movement within and beyond a 50-mile radius. This is repeated for a total of six stations along the route. A lot has to go correctly on survey day. Fortunately, technology has transformed the MBW experience, as it has for birding in general, in mostly positive ways. Using GPS apps like CalTopo, I can avoid getting lost in the dark, as well as ensure exact survey location accuracy.
Using the Merlin app, I can record vocalizations and add them to my ebird reports to track all species encountered, which are submitted to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for additional citizen science.
The survey concludes just after 7 a.m. We share a congratulatory high five and finish our coffee while debriefing our observations and impressions of trends from year to year. We also take time to simply enjoy a beautiful morning in Huntington Ravine. While Birdman and Mosey have continued up the Huntington Ravine Trail in the past to summit the rockpile. We’re not feeling as adventurous today and decide to loop around to HoJo’s before descending back to the parking lot.
Birding is a way of life and personal meditation for me. I am constantly amazed and inspired by the beauty and resiliency of birds, but there’s a limit to that resiliency, and the declining numbers are more than concerning. As a birder and contributor to citizen science, I feel increasingly compelled to do what I can to help protect them and our ecosystems.
For more information about Mountain Birdwatch and results from this year’s surveys, visit www.vtecostudies.org/projects/ mountains/mountain-birdwatch. Scan the QR code to be brought to the survey above.
Mountain Birdwatch Route 6: Huntington Ravine, NH
Moderate trail in the White Mountain National Forest. 1.8 miles to first point.
Driving: From Main Street in Gorham, NH turn onto NH-16 S/Glen Road. Continue on NH-16 S for 10.5 miles.
Pinkham Notch Visitor Center will be on the right.
Route: All points are on the Raymond Path. Start at Pinkham Notch AMC lodge on highway 16, just south of Wildcat Mountain Ski Area. Hike up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail (1.3 miles) to the Huntington Ravine trail and then another 0.5 miles up to Raymond Path. The intersection of Huntington and Raymond is between points 6-1 and 6-2. High water alternative: take the Raymond Path instead to avoid challenging creek crossings, but you’ll still have
difficult crossings due to high water and lack of footings.
Camping: Hermit Lake Shelter on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. Permits ($15) needed from Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.
The elevation profile at right is for the hiking route described above, shown in red on the maps. The profile (lower right) shows the points in greater detail.
ART IN THE VALLEY
By Karissa Masse Woodland Treasures
IThe
A Wellspring of Creative Inspiration
love hiking in the White Mountains. There is something so deep and grounding about padding through the forest, feeling the soft give of the loam underfoot, smelling the dank rich earth, sunlight filtering through the emerald canopy. The pace of my steps finds a rhythm that forms a mantra, quieting my mind. I become aware of the smallest details of my surroundings; the unfolding of tender new leaves, the fragrant golden sap beading on a pine branch, the hum of insects and birdsong. To witness the pirouette of a delicate mushroom, middance, or an exquisitely soft bed of moss tucked into the boulders and trees, untouched—made up of thousands of tiny plants, a forest unto itself—feels intimate and sacred, an observance of the divine.
Then finally, there is the revelation of bursting through, from the microcosm of the forest onto the granite-capped peak, the spectacular expanse of the mountains. The cooling wind in my hair as I take in the spectrum of mountain hues fading into the distance, and wonder at the formation of this landscape, carved and colored by millennia of wind, water, ice, and vivacious green growth.
Without fail, I always come away from the forest with some great inspi-
ration. Sometimes it’s a new idea for my business, or a deep understanding about our place in this world as humans, but usually it’s artistic. I’m a ceramic artist, and I always leave feeling energized to make something inspired by nature.
There is a long history of artists finding inspiration in the White Mountains. In the early 19th century, hundreds of artists flocked to the White Mountains to sketch and paint en plein air, creating a body of work known as “White Mountain Art.” This creative pilgrimage to the north became a movement that is credited as a catalyst of the tourism industry in this region. As artists sold and dispersed subsequent artworks throughout the country, the Whites became a major attraction, and towns like North Conway developed and thrived.
In addition to being an artist, I’m also a gallery owner, managing and caring for the North Conway League of NH Craftsmen Gallery for nearly 20 years now. I’m one of over 350 juried artists and craftsmen the League represents, all from New Hampshire or within 10 miles of its border. As the curator of their work, I can clearly see a common thread running through the gallery. Like me, many of my fellow craftsmen are inspired by nature
and the beauty of the White Mountains. Hiking in the White Mountains often leaves people with the desire to take something physical of the experience home with them, to remember it by. (How many times have I scooped a weathered piece of root, a smooth stone, or a bit of virgin moss into my pocket?)
Bob Clark is an artist who literally makes his craft out of the forest. He makes wooden bowls out of native trees using a woodworking technique called “turning green.” Although he is an environmentalist who always chooses local, sustainable, and eco-friendly sources for his craft, “turning green” actually refers to the process of turning living wood on a lathe. After procuring fresh-cut logs from local sustainable sources—and sometimes that means helping out a neighbor near his home in Chichester, NH—Bob roughly chunks out the shape with a chainsaw and chisels, and then mounts the wood onto his lathe. Streams of soft fragrant shavings come off the wood like spaghetti as he turns it, forming huge piles that he later manages with a pitchfork. He loves the sweet scents emanating from each species of tree as he works, but the most spectacular part of turning
White Mountains—
Bob Clark
green is the water. The living wood is full of water, and it sprays out of the wood as he carves through it. He once turned a piece of willow and got absolutely soaked! The results of Bob’s work are just as exciting, as the exquisite figuring of the wood reveals itself as shimmering curly maple, banded black cherry, or ambrosia maple (which is actually formed by the ambrosia worm). When it is finally cured and dried, the off-round curves of a green-turned bowl are soft and organic, and make an elegant salad or fruit bowl for the table.
Richard Roth is a proficient ceramic artist, clearly inspired by the forest. He began as a wood sculptor, carving and painting realistic birds and animals with detailed precision, and only recently became a convert to the craft of ceramics. He’s now become recognized for his delightfully realistic woodland pottery, whose finely detailed renderings clearly express his love for wildlife. The work beautifully captures the personality of a fat green caterpillar crawling along the rim of an elegant serving bowl, or a curious chipmunk caught investigating a teapot. He also transforms the pottery itself into woodland sculpture, texturing
MT. WASHINGTON VALLEY ARTISTS & GALLERIES
ArtWorks Gallery & Fine Crafts 132 White Mountain Highway, Chocorua, NH • (603) 323-8041 www.chocoruaartworks.com
Bill Fein Gallery 106 Fein Lane, Center Conway, NH (603) 356-7943
Cook Memorial Library 93 Main St, Tamworth, NH (603) 323-8510 www.tamworthlibrary.org
Edge of Maine Art & Framing 182 Main St, Brownfield, ME (207) 935-2817 www.edgeofmaine.com
Erik Koeppel Fine Art Jackson, NH • (603) 383-7062 www.erikkoeppel.com
Fryeburg Harbor Antiques and Fine Art Gallery 506 Harbor Rd, Fryeburg, ME (207) 925-2848 www.fryeburgharbor.com
Gallery 302 112 Main St, Bridgton, ME (207) 647-2787 www.gallery302.com
NW Cassidy Fine Art (603) 662-2074 nwcassidy@earthlink.net
Patricia Ladd Carega Gallery 69 Maple St, Center Sandwich, NH (603) 284-7728 www.patricialaddcarega.com
Roger C. Williams Fine Art 125 Main St, Lovell, ME (207) 925-3380 www.rogerwilliamsfineart.com
Skyforest Gallery
407 White Mountain Highway, Conway, NH • (760) 770-3777
Surroundings Art Gallery 12 Main St, Sandwich, NH (603) 284-6888 www.surroundingsart.com
Stained Glass Shack Studio 63 West Main St, Conway, NH (603) 447-4949 www.stainedglassshack.com
The Rustic Pyro 28 Main St, Conway Village (978) 387-8030
Three Sisters Gallery Studio 36 Exchange St, Gorham, NH (603) 915-2175 www.the3sistersgallery.com
Virginia Moore Pet Portraits 83 Crossover Rd, Albany, NH (603) 520-8230 www.vmooreportraits.com
White Mountain Artisans Gallery 3358 Route 16, North Conway, NH (603) 356-6546
White Mountain Photography 95 Main St, Jackson, NH • (603) 374-6050 www.whitemountainphoto.com
With These Hands Pottery
397 Tasker Hill Rd, Conway, NH (207) 256-2522 www.withthesehandspottery.com
Please report corrections and additions to info@mwvvibe.com.
Richard Roth
and coloring the sides of a mug with tree bark, lichen and mushrooms, all made from clay. And amazingly, his sculptural pottery is fully functional! Your fingers slide right between the mushrooms, creating a good hold, and the bark is wonderfully tactile.
Another ceramic artist that comes to mind is David Ernster, of Newbury, NH. David also started out in another craft. He earned a BFA in metalworking and jewelry from the University of Iowa before completing his MFA in ceramics at West Virginia University. Similarly, his work is functional and sculptural, but David’s work is distinctly more stylized. His sculptural birch trees and branches form vases and jars that are sophisticated pieces of artwork, while remaining rustic and playful. He uses a matte white slip, and skillfully applies black brush strokes to the surface, implying birch bark in an impressionistic manner. The toasty color of the clay comes through the white slip, adding to the natural variations and completing the effect. David Ernster often perches sculpted pileated woodpeckers or black crows on his pottery, sometimes to create the handle of a jar, and sometimes simply to peck at the side of a flower vase. His birch mugs are superb. He glazes them with a deep olive celadon on the interior, and the matte white finish of the exterior somehow makes them easier to hold without burning your hands.
“There is something spiritual and precious about handmade objects. They connect us to the past, tradition, and passion
of the maker—a passion I think we all feel and crave to be part of. While, in essence, I consider myself a sculptor, I love to make functional work and sculptural vessel forms. I truly believe in the power of craft to influence our lives for the better.” – David Ernster
Matthew Brown is a woodblock artist from Lyme, NH, who portrays specific White Mountain scenes. A graduate from Harvard College, Matthew began his creative path as a carpenter and cabinet maker, a craft that has served him well on his self-taught journey into woodblock carving and printing. He is now recognized for his woodblock prints, made using a technique called hanga. This is a traditional Japanese method of woodblock printing, using multiple hand-carved wood blocks, brushes, and a hand-held baren to apply rice paste, pigments, and water to paper. Composed in a long vertical format, Matthew’s prints are reminiscent of the ukiyo-e prints of the 19th century, which were made using the same techniques. Matthew prints each color from a separate block of wood carved specifically for that color. He then applies ink to each block, carefully lines them up, and presses them onto the paper by hand with the baren. It is this process of overlaying colors that creates his soft and dramatic scenes.
“I love the process of making these prints: the way pictorial simplicity is encouraged; the way an image is separated into parts and put back together; the way the translucent colors blend and
juxtapose, the way the wood interacts with the paper.” – Matthew Brown With titles such as Along Franconia Ridge, Above King Ravine, Mount Washington from Little Haystack, The Great Gulf, and Tuckermans from Wildcat Mountain, Matthew Brown’s sweeping wilderness landscapes resonate with those who have hiked or skied them. As hikers of the Whites, we develop an emotional connection to these places, and Matthew’s prints both translate and preserve this emotion. That they are each signed and numbered as part of a limited edition only deepens this sense of intimacy.
Similarly, the captivating landscape photography of Randy Roos often triggers an emotional response in people. A resident of Ashland, NH, Randy Roos backpacks into the Whites, and then settles down on its peaks to wait for the perfect moment, often spending the night and waking at the crack of dawn to capture the warm apricot light of sunrise. He takes multiple exposures, focusing on the foreground, middle grounds, and distant backgrounds, and then overlays them together to give it a clarity and a depth of field that the naked eye itself cannot do. The effect is almost surreal, giving his photography an artistic quality like that of a painting. Randy is also a talented musician. A professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and a 2022 Grammy winner, Randy has composed countless scores for Scientific American Frontiers and NOVA series. If you’re a connoisseur of these
David Ernster
Randy Roos
Matthew Brown
shows and heard his soundtracks, you’ve most likely experienced the dramatic and sweeping effect his landscape photography also possesses.
Carolyn Hudson is a silversmith whose work is strongly influenced by a Japanese philosophy called ikigai. Translated, iki “to live” and gai “reason,” it is a concept that refers to living in alignment with one’s passion, purpose, and talents to experience a joyful and meaningful life. When Carolyn first encountered this philosophy, she had to consider her own ikigai: What brings me passion in life? What brings me into my heart? What makes me come alive? She had been living out west for years, but she realized that her ikigai meant returning to her home state of New Hampshire, and taking up jewelry-making full time. She set up shop in Jackson, surrounded on all sides by the White Mountain National Forest.
“It’s beauty, my connection to nature, my connection to the mountains, the wildflowers in bloom along the river. The little things that occupy our fields day to day, subconsciously, transpire onto the metal of my jewelry” – Carolyn Hudson
Some of her jewelry designs feature mountain scenes—sometimes with sun rays streaming from behind them—and she’s currently working on a new line that features wildflowers. Carolyn often inscribes an inspirational message on the underside, intended to keep the wearer inspired and aligned along their own journeys, like a talisman.
Artist or not, the White Mountains resonate with so many of us, as creative souls, and as people who thirst to commune with nature. We are truly blessed to have this inspirational natural resource in our backyard, to renew us, bring us back into our hearts, and to make us come alive.
Karissa Masse is owner and curator of the historic League of NH Craftsmen Fine Craft Gallery in North Conway Village, representing over 300 NH artists and craftsmen in the non-profit organization. She is also an artist in her own right, with a BFA in ceramics and sculpture from RIT. In addition to making pottery and managing the gallery, Karissa developed an extensive craft education program, and teaches alongside numerous pottery and craft educators in the community studios. Karissa’s work at the North Conway League of NH Craftsmen Gallery continues to provide economic support to hundreds of New Hampshire’s craftsmen, and enriches the Mt. Washington Valley community with art, culture, and craft education.
Works by the artists featured in this article can be found at the League of NH Craftsmen Gallery, 2526 White Mountain Highway, North Conway Village; www.nhcraftsmen.com; (603) 356-2441.
Whether you’re visiting or you live locally, there are so many ways to eat locally grown food all summer long! With the help of MWVEG, we scoured the region to bring you the details.
As nature around us is in full bloom and the warm days become the norm, we realize that summer is finally here! One of the best tells of the turn of the season is the emergence of fresh and local foods from farms and markets in the Valley, where folks in our community are hard at work harvesting their crops for early summer. Though many local products are available year round, the summer and fall seasons are the richest with fresh produce. Visiting local farm stands, farmers’ markets and restaurants, as well as participating in local CSAs (community-supported agriculture), are great ways to sample these fresh, delicious foods as they become more readily available. In partnership with Mt. Washington Valley Eaters & Growers (MWVEG) and leveraging their seasonal guide, we’ve created a one-stop-shop for you to access these foods and support local businesses.
Note: MWVEG has a mission to strengthen the regional food system in the Valley. Their website and farm guide build awareness of locally grown products through the promotion of local farms, CSAs, and farmers’ markets. For more information, visit www.MWVEG.com.
Local Farms with Farm Stands
MWVEG showcases over 30 member farms in the Valley that sell their foods through CSAs and farmers’ markets (some with wholesale options). Many of these farms also host their own farm stands at their farm locations, offering locals the opportunity to buy their range of produce, meat, flowers and herbs beyond the hours of the main farmers’ markets. With some offering pick-your-own (PYO) options, visits to these farms can be fun for the whole family—spending a day picking your own fruits, flowers, and even veggies. A trip
to these farms can also be a great way to learn about their variety of growing practices and locally crafted products.
Note: For more information on what each farm offers and to see if it has a farm stand that is open to the public, visit the “where to buy” section of its listing on www.mwveg.com.
CSAs
Community-supported agriculture is a mutually beneficial partnership where communities invest in local farms to support the seasonal expenses of farming. They are a wonderful way to try a variety of new foods and to connect with and support local farmers. Though variations exist, the basic model that helps farms share their risk with their communities involves local consumers paying the farm pre-harvest, and in return, receiving a portion, or “share,” of the farm’s harvest every week of the growing season. In addition to produce, the payout for the share could also take the form of credits to the farm’s farm stand or market. Leveraging this method of buying produce helps the farmers get the best price for their products, and also decreases the delivery impact of the food and provides the benefit of the freshest seasonal products the farm has to offer. If you are interested, be sure to find a local farm using the map in this article. Most CSAs begin in late spring and run through the end of summer. Some also offer programs into the fall and winter.
Note: To inquire about the details of their CSA programs, you can find more info on the MWVEG website or contact the farms directly.
Neighborhood Farmers’ Markets
For a convenient grouping of local farms, artisans, and businesses, choose from one of the five main farmers’ markets in the Valley and surrounding areas. These markets are often nestled in town centers and offer a convenient and community-oriented approach to showcasing a diverse array of local food and goods. Many of these markets also offer additional activities, such as live music, yoga, and community events, as well as offer food-based support programs such as SNAP.
Restaurants & Stores
There are many restaurants and eateries in the Valley making an effort to support local products, and dining with them helps support Valley farms. They offer delicious dishes made from local products, and showcase their craft through distinct preparations of seasonal foods. To learn more about what local products are offered, check out their menus (which may note the local farm partners) or inquire with restaurant staff.
BELOW IS A REGIONAL BREAKDOWN OF THE WAYS YOU CAN ACCESS SEASONAL, LOCALLY GROWN FOOD IN THE VALLEY.
CONWAY & NORTH CONWAY Farm Stands
Chase Hill Cider: Dry hard cider fermented onsite with farm apples. Farm stand at farm by chance or by appointment. Contact e.chase_thomas@icloud.com.
Davis Natural Produce: Farm stand open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week at International Mountain Equipment in North Conway Village from mid-June, through the end of December. A wide variety of products, including green beans, cucumbers, sweet corn, field tomatoes, broccolini, greens, cauliflower and root crops, as well as fall pumpkins. Contact www.davisnaturalproduce.com and @davisnaturalproduce on Instagram.
Grand View Farm: Farm stand open May through October, Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Christmas trees and wreaths in November). Products include fruits and vegetables, jams, relishes, hot sauce, cowboy candy, maple syrup, local honey, artisan cheeses, fresh cut flowers and apothecary products. Contact Grand View Farm on Facebook. Hatches’ Orchard: Farm stand offering jam, apples, and apple butter open Labor Day through Columbus Day. After Columbus Day, call for availability. PYO apples weekends and holidays, midweek by appointment. Wholesale options available with advanced notice. Contact via email at e.hatch@yahoo.com Naylen Farms: Offering beef and pork products processed at USDA-certified facility, as well as poultry processed on the farm per NG Deptartment of Agriculture regulations. Spring and fall piglets offered. Chicken and duck eggs are gathered daily. Retail items available for purchase from the farm stand or online. Half and whole beef and pork shares offered year round. Contact www.naylenfarms.com, @NaylenFarms on Instagram and Facebook.
The S.o.L Farm: Farm stand open year round, seven days a week, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., featuring pasture-raised eggs, herbs, flowers, pork, and goat. Also offering beef, honey, maple syrup, greens, and seasonal produce through a partnership with local farmers. Contact www.thespiceoflifefarm.com, @the_spiceoflife_farm on Instagram, and @thespiceoflifefarm on Facebook.
★ ALMOST THERE (603) 447-2325
★ BARLEY & SALT (603) 307-1037
★ BLACK CAP GRILLE (603) 356-2225
★ CHEF’S BISTRO (603) 356-4747
★ CHRISTMAS FARM INN (603) 383-4313
★ DEACON STREET (603) 356-9231
★ DELANEY’S HOLE IN THE WALL (603) 356-7776
★ FORTY AT THORN HILL (603) 383-4242
★ HORSEFEATHERS RESTAURANT (603) 356-2687
★ JOSEPH’S SPAGHETTI SHED (603) 383-6680
★ J-TOWN DELI & COUNTRY STORE (603) 383-8064
★ MAX’S AT SNOWVILLAGE INN (603) 447-2818
★ MERLINO’S STEAK HOUSE (603) 356-6006
★ MOAT MOUNTAIN SMOKE HOUSE (603) 356-6381
★ THE NOTCHLAND INN (603) 374-6131
★ PRISCILLA’S (603) 356-0401
★ RED PARKA STEAKHOUSE & PUB (603) 383-4344
★ SHALIMAR OF INDIA (603) 356-0123
★ THE SHANNON DOOR PUB (603) 383-4211
★ SHOVEL HANDLE PUB (603) 383-8916
★ THOMPSON HOUSE EATERY (603) 383-9341
★ WHITE MOUNTAIN CIDER CO.(603) 383-9061
★ WILDCAT INN & TAVERN (603) 383-4245
★ 302 WEST SMOKEHOUSE & TAVERN (207) 935-3021
Schartner Farms, NH: Farm stand and PYO strawberries offered June 20 through August 1, daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather dependent.
Sherman Fam: Farm stand stocked with fresh vegetables, meat, milk, cider, cut flowers, and baked goods. PYO flowers (wholesale also offered). Contact www.shermanfarmsnh.com, @shermanfarmnh on Facebook, and @nhfarmgirl on Instagram.
CSAs
A New Day Farm, Davis Natural Produce, and Earle Family Farm offer traditional CSA box shares, featuring vegetables all summer and fall, and ranging from six to 16 weeks (half and full shares), that can be picked up at their farms or other set locations. Some of these farms also offer fall CSAs, winter bulk shares, workshops, and cut-your-own herbs and flowers. Contact the farms directly for more info.
Sherman Farm and Grand View Farm offer market shares that include credit and discounts to buy from their markets and farm stands.
Farmers’ Markets
Mount Washington Valley Farmers’ Market: Open June 18 through October 1. Tuesdays 4 to 7 p.m. (3 to 6 p.m. after Labor Day), rain or shine. Located at the North Conway Community Center, this market showcases a variety of local products, crafts and healthy foods, including produce, meats, honey, bread, baked goods, alcohol, and prepared foods (including dinner options). The community is at the center of this farmers’ market— check out the special activities each week, dig into a craft, or try out some yoga on the lawn while there. EBT/SNAP/Granite State Market Match accepted. Contact (940) 395-0996, email mwvfarmersmarket@gmail.com, follow on Instagram @mwvfarmersmarket, and MWV Farmers’ Market on Facebook, or visit online at www.mwvfarmersmarket.com
Restaurants and Shops
Restaurants and Eateries: Chef’s Bistro, Flatbread Company, Table + Tonic Farm Cafe, Tuckerman Brewery, The Station Bistro Shops & Store: The Local Grocer, Veno’s Specialty Foods and Meats, Old Village Bakery, International Mountain Equipment, Vista Beverage, Sherman Farm Store
Highwater Farm provides three CSA options. Farm Pick Up CSA: an 18-week half- or full-CSA box share picked up at the farm Friday afternoon through Saturday mid-day, with a sliding payment structure available. Market Pick Up CSA: a 16-week full-CSA box share picked up at the MWV Farmers’ Market Tuesdays 4 to 7 p.m. with sliding scale payment available. Marketo Choice CSA: pay for produce now and get $10 for every $100 purchased, used to shop at the Highwater Farm tent at the MWV Farmers’ Market.
Farmers’ Markets
Gorham Farmers’ Market: Open June 8 through October 5. Thursdays 3 to 6 p.m. (closed July 4th). The Gorham Farmers’ Market on the Gorham Common features a varied group of vendors offering local produce, meats, maple, honey, baked goods,
prepared foods, craft items, and more. Live music is available on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays, June through September. Double SNAP dollars and GSMM programs offered. Contact (603) 4662101; jstewart@gorhamnh.org; www.gorhamnh.org/parks-recreation-department/pages/gorham-farmers-market.
Restaurants & Shops
Restaurants and Eateries: Thompson House Eatery Shops & Stores: J-Town Deli and Market
FRYEBURG & WESTERN MAINE Farm Stands
Fly Away Farm: Farm stand open Saturdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; plant stand open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., May 18 through mid-July. Selling seedlings, fruits, vegetables, maple syrup, meats, eggs, wood-fired sourdough bread, baked goods, and crafts. Contact www.flyawayfarmme.weebly.com, or on Instagram @flyawayfarmmaine, and Facebook @flyawayfarm.
Fossil Flower Farm: Farm stand open daily starting in late spring, summer, and fall; check social media for hours. Offering a variety of vegetables, herbs and fresh-cut flowers, as well as seedling in the spring and eggs in the late summer. Bulk flowers available for events, as well as dried flowers, cold-process soap, lip balm, salves, and soy wax candles. Contact on Instagram @fossilflowerfarm, and Facebook @fossilflowerfarm.
Patch Farm: Farm stand onsite open daily sun up to sun down, selling certified-organic eggs, vegetables and herbs, non-GMO forest-raised pork, pasture-raised chicken, and other farm-raised goods. Contact www.patchfarm.me, Instragram @patch_farm, and Facebook @patchfarm.me.
Walker Hill Farm Stand: Farm stand onsite offering duck and chicken eggs, fresh herbs, garlic, vegetables, cut flowers and grape vine wreaths. Balsam fir wreaths available to order in November. Contact via email @beckkrug@roadrunner.com.
Weston’s Farm: Farm stand open (see website for hours). Over 1,000 acres of diversified vegetable crops, maple sugar orchards, Christmas trees, forage hay, timber, Nordic skiing and two farm markets. Contact www.westonsfarm.com
CSAs
In the Fryeburg and Western Maine area, three farms offer traditional box CSAs. Try out the 16-week CSA option at Patch Farm starting in late June, the eight-week summer and 14-week full-season CSAs at Hosac Farm, or contact Fly Away Farm to explore their options. Weston’s Farm provides CSA available as store credit to purchase anything at their market, giving an additional $5 for every $100 spent.
Farmers’ Markets
Bridgton Farmers’ Market: May through October. Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon, rain or shine. Head to the Bridgton Community Center at 15 Depot Street, Bridgton, ME (just behind Reny’s) to experience the Bridgton Farmers’ Market, offering locally grown produce, farmraised meats, plants, baked goods, and high-quality handcrafted items. Winter market runs November through April on Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon at Oriental Lodge #13 (166 Harrison Road, Bridgton, ME). Maine Harvest Bucks program, EBT and double SNAP benefits are offered with some vendors accepting credit cards and WIC. Contact via email at bridgtonfarmersmarket.me@gmail.com.
Hollow Hill Farm: Farm stand and PYO with a variety of apples, hand-pressed unpasteurized cider, fresh-cut flowers, handmade sugar ‘n spice bakery cider donuts, pumpkins, gourds, homemade jam, and Mooney Hill maple syrup.
Open September through October, weekends and holidays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Call for midweek.) Senior and veteran discounts available. Contact www.hollowhillapples.com, Instagram @hollowhillapples, and Facbeook @hollowhillfarm.
Mountain Heartbeet: PYO organic red raspberries offered starting the second week in July through the second week in August, dawn to dusk. CSA pick ups. Accepts a variety of discount vouchers and programs. Contact www.mountainheartbeet.com, Instagram and Facebook @mountainheartbeet.
Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm: Farm store open year round, seven days per week, April through October (call for off-season hours). Selling all-natural beef, lamb and goat. Contact www.remickmuseum.org, Instagram @remick_ museum_and_farm, and Facbeook @remickmuseumandfarm.
Spider Web Gardens: Farm stand open daily, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (except holidays), showcasing fresh vegetables, annuals, perennials and shrubs, as well as seeds and growing supplies, quality tools, and house plants. Contact www.spiderwebgardens.com.
The Farmstand: Farm stand with seasonal vegetables, fresh-pressed apple cider (fall), maple syrup, and trees. Open late-May to early November, 9 a.m. to late. Contact www.thefarm.net, Instagram @thefarmstandbb, and Facebook @thefarmstandnh.
White Gates Farm: Farm stand open all day, year round, self-serve. Offering frozen beef, pork, chicken, value-added garlic products, some seasonal vegetables, honey, eggs, and occasional surprises. Contact www.whitegates-farm.com, Facebook and Instagram @whitegatesfarm.
CSAs
To complement the numerous farm stands in the area, Pork Hill Farm, Mountain Heartbeet, Waxing Moon Gardens and Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm offer CSAs shares, featuring vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers, and animal products. Durations, quantities, and timeframes vary. Contact the farms for details and pricing.
Farmers’ Markets
Tamworth Farmers’ Market: Summer market May 11 through October 12. Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon, rain or shine. The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Eastern Slope parking lot in Tamworth Village hosts a large group of diverse vendors selling vegetables, fruits, breads, baked goods, raw dairy, maple syrup, honey, plants, flowers, mushrooms, meat, jams, jellies, kombucha, fresh-caught seafood, goat cheese, ice cream, dog treats, artisan chocolate, crafts, iced tea, chai, wool, yarn, and more. Listen to live music while you shop or take a peek in the UUsed Thrift Shop.
Winter hours 10 a.m. - noon Saturdays November 2 through March 29 (behind the Tamworth Town Office at 84 Main Street, Tamworth). Double SNAP dollars offered. Contact (603) 244-0495 or (603) 3232392; bsfarmerbob@gmail.com; farmersmarketTamworth@gmail.com; www.tamworthfarmersmarket.org.
Restaurants & Shops
Restaurants and Eateries: Snowvillage Inn, Public House on Page Hill Shops and Stores: The Village Store of Madison, Momma Bear Corner Store, The Other Bakery, Sandwich Creamery
WOLFEBORO & FURTHER SOUTH
Farm Stands
DeVylder Farm: Farm stand and PYO open September and October, Saturdays, Sundays, and holiday Mondays. Offering PYO apples, farm-made unpasteurized apple cider, mums, pumpkins, native produce and farm-baked goods. Contact Instagram @ devylder_farm, and Facebook DeVylder Farm.
Top of the Hill Farm: Farm stand open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (winter) and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (spring and summer). Specializing in pasture-raised beef, pork and lamb. Also carrying products from local farms. Contact via email at topofthehillfarmbeef@gmail.com.
Tumbledown Farms: Farm stand open every day, 24 hours, year round. Self-service eggs. Sides, quarters, and eighth of beef available. Contact www.tumbledownfarms.com, and Facebook @tumbledownfamyfarms.
Farmers Market
Wolfeboro Farmers Market: Open May through October; Thursdays noon to 3:30 p.m., rain or shine. The summer market is held at Nick Recreation Park (10 Trotting Track Road, Wolfeboro, NH), featuring fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, cut flowers, seedlings, native plants, fresh fish, beef, lamb, pork, chicken, eggs, goat and cow dairy products and soaps, baked goods, gluten-free breads and goodies, mushrooms, fiber arts, honey, honey products, ma-
ple syrup, jams, jellies, dog treats, shaved ice, and prepared food. This market also features music, story time, and weekly community events. Double SNAP, Granite State Market Match, Food for All and Vouchers for Veterans offered. Contact wolfeborofarmersmarket@gmail.com; www.wolfeborofarmersmarket.com.
Restaurants & Shops
Restaurants & Eateries: La Boca, Tumbledown Farm to Fork Shops and Stores: Wolfeboro Food Co-op, Heath’s Supermarket, Hunter’s Shop and Save, Top of the Hill Farm Store, Moulton Farm, Concord Co-op.
The Valley is plentiful with local farms that are not featured in the MWVEG guide, including, but not limited to: Little Field Farm, Goshen Corner Farm, BerryKnoll, Sunshine Daydream Farm, Stogie Hollar Farm, Sap Hound Maple Company, Bly Farm, Cindy’s Mushroom Farm, and NH Mushroom Company.
Note: While some farms do not have an on-site farm stand, their products can be found at local farmers markets, including: Again and Again Farmstead, A New Day and Athena’s Bees at Tamworth Farmers’ Market, Hosac Farm at Bridgton Farmers’ Market, and Swift River Honey Co. at the Mt. Washington Valley Farmers’ Market.
To learn more about local, seasonal food, and how to support the local farming community, visit www.mwveg.com and check out their comprehensive MWVEG Local Farm Guide.
THE VALLEY MUSIC SCENE
By Christine Thompson & Ryan St. Onge
HOMEGROWN BLUEGRASS
••• Triple the Teen Talent: Jackson’s DellaValla Bluegrass Trio •••
Looking for a musical experience that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step? Meet the DellaValla Trio: 12-year-old John, 16-year-old Joseph, and 17-year-old Molly, a dynamic bluegrass band whose family ties, musicianship, and youthful exuberance infuse their music with a warmth and effervescence that’s unparalleled in the Valley. Their origin story is one of family, tradition, tenacity, and community.
Undoubtedly, the DellaValla Trio has a plethora of natural talent, but none of that would be realized without an environment that allowed them to thrive. Parents Jess and Joseph Sr., shared the child-rearing philosophy of “Yes, and … .” Which means that they encouraged their kids to follow their passions and supported them in whatever way they needed, whether it was connecting them to a mentor or driving them to their next educational enrichment experience.
Regarding musical education, the idea in the DellaValla family was that each child would start to learn the piano at age 6 and do it for a year. If, after one year, they didn’t like it, they could let it go. If
they wanted to try a different instrument they could, or they could give up music altogether. Jess would often say to the kids, “We don’t care if you perform, but if you are committed to it, you’re committed to it. IF you want to do it, do it well.” Luckily for us, none of them gave up music, and they all took their mom’s advice and fully committed to their chosen instruments. After some experimentation with other instruments, Molly, the oldest, gravitated to the guitar, Joseph, the banjo, and John, the fiddle. They honed their skills with lessons, mentors, bluegrass camp, and a much hard work.
The pandemic also played a role in the genesis of the trio. During the lockdown, they found themselves with a desire to play music and a plenty of time on their hands. Joseph had become somewhat obsessed with the banjo, and had what’s lovingly called in blue grass lingo, “the itch.” What happens is, banjo players fall in love with playing, become completely obsessed, and if they go too long without playing, their hands start to tremble, twitch, and shake. Joseph’s “itch” prompted him to rally his siblings to play with him all the time—and gradually—the band started to take shape.
A FEW UPCOMING SHOWS–Visit www.dellavallatrio.com for more dates
• July 19 - Believe in Books. Theater in the Wood - Sunset Concert Series Opening Act
• July 25 - Arts Jubilee 2024 Summer Concert Opening Act
• October 2 - Fryeburg Fair - Hayseed Theater
• October 4 - Fryeburg Fair - Draft Horse Park
Although they regularly “performed” for the residents at the Merriman House and at Mount Washington Valley (MWV) Adult Day Center, their first official gig was busking on the boardwalk in Ocean City, MD, when they were 14, 12, and 9, respectively. Since it was a well-received performance (as Molly put it “they didn’t throw fruit at us”), they continued and found themselves performing at Hoot Night at the Wildcat Tavern in Jackson. It proved a pivotal experience, as Johnathan Sarty then invited them to perform on stage at the Majestic Theatre for the
While their raw talent and drive belies their years, perhaps one of the most remarkable things about the DellaValla siblings is that they genuinely enjoy each other’s company and have the utmost respect for one another. When asked to describe each other, the DellaVallas do not disappoint. The eldest two note that their younger brother John is “sweet, thoughtful, strong-willed, expertly cool, unabashed about his opinions—but not pushy—and a bit of a perfectionist.” Molly and John describe their brother Joseph as “creative, kind, decisive, and utterly
A pivotal experience was when the Trio was invited by Johnathan Sarty to perform on stage at the Majestic Theatre for the Cold River Radio Show. It was an electric performance that was both motivating and life changing for them.
Cold River Radio Show. It was an electric performance that was both motivating and life changing for them. Since then, they have picked up more gigs, but they all feel that it’s important for them to continue with their visits to Merriman House and the MWV Adult Day Center as they get a tremendous amount of satisfaction out of the joy it brings the residents.
authentic.” And the two boys affectionately declare that their big sister is, “cool, self-assured, a natural born leader, and intuitively empathic.” Not too shabby. If you’d like to experience the DellaValla Trio’s warmth and talent for yourself, check them out at any of their upcoming gigs, and keep up with them at www.dellavallatrio.com.
SIGNATURE WINGS · SPECIALTY PIZZAS CRAFT BEER · LOCAL DELIVERY
LEFT: The trio has performed many times at Hoot Night at the Wildcat Tavern in Jackson. Hoot Night host and local-favorite, Johnathan Sarty, has been an inspiration to the band.
2415 WHITE MOUNTAIN HWY, 2ND FLOOR, WEST OSSIPEE, NH
NEW ORLEANS-STYLE SENSATION
••• THE FARMSTAND: A BIT OF NEW ORLEANS IN CHOCORUA •••
One thing that America has no shortage of is music. Every town, city, and region has its own personality and characteristics accompanied by a musical styling that often represents the local communities or pays homage to the history and traditions of the area. Whether its blues from Chicago, country from Nashville, or grunge from Seattle, it is undeniably the influence certain locales have had on the music community and art form. One such city that has left an unmistakable mark is New Orleans, Louisiana.
Rife with an eclectic and vast grouping of individuals, a dense and wildlife-rich environment, and access to the Mississippi River and the Caribbean, New Orleans is a culturally diverse city that has had the honor of introducing some of America’s finest musicians. To name a few, Louis Armstrong, the trumpet player, Dr. John the pianist, Irma Thomas, the vocalist and “Soul Queen” of New Orleans; and The Neville Brothers, funk music of The Meters fame … I personally have been enriched by the n’awlins scene, like so many others.
more notable and/or established musicians, such as Dave Crosby of Crosby, Still, Nash, and David Bromberg. Shortly afterward, Kimball moved back to the Boston area and continued booking for venues near him. He, however, had built great relationships with previous musicians and began a managing position with English artist, John Martyn, whom he fondly refers to as “still a favorite.” These experiences and the tours that ensued would become the springboard to full-time artist management.
“We’ve had musicians parade around the block with guests,” something any seasoned Louisiana fan would know about.
To bring this to New Hampshire is a special experience we should all look for, and it appears, according to his friends and peers, we should all #TRUSTKIMBALL.
Now, what might that have to do with our happy valley here in New Hampshire? Well, I took a lovely drive over to the picturesque township of Chocorua, NH to discuss just that with a local innkeeper, music venue entrepreneur, and long-time music manager/lover, Kimball Packard.
Kimball has managed music acts and artists for almost 40 years. As a young man in the 1980s, he purchased the Eagle Mountain House in Jackson, NH, and booked regional acts, such as Livingston Taylor and Jon Pousette-Dart. As time went on, they began hiring
On one promoting gig, Kimball traveled to the illustrious city of New Orleans to aid an artist, Jamie Hayes, with promoting and exhibiting his work. Jamie was a New Orleans-inspired artist who asked for Kimball’s help, allowing him to spend 17 days at the renowned and respected Tipitina’s, a hotspot of epic musical proportions, and meet many of the “cats” that frequented. Fast forward, and Kimball takes his love of artistry forward and begins managing The Newbirth Brass Band. Soon, his entire roster is New Orleans musicians and artists.
For many years, he surrounded himself with the city’s culture, and even focused his efforts on aiding in Katrina recovery after the hurricane devastated the city in 2005.
“It’s been nine years since we bought The Farmstand,” says Kimball, as he proudly walks me around his incredible hand-hewn timber barn built in 1810. “We’ve been doing shows here now for eight.” I, personally, have been to New Orleans, and this venue oozes with “Laissez les bon temps rouler!” (“Let the good times roll!”)
With a Preservation Hall-inspired drumhead sign, an eclectic
Spreading the good news of New Orleans music across the Northeast and beyond, the Soggy Poboys were in back this spring and continue to sell out shows at The Farmstand.
A FEW UPCOMING SHOWS–Visit www.farmstand.net for more dates
• July 14 - Verdict Music Revue featuring E. Thompson, B. Marshall, J. Davidson
• July 21 - Jamie MacLean Band
• July 28 - David Wax Museum
• August 4 - Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar
• August 11 - Freebo and Alice Howe Band
• August 18 - Chris Smither
• Sept 2 (Labor Day) - Jim Lauderdale
array of personally selected musical and cultural artifacts, and a very effective lighting system and PA, Kimball has transformed the quaint corner of this Chocorua town into an intimate wellthought-out love letter to all artists and musicians of n’awlins.
“We’ve had musicians parade around the block with guests,” something any seasoned Louisiana fan would know about. I remember marching bands just appearing out of nowhere and cruising by with lines of people dancing in tow. To bring this to New Hampshire is a special experience we should all look for, and it appears, according to his friends and peers, we should all #TRUSTKIMBALL. He was given this sign to attest to his taste in performance, and to promote shows, and let people know, that if you go, you will have a good time—and you will experience artistry in its purest form. No big city, but just the biggest love for music, ambiance, and live performance in our very own Mt. Washington Valley.
The Farmstand operates as a bed and breakfast; however, seasonally, it transforms into a music
venue every Sunday. They are hosting about 20 shows this year, which has increased over previous years.
The inn itself is closed to the public on these nights, so as to offer traveling musicians a safe and private place to retreat after performing. However, Kimball and his wife provide a varying menu of BBQ and sides that can be purchased prior to the show for guests.
Some of the acts this season include Butcher, Baglio & Estes on July 7, Sonny Landreth with Cindy Cashdollar on August 4, Sarah Borges on September 8, and Rhett Miller (Old 97s) on October 13.
Tickets and an entertainment schedule are available at www.thefarmstand.net. The doors typically open at 6 p.m. and the music begins at 7 p.m. This is a B.Y.O.B. venue and does not provide alcohol sales.
JULY 2024
5 + 6 Peter Wolf “ Waiting On The Moon”
12 - Johnny Nicholas and Hell Bent with Cindy Cashdollar and Duke Robillard 13 - Freddy and Francine 19 - An Eve with Patty Griffin
AUGUST 2024
2 - Stone Mountain Annual Anniversary Show with Teada
3 - Keb’ Mo’
7 - Ladysmith Black Mambazo
8 - Bob Marley 10 - Ward Hayden and the Outliers
20 - The Rough and Tumble with Alice Wallace 26 - Rhiannon Giddens 27 - Bill Kirchen Bandw. special guest guitarist Duke Levine 28 - Lori McKenna
14 - The Brothers Comatose
- Dave Alvin & Jimmie
Gilmore with the Guilty Ones
- Enter the Haggis
- Brandy Clark SEPTEMBER 2024
- Tuba Skinny
- Harry Manx
Maia Sharp & Willy Porter
Cockburn
Erica Brown and the Bluegrass Connection
- Darin & Brooke Aldridge
Bellow
Soggy Po’
The Farmstand 1118 Page Hill Road, Chocorua www.thefarmstand (603) 323-6169
RIDING NORTH CONWAY WITH RIDE NOCO
By Colin Higdon
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE 2024 MOUNTAIN BIKE SEASON
Mountain Biking … the rocks, roots, and rugged nature of the sport may seem intimidating to newcomers, but after some time in the saddle, you’ll find it’s filled with welcoming, passionate people who care just as much about the trails, landscape, and community as they do nailing that gap jump or linking up that adventure route they’ve been eying up all season. One of the amazing things about mountain biking is being able to experience new trails and communities, and the Mt. Washington Valley is truly a world-class mountain bike community. That said, with any amazing riding destination comes the need for a local organization to manage, improve, and expand the trails. Ride NoCo, a 501c3 non-profit founded in 2020, aims
The 2024 and Beyond Capital Campaign aims to raise $100,000 to fund projects to expand the Hurricane Mountain Zone and maintain and revitalize existing trails.
to promote positive, progressive growth to help make the Mt. Washington Valley an inclusive, sustainable, and thriving mountain bike hub. The organization serves as the primary trail stewards of the Hurricane Zone Network and Half Day Trail, the Valley’s most advanced downhill-specific trails. The Hurricane Zone is truly a unique trail system, boasting nearly 8,000 feet of vertical descent over 19 miles of trail. Ride NoCo’s biggest project to date, Tornado, opened in Spring 2022 and was built by local trail builder, Corbett Tulip of Tulip Trails. As a bermfilled machine-built intermediate flow trail, Tornado strikes a nice balance with the natural hand-built trails typical of the rest of the network. In addition, instead of taking the winter season off, Ride NoCo successfully maintains a groomed, snowy downhill track to give adventurous fat bikers the incredible opportunity to descend roughly 1,000 vertical feet.
As a volunteer-run organization, it’s no secret that it takes funds to make this happen! Ride NoCo is doubling its fundraising efforts for the upcoming season. The 2024 and Beyond Capital Campaign aims to raise $100,000 to fund projects to expand the Hurricane Mountain Zone and maintain and revitalize existing trails. The 2024 fundraising goal is $32,000.
Photo courtesy of Ride NoCo
Hurricane Mountain Zone
Charlie’s
Ride NoCo will be holding volunteer trail days throughout the season to achieve their maintenance goals. Trail days are typically followed by a group ride, which is a great opportunity to get to know the network.
Surf’s Up and make multiple turns across the fall line to achieve a moderate gradient, ending on the Kandagnar flats.
Ride NoCo is responsible for building and maintaining these trails in collaboration with local landowners and land managers. Please consider donating or purchasing a Ride NoCo membership. All proceeds go directly towards maintaining and expanding this trail network.
The terrain includes a plethora of small-sized features and large dirt mounds left over from when the nearby ski trails were built, both of which will make for an incredible intermediate trail. In addition, Ride NoCo plans to rebuild the historic Red Tail Trail, a two-way traffic
For more information please visit ridenoco.org or scan the QR code to donate now. We appreciate your support!
this summer to help raise funds and thank the community that makes it all possible. June 15 was the annual Hopstroski Release Party at Saco River Brewing to benefit Ride NoCo’s trail efforts. Hopstroski is an IPA brewed in honor of board member, Valley legend, and pro-racer Pete Ostroski. Be sure to look for it in stores, as a portion of the proceeds will benefit Ride NoCo. Ride NoCo will host a mountain bike festival later this summer, with an
evening of fun that includes live music, MTB films, beer, and food. More details will be released as the event draws closer!
EXPLORE & SUPPORT
The beautiful and diverse Mt. Washington Valley is truly a cycling paradise, with amazing trail networks, forest roads, and views that are sure to please all types of riders. Explore the trails and show your support by lending a hand at one of our trail days and becoming a member at ridenoco.org/ membership. Both individual and family memberships are available at various levels of support.
All membership funds stay right in the Valley and go directly toward new trails, bigger berms, and better community access. Follow Ride NoCo on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. In addition, check out some of the other awesome cycling groups that make up the riding scene in and around the Valley, such as White Mountains NEMBA, Coös Cycling Club, Bethlehem Trails, and more!
www.ridenoco.org
www.facebook.com/ridenoco
www.instagram.com/ride_noco
“My teachers had told me there were great things out there in the world and Kismet demonstrated that this was true and that I could find those great things.”
Kismet students taking in the view at the Echo Roof area of White Horse Ledge in North Conway, NH. Nate Katsiaficas photo.
Kismet Rock Foundation
Providing Children A Chance to Become …
by Deb Dunn
What happens when you take the kernel of an idea, plant it, nurture it, and watch it grow in ways you never imagined? You discover that the idea can profoundly impact young lives. With playfully sparkling eyes that shine with the knowing of a deep thinker, Mike Jewell, founder of Kismet Rock Foundation (Kismet), talks about that kernel of an idea and why and how he planted it 25 years ago.
With years of experience as a professional rock-climbing guide, by 1999, Mike had taught scores of children how to climb. Most of them came from families with considerable resources. But that year, he identified a strong desire to cast the net much wider and bring climbing to children who didn’t have the same resources. Specifically, New England urban and rural youth were on the precipice of those formative teen years. As most adults may remember, this can be an especially challenging and often confusing time of life. Mike wanted to create a unique and intentional opportunity for children to find out who they really are and have a chance to become who they want to be. The essence is to recognize that children are “not an empty vessel to fill,” and by nurturing their development in the world and with others in the world, we give them “the freedom to become” so that they can experience a journey to self and have a chance to find love and connection. With the support of the North Conway community, Mike created Kismet—a school for doing
and learning together.
Sharlah-Mae Day is a past student and current summer intern for Kismet. As a testament to the fruits of Mike’s vision, she shares the profound impact this experience had on her. “I was so scared to climb, but Mike said, ‘This is just about you. You have to trust yourself.’ That was a big thing for me. In middle school, everyone is comparing themselves to each other. I was hesitant to do things and was used to lots of negative self-talk. All of that didn’t matter at Kismet. Mike’s message really
“As my relationships with peers in my group grew, and as my trust of the staff grew, and as I trusted myself more, my confidence skyrocketed!”
resonated with me. As my relationships with peers in my group grew, and as my trust of the staff grew, and as I trusted myself more, my confidence skyrocketed!”
Kismet Mission and How it Works
The Kismet mission is built on core guiding principles, known as pillars.
PILLAR #1: THE CHILDREN WE SERVE
Over the past 25 years, Kismet has developed relationships with nine public schools in NH, MA, and ME. Seventh graders are recommended for Kismet, and if the student expresses interest after hearing a presentation by a Kismet staff member, they apply and are interviewed. This is one of the many aspects differentiating Kismet from a traditional camp program. And true to the organization’s name, as Caleb Scott, a Kismet alumnus and current summer counselor and mentor, says,
“I like to tell kids that we chose them. They are not there randomly. We want you here, which is different from parents sending kids off to summer camp.” Ricardo D., another alumnus, shares, “I wasn’t sure why they ever gave me a chance, but they did. Somehow, they believed in me more than I did.”
Selected students are invited to attend one week every summer for four years at no cost. There are seven weeks of the program this year, building to eight weeks next year beginning June 30, and each cohort includes eight to nine kids. Student cohorts remain the same for the duration of the program, allowing for the deepening of relationships and a sense of community. For some participants, Kismet is their first experience spending a week away from home, and that can create excitement and nervousness. As Caleb reflects, “It was the first time I had direct interaction with people with different skin color, religious, and political beliefs [and it gave me] a taste of what the world offers.” Caleb’s experience impacted where he chose to attend college. “I chose a school to get more diversity and different perspectives intentionally,” he says.
Kismet embraces and encourages opportunities for past participants to become staff and mentors. Of her upcoming summer internship, Sharlah-Mae says, “I want to meet all of the amazing kids. I want to help create a space that allows them to be themselves and ensures everyone is respected. I look forward to helping them
philosophy that children should have the freedom to become, and unlike camp programs where the instructor does everything for the children, the Kismet four-year curriculum teaches the children every aspect of technical rock climbing. This includes the “hard skills,’’ such as cliff safety, knot tying, belaying, rope management, top rope set-ups, anchor transitions on multi-pitch climbs, gear removal, and rappelling—as well as the “soft skills” of movement techniques, communication, responsibility for interpersonal communication, and relationships to, and care of, the natural environment. Over the course of four years, the curriculum progresses from bottom-of-cliff to top-of-cliff skills.
PILLAR #3: A FAMILY-LIKE ATMOSPHERE
During their Kismet experience, students live together, family-style, in a house located in the Mt. Washington Valley. Everyone participates in meal preparations and clean up, sits down for meals together, enjoys activities (games, swimming, campfires, and more), shares responsibilities, and meets every evening to openly and honestly discuss events and feelings from the day. In order to create a safe space for that to happen, a key component of the home experience is the “full value contract.” “After meeting, eating pizza together, moving into the house, playing games and icebreakers outside, we make a contract together so that every voice is heard
As Caleb reflects, “It was the first time I had direct interaction with people with different skin color, religious, and political beliefs [and it gave me] a taste of what the world offers.”
through scary times, validating their feelings, and helping them feel like they did something amazing, even if they just showed up at the cliff. It’s important that they know every step they take is progress.”
PILLAR #2: AN EDUCATION IN TECHNICAL ROCK CLIMBING
The bulk of the week is spent with participants, counselors, mentors, and professional climbing guides at the cliffs, engaging in a carefully developed technical rock-climbing curriculum. As Caleb recalls, “Mike Jewell emphasized the school part.” In line with his
from the very first night,” says Sharlah-Mae. “Everyone is there to help you feel comfortable.” Students might reflect on specific individual needs and preferences, communication styles, language choices, intentions, and more. Along with climbing, the home experience is “the crux” of the program, which allows for Mike’s original intent to bloom—freedom to become, to develop, and to find who they are and who they want to become by being seen, heard, valued, embraced, and loved. Every student signs the contract and outlines their hand on the paper to indicate their commitment.
The contract can, and often is, revised as the week ensues, experiences are had, and the journey with self and others is explored. Along the way, the group learns together, and— with their support—individuals evolve.
Why Technical Rock Climbing
Beyond the more obvious reasons like the joy and beauty of nature and the fact that the Valley is replete with cliffs, rock climbing offers elegant, poignant, and seemingly endless analogies for life and for the human experience. Many (including this writer) would claim that climbing is unparalleled in this vein with other outdoor or physical pursuits.
As Krissy Fraser, Kismet executive director, describes it, “The cliff normalizes, or neutralizes, unlike other sports that require more physical prowess.” She adds, “Three feet off the ground or to the top of the cliff, [the students] support each other and they’re excited for each other. They’ve gained something for themselves, and they’ve shown up for each other in a real way.” Sharlah-Mae adds, “Rock climbing is more niche. I don’t know a lot of kids that have done it, so it gives everyone an even slate.”
Caleb Scott describes climbing and its profound impact this way: “It’s a moment of quiet. It’s a busy world, and there are not a lot of moments of quiet available. It’s hard to get young people to know that they need that pause. A big part of my current journey as a Kismet counselor is trying to figure out how to engage them in that pause.” To answer “Why climbing?” he continues his analogies. “Climbing is about shifting weigh—knowing when to slow down and think. It’s about learning good communication and learning how to trust each other. It’s not one aspect of your mind or body, it’s a holistic experience.” This connects with Mike’s experience that “climbing allows you to become familiar with one’s body in the moment.”
Another Kismet alumna, Samanta Mercier, reflects, “The lessons learned [climbing] instilled within me a sense of determination, perseverance, and self-belief that paved the way for my success.” The bond that rock climbing creates with another person is unique.
Sharlah-Mae adds, “Rock climbing is a personal journey with support. But it’s mostly you getting yourself up the wall. There’s nothing skill dependent. You’re just moving your body! Just like walking, but vertical. Climbing forces you to be more in tune with yourself. It’s scary, you’re trying, you’re overcoming, and everyone else you’re with is going through the same struggles.”
When climbing, all else seems to fade away. It’s just you, the rock in front of you, and your belayer. It’s the ultimate experience of being truly present—with yourself, with another human being, and with nature. What a beautiful analogy for the problems and roadblocks we experience day to day. The solutions are there. We just have to allow ourselves to see them. The texture, temperature, the integrity of the rock—it all makes a person feel so alive and connected.
Kids and Nature
As anyone who spends time in nature knows, it can be healing, rejuvenating, and nourishing, not to mention fun. Sharlah-Mae reflects about how important she thinks it is for young people to get outdoors more, “Being in nature helps take the pressure of society off of people. As a 7th
grader, there was a lot of peer pressure to fit in. In nature, a tree is not going to judge you. It gives you space. There isn’t the noise of society. It’s like a bubble of sights and smells. It reminds you that you’re here for the here and now.” She goes on to share, “I bring
Sharlah-Mae says, “By going through Kismet, I am a better person, more secure, more comfortable in my own skin. I can make better connections with people. During the program week, there were no worries about money or everyday problems. Kis-
“I didn’t realize I had a need, but the program helped me discover a whole new part of myself. Things I didn’t know I could do or be or share. It met an emotional part of me I didn’t know I had. I had many friends and family and felt loved at home, but this was a different kind of love. It was a ‘soul bond,’ allowing each of us to be our ‘realist you.’” – Sharlah-Mae Day
my nieces outside—we hike up Jockey Cap or go to the park. I’ll do anything to get them outside! Every single time, they want to do it again. They are getting to be kids and be free.” She feels it’s important for each of us to be ambassadors of the outdoors, to make personal connections with people, and get them outside by showing photos, conveying our personal experiences, and inviting them to join us on an adventure. “Some of my college friends had never seen the lake one-quarter mile from campus. Now I’ve brought them there!” Sharlah-Mae used to be scared to stray from the path or get too close to the edge. Now when she sees a rock or big mountain she thinks, “I could climb that!” She also runs rock-wall nights as a certified belayer through student engagement at her college.
Unearthing Potential
Samantha Mercier, another Kismet alumna, is on the threshold of graduating from law school and embarking on a career as a prosecutor in Belknap County. She shares that she is “keenly aware of Kismet’s role in shaping the person I have become. The values of resilience, empathy, and integrity instilled during my time with Kismet have not only guided me through the rigors of academia, but have also prepared me to serve my community with compassion and purpose. My journey is a testament to the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to nurturing the potential within every child, regardless of their background or circumstances.”
met nurtured a part of my soul I didn’t even know existed. I am a first-generation college student. My essay about Kismet helped me get into college because it was clear how much it impacted my life. The compassion I experienced at Kismet helped me choose to be a nursing student so I can give that compassion to others.”
Local Support
Kismet is 100 percent supported by individual donations, grants, foundations, and corporate sponsors, including EMS, REI, and GBA, among others. Throughout the summer programming, Kismet is supported by a diverse and committed group of area businesses, including Cathedral Mountain Guides, Flatbread Company, and Matty B’s Mountainside Café, to name a few.
Sharla-Mae sums up the Kismet experience: “Kismet opened doors for me. In school, in my confidence, in not being afraid to take a chance. Missing a class to go to the presentation in 7th grade stressed me out back then. But I did go, and what a difference choosing one thing can make!” And that, my friends, is Kismet.
Kismet Rock Foundation P.O. Box 1744
North Conway, NH 03860
(603) 730-2715 • www.kismetrockfoundation.org
Corey David Photography
SUMMER IS HERE!
We’d like to help you look and feel refreshed
Fresh Face Studio
is a comprehensive Medical Spa with two locations; North Conway & Gorham, NH.
Dr. Edwin Giron and Caitlin Behr, RN offer state-of-theart therapeutic and esthetic treatments using a broad range of products, procedures, and technologies including injectables, energy based cleansing and resurfacing treatments, and offering medical-grade skin care products.
Our relationship with our clients begin with a comprehensive evaluation where we listen to your concerns and then we work with you to achieve an authentic, fresh, and rejuvenated look.
Visit our website, or call to schedule a consultation; you’ll see why so many people have chosen to work with us for their skin care needs!
Edwin Giron DDS, DAAFE
Caitlin Behr RN, BSN &
SEEK THE PEAK Turns 24!
Celebrate with the Mount Washington Observatory
Few events capture the spirit of outdoor recreation in New England each summer as vibrantly as Mount Washington Observatory’s (MWOBS) Seek the Peak. Over the past 24 years, participants have scrambled to the top of New England’s highest peak with multiple generations of their families, young children, business colleagues, and even a house cat. Each person heeded the call to get outdoors while helping celebrate a historic organization dedicated to keeping recreational enthusiasts safe.
Participants do more than just celebrate and win prizes. Everyone who hikes—and even those who attend the Après Hike Expo—contribute to
an important service. By raising funds or attending the party, each person makes an indelible contribution to MWOBS’ largest and longest-running fundraiser. This helps ensure they can:
• Continue 91+ years of daily weather observations and forecasts on Mount Washington that keep visitors to the White Mountains and the Northeast safe.
• Make the world-famous weather station accessible to young students on school field trips and to many families who visit throughout the year.
• Provide new opportunities for university students and faculty to conduct research that advances the understanding of weather and climate.
IS SEEK THE PEAK FOR YOU?
Do I need to hike Mount Washington on a particular day to take part in Seek the Peak?
You can hike any trail … on any day! The most important thing is that you get outdoors and have fun. Extra points if you bring along a young hiker outdoors with you. Whatever day you choose to hike, join the fun on July 20, 2024, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center for the Après Hike Expo to celebrate your accomplishment. You can also attend the free kick-off party at Tuckerman Brewing Company on Friday, July 19, 2024, from 4 to 7 p.m.
What takes place at the Après Hike Expo?
The celebration will be bigger than ever this year. Just like in the past, there will be live music, food, a beer garden with Tuckerman Brewing Company, and vendors. This year, there will be a huge raffle and competitions just for people who come to the party, as well as live music, a rock-climbing wall, food, and free giveaways.
And, if you hike, you’ll want to stop by to claim your prizes and registration. Hikers can also pick up their prizes and registration early at the kick-off party at Tuckerman Brewing Company on Friday, July 19, 2024, from 4 to 7 p.m.
What do I need to do to take part as a hiker?
Go to www.SeekthePeak.org for all the details. Sign up to hike, raise funds, hike on the day of your choosing in the place of your choosing, and then enjoy the après.
I don’t want to hike alone. Can I hike with friends? Yes, many hikers choose to form a team. Teams can have up to 10 people, and they will automatically be entered into special team competitions for prizes … such as an overnight at the MWOBS summit weather station. There will also be special challenges for Business Teams and Students/ Families with unique prizes. Winners of the Business Team competition will receive an MWOBS overnight, recognition in various places, including at next year’s event, and a FREE one-year corporate sponsorship with MWOBS.
All youth under age 15 entering our Students and Family Competition will have their $50 registration fee waived. If you are registering a young student for this competition, email events@mountwashington.org to get a special promo code to make this happen.
I don’t want to hike alone, but I am not sure I know anyone who can take part. Can you help me? When you register at www.SeekthePeak.org, click to take part in the Hike and Make Friends program. You can choose between the Gentle Breeze (Beginner), Near Gale (Intermediate), and Hurricane Force (Advanced) paces to ensure you get matched up with the right people.
How do I earn prizes?
Hikers earn prizes based upon their fundraising. The more you raise, the better the prizes get. There will also be a huge raffle with many new items added this year, including gear, hiking boots, mountain resort stays, and passes to ski areas and other attractions. Tickets to this raffle are earned, again, based on your fundraising level. There will be many amazing free items available up for grabs on a first-come, first-served basis.
I am game to hike Mount Washington, but I don’t know the way. What should I do?
Meet at the Joe Dodge Lodge in Pinkham Notch from 6 to 9 a.m. with volunteers from the Appalachian Mountain Club to help guide hikers on the route best for them. United States Forest Service trail stewards will also be at the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail to help hikers on the western side of the mountain. FREE trail maps, Hike Safe cards, and medical plans will be available at both locations.
My health doesn’t allow me to hike outdoors, can I still take part?
Everyone is invited to the kick-off party at Tuckerman Brewing Company on Friday, July 19, 2024, from 4 to 7 p.m. FREE! Everyone is also invited on July 20, 2024, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center for the Après Hike Expo. Early bird tickets for the Expo cost only $15 for an entire family’s car if you register on www.SeekthePeak.org (you may want to pick up a meal ticket separately, though there will be other foods). NOTE: The day of the event, tickets are $20 per car at the gate.
If I am on the summit of Mount Washington the day of the event, is there anything special to do?
Free tours of the MWOBS weather station will be offered during their open house. And if you hiked up, check in with MWOBS staff to receive a FREE summit cookie from partners at Big Dave’s Bagels, and put your pin on the map of where hikers come from.
gear raffle, games and more!
EVENT DETAILS
Can I volunteer to help with the event?
Yes, many volunteers are needed. All volunteers receive a free Seek the Peak T-shirt, free entry to the Aprés Hike Expo, a free meal voucher at the party, and other free giveaways. To learn more and sign up, email events@mountwashington.org.
I live far away but I want to take part. What should I do?
You can come on Friday, July 19, 2024, to kick-off the party at Tuckerman Brewing Company and stay at Joe Dodge Lodge with partners at the Appalachian Mountain Club. Or stay somewhere in style with preferred lodging partners at RiverWood Inn or Nordic Village Resort, both located in Jackson, NH.
Are there other ways to get up and down Mount Washington on the day of the event?
The Mt. Washington Auto Road offers a one-way shuttle service to hikers who want a ride down from or up to the summit of Mount Washington. They will have extra shuttles ready for Seek the Peak hikers on Saturday, July 20, 2024, for those who want a ride. Cost is $55 per passenger and may be purchased from the Auto Road on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the event, at either the Summit Stage Office atop the mountain, or the Stage Office in the base lodge of Mt. Washington Auto Road (for those wanting a ride to the summit).
Register to hike and get details at www.SeekthePeak.org.
Ammonoosuc Ravine Trailhead, Base Station Road, Jefferson, NH
Appalachian Mountain Club’s Joe Dodge Lodge, Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, Gorham, NH
Check-In at Appalachian Mountain Club’s Joe Dodge Lodge/Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, Gorham, NH
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mount Washington
Observatory Weather
Station Tours at Mount Washington
State Park’s Sherman Adams Visitor Center on the summit of Mount Washington
4 p.m.-7 p.m. Après Hike Expo
Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center, 1 Mt. Washington Auto Road, Gorham, NH
Early Bird tickets on SeekthePeak.org: $15 per car
Day-of-the-Event tickets at the gate: $20 per car
Admission FREE to all participants, vendors, and volunteers
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ESCAPE TO SIMPLICITY A MAGICAL STAY AT FROST MOUNTAIN YURTS
By Mindy Leone
A stay at Frost Mountain Yurts brings you back to nature without all the work of camping. WiseguyCreative.com
It is a Friday in early November, and our family of four is packing for our stay at Frost Mountain Yurts (FMY) in rural Brownfield, Maine. We focus on only packing our personal items, for we know that the yurt provides all of the bare essentials. We load up the car and begin our drive with feelings both of curiosity and excitement while heading to the 57-acre property, which has a variety of six well-spaced, private yurts.
UPON ARRIVAL
We arrive at the bottom of a long, semi-steep gravel driveway and venture up to the top, which opens up to an expansive view of a gracefully sloping orchard, home to apple, peach, and pear trees. We spot a vertically displayed canoe with the whimsical wood-formed letters FROSTMTNYURTS and a well-considered CHECK IN sign, so we park. In this self-check-in area, the key to our reserved yurt is fastened onto a substantial wooden handle with the smoothly engraved name of our yurt “The Oaks.” Before even seeing our yurt, I already feel a sense of honor as I know that we are in possession of this key that somehow feels that it contains magic within.
Making our way several feet down the driveway, we park in the expansive gravel parking lot, which could easily fit 10 cars, at a glance. Right away, a low-slanted lean-two with carts underneath for loading and hauling gear is spotted. Upon hopping out of the car, I take in the fresh autumnal air of the secluded property and begin to load what our family packed: a cooler
stocked with food, drinking water, sleeping bags, pillows, a few headlamps, slippers, and a change of clothes. While pulling our cart through an opening along a boulder wall, our feet crunch and glide through a blanket of freshly fallen leaves. We follow signs to The Oaks yurt while meandering up and down a peaceful, well-worn wooded path for a short .2 miles, which conjures the feeling of entering into our own private oasis.
The sun is just beginning to set, and the ochre- and rust-colored leaves are beginning to look even more vibrant against the early blue light of dusk. We spot our yurt through the trees. It is a teal-colored, hip structure with a large deck supporting the entrance to the front door. Parking our cart at the bottom of the deck, each of us immediately feels in awe of the micro home that sits on a carefully considered lot, cleared enough to feel the freedom of space, yet wooded enough to feel that the mature selected trees somehow hold within them the secrets of this hidden away wood. A stream trickles nearby, whispering calm into the air. The yurt has a neatly organized, hearty stash of firewood underneath its unassuming structure. Smoke softly billows up from the woodstove in the yurt, and already we feel welcomed by our friends and Frost Mountain Yurt owners, Scott and Melissa, who started the fire for us, knowing our arrival should be greeted with warmth.
TIME TO EXPLORE
The kids don’t know what to explore first: the inside of the yurt,
the woods, or the neatly dug firepit with a large adjacent bench. We scatter about, each of us exploring what beckons. I step into the yurt first through a softly closing screen door and then a substantial wooden door. I am amazed at how much it comfortably fits inside. There are three futons that can fold out to sleep two people, a pair with overhead bunks, a table in the middle with benches on either side, capable of seating six people, and a window-side island against the wall that has all you need with which to cook and eat a meal: a three-burner propane cooktop, cooking utensils, an array of pots and pans, ample dishware, cutlery, pottery mugs, wine glasses, and more.
The woodstove sits to the left with a bin full of neatly placed wood and additional kindling. Its warmth is immediately felt, and I know it will be a toasty evening. It is clear that Scott and Melissa have thought of everything, down to a kettle, a coffee press and percolator, wine bottle opener, matches, a system to wash dishes, ample hooks to hang things, a bin of games and puzzles for all ages, a clothesline hoisted above the stove with clothespins included, just to name a few. Already I feel at home in this aesthetic dwelling and know that my family will enjoy our stay. Our yurt feels like a real home, full of all that is needed. I look up, greeted by an enormous round dome window directly in the center of the yurt, which feels like a pinnacle, or a keystone to this time-tested structure.
After unloading our cart, we each claim which will be our bed. We unpack a little, still distracted by our excitement of not knowing what to do first. Should we warm ourselves by the fire, boil water for tea or cocoa, warm some soup, start a puzzle, read,
explore the grounds, or build a campfire? Our friends Greg and Onycha are also staying in a nearby yurt, although their yurt cannot be seen through the woods. Knowing they will be joining us soon, we decide to start a campfire. The kids find kindling and a stash of provided camp wood is discovered. We light the campfire and sit on the long, high-backed bench. Beverages are brought down and our drinks sit on the wide top ledge of the bench. The kids excitedly grab ingredients for s’mores and find thoughtfully provided s’mores sticks from inside the yurt. A few boulders are opposite the bench and are perfect for sitting on and roasting marshmallows.
Our friends make their way through the woods, their little dog leading the way. Sentiments are shared about how awesome this property is and how incredible these yurts are as we quickly slip into non-stop chatter by the fire with energized, uplifted hearts. Scott and Melissa and their two little boys stop by to say hello and to make sure everyone has what they need. Before we know it, the kids are deep into play, and life feels sentimental and good. I feel a natural connection to this place and am reminded of the strong fabric of community and feel a sense of gratitude wash over me.
MEALTIME OPTIONS
The dinner hour arrives, which is marked by the consensus that most of us are hungry. The spur-of-the-moment choice to make the short trip into town to grab some conveniently located take-out food is made, knowing that there will be plenty of time for cooking over the course of our stay. While my son and I retrieve dinner, our 9-year-old daughter is inspired to set up house. Upon our return, we see she has eagerly prepared the
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table, complete with bowls, napkins, forks, and cups. It has become dark, so candles on the table and the propane light on the wall are lit. Between these and the fire from the burning woodstove, the yurt is amply aglow. And then, it too, is illuminated: the fact that we all have each other and that simplicity is all that is truly needed.
We all head to bed around 9 p.m., although no one really knows because the need to live by a clock is not present, for cell phones were forgotten about hours ago. We take turns washing up outside at the table with a spigot of potable water, and then, lay out our sleeping bags.
GOODNIGHT STARS
Candles are blown out and the propane lamp is dimmed and extinguished. Each of us lay there, the yurt still lit from the dance of the flickering flames in the woodstove. It is toasty warm and there is no need to slip into our bedding quite yet. We all chat while lying in bed, looking up at the huge dome window that beckons above. The hazy blue color of the sky changes slowly to indigo, then to deep purple, nature’s indication of time. Tree limbs bow gracefully overhead in the gentle wind. Wisps of clouds float by and pass through the moonlight, and it feels fascinating to watch the ever-changing show that nature is putting on for us.
The usual desire to check phones does not exist, and the world feels different. This is when my mind starts to go places it has not gone before. The womb-like structure of the yurt encourages my mind to connect to my primal self. The round dome with wooden beams splaying a perfect geometric sunray-like form brings me comfort and a sense of awe. I consider
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how ancient this form of home is and wonder how life became complicated. I decide then and there that I could live this way, simply and even more closely with nature. I realize how my typical worries are formed around modern-day living, and I vow to disconnect from them. My eyelids grow heavier, and I eventually fall asleep in a deep state of peace and contentment. I question, how something as simple as sleeping in a yurt could create such an impact on my soul. I wonder as I drift off into dreamland.
GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE
The morning arrives, marked by the nudging light beaming in from the dome above and windows around. My family stirs in unison and there is a chill in the air. My husband coaxes last night’s coals into a crackling fire and within minutes, the yurt is warm again. While waiting for the fire to fully wake up, my husband boils water and puts on coffee. The extra hot water is reserved for the kids to have hot cocoa. We are soon gathered around the table, well-rested with hot beverages steaming from our mugs, and a look of peace is still on all our faces.
Feeling hungry, the propane stove is turned on and a long cast-iron griddle is placed on top, which spans all three burners. Sliced onion bagels are buttered and placed face down until golden, crisp, and fragrant. We load them onto a plate and set the towering bagel halves in the center of the table. Our daughter again is eager to contribute, so she sets up the table and adds a tub of cream cheese to the display.
We eat, check the time for, perhaps the first time since our arrival, and discover that it is still quite early. My son steps outside and gets to whittling sticks right away. He contently tests out his knife on various types of wood twigs. My daughter is eventually greeted by her friends from last night, and they get into painting rocks next to the fire that they themselves figured
out how to conjure up from the remaining coal bed. They find a long-fallen branch and hoist it between two low limbs of a tree. They have made a seesaw and are having a blast moving up and down in the air. This, I think, is the way kids should play. It feels encouraging to see the children use their imagination with one simple log, which seems more entertaining to them than anything in the world.
GOODBYE FOR NOW
When it is eventually time to leave, our family packs up with a feeling of sadness to leave this experience behind. Yet, we feel filled with certainty that life for us is full of greatness in a world that sometimes feels like it has gone awry. Humbled, goodbyes are said to our yurt as though she has become a friend. We traipse back through the woods with our cart, and load our car. Our daughter is determined to hold onto the yurt key until it is time to return it at the self-checkout, for she learned that the key is a symbol of the experience each of us had, which was indeed, magical
Open year round, FMY is eco-and pet-friendly, catering to families, couples, and small groups who are looking for accessible outdoor fun. FMY invites you to an enjoyable excursion into the back woods of western Maine on 57 private acres and surrounded by wooded land. FMY is located just south of the village of Fryeburg and minutes away from all the Mount Washington Valley amenities. All yurts are nestled in their own private setting.
Frost Mountain Yurts
34 Farnsworth Road, Brownfield, ME
(802) 233-7010 • www.frostmountainyurts.com
Youthful Inspiration on THE MOUNTAIN
By Dave Greenslit
It’s not likely you’ll see Bigfoot tromping around New Hampshire’s high peaks, but there’s a very real possibility you’ll run into Little Foot—or perhaps Hazel or, maybe, Addie—on one of the state’s 4,000-footers.
Little Foot, better known outside hiking circles as Scarlett, 7; Hazel, 6; and Addie, 12, have been coming to the mountains their entire lives, starting in kid carriers on the backs of parents or grandparents, then following the adults’ footsteps on their own two feet up the trails and onto the summits.
The journey has been an enriching experience for the kids and their mentors, not to mention an inspiration for hikers who cross paths with them. “We have watched her grow and develop so many skills,” Kim Lesnewski said of Scarlett, her granddaughter. “This list is endless, and she is still learning—and so are we. She has learned that she can do anything if she puts her mind to it,” said Crystal Coffin of her daughter, Hazel.
“Hiking is integral in everything she does,” Sarah Davidson said in describing Addie, her daughter. “It taught her to enjoy the journey, to tackle challenges, to overcome obstacles, to slow down and enjoy nature, to set goals and execute on those objectives.”
ADDIE D
Addie’s first goal was to hike New Hampshire’s 48 4,000-foot mountains, which she did before turning 10. She’s also notched an 18-mile, single-day traverse of the Presidential subrange and a 30.5-mile, two-day loop around the Pemigewasset Wilderness, staying in AMC’s Galehead Hut at roughly the halfway point. Her brother Miles, now 14, was along for that adventure.
She’s not done yet. Future goals include hiking rim to rim to rim in the Grand Canyon (about 48 miles), running the Pemi Loop and a thru-hike of the 100-Mile Wilderness of the Appalachian Trail, the Cohos Trail, and eventually, the entire AT.
Hiking, however, is not Addie’s only outdoor interest. She loves whitewater rafting in the summer and cross-country, alpine, and ski touring in the winter months. She also takes horseback riding lessons.
Sarah Davidson remembers well Addie’s first 4,000-footer, Mt. Eisenhower, under her own power, at 4 years old. “She hiked the entire thing, and it was
a wild October day. Beautiful blue sky in the Valley with wonderful foliage,” Davidson recalled. “Then we were met with snow and clouds at the summit. It was an adventure.”
Weather is just one obstacle to consider when hiking. With kids involved, Davidson adds motivation, fatigue, and hunger as factors. But she calls those obstacles minor if you’re prepared. She brought tasty snacks, had lively conversations, and hiked at Addie’s pace.
Addie hikes mostly with her mom. During the school year they get out a few times a month. Summer affords them time to hike more often. Addie’s favorites include Mount Isolation and Cannon Mountain, both on the 4,000-footer list.
Sarah Davidson recalls one overnight during an April vacation when they stayed in the fire tower on Mt. Kearsarge. “By 6 p.m., she was tucked into her sleeping bag, doing needlepoint embroidery, which she brought along as an activity.”
Addie says her time on the trails has taught her much. “I learned about setting goals and pushing myself to finish them,” she said. “I have learned to appreciate my
How to Begin Hiking with Kids ... START ‘EM EARLY!
You hear that advice for parents who want to get their kids into all kinds of sports, including hiking. But what’s early? There’s no right answer, of course. It all depends on the child and the parent, grandparent or other mentor.
“Right now!” is the advice from Run Wild My Child, a website dedicated to kids and the outdoors.
Crystal Coffin did that, hiking Mount Major with Hazel in a kid carrier when her daughter was just 10 days old. Kim Lesnewski also carried Little Foot when she was an infant, then stood her granddaughter on her own two feet at 18 months. Little Foot took it from there, hiking up and down Piper Mountain in the Belknap Range, a round trip of 1 ½ miles. Addie Davidson also began her hiking career in a carrier. At 4, she did her first big climb on her own power, Mount Eisenhower.
Other tips for people considering hiking with youngsters:
• Start low, go slow, and keep it short. It’s important not to make those first hikes too difficult. Know basic skills and safety before tackling higher peaks.
time outside and to slow down and take in the views. I learned about safety and risk management. I learned about different forest zones, animal tracks, and plant/ mushroom identification. I learned how to be comfortable being uncomfortable.”
Her mother added, “I think adults underestimate today’s youth. Kids are capable of so much, and as adults, we are capable of providing access to the outdoors to them from the start. Taking a walk with your child in the woods, along the river, or in the park and letting them explore, climb, get dirty, and wonder is the first step. Continue to explore with your child to build your confidence and their enjoyment.”
• Keep it fun. Coffin and Lesnewski play games when they hike with their little ones: hide and seek; sledding in winter; I Spy. They might also sing songs, identify plants and animal tracks, tell stories or, in Hazel’s case, work on counting, spelling and math. Addie and her mom bring snacks, whistle and snap their fingers, and Addie brings along a mascot, Mousey, a stuffed toy mouse that has accompanied her on all of her 4,000-footers.
• Listen to them, and watch for signs of fatigue, thirst, being cold or hot. Coffin says Hazel sometimes won’t ask for food when she’s hungry, so she makes sure Hazel eats and adds electrolytes to her water.
• Have a goal, which does not have to be a summit: a waterfall, a swimming hole, a boulder field to climb. Allow kids to explore. “If the focus was Addie having a good time rather than bagging a peak, it was much more successful,” said Sarah, her mom.
• Take the opportunity to teach about the environment, how to protect it through Leave No Trace principles and how to stay safe in it. For more information, see www.runwildmychild.com/10-hiking-essentials-for-families.
• Bring a friend.
And try again after a bad day!
were on their way down to the trailhead from their own excursion in the Southern Presidentials. Even after a full day of hiking, Hazel, only 5 at the time, was a talkative bundle of energy and personality. She’s always like that, Crystal Coffin says.
Hazel was along for her mom’s hikes even before she was born, since Crystal hiked while pregnant, right up until 41 weeks. Ten days after giving birth, Crystal was on the trail again, now with Hazel on her back.
4,000-footers, as well as the 52 With A View. Hazel has also finished the 52. She’s working on the peaks of the Belknap Range, the 48 (she’s done 17), and the New England 67 4,000-footers (she’s completed 20). “Our goal is to finish those,” Crystal said.
When Hazel is not bagging a peak, she enjoys paddle boarding, kayaking, CrossFit, gymnastics, and soccer.
What’s your favorite time to hike, Hazel? “When it’s snowing, and when there’s candy at the summit! Oh, and seeing butterflies and toads too.”
HAZEL
This cheerful, friendly little girl provided the inspiration for this story. My wife and I were descending the Edmands Path on the return from Mount Franklin last year when we met Hazel and her mom, who
“I carried her until she could walk on her own,” Crystal said. “She would do some sections when she was 2, more when she was 3, and then she would hike up by herself and I would carry her down.” From there, she progressed to doing entire smaller hikes under her own power, and onto the high peaks.
Hazel usually hikes with Crystal and a couple of her mother’s friends. Older brother Mason, who’s 13 and started when he was 5, doesn’t join them so much anymore after completing his 48
Crystal says it’s important when hiking with children to start gradually, listen to them, and make it fun. When Hazel was very small, they identified colors and shapes, and then moved on to play hideand-seek and even work on spelling and math. In winter, they include sledding.
On the trail, there are all kinds of things to teach a child. Hazel has learned about the prints of various animals and their scat, and she’s working on identifying trees.
And like other hikers, kids don’t always have a good time. “Just because they have a bad day, don’t give up trying again another day,” Crystal said.
SCARLETT, AKA LITTLE FOOT
Little Foot might be one of the most accomplished hikers of any age prowling the White Mountains. Name a list and she’s probably checked it, perhaps more than once: NH48 (three rounds), winter NH48, Belknap Range 12. If Scarlett hasn’t made a list, it’s a safe bet she’s working on it: four-season NH48, 52 With A View, and The Grid, which involves summiting each of New Hampshire’s 4,000 footers in each month of the year. The Grid entails bagging 576 peaks. Scarlett is closing in on half of them.
Her favorites are Mount Washington, Cannon, and Moosilauke–and she loves trails that involve climbing hand-overhand. Eating and butt-sliding are also high on her list. Off-mountain, she takes dance classes and gymnastics and would like to play school sports when she’s older.
Scarlett does all of her hiking with her grandmother, Kim Lesnewski, who is president and training committee chairman of Lakes Search and Rescue. Often, those who join the pair refer to themselves as Team Little Foot. Scarlett got her trail name from fellow hikers who commented about her tiny feet and MICROspikes® .
Lesnewski says that keeping hiking fun for such a young child has been easy because Scarlett loves being outdoors. But she still tells her granddaughter stories, and they play games such as I Spy, hide-and-seek, and telephone. Scarlett became interested in moss, mushrooms, and lichen, so Lesnewski boned up on them so they both could learn about them. A bit of brib-
Our Favorite HIKES FOR YOUNG KIDS
Not sure where to start hiking with kids? Here are three suggestions ... one to a pond, one to a waterfall, and another to a mountaintop.
The Lost Pond Trail begins across Route 16 from the Pinkham Notch Visitor center and connects with the Wildcat Ridge Trail. An out-and-back hike would be just under 2 miles, shorter if you turn around at the boulder-lined pond. From the trail, there are views of Mount Washington and its ravines. The Appalachian Trail overlaps the Lost Pond Trail. Depending on the time of year, you might meet thru-hikers on their way north to Maine or south to Georgia.
Ripley Falls is a spectacular waterfall on Avalanche Brook that drops 100 feet. It is most easily reached via a 1-mile out-andback hike starting at the Ethan Pond trailhead in Crawford Notch State Park and taking the Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail to Ripley. (The even higher Arethusa Falls is a 3-mile round-trip hike from its own parking area in the park.) After hiking, treat the kids to a well-earned ice cream at the Willey House.
The Black Cap Trail leaves from the top of Hurricane Mountain Road, usually reached from Route 16 in North Conway. A round-trip hike to Black Cap Mountain, where there are views from its ledges of North Conway and big mountains in the distance, is just over 2 miles. For a mountain top hike, this one is very easy. You gain most of the elevation in the car while driving up Hurricane Mountain Road. In July, blueberries grow along the road near the parking lot.
ery also helped keep things interesting when Scarlett was quite young. Her grandmother would give her a gummy bear each time Little Foot spotted a trail sign or a tree with a trail blaze.
Besides plants, Scarlett has learned about animals, tracks, and scat. She knows about erosion and has been taught how to clear water bars to direct water off trails. If someone needs first aid, she can help with that, too. “We keep her involved in everything,” Lesnewski said.
Finding quality gear for kids has been especially challenging, according to Lesnewski. MICROspikes® made for kids don’t last, and kids’ snowshoes are not made for climbing mountains. “We have found systems that work, but it hasn’t been easy,” Lesnewski said. Companies just don’t make those items for little kids.”
Challenges unique to Scarlett have been a seizure disorder and a speech issue. Lesnewski and others who hike with them are constantly monitoring how Scarlett is feeling. Her grandmother says hours on the trail have helped Scarlett’s communication skills.
The journey has been rewarding for granddaughter and grandmother alike. “She has gained confidence that she lacked prior to hiking,” Lesnewski said. “I got to experience hiking through the eyes and innocence of a child in a way that I didn’t. Honestly, the best part of hiking with her!”
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Our Five Favorite Rock Formations in the Whites
By Lily Hartman
The White Mountains of New Hampshire may not be as high in elevation as the mountain ranges you find out west, but their rocky terrain makes them a challenge and quite captivating for most hikers. These rugged peaks formed millions of years ago when this area was pushed over the hot spot, and magna intrusions created what we know today as the White Mountains.
Every trail and summit offers a unique set of rocks to triumph—many of which are pretty cool to look at, and well worth the battle to get there. It’s exciting to discover all the rock formations that the White Mountains offer. Some can be seen right from the road, while others require a 10-mile hike to reach. These natural rock structures make these mountains quite a special place.
I remember the first time I hiked a 4,000-footer in the White Mountains. I couldn’t believe that such beauty existed in such a small state. As I stood on top of Cannon Mountain, I admired the rocks surrounding me that formed Franconia Notch. That is when I fully understood why they call New Hampshire “The Granite State.”
Now it’s your turn—here are five rock structures you can adventure into this summer.
1. Glen Boulder - Difficult
Hikers who are climbing the 11.9-mile loop to Mount Isolation via Glen Boulder Trail will pass by the iconic Glen Boulder. This gigantic glacial rock is located 1.6 miles from the Glen Boulder Trailhead and is special for the way it rests on the east side of Slide Peak. This rock hovers over a cliff as if it’s about to tumble down into the Mt. Washington Valley at any second. At 16 feet high and 12 feet long, this erratic rock sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s rare for hikers to hike by without stopping and snapping a photo or two—many make it look like they’re holding up the rock with their body weight in photos.
The trailhead to Glen Boulder Trail starts from Pinkham Notch. Once you climb up above treeline and onto the Gulf of Slides, you’ll get views of the Carter Range and Glen Boulder in the distance. It’s fascinating to view a rock that was deposited by glaciers millions of years ago up close. It can also be seen from Route 16, although getting up close and personal to it is well worth the climb. After viewing this popular rock structure, continue to Mount Isolation via Davis Path, which provides incredible views of peaks in the southern Presidential Range.
2. The Watcher - Difficult
Perhaps you’ve heard of the “Old Man of the Mountain,” also known as the “Great Stone Face,” a famous rock formation in Franconia Notch shaped like an old man’s face. Unfortunately, it fell in 2003 due to extreme White Mountain weather. Well, there’s another famous rock structure that you may not have heard about. It’s also located in the notch, off the shoulder of Mount Lafayette, and across from where the Old Man of the Mountain was, and is known as “The Watcher,” or “the Old Women of the Notch.” This off-the-beaten-path rock profile sticks out from Eagle Cliff, and is quite a sight to see.
She isn’t easy to get to—hikers will need to scramble over a steep slide to be within her presence. This means that only hikers with experience climbing lose gravel and steep slides should attempt this 1.69-mile bushwhack, which starts 10 to 15 minutes into Greenleaf Trailhead. You’ll need to look for a cairn to the east, where you’ll find a pathway leading to The Watcher and views of the Eaglet. For those who don’t want to attempt such a challenge, she can also be seen through a small opening on the south end of Profile Lake.
3. Elephant Head - Easy
Right at the northern end of Crawford Notch is Elephant Head, which is a rock structure that sticks out and looks like, well, an elephant’s head. If you’re looking for an easier, family-friendly hike that only takes about 30 to 60 minutes to complete, then explore this cool rock formation the next time you’re in the White Mountains. You can view Elephant Head from Route 302, where you’ll get a clear view of the elephant shape, so hiking to it isn’t necessary.
For the quick hike, you’ll climb Webster-Jackson Trail, where you can also go to Mount Jackson and Webster if you’re looking for a longer day on the trails. You’ll trek for 0.1 miles until you reach the junction with Elephant Head Spur Trail. You’ll follow this trail for 0.2 miles to the top of the rock. At 150 feet high, you’ll get a great glimpse of Saco Lake and the AMC Highland Center.
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4. Mount Liberty - Difficult
There’s something about climbing Mount Liberty that makes you feel like a true warrior—the way its sharp peak hovers over the land is powerful, and anyone who has hiked to this 4,000-footer’s summit would agree. When you climb to the top of this majestic rock, you’ll get 360-degree views of surroundings peaks, such as Mount Lincoln and Lafayette. Even though the summit is only 4,459 feet, you’ll still feel like you’re standing on top of the world.
To see this rock structure, you’ll need to hike up Liberty Springs Trail, which is a challenging hike that is roughly 8 miles round trip. The trailhead is 0.2 miles north of the Flume Visitor Center. For an even more challenging climb, approach Mount Liberty from Mount Flume via Flume Slide Trail, which hikers will come across 0.6 miles into the hike up Liberty Springs Trail. This slide should only be attempted by experienced hikers. By going this way, you’ll also be able to see the cool structure of Mount Flume, which towers over the landscape with strong and jagged rocks.
At the beginning of Liberty Springs Trail, the rugged, rocky summit can be seen in the distance and through the trees on a clear day. For a few miles, you’ll cross Spring Brook and climb some rocky stairs before getting your first view of Mount Liberty on the Franconia Notch’s east side. Many hikers say this is their favorite summit, and it’s easy to understand why.
5. Bondcliff - Very Difficult
When you walk deep into the remote Pemigewasset Wilderness, you’ll understand the true value of being in solitude. Bondcliff is at the southern end of Mount Bond and is iconic for its cliffs and diverse rock formations. While standing on Bondcliff’s summit, you’ll get a wide-open view of the vast wilderness without a car in sight. In fact, it’s one of the only areas in the White Mountains where you can’t see a road from the summit. The cliff drops down hundreds of feet into the valley, making it a daring but exciting cliff to stand on. Its edge sticks out to the point where you’ll feel like you’re flying. If you want to stand on it, you should cautiously proceed to its edge.
To experience Bondcliff, you’ll need to prepare for a 20-mile day, no matter which way you approach it—from either Lincoln Woods or Zealand Trailhead.
Most hikers will agree that a Zealand-Bonds Traverse is one of the best hikes in the White Mountains. On your way up, you’ll pass by several brooks, streams, and rivers, as well as cross many other 4,000-foot peaks, such as Mount Zealand, Guyot, West Bond, and Bond. Most hikers will tackle this hike from Zealand Trailhead first, meaning they’ll end with a walk on the awing alpine ridge that leads to Bondcliff.
The White Mountains is a place that draws in hikers from all over New England and beyond. To think that these rocks have been here for millions of years, and yet are able to hold their shape and resist every weather pattern that’s come their way, makes being in their presence quite special. Summer is a great time to admire the rock formations in the White Mountains. During this time of year, you’ll also get to observe unique alpine flowers, butterflies, and witness more of these resilient rocks.
Mount Liberty Bondcliff
Elephant Head
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Twin Mountain –
New Hampshire’s Presidential Range: Rough, Rugged, Rewarding
By Mike Cherim
The Presidential Range is broken into two distinct segments: The Northern Presidentials and the Southern Presidentials. Dividing the two is Mount Washington—which is a topic on its own.
As we did when writing about the designated Wilderness areas within White Mountain National Forest (WMNF)—an article where we tried to introduce and capture the essence of those important areas, or at least as we see them—this article will be an opinionated introduction to the Presidential Range, a.k.a. the “Presidentials” or “Presis,” as some call them. We will introduce you to the mountains along this range, offer you our thoughts about them, and we’ll touch on a number of related items. To begin, let’s start with the basics.
PRESIDENTIAL BASICS
The Presidential Range is located in the
WMNF and covers roughly 60,000 acres (by our estimation), including some of the Presidential-Dry River and all of the Great Gulf Wilderness areas, and the Cutler River Drainage on Mount Washington (but excluding the Montalban and Dartmouth ranges, Mount Isolation, and Pine Mountain; more on these last two later). It’s roughly bounded to the north by Route 2, to the east by Pinkham B Road, Route 16 in Pinkham Notch, to the south by the Presidential-Dry River Wilderness and the Montalban Range, and to the west by Jefferson Notch Road and Route 302 north of Crawford Notch. Along its length, it’s about 25ish miles long, but that varies considerably by how you measure it and what you’re measuring exactly—and
what you’re hiking may vary this number even more. An Appalachian Trail (AT) section- or thru-hiker, for example, will see it differently based on what they need to include to successfully traverse this segment. It’s quite a lot longer for them! For this reason, we will try to avoid certain specifics, for there are too many possible answers. To say it ranges from about 18-30 miles, however, is probably an acceptable estimate.
Perhaps the most coveted feature of the Presidential Range is that it contains the largest single expanse of alpine area east of the Mississippi River, a patch roughly 8 square miles in size. Similar to Labrador, Canada, this tundra-esque area is definitely otherworldly. It is this
expanse that is visible from a great elevation. We want to say visible from space, but on Google Earth, we had to zoom into the Northeast region before really seeing it.
The Presidential Range is broken into two distinct segments: The Northern Presidentials and the Southern Presidentials. Dividing the two is Mount Washington— which is a topic on its own. At 6,288 feet (1,917 meters), it’s the tallest mountain in the Northeast and makes for a natural demarcation, but the separation between north and south is identified in other ways. The southern range is much more gentle, part of it even wooded. The northern end, however, is much rockier, the rocks sharper, and the overall feel more rugged, weather blasted, and foreboding.
The Mountains of the Presidential Range
Traverses on this range are commonly hiked from north to south. This is mainly for psychological reasons. By the numbers, starting from the south end is advantageous due to there being less overall elevation gain, but heading northward seems like you’re going uphill the whole way. And with that out of the way, we’ll start at the north end with Mount Madison.
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This view is from the the Mt. Washington Auto Road and looks over the Great Gulf Wilderness with Mount Jefferson in the background.
• Mount Webster El. 3,910 ft
• Mount Jackson El. 4,052 ft
• Mount Pierce El. 4,313 ft
• Mount Eisenhower El. 4,763 ft
• Mount Franklin El. 5,000 ft
• Mount Monroe El. 5,369 ft
• Mount Washington El. 6,288 ft
• Mount Clay El. 5,531 ft
• Mount Jefferson El. 5,713 ft
• Mount Adams El. 5,797 ft
Major Peaks of the PRESIDENTIAL MOUNTAIN RANGE
• Mount Madison El. 5,363 ft
Mount Madison (5,363’/1,635m)
Most who ascend this rocky, whale-back mountain do so from the west, simply due to the popularity of one trail: Valley Way. They will clear the trees and immediately be presented with the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) Madison Spring Hut; one of their popular high huts (keep reading for more info about the
ranks as being harder to secure by many people. The author, for example, had summited Mount Washington many times in winter before even once taking on and securing Adams. It’s out there a ways, and a lot less refined. There are four sub-summits on Mount Adams, relative to the main summit, they are: John
If one of the Northern Presidentials was more daunting than the rest, Adams would be it. The mountain and trails are maintained by the Randolph Mountain Club (RMC), which has had a presence in the north for ages.
huts and trails). From there they will drop their pack—which we think is ill-advised—and follow the AT to the summit. From the west, the mountain will appear very pointed, so where one goes is quite clear. Additionally, the west-side cairns (piles of rock used for navigation; more on these later), are very easy to follow. This does not hold throughout the range, so you’re encouraged to enjoy it while you can. Adams is next.
Word of warning: as the smallest Northern Presidential peak a mere .5-mile from shelter, some people seem to think it’s easy, a “safer” alpine step up. But there have been many episodes and mishaps—some fatal—on that mountain, so don’t take it lightly.
Factoid: Mount Madison was named after James Madison, 4th President of the United States.
Mount Adams (5,797’/1,767m)
This is the second tallest of the New Hampshire mountains, but
Quincy (northeast), Samuel (northwest), Abigail (north-northwest), and “Adams Five” (southwest). The central summit is what people come for, though some lists do encourage some rock hopping to bag the other peaks. From Route 16, Adams appears to be a movie-intro-type peak. Very classic.
If one of the Northern Presidentials was more daunting than the rest, Adams would be it. The mountain and trails are maintained by the Randolph Mountain Club (RMC), which has had a presence in the north for ages. The author was known in his teens, in fact, to call the old Gray Knob cabin a dating destination. Inasmuch it used to be a favorite of his, and it still has some of the best trails, though the summit is no longer a place to hang out. Several species of insects make their home amid the rocks up there, and can be annoying. The good news is the bugs are seasonal.
Factoid: Mount Adams was named after John Adams, 2nd President of the United States.
• Wildcat Mountain
• Bretton Woods Ski Area
Mount Jefferson (5,713’/1,741m)
Also out there, at least in winter, Mount Jefferson is another of those rugged and foreboding northern summits. This is especially so if approaching from the east, as you would on a northto-south traverse. After Adams, hikers drop into Edmands Col (which is an alpine point further from refuge than any other spot). People making the traverse in two or more days will often camp (legally in winter on 2 feet of snow) in Edmands Col. While this place may feature extremely high winds, there is also good cover present. Perfect for the most extreme adventurers— prepared to survive it.
Jefferson is a pretty peak—pointed, looking from some angles; flat from others—but it features jagged rocks that will cut you. Which makes taking it on a riskier proposition for some people. Aside from the AT, there are no easy trails to Jefferson. Many of the trails, like on Adams, are mentioned on what is known at the Terrifying 25 list. There are twin high points, but the western knob is the top and features a stainless-steel pin in the rock. The plateau just below the summit points is flat and can be a nice place to rest among the rocks and sedges in the warmer months.
Factoid: Mount Jefferson was named after Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States.
Mount Clay (5,531’/1,686m)
Very much like the four sub-peaks on Mount Adams, Mount Clay doesn’t count as a NH 4,000-footer because it lacks the required
200 feet of prominence, at least on its northern end. Otherwise, at over 5,500 feet, it would count. Because of this, unless you’re working on a more obscure list like the Trailwrights 72, you don’t “need” it. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. You should do it! It’s worth the effort! And being that following the AT around the mountain means dropping down before you climb back up, mentally if might be easier to accept Clay and do it.
The rewards will make themselves apparent. Clay features a long double-humped summit ridge with lots to look at. It also offers stunning views into the Great Gulf Wilderness to the east. Go around and all this is missed, and it’s a lot to miss. We’ll bring this up again, fear not.
Factoid: Mount Clay was named after Henry Clay, 9th United States Secretary of State (under 6th U.S. President John Quincy Adams). The State of New Hampshire officially refers to Mount Clay as Mount Reagan, but this hasn’t caught on with the public. Looks like “Clay” is here to stay! See what we did there?
Mount Washington (6,288’/1,917m)
This is the big guy: Old George, aka The Rock Pile, aka Home of the World’s Worst Weather. This is the tallest mountain on the ridge, marking the divide between the Northern and Southern Presidentials. In fact, it’s the tallest mountain in New Hampshire. Further, it’s also the tallest mountain in the Northeast. Now that that’s all said, it’s not necessarily the best mountain in the eyes of many. It’s subjective. The summit is quite developed, and this is a source of contention for many—while being a blessing for others. Up there within the Mount Washington
The summit of Mount Washington is well developed and includes the Sherman Adams Building and the Mount Washington Observatory. The Mt. Washington Auto Road and The Cog Railway both offer tours to the summit, so expect this area to be busy during peak seasons.
State Park (MWSP) exists the Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS). There are a four main structures in fact:
The MWSP’s Sherman Adams Building, offering an observation deck on its roof, houses the MWOBS—including its weather tower located on the northwest corner of the deck—a museum, a cafeteria, gift shop, post office (Mount Washington, NH, 03589), park staff, and various resources.
Next is the Tip-Top House, a historic and entirely rockbuilt bunkhouse open to the public at certain times. It’s wicked interesting.
There’s a public-inaccessible communications building. Being the highest point, it is a logical place for various dishes and antennae.
Last is the stage building, which serves the Mt. Washington Auto Road’s coaches and also has a gift shop. This used to be the weather observatory back in the day. Interestingly, the wooden structure is held down by heavy chains draped over its roof.
All this development takes away from the pristine mountain experience, but it also allows people who can’t do it on their own an opportunity to check it off their bucket lists anyway. We did mention the Auto Road, above. If it’s not clear already, there’s a historically significant road that serves the summit and allows for guided and unguided drives up the almost 8-mile two-lane paved way. It’s a pretty drive and the road is nicely maintained—the Auto Road does a great job showing their respect for the mountain—but it is a very scary drive for some. And rightfully so, as bad things could happen. There are real risks.
The guided shuttle trips might be more to the liking of some folks. Those same shuttles trade out tires for tracks in the winter, so some limited winter access is available. There are other options, as well.
Another service, still, not mentioned thus far, is The Mount Washington Cog Railway. This is another historically significant presence on the mountain, owning a 99-foot strip of land from base to summit on the west side of the mountain. This specially designed cog-driven railroad gets riders to the top over a steadily steep 3-plus-mile track.
Development aside, it is a grand mountain offering myriad experiences.
Factoid: Mount Washington was named after General George Washington, 1st President of the United States.
Mount Monroe (5,369’/1,636m)
Now in the Southern Range, and on a whole new trail (read more about the trails below), the terrain is different. It’s more “graded” or “finished,” if you will, and the jagged and dark, gray/green lichen-covered rock of the Northern Range begins to give way a bit to lighter gray rock, some with fewer lichens, even taking on yellow, tan, or even orange hues. Mount Monroe is pretty. It feels quite remote once out of sight of the nearby AMC’s Lakes of the Clouds Hut (named after two tiny “lakes” nearby). For those hiking southbound from hut to hut, this hut would be night two. For north-bounders doing this, it would be night one or two, depending.
Mount Monroe is often a destination unto itself, though some will include it in a loop hike that tags Mount Washington in the process. Not only is it a pretty mountain, the primary trail accessing it on the west side, the “Ammo,” is
gorgeous, full of challenges and interest (keep reading for more trails info). Do expect to see a lot people by the hut—and you can stop in during the open season for a snack, a coffee, or even to use their restroom—but once past it, the world becomes a wonderland again. There’s more to know about these huts relevant to winter hikers, but it’s outside the scope of this article. Heading here in winter? Do your research first.
Factoid: Mount Monroe was named after James Monroe, 5th President of the United States and, for what it’s worth, the author’s favorite.
Mount
Franklin (5,000’/1,524m)
Like Mount Clay and the Mount Adams’ sub-peaks we mentioned, Mount Franklin doesn’t count. While it is detectable at a distance from some angles, like those others, it lacks prominence. We include it mainly because it is named on our hiking maps (which is why we didn’t include “Little Monroe,” another bump located just southwest of the Mount Monroe summit). Including this peak while hiking is super-easy, barely taking you out of your way. This is the same for “Adams Five” mentioned earlier. It’s right there. The fact that either is a “mountain” is almost surprising.
Mount Franklin’s “summit” is a nice place to stop for a break, as it gets you off the main trail and aside from most passersby, you will likely have it to yourself. If solitude’s your thing, this one might be worthy of your attention.
Factoid: Mount Franklin was named after Benjamin Franklin, inventor and 6th President of Pennsylvania. (Yeah, we didn’t know Pennsylvania had a president either.)
Mount Eisenhower (4,763’/1,452m)
Heading southbound, the summit elevations have been trending downward. After Franklin, you drop even further; the range is
tapering and it feels like it. And then there’s Eisenhower. It’s like a last hurrah. An anomalous bump, a rising dome. It’s not hard to climb, though at first it gives you some resistance. One could call their traverse short, bailing before it, if they planned for that and spotted a car, but the “classic traverse” is just about done. Keep it going. Hike the bump. The summit is a dome, the reddish-hued rock littered about, dusty: it could be Mars if you squint enough. It’s not super pretty, though. It’s pretty impacted and its massive summit cairn offers nothing more than an unsightly heap of rock. That said, the views are 360-degrees and absolutely stunning.
After Eisenhower, you drop down even further. At this point, patches of stunted conifers, spruce and fir, and yellow birch krummholz begin to line the trail in places. Mud, possibly standing water, and dirt will be found on the treadway. It’s well worn—this is the AT, after all.
Factoid: Mount Eisenhower was named after Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States.
Mount Pierce (4,313’/1,315m)
After a little bit of walking in and out of short, stunted trees—to those hiking southward—a junction will appear, and a new trail will continue on, following the AT to the south. Some will head that way, but most working on a classic traverse will stick to the Crawford Path and head down. That said, they will usually detour a 10th-of-a-mile to the Mount Pierce summit first. There they will find more views, and also fewer dangers. Here one barely dips their toe into the alpine. Here, they can get a taste of things to come, however. We will often suggest Mount Pierce as a New Hampshire hiker’s first 4,000-footer.
Not too far after the Pierce summit, for those who keep going on the Webster Cliff Trail (AT), they will drop quite steeply down to the AMC’s Mizpah Hut. This is the last of the three AMC
This view shows AMC’s Lakes of the Clouds Hut, just below Mount Monroe on the left.
huts on the Presidential Range. There one will also find a the “Nauman Tentsite” for backpackers and AT thru-hikers.
Mount Jackson (4,052’/1,235m)
Making it to Mount Jackson is considered a “full traverse,” as it grabs all of the Range’s countable 4,000-footers, but many bail after the classic because, in a way, Jackson is a letdown after all of the other mountains touched along the way. To include Jackson, one has to drop back down into the boreal forest with larger trees and very limited views. It’s gorgeous, but also no longer the same. The wow factor diminishes some. The ridge no longer seems to be ridge-like as much as it was. Jackson itself, however, once gained, is delightful—and like Pierce— may reveal the future, showing hikes to come. The summit is small, though we know of one person who became disoriented up there, so—like all mountains—it should be respected. To bail from Jackson, there is one little scramble to deal with along with some notably challenging trail. Another reason bailing from Pierce may be preferred. Another way to avoid the scramble is to keep going on the AT.
Factoid: Mount Jackson was named after Charles Thomas Jackson, 19th Century geologist. Nope, not all are presidents.
Mount Webster (3,910’/1,192m)
At not quite 4,000-feet, the final summit is shorter at 3,910 feet—the last in a diminishing series. One still has choices at this point, but generally hikers will bail the easy way from here, jumping off of the AT once and for all. Like all the other peaks, this one does offer some amazing views, ones completely unique from what’s been seen thus far. These views peer into Crawford Notch and to the north and west. For those sticking to the AT, there will be more views to come as the trail continues along the crest, bending southward. Be warned if your inner completionist decides to descend going that way. It’s loaded with scrambles along the way, making that exit option, the one the thru-hikers have to take, dangerous and time consuming.
By the way, if you make it this far from the start, you’re going to complete an “extended traverse.”
Factoid: Mount Webster was named after Daniel Webster, 14th and 19th United States Secretary of State under Millard Fillmore.
THE PRESIDENTIAL RANGE’S TRAILS AND TRAVERSES
There are many trails that provide access to and escape from the Presidential Range. We’re going to discuss some of the notables, along with the two primary trails that support the end-toend traverse. Let’s start in the north.
Notable Northern Presidential Trails
Assuming we will start at the north end, gaining the bulk of the elevation will usually be via the Valley Way Trail, which leaves the Appalachia Trailhead. There are other options, though. Particularly since Valley Way pops out on the Appalachian Trail (AT) on the ridge between Mounts Madison and Adams. This means Mount Madison must be completed as an out-and-back on Osgood Trail (AT). Repeating your steps for a .5-miles seems a little counter-productive. Another option would be to access Howker Ridge Trail from Pinkham B Road and hit Osgood Trail that way. No repeats, shorter overall distance, and also less gain if Howker Ridge Trail is accessed via Pine Link Trail, which also leaves Pinkham B Road. This is a tougher way to go, and it has more scrambles, but we like it.
After Madison is done, the primary trail south along the AT is Gulfside Trail. Thru-hikers will stick to it all the way to Mount Washington. For those after the other peaks, however, there are summit loops for the most part. Adams, next, is a bit of an exception, as there is no dedicated “summit loop” from Gulfside, so a couple of regular trails are used for the purpose—namely
down in the Madison-Adams Col and ascends steeply. The top gets a little scrambly, but it’s fun.
Continuing on, hikers will drop down a ways toward Edmands Col, passing a few random trails along the way—some of which are useful for making an escape (like Randolph Path). After the col, you start the ascent of Mount Jefferson. The loop for the summit, Jefferson Loop, jumps off of, then rejoins Gulfside, passing through the lively fawn-colored sedges of the Monticello Lawn. Some, however, will continue on toward Caps Ridge Trail if making a J.A.M. traverse (Jefferson, Adams, Madison), though the way we’re telling it, while our preferred route, is less popular. Most JAMmers head up Caps Ridge. There is a method to our madness, though (reach out to ask if you really want to know).
Once back on Gulfside Trail (AT), you could continue on toward Mount Washington. But unless you’re doing the AT itself, or needing access to Jewell Trail, we suggest taking the Mount Clay Loop and going that way. It actually seems shorter and easier in our estimation. The views are definitely better … it’s a very worthy, long, and double-hump summit. It’s made to savor once you’ve made your initial investment. After Mount Clay, it’s off to Mount Washington and access to the southern half of the range.
Notable Southern Presidential Trails
From the Mount Washington summit sign itself, one jumps directly onto the Crawford Path (AT) and heads southward
Airline and Lowes Path. Some will take on Mount Adams via Starr Lake Trail. This trail starts a few 10ths-of-a-mile from the hut
A group of hikers make their way down from Mount Jefferson towards Mount Clay. The Great Gulf Wilderness can be seen on the left with Mount Washinton above. Lily Hartman photo.
towards the Lakes of the Clouds and Mount Monroe, passing by an area of sedges that blow mesmerizingly in the wind, referred to as the Bigelow Lawn. Crawford Path is so old and so used—it is the oldest continuously used hiking trail in the United States—that it is practically graded compared to some of what’s been hiked thus far. This means the southern end may be a little easier and a little faster for many people.
At the hut, the junction for the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail or “Ammo,” as it’s called, is not only an access and escape point, it’s a lovely and exciting trail. It’s often used to grab Mount Monroe and Mount Washington before heading to Jewell Trail or the Cog’s strip of land to form a loop. There are other trails that access Mount Washington, such as the Tuckerman and Huntington Ravine trails, the historically significant Davis Path, and others outside of the scope of this article.
After the Lakes of the Clouds Hut, one quickly encounters Mount Monroe’s Summit Loop junction. If you’re after the summits, this is for you. Otherwise, you’d stick to the AT and go around. You’ll see part of that route below you to the east when you summit. It looks cool, inviting. If taking the loop, you summit “Little Monroe”—a little bump located just past the main summit—then rejoin Crawford Path (AT) before starting toward Franklin, Eisenhower, and points south.
Right before Eisenhower there’s another trail, Edmands Path, good for making an escape … if planned for, that is. Within the scope of this article, it is a blue-blazed trail—meaning blue paint markings indicate it connects to the AT—but sticking to the ridge, we keep going quickly, encountering the summit loop, just like the one for Monroe, so you know the drill. After the peaks, we go up and over, then rejoin the AT and head towards Mount Pierce.
It is here, right before the Pierce summit, that things change up a bit. If making a classic traverse, you will want to quickly tag Pierce then turn and head down on Crawford Path to the finish line. If hitting the next hut, Mizpah, or going for Mount Jackson, from Pierce, you will want to hike on Webster Cliff Trail (AT). If hiking the AT, you will stick to this trail all the way to Route 302 and Station House Road. If going to the summit, you will either bail from Jackson (for the Full Traverse) using the Jackson branch of the Webster-Jackson Trail or continue on to Webster (for an extended traverse) using the Webster branch of the Webster-Jackson Trail.
Other Trail Facts
As has been noted, the Appalachian Trail traverses this range, going even further by looping back to the south while north-bounding. Being that the AT does run through here, the AT-blazing system is in use. Sort of, anyway. Below treeline, hikers will find 2- by 6-inch vertical white paint blazes on trees. These blazes mark the route of the AT, and the trails it borrows from us (which will bear local names). Paint blazes on trails that connect to the AT are a medium shade of blue. As an aside, we think that it was a thru-hiker who coined the term, “Where in the blue-blazes am I?” We could Google it, we suppose, but might ruin our fun. We like our version. Anyway, back to the blazes. All of the other trails—those that aren’t the AT or its connectors—are painted a rich shade of yellow. That’s below treeline. Above treeline, and you’ll find cairns. We pronounce this like KAIRnz, though some will say it like KARRnz. Either way is fine. Cairns are human-built piles of rocks designed in such a way that they stand out, mark the trail, tolerate the winds, and shed water. They range in height
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from about 3 feet to large ones, marking important junctions that can be well over 6 feet tall. Interestingly, many of the cairns from Mount Monroe to points north are topped with large chunks of white quartz. Some well-meaning people will come along adding rocks to cairns— but that is frowned upon. Remember, they’re “specially designed” and are meant to shed water. This is an important feature. Chinking the spaces impedes this function. Also, if caught, you will be destroyed on social media (kidding, right?).
Some people will build their own cairns, even though they’re not authorized to do so. These we refer to as “ego cairns” and they are also frowned upon. Cairns are meant to provide important navigational aid above treeline and to mark some summits. Adding random piles of rocks may clutter the system, will look out of place at best, and might even confuse hikers. This could have disastrous implications during times of limited visibility. Hikers rely on cairns!
Your Exploration of the Presidential Range
This isn’t meant to be a how-to article, but rather one borne of experience and
of opinion. Before embarking on one of these traverses, whether it be in a day or over many days, or even hiking some of the smaller alpine loops, the J.A.M., Mount Washington, other 4,000-footers, even visits to other spots we haven’t covered—such as the various ravines, Boott Spur, the Alpine Garden, Nelson Crag, and others—prepare properly. Know the trails you will hike, the mountains you will summit, and prepare to be safe along the way. Have a real idea of what it’s like hiking the Whites, then imagine it’s harder. Have the right gear and know the right stuff … and we won’t gloss it over, there is a lot to know.
While the Presidential Range is definitely a source of excitement, amazement, and sublime delight with its pure Labrador-esque environment, it can make the unwary pay dearly for the experience—and has on many occasions. It’s a cool place that may call to you as soon as you see it, as soon as you feel it, and as soon as you have that positive alpine experience.
But don’t take it lightly or underestimate what it can do. The Presidential Range is a great equalizer, and it will remain long after we go.
Cairns are human-built piles of rocks designed in such a way that they stand out, mark the trail, tolerate the winds, and shed water. Hikers rely on cairns for navigation and should never be disturbed.
Cristin Bailey photo
By RyanPacheco
And Our Region’s Royal Roots
Towering higher and straighter than any tree known at the time, the eastern white pine of New Hampshire and Maine caught the attention of the King of England. With the Royal Navy needs in mind, a legion of surveyors were dispatched to seek out and mark suitable trees in the region with the “King’s Broad Arrow.”
Imagine a typical dreamy late-spring evening, nestled into a patio chair on the porch with a lemonade close-by—and the obligatory bottle of over-the-counter decongestant flanking it. A fine mist is sprinkled across every surface—from the laptop’s screen to the hood of the car. This yellow haze of allergy-triggering pixie dust has once again resurfaced to greet the twilight between spring and summer. The pine pollen is back, in all its miserable glory.
It’s tough and, perhaps, unfair to be mad at the pines for too long, though. After all, the great white pines of New Hampshire take their place as one of the most precious natural features of our state. The Granite State is defined by its natural beauty, and without these majestic timber titans, it wouldn’t feel like home. It’s worth digging into the research behind the history of Maine and New Hampshire’s arboreal landscape, specifically the role of
the eastern white pine. If trees could talk, the stories recounted by these once-disputed giants would reflect the growth of generations. Known as the “King’s Pines,” the eastern white pine has roots (quite literally) in the colonization and struggle for independence that foretold the American Revolution.
Similar to the modern world’s dependence on fossil fuel, Colonial trade leaned heavily on the prioritization of timber. As the backbone of Colonial construction, logging and the acquisition of timber existed as a high-level point of interest for the British Empire, especially in regards to meeting the construction needs of the British Royal Navy.
As early as 1605, Captain George Weymouth took notice of the unmatched potential of the eastern white pines (also known as Weymouth white pine) found in Colonial New England, having documented the trees after arriving in Pentecost Harbor in search
The Mark of the King’s Broad Arrow
Acting as dominion over the forests of “New England,” the King assumed ownership of the tallest and straightest of the eastern white pine trees. He appointed a group of laborers to survey the forests “within 10 miles of any navigable waterway” and mark all suitable trees with the “King’s Broad Arrow,” which were three slashes made with a blow of a hatchet.
This was the symbol commonly used to signify ownership of property or goods by the Crown, in this case to be owned and used solely by the Royal Navy. Any tree with a minimal diameter of 24 inches was blazed with the broad arrow. Violation by the colonists of this rule would be assessed a fine of 50-100 pounds. Persons appointed to the position of Surveyor General of His Majesty’s Woods were re -
sponsible for selecting, marking, and recording trees, as well as policing and enforcing the unlicensed cutting of protected trees.
PHOTO LEFT: The eastern white pine in this photo can be found in the 170-acre Big Pines Natural Area, Hemenway State Forest, Tamworth, NH. This particular single-stem tree is a state champion, and is 158 feet high with a circumference of over 15 feet. The Big Pines Natural Area is one of the finest places in New England to see towering eastern white pine trees. According to Wendy Scribner, Carroll County Extension Forester, from UNH Cooperative Extension, this particular pine may have been a candidate for the King Pines.
Please note that the “King’s Broad Arrow” mark in this photo was added by an MWV Vibe graphic designer, to show what a mark may have looked like. To date, no marks are known to exist, due to their age and growth.
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of land to build new colonies.
Upon his return to England, Weymouth addressed the Naval Board to showcase the potential of logging operations in the new world. The eastern white pine was, by all definitions, a behemoth fit for a king. Towering higher than any tree known to Europeans at the time and with a light-weight and flexibility seemingly destined for use as ship masts, the white pine had solidified itself as a beacon of hope for the empire’s future.
Centuries of deforestation had depleted much of England’s natural forestry, necessitating trade agreements with foreign nations to obtain timber. Lumber sourced and shipped from the Baltic region placed England in a dependent relationship with neighboring European nations competing to secure the precious resource.
Weymouth’s expedition helped to encourage King James I to commission the establishment of colonies in the new world, seeking to acquire timber and settle a presence under the British Crown in New England. The colonists of the Mayflower would soon depart for Jamestown under James I’s charter.
As colonies in New England began to
The Webster Historical Society is fortunate to have a set of original mast wheels. The massive wheels were restored in 1990 by Lee Sawyer of Jaffrey and Robert Young of Sharon, NH. It took approximately 600 man-hours to complete the restoration. Each wheel weighs 1,000 pounds, while the axle and arch assembly weigh 950 pounds. These wheels were once pulled by 15 teams of oxen hauling 36-yard-long logs from the mast yards of West Concord, Webster, and Hopkinton to Portsmouth.
The photo above resembles one that may have been taken during in the 1600s in the forests of northern New England. While this particular photo is from an unknown source, it was likely taken during the early 1900s, and shows the team of men, horses, oxen, and giant mast wheels needed to remove 200-foot white pines from the woods to the mills or coast lines. Photo source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
Photo by Eric Poor
FELLING MAST TREES
Felling a mast pine required precision, skill, and numerous laborers, and had no value if it was split or landed in an area where it could not be retrieved. Once a tree was selected, a landing area had to be cleared and prepared. This process was called “bedding.” The uneven ground had to be smoothed, and rocks and stumps were covered by crisscrossing them with smaller fallen trees, which would act like a cushion, absorbing the shock.
Choppers, two men using axes on opposite sides of the trunk, were selected to do the dangerous job of felling it. Once felled, peelers removed the bark, lower limbs, and the crown—retaining maximum length. Felling during the winter months was often preferred since the snow would protect the trees. However deep-snow and frigid temperatures created their own set of challenges.
Were any of the King’s Pines actually from the White Mountain region?
It’s likely but unsure. In the book, Passaconaway In The White Mountains, written by Charles Edward Beals, Jr. in the early 1900s, there are frequent mentions of mast trees originating from the Passaconaway area. Though no proof exists, stories tell of potential masts for the “Royal Navy” in the Old Mast Road area of Wonalancet. Nathaniel Berry, of Birch Intervale, tells of masts and spars being hauled out from the southern slopes of the Sandwich Range. The older settlers of Passaconaway, originally known as the Albany Intervale, recall hearing their ancestors tell of the days when the King’s Broad Arrow was blazed upon the big trees in this region.
Giant white pines can also still be found off the Rail and River Trail behind the Russell Colbath House on the Kancamagus Highway. The Big Pines Natural Area in Tamworth and the Bolles Property, owned by The Nature Conservancy, have two healthy champion white pines that may be the largest in the state. Additional stories of massive white pines from the Chatham area are still told. While it is possible that many trees in the area were large enough at the time and could be considered Kings Pines, most foresters will tell you that it is highly unlikely that the tell-tale Kings Broad Arrow mark will be distinguishable after two centuries.
Transportation of these mast logs was a herculean task for the engineers of those days. The logs were rigged upon mast wheels ranging from 9- to 18-feet high. Sixteen and sometimes even 40 yoke of oxen were chained in front, sides, between the fore and hind wheels, and two additional yoke tugged and strained. Swampers cleared and leveled a straight pathway as 120- 250-feet trees didn’t corner well. Two tailsmen walked behind the oxen teams to ensure no damage was done to the tree or animals. Extra care was given to be sure that oxen were not strangled or choked to death when riding over crests in hills. Coastal villages, such as Portland, ME, Durham, NH, and Portsmouth, NH, featured town squares which were often shaped to accommodate the oxen teams cornering masts through the village. Many of those roads and town squares still exist today leaving behind subtle signs of years past. Illustration by Samuel F. Manning.
find their footing and establish production, logging became a lucrative industry in the developing Colonial economy. Colonists quickly found an appreciation for the eastern white pine on their own behalf, creating tensions with the British Empire over harvesting rates. In order to assert and maintain England’s dominance over the supply of eastern white pine, which was now being harvested by colonists for their own use, the king
fines of 100 pounds, colonists continued to harvest the eastern white pines for their own growth and expansion.
In 1772, Weare, New Hampshire would come face-to-face with the British government in a showdown that would amplify the brewing revolutionary sentiment. Although the restrictions on white pine harvestry had been in place for decades, very little enforcement came about until the appointment of Governor John
Coastal villages, such as Portland, ME, Durham, NH, and Portsmouth, NH, featured town squares which were often shaped to accommodate the oxen teams cornering masts through the villages. Many of those roads and town squares still exist today leaving behind subtly signs of years past.
dispatched surveyors to the colonies in order to find the largest of the pines within 10 miles of the nearest navigable waterway.
These pines would be marked with a carved arrow, known as the “King’s Broad Arrow.” After reworking the Massachusetts Bay Charter in 1691, every eastern white pine marked with the arrow was deemed the exclusive property of England. The trees marked with the arrow would come to be known as “the King’s Pines.”
Resentment and seeds of civil disobedience began to grow within the colonists, who had come to grow weary of intrusive actions by the British Crown. With their most prized economic asset coming under tighter scrutiny and restriction, colonists began to disregard the timber laws. Despite the threat of hefty
Wentworth in 1766, who initiated a crackdown against local sawmills found in contempt of the King’s assertions, succeeding the governorship of his far more lenient uncle, Benning Wentworth. Wentworth was also tasked with the role of Surveyor General of the King’s Woods, a position which granted authority over the North American colonies with regard to British timber interests.
Wentworth’s enforcement efforts led to the discovery of several local sawmills in violation of the white pine laws, and proprietors found themselves forced to pay the fines or face arrest. While some relented to paying the fines, resistance was present among a considerable portion of Wentworth’s victims. On April 14, 1772, Royalist enforcers who were sent to Weare
Once the pines, also known as sticks, arrived to the coast port, or mast depot, crews of hewers laid out each tree and reduced them to the contracted size by broadaxe and adze. An adze is an ancient and versatile cutting tool similar to an axe but with the cutting edge perpendicular to the handle rather than parallel. Once transported, the final shape and taper to the finished mast would be applied by the mastwrights in England. Illustration by Samuel F. Manning
to strong-arm the resisting colonists in town, were ambushed by a local resistance party led by Ebeneezer Mudgett, and whipped with wooden branches and tied to their horses in an act of rebellion that would come to be known as the Pine Tree Riots.
During a period of larger Colonial disillusionment towards the British Crown, the Pine Tree Riots served as a sign of the power of rebellion against forces of oppression. Four years later, the spirit of resistance would spread like pollen across the colonies as a revolutionary dawn gave new life to liberty.
Today, the King’s Pines are nearly all but lost to time. Made scarce, thanks to deforestation and the insatiable demands of consumption, few of these colossal conifers stand as a testament to our heritage of resistance. The eastern white pine still stands tall and proud around Maine and New Hampshire, but the largest and proudest of her kind, branded for royalty, have disappeared into the pages of history. However, as few and far between as they may be, it’s all too possible that some few remaining specimens can be spotted with a keen eye for detail. Keep an eye out for the iconic etching of an arrow on the largest pine you can find, if only to stand witness to a dwindling piece of history.
The illustrations used in this article originated in the sketch books of Samuel F. Manning. Mr. Manning was commissioned in 1976 by the Maine Public Broadcasting Network to draw 16 scenes relating to the colonial mast trade in Maine and New Hampshire. The sketches were used during the opening minutes of an hour-long film titled Home to the Sea, a Bicentennial celebration of Maine’s maritime heritage. The remainder of the sketches can be found in his soft-covered book titled, New England Masts and the King’s Broad Arrow
Thank you to the Chesterfield Historical Society for much of the information within, especially pertaining to the mast wheels.
ADDITIONAL FACTS
How many eastern white pines made it overseas? An estimated 4,500 masts were shipped to the Royal Navy between 1694 and 1775.
Pines for Independance!
The causes of the Revolutionary War came about from many things, and the eastern white pine weighed heavy on the minds and hearts of the colonists’ desire for independence. Some historians believe that restrictions over the use of these trees was, at least, as instrumental as taxation of tea in bringing about the American Revolution and the first acts of rebellion against British rule. In fact, the eastern white pine was the emblem emblazoned on the first Colonial flag, including one bearing a white pine purportedly flown at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Interestingly, the last mast ship arrived in England on July 31, 1775, just three-plus months after the battles of Lexington and Concord. The King’s Broad Arrow Acts were one of the underlying causes fueling displeasure with the Crown.
Was King Pine Ski Area Named after the King’s Pines? You bet!
MWV Vibe contacted the Hoyt Family of Purity Spring Resort, parent company of King Pine Ski Area in Madison, to get the story. “When the ski area was first being developed in the early 1960s, most of the lower area was heavily forested and in need of clearing,” recounts retired fourth-generation owner, Ted Hoyt. “Two very large and distinct eastern white pines were saved, as it was suggested that they might be—or at least could have been—marked as the King’s Pines. The name stuck, and when the new ski area needed to be named, King Pine Ski Area seemed to be a popular choice.
Not long after, one of the trees was hit by lightning and destroyed. The other remained for many years, but was eventually also hit by lightning, though not as badly damaged. Interestingly, much of the lumber was milled and used around the resort. So if you would like to see evidence of these unique trees, the counter at guest services and the bar top in the Trails End Tavern are quite literally, a part of history.
Fast-forward to this summer, Purity Spring Resort has announced that it will open a new 18-hole disc golf course. And of course, they found the perfect name!
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Explore Classic New England Dining at its Finest
3NORTH RESTAURANT AND MISTLETOE PUB AT CHRISTMAS FARM INN
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Authenticity and charm await at 3North, where regional cuisine and homemade desserts are served in a warm, inviting atmosphere. After dinner, unwind at Mistletoe Pub with craft cocktails and a selection of whiskies and brews, enveloped in a traditional New England pub.
FORTY AT THORN HILL AT THE INN AT THORN HILL
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FORTY BELOW WINE CELLAR AT THE INN AT THORN HILL
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SHOVEL HANDLE PUB AT THE INN AT WHITNEY’S FARM
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Discover the charm of the Shovel Handle Pub, nestled in a beautifully restored 1842 post-and-beam barn. Enjoy upscale American pub fare, fireside dining, and live music nightly with stunning views of Black Mountain Ski Resort.
Origins of the CONWAY SCENIC RAILROAD
Celebrating 50 years of public excursions in August, this railroad actually has a long history that began more than a century before.
On August 3rd and 4th, Conway Scenic Railroad will celebrate 50 years of operating public excursions from its North Conway station. This popular tourist railroad has a long history that began more than a century before it commenced operations in 1974.
North Conway’s First Century of Railroading New England was among the first places in the world to adopt privately operated railroads for common carrier transportation. Boston was an early focus of commercial railroad development. By contrast, New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington Valley wasn’t connected to the growing national network until the 1870s.
In the mid-19th century, railroads offered enormous improvement over the crude dirt and gravel roads of the day. This
was before the dawn of the automobile age, and long before jet planes, computers, and cell phones. In 1871, the first line to reach North Conway was the Portland & Ogdensburg, an east-west scheme aiming to tap the flow of Great Lakes shipping by linking its namesakes with a line over New Hampshire’s Crawford Notch. This ambitious scheme fell short of its western goal, and in the late 19th century was amalgamated into the growing Maine Central as its Mountain Division.
The second line to reach North Conway was an extension of the Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway. Tracks reached the town in 1872, and this operated in its early years as a division of the Eastern Railroad—itself an erstwhile competitor, later a component of the Boston & Maine. A series of railroad amalgamations in the late 19th century grouped numerous
By Brian Solomon
smaller lines into the B&M system, as a result of this, the line to North Conway became B&M’s Conway Branch.
Slow Decline and Nostalgic Dreams
In its short-lived heyday, B&M’s regional system was operated as a virtual monopoly across much of its service area, this included most of the routes serving New Hampshire. Decline set in early due to fundamental changes to New England’s industry that began before World War I. These, combined with a rapid rise of public highways, slowly eroded regional railroad supremacy. By the 1920s, B&M began its retrenchment by cutting lines and services from lightly traveled areas.
Efforts to rejuvenate the Conway Branch during the 1930s and 1940s enjoyed a modicum of success, notably by boosting passenger traffic with spe-
Eastern Railroad locomotive number 67 was a typical wood-burning 4-4-0 “American” type of the mid-19th century. It was photographed with a train crew at North Conway around 1872, shortly after the railroad reached town and before construction of the iconic station building. Conway Scenic Railroad from the Dwight Smith Collection.
cial trains that catered to tourists. These included the famous snow trains and the streamlined summer season Mountaineer (which ran from Boston to Littleton via North Conway and Interval, where it joined Maine Central’s line over Crawford Notch).
After World War II, improvement to regional roads, combined with the growth of the automotive culture, further eroded the railroad’s freight and passenger traffic in much of the United States, with light lines such as the Conway Branch especially hard hit. To cut costs, B&M assigned new Budd rail diesel cars in 1955-1956 to Conway Branch pas-
roll P. Reed, bought the station, roundhouse, and related structures in an effort to preserve the character of the town. The Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts were a nostalgic group that had organized popular railroad excursions since the 1930s. On several occasions in the late 1960s and early 1970s, they sponsored snow train revivals from Boston to North Conway using Budd RDCs.
In February 1968, Dwight A. Smith, a B&M traffic manager based in Portland, traveled on a Mass Bay RRE snow train recreation. As an avowed railroad enthusiast with big ideas and solid railroad
The second line to reach North Conway was an extension of the Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway. Tracks reached the town in 1872, and this operated in its early years as a division of the Eastern Railroad—itself an erstwhile competitor, later a component of the Boston & Maine.
senger services. Declines continued, and B&M discontinued its regularly scheduled passenger services to North Conway in December 1961. A tri-weekly freight service remained until autumn 1972.
The decline of the railroad fueled nostalgia for earlier times. In 1965, local business owners, William Levy and Car-
experience, Smith was awed by this trip. In a 2020 interview, Smith recalled, “I got off the train [at North Conway] and walked around. I saw it was all there; the old station, the roundhouse, the park, and the mountains beyond.” Smith had visions for the railroad—that went beyond his day job—to transform the North Con-
ABOVE: This tin plate photograph shows a horse-drawn delivery wagon in front of the North Conway station shortly after the station opened in 1874. The roundhouse is to the right of the station. Conway Scenic Collection. ABOVE, RIGHT: Efforts to rejuvenate the Conway Branch during the 1930s and 1940s by boosting passenger traffic with special trains that catered to tourists, including the famous snow trains. Poster is courtesy of the David Saums Collection. NEXT PAGE, TOP: History was made at North Conway on August 4, 1974: Conway Scenic Railroad steam locomotive 47 (7470) has just arrived back at North Conway with the very first revenue excursion train. This is seen in front of the freshly restored North Conway Station. Ron Johnson had painted the station, under the direction of Dwight Smith, who selected bright colors for the traditional building, in an effort to attract visitors. NEXT PAGE, BOTTOM: In a time-honored tradition, Conway Scenic’s Joe Ryan (left) and Dwight Smith (right) compare their watches in September 1978. Photos on this page and next by Ron Johnson.
way depot grounds into a tourist railroad.
Smith quickly put key pieces of this dream in motion, and over the coming months, he formed a partnership with Reed and Levy. Separately, he bought retired 47-year-old Canadian National steam locomotive number 7470, and in autumn 1968, arranged to have it shipped from Sarnia, Ontario to Maine Central’s Rigby Yard at South Portland. This antique had spent decades laboring in obscurity as a heavy switching locomotive. Since the engine’s four-digit number was a mouthful, he renumbered it 47 and began the slow process of restoring the engine to operation.
Although Smith and his partners had secured the station grounds, they initially didn’t have the right to use the Conway Branch, which was still owned and operated by Smith’s employer. Ultimately, it took six years of negotiation and court battles before B&M relinquished title to the line.
Transformation
In the interval between 1968 and 1974, Smith inspired a loyal group of volunteers. Loosely organized under the
name Conway Scenic Railroad, Smith and company set about to turn back the clock by restoring and repairing the historic railroad rolling stock along with the North Conway Station and related railroad facilities. Smith appointed David Penney of Gorham, NH, as the first master mechanic. Penney and his team spent years readying locomotive 47 for service. Work was initially performed at South Portland, then in 1971, the steam locomotive and other equipment were moved to North Conway. Smith’s army of enthusiast railroaders needed a workspace and a place to protect preserved equipment, so one of the first priorities was repair to the North Conway roundhouse. The roof, in particular, had suffered from decades of neglect. Work began in 1972, while B&M freights were still serving freight customers in North Conway.
Dwight’s volunteers transformed the passenger building in early 1974, retaining much of the original woodwork and classic charm as they made it ready for passengers once again. When we view the beautifully restored Victorian-era North Conway station today, it is difficult
to imagine that in 1972 it was little more than a decaying, vandalized ruin—a sad reminder of better times. This became the headquarters for the new railroad and primary point of embarkation. One of the most radical aspects of the station transformation was its color. Smith aimed to recreate the experience of a backwoods branch line; however, he didn’t emulate the historic details of B&M’s days on the branch. Smith opted for bright bold colors that would catch the public eye instead of B&M’s more traditional conservative colors.
All Aboard!
By late Spring 1974, Smith and his Conway Scenic team were racing to get all the pieces in place to begin the long-awaited excursion service. This included clearing and repairing the critical 5.5 miles of the Conway Branch between North Conway and Conway. Plans to begin public operation on July 4th had to be postponed by a month.
On Friday afternoon August 2, 1974, engine 47 was brought to life for the first time in about a dozen years. With a fire in its firebox and the boiler to pressure, a dinosaur of a steam era emerged from the North Conway roundhouse under its own power. A crowd of volunteers and local people watched in awe and a great cheer erupted as they cherished the aroma of bituminous coal smoke. The next
day, in preparation for operations, Smith convened the army of Conway Scenic volunteers—soon to be employees—for a day of training. In the afternoon, they took engine 47 for a test run on the branch to Conway and back.
Sunday, August 4, was a historic day. The station opened, 94 tickets were sold, and Conway Scenic Railroad operated its first public excursions! It was an exciting time punctuated by lots of joyful, smiling faces. Everyone was delighted to see a steam locomotive in action again. Canadian National 7470—aka Conway Scenic 47—which had labored in obscurity for decades, was now an object of adoration.
In Struggle & Triumph, Smith wrote (using his pen name D. W. Swift), “Passengers are taken back in time to an … unhurried age when the echo of the locomotive whistle was a more commonplace sound throughout the land.” The mournful sound of a steam whistle stirred a nostalgic longing.
For the next two and a half months, Conway Scenic Railroad ran daily excursions to Conway and back. The adult fare was $2.50, and on many days, there were ample crowds of visitors around the station. The last public train of the 1974 season operated on October 20. Smith organized a moonlight special to Conway as a big “thank you!” to all the people who had made Conway Scenic
operation possible.
Dwight Smith, his partners, and his operating team had overcome numerous hurdles to bring this quaint, but moribund, section of backcountry railroad back to life. Yet, there was still lots of work to be done. As the railroad’s traffic grew and its finances improved, it continued to acquire additional equipment. This included additional passenger cars, maintenance vehicles, and a fleet of antique diesel-electric locomotives. Over the next half century, Conway Scenic gradually expanded operations, and since 1995, operated excursions on the state-owned former Maine Central Mountain Division over Crawford Notch. The railroad is one of the chief economic engines in the Mt. Washington Valley and has made its mark as one of the region’s foremost heritage railroads. Steam locomotive 7470 remains on the property and is undergoing operational restoration. Today, Conway Scenic offers visitors a choice of three distinct excursions from North Conway.
Brian Solomon has authored more than 70 books on railways, writes monthly travel column for Trains Magazine, and serves as Conway Scenic’s manager of marketing.
For more information and reservations, visit www.conwayscenic.com.
ABOVE: 7470 crosses the Moat Brook Trestle in the intervale meadows of Conway. INSET: David Swirk, owner of the Conway Scenic Railroad, stands with Dwight Smith, the visionary founder of the Conway Scenic, August 4, 2019.
