Mt Washington Valley Vibe - Spring 2019

Spring 2019 | Volume 2: Issue 8

Spring 2019 art s c ultur e

e ve nt s

food

h i sto r y

l i b a ti o n s

m u si c

peopl e

shops1

Over 80 different Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars. Non-GMO, gluten free, and no preservatives or added sugar.

Visit us in North Conway Village or Settlers Green next to the White Mountain Cupcakery!

FIND SOME FASCINATING OLIVE OIL FACTS AND OUR RECIPE COLLECTION AT NCOLIVEOIL.COM.

(603) 307-1066 • www.ncoliveoil.com Settlers Green & 2730 White Mountain Highway, No. Conway, NH 2 MWVvibe.com

FROM THE EDITOR

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

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

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

Just when it seemed like winter would linger longer than ever, the warmer weather has settled in and the heavy snowpack has receded back up to the highest and shadiest elevations.

The extended ski season is mostly complete with the exception of the ravine areas of Mount Washington where skiing will continue there likely into June for the diehards.

Up high, the Mt. Washington Auto Road is busy once again clearing seemingly deeper-than-ever snow drifts from the Road. The Auto Road is an exciting place to explore throughout the open season, but driving it during the month of May and early June is even more appealing as the blooming alpine flowers push through the receding snow.

The protected area above treeline, the alpine zone, is home to dozens of rare and threatened species of plants, each of them uniquely adapted to survive Mount Washington’s harsh environment. Whether you choose to hike or drive to this area, there are plenty of paths and trails in the alpine zone making it easy to get up close to these slow-growing plants, which are extremely susceptible to trampling, disturbance, and erosion. Please read our “Life On Top” article on page 30 to learn more about this fragile, protected area.

In the lower elevations, runoff from the spring rains and melting snow makes its way through the Valley filling riverbeds to capacity providing days, sometimes weeks, of white water action for hard-core paddlers in the region. As levels recede, anglers can be found in pursuit of native and freshly-stocked trout, and the everelusive landlocked salmon in Conway Lake.

Spring cleanups are in full force throughout the region at homes, businesses, campgrounds, farms, and golf courses—in prep for the busy summer season ahead.

The ever-popular Valley Pride Day in early May is in its 19th year, and attendance has grown each season. A HUGE thanks goes out to Fryeburg’s Donna Woodward, who began organizing the event two decades ago. Donna will be stepping down next season yet we’re confident that the event will continue into the future.

The Mt. Washington Valley has just experienced a solid six months of winter. As much as I love the snow, cramming in all the warm-weather activities the Valley has to offer into the next six months will certainly be a challenge ... but one I’m eager to begin.

Happy trails!

Dan Houde - dan@wiseguycreative.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without the written permission of: WISEGUY CREATIVE MEDIA 126 Allens Siding Road, North Conway, NH 03860 ADVERTISING For advertising, feedback, and subscriptions, call (603) 986-5761 or email info@mwvvibe.com www.mwvvibe.com

Spring 2019

SUBSCRIPTIONS & BACK-ORDERS

MWV Vibe is printed quarterly and offers a great way to keep up with some of your favorite interests in the Valley. An annual subscription is just $28 and past editions are $10 (includes mailing).

Subscribe online at MWVvibe.com, or send an email to info@mwvvibe. com, or letter to 126 Allens Siding Road, North Conway, NH 03860.

Makes a great gift too!

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SPRING 2019 • CONTENTS 20 - LOCAL HONEYBEES

26 - BREWS & NEWS

30 - THE ALPINE ZONE

FEATURES 10 SPRING PEEPERS

25 KEEPING IT REAL AND SWEET

12 JACKSON ART STUDIO

26 WHITE MOUNTAIN

BREWS & NEWS

By Nels Liljedahl

By Janis A. Pryor

18 COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

by Jesse Wright

20 THE LATEST BUZZ

ON LOCAL HONEYBEES

By Olivia Saunders

By Beth Nagle Griffin

By Clem McAuliffe

36 A SOLO JOURNEY - SAVING LIVES

By Jean Lee

46 A PILGRIMAGE TO

TUCKERMAN RAVINE

by Jake Risch

54 SPRING RAPIDS IN THE VALLEY

by Jake Risch

61 TAMWORTH DISTILLERY

By Lulu Henle

42 ANATOMY OF A

BACKCOUNTRY RESCUE

By Mike Cherim

15 - ON THE VIBE COVER

REGULAR DEPARTMENTS 6 EVENTS 7 WHITE MOUNTAIN HUMOR 8 SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 9 WHITE MOUNTAIN MUSIC 16 VIEW FROM THE FARM 66 HISTORY - DID YOU KNOW?

Agiocochook “Home of Great Spirit”

By Fryeburg, Maine-based artist and entrepreneur, Aurora Winkler.

Currently on display locally, at the Jackson Art Gallery and Studio, owned

by Melanie Levitt.

Details on page 15.

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Birch Malotky, North Conway, NH A recent graduate from Brown University, Birch is the northern New Hampshire land steward for The Nature Conservancy, and enjoys climbing, writing, photography, and jewelry-design.

Olivia Saunders, North Conway, NH Olivia works for UNH Cooperative Extension in the Food & Agriculture Program as a field specialist. Olivia founded the Winni Bee Club and is the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) state coordinator for NH. Her interests lie in organic production, soil and organic matter management, beekeeping, and assisting beginner farmers.

Jake Risch, Conway, NH As a North Conwaybased freelance writer, backcountry skier, and whitewater kayaker, Jake is also a founding member of three MWV non-profits, president of Friends of Tuckerman Ravine, vice president of the White Mountain Swiftwater Rescue Team, and on the board of the Granite Backcountry Alliance.

Heather Corrigan, North Conway, NH Originally a flatlander, Heather has called the White Mountains home for almost a decade now. She enjoys throwing herself down mountains, hiking up them, and exploring the natural beauty of the outdoors. She spends time reading, listening to music, and taking too many pictures of her cat.

Spring 2019

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

Marlies Ouwinga, Brownfield, ME Marlies is living her very best life hidden away in the mountains of Brownfield, Maine with her husband, two boys and three dogs. Working at Stone Mountain Arts Center since 2006, Marlies turns to writing to air out her mind on a regular basis.

Stowell Watters, Limington, ME Stowell lives with his family in Limington, ME, and runs Old Wells Farm.

They focus on growing the best organic food possible and his writing has appeared in publications such as The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener.

Beth Nagle Griffin, Eaton, NH Beth is a plant-based chef and healing-meals consultant who is passionate about helping people enjoy pure food and the fullness of life without giving up wine and chocolate. She is a chocolatier and the founder of The Chocolate Club, a monthly subscription share of handcrafted, naturally-sweetened organic chocolate.

Liljedahl, Nels, Fryeburg, ME Living in Fryeburg for the past 25 years, Nels spends much of his free time exploring its many ponds, rivers, streams, and wetlands that are dependent on the huge aquifer invisible below the surface. A former wilderness river guide, he is now a district conservationist for Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Lulu Henle, Boston, MA Lulu was born and raised in Wonalancet, a Brigadoon-esque hamlet on the outskirts of Tamworth, and has been part of the Tamworth Distilling team since they first opened. In addition to her work for Tamworth Distilling, she is an apprentice tattoo artist. She recently moved to the Boston area, but Tamworth will always be home.

Additional Contributers - April McCarthy-Braca, Artist - Joe Klementovich, photography - Jake Jacobson, Writer - Jean Lee, Writer - Janis A. Pryor, Writer - Mike Cherim, Writer

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE VIBE TEAM? Our writers, researchers, and photographers are the key to the success of MWV Vibe. If you reside locally or have ties to the Valley and would like to offer your creative talents, please contact us at info@mwvvibe.com.

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SPRING 2019 EVENTS There’s nothing quite like springtime in the Mt. Washington Valley! We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, please call ahead to confirm dates, times, location, and other information.

Valley Pride Day • Mt. Washington Valley Saturday, May 4; 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Valley Pride Day is an annual litter clean-up day in the Mt. Washington Valley and western Maine that happens on the first Saturday of May. Every spring, community members come together and work to keep our corner of the world clean and beautiful. www.facebook.com/MWValleyPrideNH • (207) 441-8170 Military Appreciation Weekend • Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort May 17 – 19 As a thank you to those who have served our country, Danforth Bay Camping & RV Resort offers this weekend free to all current, retired, and veteran U.S. military personnel. Simply show your military ID at check-in and your site fee is on them! Don’t forget to join in for a pancake breakfast free for you (fee for family or friends), before you leave on Sunday. www.danforthbay.com • (603) 539-2069 Alton Weagle Day • Mt. Washington Auto Road Saturday, May 25; 6 a.m.

Wave that flag! Do you have what it takes to do a first ascent of Mount Washington? This day celebrates the spirit of Alton Weagle, who climbed the Mt. Washington Auto Road in a number of unique ways: by car, on foot, walking backwards, blindfolded, and finally, pushing a wheelbarrow full of sugar—just to name a few. This day honors his spirit and all those who have been the “first” of some kind up the mountain. Think you’re up to it?

Send your first ascent idea to info@mt-washington.com

Summit Salute • Mt. Washington Auto Road Sunday, July 21, 2019; 2:30 p.m.

Local service members, veterans, and military families are invited to gather at the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road to connect with each other and resources. Organized by Volunteers for Veterans, the afternoon will include food, family-friendly activities, music, and more. At sunset, these individuals will have a chance to take in a view of the sunset from the summit of Mount Washington.

To volunteer, or to donate funding or goods, email: summitsalute@gmail.com Art in the Park • Schouler Park, North Conway, Mt. Washington Valley Arts Association Saturday and Sunday, August 3 & 4; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

A spectacular two-day festival, Art in the Park 2019 will feature a broad range of artistic creations by more than 70 artists and artisans. There will be live music, food vendors, demonstrations, awards in multiple categories, and fun for the whole family. www.mwvarts.org • (603) 356-7711

Mountain Garden Club • Annual Plant Sale Saturday, June 1; 9:30 a.m.

A great opportunity to purchase member-contributed perennials as well as locally grown annuals and hanging baskets. Lines form early! Located at the North Conway Community Center. www.mountaingardenclub.org • info@mountaingardenclub.org King Pine Tri • Purity Spring Resort Saturday, June 1 The Hoyt Family and Tri Tek Events invite you and your family to participate in the 14th Annual King Pine Tri & Duathlon held at Purity Spring Resort and part of the New England Triathlon Tour. www.kingpinetri.com • (603) 520-8268 Black Fly in My Eye • 10- or 3-mile Run and Relay • Great Glen Trails Saturday, June 8, 2019; 10 a.m.

Immerse yourself in extraordinary views of the Great Gulf Wilderness at the base of Mount Washington while you make your way through the beautiful trails at the Glen in a race that’s 100% New Hampshire.

New this year, a solo 3-mile option, plus a kids’ fun run 1K! www.greatglentrails.com • (603) 466-2333 6

MWVvibe.com

WHITE MOUNTAIN HUMOR By Jake Jacobson Waiting for Spring

Courtesy photo

I should be writing about raking gardens and seeing daffodils and crocuses breaking ground and burst into color. But I’m pretty sure I won’t be seeing the rake ... or the ground until around mid-May. I should be writing a column about spring right now. I should be thinking warm green thoughts, but magazine deadlines don’t allow for that. It’s currently late February and nothing could be further from my mind.

I should be writing about sunshine and gentle warm breezes and soothing springtime sounds. But it’s currently 10 below zero with 60-mile-per-hour winds rattling the frosted windows.

I should be writing about driving down backroads with the windows wide open letting the fresh air fill the truck. But the heater isn’t working, and I shouldn’t be writing while driving, let alone while wearing gloves over numb fingers.

I should be writing about finding my way into the woods as they come back to life in green splendor, but the only wood I’m interested in finding is my woodpile—which is currently buried somewhere under this ever-deepening blanket of white.

I should be writing about babbling brooks and bubbling springs, but the only flowing water I hear is coming out of burst pipes.

I should be writing about sitting on the front steps in the evening watching the sun set at a reasonable hour. But given the high snow banks and the low temperatures, the dog has taken to peeing right there on those steps, looking at me all the while with an expression that says, “I ain’t cleaning that up.”

I should be writing about raking gardens and seeing daffodils and crocuses breaking ground and burst into color. But I’m pretty sure I won’t be seeing the rake ... or the ground until mid-May. I should be writing about napping in the hammock after a hard afternoon in the sun setting up the lawn furniture. But I’m currently loading the woodstove at 3 a.m. after being woken up by a cold draft.

I should be writing about ambitious spring cleaning and soul cleansing trips to the dump. But after the plow guy’s last performance, I’m not even sure where the trash cans are.

I should be writing about peepers in puddles, pollen-covered bumblebee bottoms in fragrant apple blossoms, baby fawns, robins on lawns, eggs in nests, trading parkas for vests, lilacimbued breezes, hay fever sneezes, vibrant tulip beds, sautéed fiddleheads, freshly cut grass, fishing for bass, laundry on the line, candles on pines, ducks on lakes, a grill full of steaks, putting in docks, listening to the Sox, soil between my toes, planting tomatoes in rows, a ride on the bike, an afternoon hike ...

But right now I’m fully entrenched in a world of frost heaves and frostbite, road salt and rime ice, dead batteries and cold car seats, winter storm warnings and wet wool socks, shoveling and sanding, slipping and falling, repairing skis and icing my knees, Kleenex and cough drops, wind chills and propane bills, roof rakes and ice dams, lost gloves and missing mittens, Spring 2019

scratched sunglasses and foggy goggles, cold floors and an empty woodbox.

I should be writing a column about spring right now ... but honestly, I don’t see the appeal.

---Jake Jacobson is a contented cynic and a stand-up comic from Brownfield, Maine. Catch one of his shows at the Denmark Arts Center in Maine, www.denmarkarts.org, on May 11, June 15, or August 30, 2019. Follow Jake at Facebook/standup.guy.33 or Twitter@StandupGuyJake.

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SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

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

SILVER PAW PET TAGS Silver Paw Pet Tags is a Brownfield, ME, premium dog ID tag company founded in 2011, offering a high-quality artisandesigned alternative to pet tags available on the market today. Silver Paw’s mission is to provide dogs with a hefty, solid stainless-steel ID tag that will never wear out, fade, discolor, bend, or shrivel.

Silver Paw tags are 100% guaranteed to stay readable for life, and designed for all active dogs who hike, bike, ski, swim, climb, run, walk, or just hang out on the couch. Their durability is legendary with customers who claim their tags look brand new even after years of abuse.

The only tags in the USA to use a special stainless-steel alloy called duplex 2205, Silver Paw tags cannot be beat for their extreme durability. Twice as hard and rustproof as any other stainless tag, each individual tag is hand cast in a Standish, ME foundry, and then put through six stages of hand finishing before getting engraved on a state-of-the-art fiber laser.

Exclusively, Silver Paw Pet Tags also offers a renewable engraving feature should your address or phone information change. For a small fee, your lifetime tag gets refinished and re-engraved all over again.

silverpawpettags SILVER PAW PET TAGS Highlights • • • •

Deep engraving/renewable engraving Durable lifetime guarantee Unique stainless-steel alloy Indestructible artisan designed tags

For more information, call (207) 935-1816, or visit www.silverpawtags.com

ROCKHOPPER RACES LLC Rockhopper Races LLC offers a variety of races throughout the year where everyone can have fun! Rockhopper Races hosts races from 5k to ultradistance, including competitive, noncompetitive events, and a “Canicross” event where you can race with your pup! Rockhopper’s vision is to build a community where everyone can enjoy the outdoors at their own pace.

It is owned and operated by a husband and wife team with a dream of showcasing the mountains they live in, train in, and love—all while promoting a “leave no trace” ethic. The White Mountains have some of the most beautiful and rugged terrain in the country and Rockhopper Races wants to share these amazing trails with others while raising money for local organizations that maintain and preserve these trails and beautiful places. Each race has a beneficiary; a portion of the proceeds is donated to them.

Rockhopper specializes in mountain running events for those wishing to experience moving quickly through the mountains on wellmarked courses and fully stocked aid stations.

rockhopperraces

ROCKHOPPER RACES Highlights • • • • •

Snowshoe Stampede 5k White Lake Ultras 6/12/24-hour races 5k/10k Abenaki Attack Chocorua Mountain Race 20k Kilkenny Ridge race 25/50-mile distances

For more information, call (603) 323-0003 or visit www.rockhopperraces.com 8

MWVvibe.com

SOUNDS OF SPRING By Marlies Ouwinga Three sunny mild mid-winter days in a row have given my soul a much needed boost.

It’s now I remember why my favorite part of winter, is when it turns into spring. With the tease of the coming season, my energy level begins to rise.

I dream of warm dew drop mornings, sweet crocuses peeking out to bloom ... and turning up the music.

Winter is a time of hibernation for me, my motivation waning with the daylight. Books, tv by the fire, and snuggling in make up a substantial portion of my daily routine. Except for occasional car-ride rock-outs, music is relegated to the background during those quiet winter months. More subdued, a little melancholy perhaps. And winter can be long.

So, come these spring-ish days, it’s time to celebrate ... loudly. I throw open the windows and revel in the glory of life. My senses wake up, colors are brighter, scents of lilac invade my memories and my body is ready to move. I glance at early birds singing in bare trees as I dust off my cds, deftly tossing the moody ones aside with my well worn Sorrels. I find the tunes that lift me up ... make my mind and body lighter, reconnect with my soundtrack for the coming season.

My brain begins to clear ... the corners of my mouth stretch up preparing for the smile lines to break out as familiar favorites take over the house.

Lucinda Williams has never growled so cooly. Queen never sounded so brilliant. AC/DC never rocked so hard.

I seek out Band of Horses, Blondie It’s about the beats, the ... the Rolling Stones ... whatever me singing, encourages me melodies, the songs that keeps to move, to walk, to run (to dance inspire an open road around the kitchen hoping no one feeling. The ones we sing is watching!).

When I was a child it was the lilting energy of Vivaldi’s Spring out loud to. The ones that transformed our that never fail to promise Concerto house. I remember clearly my mom closing her eyes and movendless possibilities for ing her arms with the music, face yet another season. beaming with the promise of the warm days to come. Her gardening journal would be unearthed as she hummed along with visions of tulips and rose bushes coming to bloom.

I know I’m not the only one who greets spring with open windows and above-average volume. Almost every driver I pass is engrossed in their stereo, in letting out their inner Lady Gaga. Ski areas serenade the slopes.

Runners in ear buds hit the road. Music propelling their sneakers just one more mile. For one friend of mine it’s Bob Seger, another goes straight to Bob Marley - directly into summer mode.

It’s about the beats, the melodies, the songs that inspire an open road feeling. The ones we sing out loud to. The ones that never fail to promise endless possibilities for yet another season.

It’s no secret that music has both a cause and effect on mood. Piles of research support that music fosters the release of serotonin, a hormone of happiness, as well as dopamine and norepinephrine, two hormones that bring about euphoria and elation. A truly natural mood enhancer.

And now, as the melting snow prepares to turn the earth to mud, I happily squint at the warming sun and am amazed how this year, yet again, I’m basking in the sounds of spring. Ready to take on the world ... one playlist at a time.

So shake it off ... turn up the music ... go out or stay in ... but get ready.

I can hear summer in the air ...

Here comes the sun—do do do dooo Spring 2019

Hosting national acts in the foothills of the White Mountains in an intimate timber-frame barn. Serving dinner by reservation before concerts. Open year round.

Booking weddings and functions, too!

OUR CALENDAR FOR 2019 - ADDING SHOWS DAILY! May 2 May 3 May 4 May 9 May 11 May 12 May 15 May 17 May 18 May 24 May 25 May 30 May 31 June 7 June 9 June 14 June 15 June 21 June 28 July 5 July 6 July 11 July 12 July 18 July 20 July 22 July 24 July 25 July 26 Aug. 2 Aug. 3 Aug. 10 Aug. 16 Aug. 17 Aug 23 Aug. 30 & 31 Sept. 1 Sept. 19 Sept. 27 Oct. 1 Oct. 3 Oct. 6 Oct. 11 Oct. 16 Oct. 17 Nov. 2 Nov. 29 & 30 Dec. 6 & 7 Dec. 20 & 21

Red Molly Red Molly to benefit the MSSPA Le Vent Du Nord Bob Marley Jonathan Edwards Mother’s Day Lunchtime Concert with Tricky Britches Pat Metheney Ruth Moody Band (of the Wailin Jennys) Jarlath Henderson Heather Masse & Jed Wilson Judy Collins to support Tin Mountain Matt Nakoa - Free admission show Rose Cousins & Carol Noonan John Davidson Jake Shimabukuro Peter Wolf Keb Mo Lula Wiles, Susie Burke & David Surette to benefit MtnTop Music Gaelic Storm Paula Cole Bill and the Belles Bob Marley The Fretless Bob Marley John Gorka The Wood Brothers Amy Ray of Indigo Girls Natalie Merchant Slaid Cleaves Tom Rush SMAC Anniversary Show & Auction The Weight Band Cheryl Wheeler & Kenny White Johnny Nicholas & Cindy Cashdollar Los Straitjackets Knots & Crosses Ward Hayden & the Outliers Oliver the Crow - Free admission show Keller Williams Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi Iris Dement The Jeremiahs Peter Mulvey and Catie Curtis We Banjo 3 Martha Spencer & the Whitetop Mountain Band - Free admission show John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band Adam Ezra Christmas Concert at the Little White Church Stone Mountain Live for Christmas w.Bill Kirchen

StoneMountainArtsCenter.com Just 15 minutes from North Conway (207) 935-7292 • Dugway Road, Brownfield, ME 9

Wes Deyton photography

The Powerful Pipes of Peepers The Enchanting Ephemeral Wetlands and the Spring Symphony

By Nels Liljedahl

The time is coming—or may already be upon us. Stand outside and listen closely. If you hear the chorus, put on your boots and take a walk toward the sound. Once you get as close as you can without getting your feet wet, you will be treated to that very vocal and welcomed sound of nature beckoning spring for a short couple of weeks each year.

H

ave you heard them? The spring peepers are here! If you are around ephemeral wetlands, you know what I am talking about. Fryeburg, Maine has lots of surface waters. Many of them are discharge waters from the aquifer underground. This oldest town in Oxford County is home to 30 lakes, the Saco River (and its floodplains), the Old Course Saco River, prime wetlands, 42 miles of streams, and lots of other wetlands—commonly referred to as swamps, vernal pools, wet meadows, fens, marshes, flood plains, and forested wetlands.

Wetlands are also called forested wetlands and scrub shrub wetlands. Ephemeral wetlands only have water in the springtime and often in the fall when there is an abundance of rain.

Along with many other organisms, spring peepers are found in these ephemeral wetlands every year in very early spring.

They announce their presence with much gusto! Up to 104 decibels with the shrillness of the highest G-note on a piano, their chorus can be heard up to two miles away.

A vocal sac on these tiny one-inch long frogs works as a resonator to aid the audio magnificence. The male that can sing the loudest, shrillest, and fastest—up to 90 chirps per minute— has the best chance of attracting an egg-laden female. However, often these males work in cooperate groups of three or four, even adding a little harmony to help further attract the ready

females. Think of your favorite rock band. It works!

Amplexus is the official scientific name of the game after the females arrive. When one gets close enough, the male grabs her in a hug from behind and she releases her eggs one at a time, which the male fertilizes. Up to 1,000 of these eggs per female will get fertilized, before slowly dropping through the shallow water to the bottom. The eggs get lost in the decaying leaves, twigs, and other detritus on the floor of the wetland.

Depending on the weather, these eggs will hatch in one to two weeks. Their parents, by now, have already left the water environment and are pursuing insects and spiders at nights in the shrublands and forests adjacent to the vernal pool or wetland. The suction cups on their toes allow them to be great climbers, but they generally stay in the lower three feet of the shrubs, grasses, and trees. Most of the time they are hopping among the fallen leaves, mushrooms, logs, sticks, rocks, and natural debris on the forest floor. Good luck spotting them. They are the masters of camouflage. Their smooth skin of different shades of tan, brown, green, and grey can change shades to better match the colors surrounding them.

If you manage to spot one and get a good view, you will notice they have a white- to cream-colored belly and a dark line between the eyes and on the legs. Pseudacris crucifer gets its

10 MWVvibe.com

species name from the dark brown cross on its dorsa (back).

Meanwhile, back in the wetland, the eggs are hatching into small black tadpoles that go on to eat the abundant zooplankton and phytoplankton that reside in the water. There are no fish in these ephemeral wetlands. If there were, they could wipe out the entire population of tadpoles in a few meals. However, tadpole life is still not totally safe or idyllic. A variety of other organisms within this aquatic habitat will prey on them for their own survival. Dragonfly larvae, predaceous diving beetles, leeches, and even other frog species will dine on them.

Not to mention the occasional snake, skunk, raccoon, turtle, or other hungry and clever animal that ventures by the wetland.

The metamorphosis stage of the tadpoles takes a couple of months and must be completed before the water evaporates away and leaves the undeveloped tadpoles stranded to die. If they survive the predation, and water levels allow time for a full metamorphosis into fully formed frogs, they will join the habitat of their parents on the forest floor. By the end of the summer, these youngsters will attain their full size of one inch, and spend their time hiding and eating insects.

The predation on them continues; snakes, turtles, salamanders, and birds will gobble them up throughout the summer and fall.

Winters are cold here and these peepers have adapted to it. They find some shelter in piles of leaves, under downed logs, and in the crevices of exfoliating bark on trees. This is just one of the many benefits of leaving standing and fallen dead trees where they are. These protected spots are not good enough for the type of winters we have here and in their northern range in Canada. But, spring peepers have a secret weapon.

In very cold temperatures, their liver creates glucose, which is transported to their essential organs, such as the heart and lungs. Through osmosis, some water leaves the cells of these organs and the glucose antifreeze replaces it. Consequently, the essential organs will not totally freeze, even though most other parts of the frog will freeze solid. When the spring thaws come, the frogs slowly come back to life, which is why they are the earliest animals to emerge in spring. And why the ritual of their symphonic sounds in the enchanted ephemeral wetlands signal spring’s arrival after every cold winter.

The time is coming—or may already be upon us. Stand outside and listen closely. If you hear the chorus, put on your boots and take a walk toward the sound. Once you get as close as you can without getting your feet wet, you will be treated to that very vocal and welcomed sound of nature beckoning spring for a short couple of weeks each year.

Enjoy the concert and please respect and protect our valuable wetlands.

Wes Deyton photography

How Spring Peepers Survive our White Mountain Temperature Swings Not all frogs in cold climates bury themselves deeply enough to avoid freezing in the winter. There are actually five species of frogs in North America that can freeze and survive. Two of these frogs are the spring peeper and the Western chorus frog.

As temperatures dip below 32 degrees, these frogs start producing their own “antifreeze” to help preserve the most essential organs. Up to 70% of the frog’s body can freeze, to the point that the heart stops pumping and the frog appears to be dead.

Scientists still aren’t sure how frozen frogs can wake up again, but once they thaw out and wake up, most frogs will go through a period of healing before they resume their normal lives.

Water Waves (WW) is a nonprofit organization registered in the state of Maine, and is concerned about the health and sustainability of our local water sources. WW is also focused the impacts of large-scale water exports from Wards Brook aquifer, the ecosystems of the Saco River Watershed, and our quality of life now and for future generations.

Demanding better for our communities, WW has worked with other organizations and individuals to successfully help educate citizens about plans to build a single-use plastic water bottling plant in Fryeburg, with town-proposed tax breaks for its development. WW publishes a newsletter, is on Facebook, and can be contacted vie email at waterwavesme@gmail.com.

Spring 2019

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WHEN CURRICULUMS FALL SHORT Jackson Art Studio & Gallery Raises the Bar Words by Janis A. Pryor; photos by Jackson Art Studio

F

or years, Jackson Art Studio & Gallery, located in Jackson, New Hampshire, has worked to design and provide a range of art classes and workshops for children, teenagers, and young people, as well as adults. Melanie Barash Levitt, professional artist and owner of the Jackson Art Studio & Gallery, stated, “We are committed to bringing art into the lives of everyone, but especially children and young people. With so many cutbacks in school budgets, we are happy to use the summer season to expose them to the possibilities and lessons learned

children in a fun and exciting way.

Levitt says many kids have grown up taking art classes at her studio, from the time they were in kindergarten to high school. Some have become interns at the studio, going on to prestigious art schools. “Melanie has been an important mentor in applying to college and eventually developing a finished portfolio,” said Gillian Robert, one of the current interns at the gallery. “She helped me get into my dream art school and has encouraged me to understand what I want to do in the future.

through creating art.” Enhancing the camps, workshops, and classes offered, the gallery has local instructors who are professional artists, as well as artists that come in from all over the country to teach.

Levitt’s mission is to give kids an outlet and a relaxed place to be creative while exposing them to different art forms. With only one hour of art a week in most schools (some less), too many children come to the studio not having the motor skills to cut with scissors or even use crayons to color. Simple things we take for granted, like holding a paintbrush or scribbling with a crayon or pencil is an indication of how their motor skills are developing … or not! Levitt and her instructors work with the

I have the opportunity to explore many areas of art at teen classes and adult workshops.”

Levitt said, “I take the interns under my wing and give them experience in running a studio and gallery while being able to take free classes. I also help them develop portfolios. They get real-life experience while helping with shows and hanging artwork; they also assist with classes for younger kids, distribute flyers, organize supplies, gesso canvases, and help with pricing artwork. They come to the studio and work two to three hours a week and love being surrounded by colorful, quality, local art.”

Many of her interns develop close ties with Levitt and characterize their experiences as “the one thing they look forward

Many kids have grown up taking art classes at the studio, from the time they were in kindergarten to high school. Some have become interns at the studio, going on to prestigious art schools.

12 MWVvibe.com

JACKSON ART KIDS & TEENS SUMMER ART CAMPS 2019 Art Camp for Kids I July 23 – 26 (4 days) • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Ages 6 – 13 • $320 Art Camp for Kids II Aug 5 – 9 (5 days, with art show) 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Ages 6 – 13 • $395 Teen Studio Arts July 29 – Aug 2 (5 evenings) Ages 13 – 19 • $285 ADULT CLASSES (open to high school students) Key Elements of Plein Air Painting with nationally recognized artist, George Van Hook Saturday, April 27 & Sunday, April 28 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. $285 (oil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic) From kindergarten to high school, owner Melanie Levitt’s mission is to give kids an outlet and a relaxed place to be creative while exposing them to different art forms. Enhancing the camps, workshops, and classes offered, the gallery has local instructors who are professional artists, as well as artists that come in from all over the country to teach.

to.” Gillian Roberts also said, “While working at the studio, I have learned essential skills to run a gallery. I have learned what it takes to run an art show and been a part of the process. It has given me the opportunity to create my own work, while being a member of an uplifting community. One of my favorite parts of interning at Jackson Art is working with young kids who are excited to learn how to express themselves artistically. Recently, I took an oil painting workshop that focused on light and shadow in landscapes. I have been very lucky to have this opportunity at Jackson Art!” Melanie is very passionate about working with teens who are interested in pursuing art. Last fall, she offered an after-school plein air (outdoor) painting class at Kennett High School and it filled up immediately. She is hoping to find a grant that enables her to get more involved with high school students and grade school students at local schools.

Too many children are more adept at playing games on a smartphone than cutting and pasting. This “leap frogging” enabled by too much technology is a problem that is not getting better, Spring 2019

portending serious developmental consequences. During those first 18 years of our lives, we develop more than we will during the following 50 years!

In her article, “Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who’s Doing It Best,” Fran Smith wrote, “Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skills. Active engagement in the arts can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork.”

Quoted in the same article, Eric Cooper, president and founder of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education added, “Arts education enables those children from a financially challenged background to have a more level playing field with children who have had those enrichment experiences.”

Is there a path from a child’s squiggles, scribbles, and shapes in a drawing to excellence? The answer is yes. In a PBS Parents online article, Grace Hwang Lynch wrote, “A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be

Flower Painting Saturday with Amy Brnger Saturday, May 18 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. • $165 Spend the day exploring flower painting using large brushes and loose brush strokes. All levels and abilities.

FALL 2019 Plein Air Workshop: Palette Knife Technique with award-winning artist, Cynthia Rosen Saturday, September 21 & Sunday, September 22 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. • $295 This two-day fall plein air workshop will take place in the beauty of the White Mountains and will be led by award winning artist, Cynthia Rosen.

Sip & Paint For a fun night out—check out the Sip & Paint schedule! All ages are welcome; no experience is needed.

For more information, call (603) 387-3463 or visit www.jacksonartnh.com Jackson Art Studio & Gallery 155 Ridge Road Jackson, NH 13

recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.”

The Art Camps offered at Jackson Art expose students to different mediums. It allows for time outside in nature for children to create art while collecting an array of natural materials to use in their projects. Everyone collects leaves and flowers outdoors and then uses a printing press to create monoprints.

Participants also collect materials from outside for the fairy houses. There is also plenty of time to run around and play games. One parent commented that the kids did more art in one week of Jackson Art camp than an entire year in school!

One parent commented that the kids did more art in one week of Jackson Art camp than an entire year in school!

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Another parent, Kathleen Horton, said, “My daughter has been attending art camp at Jackson Art for the past three summers.

She consistently tells me that, ‘it was the best week of the summer.’ She produces wonderful works of art that exceed both her school program and other art camps that cost more. She has grown as an artist and has also had fun and made friendships in the area. I highly recommend this camp for any child who has an interest in being creative and exploring different mediums of art!”

At the end of the five-day art camp, students help display their work and put on an art show for parents and community members to celebrate their creations. Over 15 projects are created in one week.

Real art supplies are used. Painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, mosaics, clay, origami, Japanese brushstroke painting, art history, and more are offered to students.

“There’s no paper plate art here!” Levitt said. She added, “There are no cell phones at art camp. Kids unplug and be creative without distractions.”

One favorite activity that’s done every summer is the Jackson Pollock tee-shirts. “We give kids squirt bottles with different colored acrylic paint and have them make splattered tee-shirts.

Prior to doing this, we show them a video on Jackson Pollock and talk about what he was doing, what his objectives were.” This is one step towards contemporary art history and helps children learn that artists are problem solvers. The kids begin to understand what those squiggles of color were accomplishing and how their work can become an extension of that process.

While Levitt is devoted to supplementing arts education and practice for children and young people, Jackson Art Studio & Gallery also has many classes and workshops for adults.

There’s much more that could be said about Jackson Art Studio & Gallery along with its founder, Melanie Barash Levitt. Suffice it to say, in addition to showcasing professional, quality artwork she is providing Mt. Washington Valley with an extraordinary public service.

For additional information describing the scope of offerings at the gallery, visit, www.jacksonartnh.com, or call the gallery at (603) 387-3463. Melanie Levitt can also be contacted directly at melanie@jacksonartnh.com.

14 MWVvibe.com

ON THE VIBE COVER AGIOCOCHOOK - “HOME OF GREAT SPIRIT”

By Fryeburg, Maine-based artist and entrepreneur, Aurora Winkler Aurora Winkler is a Maine-based artist and entrepreneur. She is known for her modern abstract paintings, and her start up, Art Agent Maine. Her artwork is featured in galleries and private collections throughout the United States.

After two years at Maine College of Art, Aurora transferred to Sierra Nevada College, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2010.

Since moving back to the Valley, she’s constantly exploring the local rivers, mountains, and surrounding woods. These outings inform her paintings.

Agiocochook, in the Abanaki language, translates to “Home of Great Spirit” or “Mother goddess of the storm,” and is the Passamaquoddy name, given to the mountain we know today, as Mount Washington.

Agiocochook is the title of Aurora’s featured painting.

The optical phenomenon, alpenglow was her inspiration for this piece—as noted by the raspberry hue of the mountains at sunrise or dusk. The colors and gestures within the painting inform the viewer of the extreme weather and frequent changeability this great mountain withstands. It remains on display locally, at the Jackson Art Gallery and Studio, owned by Melanie Levitt.

Aurora’s artwork can also be found online, with the UGallery out of San Francisco, Barba Contemporary Art in Palm Springs, Oeuvre Fine Art in Maine, and locally, with Harvest Gold Gallery, and Jackson Art Gallery and Studio.

Her website is www.aurorawinklerart.com, and you can also find her on Instagram and Facebook.

15

VIEW FROM THE FARM

I

The big Modine heater is on and blowing, and the whole place smells like mud, a welcome thing when you are coming out of the aroma-free freeze of a Maine winter. Water is moving through the soil again, things are popping, the radio is on; this is a great time of year.

By Stowell P. Watters, Old Wells Farm, Limington, Maine.

yank open the honking greenhouse door and juggle a few coffees to where my wife and my brother stand perched like big old birds, tipping seeds into soil trays. The big Modine heater is on and blowing, and the whole place smells like mud, a welcome thing when you are coming out of the aroma-free freeze of a Maine winter. Water is moving through the soil again, things are popping, the radio is on; this is a great time of year.

We seed onions in early March. They have small seeds that are often sprinkled heavy and then teased apart when they become sturdy green sprouts. Many plants are photothermoperiodic—meaning that they take direction from both sunlight and temperature—but we pay particular attention to this trait in onions because of how they form and how they are eaten.

When the weather warms up, the seed sends a green shoot that thickens until the days grow longer—and then, when the daily amount of sunlight nears that 10-hour mark, the onion diverts all of its energy into sizing up the bulb. We use heating mats, or sometimes just Christmas lights stuffed in curly strands beneath the seed trays, to make sure the onion seeds stay nice and warm. We want that bulb to be either the size of a baseball or a softball, so getting the plants nice and stocky before the days get long is key.

When I was a boy, toward the end of winter, when the snow was ankle high or gone, my father cut ash wood. He’d haul it out of the woods in the back of a blue Volvo 240 wagon; flooring the old car and weaving uphill, logs spilling out the back, the front of the thing smashing right and left between tight openings in the stone walls. Somewhere along the line, the exhaust disconnected and the sound of him rallying through the woods rumbled the brittle windows of the house so badly, I thought they would break.

Now I cut ash just like him, except we have a truck, and his old Volvo is resting where it died, way out there—home now to a family of rabbits, and then bees in the summer. He cut

ash because he would often run out of wood in the shed, and now I do the same thing.

Ash is a great wood to burn green because it’s a hardwood with a very low moisture content (caveat—green wood is never preferable to properly seasoned wood and requires extra stovepipe maintenance). Compare, for instance, ash’s 33 percent moisture to that of poplar (66 percent) or oak (75 percent) and you see why it’s the lazy-man’s choice. Cutting ash is a treat, even in the spring, barely any gunk on the sawblade. Splitting it is another treat: if you have ever said “splitting wood is a chore,” I implore you to find some ash and a maul and have at it. You will feel like a superhero watching that wood jump off your axe-head.

The rain, sweeping across southern Maine and the White Mountains of New Hampshire, falls into rivers, over silverfish gliding silently toward the ocean. It falls on the boats in the harbor and into the waves that tumble clams and glass onto the shore and whatever else comes sprawling in from the unfathomable ocean. It falls on cows moving through the receding snow in fields buffeted by storms; on the cars driving up Route 95, their radios on low, kids sleeping, soft inside voices playing beneath the drumming rain. It falls on barns that in turn slump slowly into the earth, resting their bones, shoulders to the ground, hay-days in the rear-view. It falls on the men and women leaving work or just arriving, their phones wet in their hands, confirming dates and baseball trades, storm tracking, acknowledging messages from friends and enemies, alike. It falls on us all and all the things we have planned. And it falls without reason or purpose—doesn’t care about weddings or games; doesn’t care about crops or water-tables; doesn’t care about diets or politics or who said what about who and when—it just falls from clouds in the sky. Rain just falls sometimes, wonderfully, like a dream.

And so, we can keep farming because of it, at least for another week or two. I walk to the mailbox in my mud boots, hoping for a waylaid packet of seeds. This happens with the seed

16 MWVvibe.com

WELCOME TO THE CIDER CO. MARKET!

order, any order from any company for that matter; not everything can be ready for you all at once just as you need it. The world doesn’t operate like that. But things come in time, and when they do, we put them to use.

We use a spreadsheet to plan out all of the seedings. Each vegetable gets its own special row that tells us when to seed it, how many to seed, and where it will ultimately end up. Some plants we sell as seedlings, while others are destined for our fields.

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Keeping it all in order is a crucial job. In the winter, we sit around with coffee and put a lot of thought into improvements and make new promises to be better at keeping notes and receipts. In the spring, we watch that organization either hold or fall apart. Much of our success depends on which way it goes.

Some flowers, such as marigold or cosmos, have tiny seeds that are nearly as thin as hairs. While other seeds, such as corn and beans, are big enough to poke right into the ground when the soil is warm enough. Seeding is a quiet time in the greenhouse with all of us standing over plastic multi-celled trays filled with potting soil—lots of thinking going on, wheels turning.

In the evening, we shake off the mud and get the fire humming low while new birds sound off in the woods. Grackles, phoebes, woodcocks, little chirping sparrows—all of them finding new old homes among the trees, as anxious as we are for the snow to melt and reveal the sweet earth. Life on the farm whistles on, unstoppable, pushed along by the seeds, by the rain, by the fire, by the birds, and by all us people breaking free from winter, from stagnation, or from the past.

Stowell Watters lives with his family in Limington, ME and runs Old Wells Farm.

His writing has appeared in the Maine Organic Farm & Garden (MOF&G), Hobart, and the Manifold.

Spring 2019

17

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE By Jesse Wright

Hello Fresh. Purple Carrot. Butcher Box. Plated.

In a world of targeted ads on social media channels, it’s hard not to have heard of these meal delivery services. Perfectly preportioned ingredients individually wrapped and delivered right to your door.

They all tout their convenience and commitment to quality ingredients: Farm to

Table. Farm to Fork. Farm-Fresh Ingredients.

All Natural. Naturally Raised.

They are all sourcing from local, family farms. But local to who? A national business sourcing from local farms is a perplexing concept.

The convenience of these food-delivery services is tempting. But when you consider their impact on food waste, the food miles, and incredible amount of packaging (does a lime really need to be wrapped and labeled?), this is a hard sell to anyone aware of their carbon footprint. Perhaps most importantly, if we really want to support our region’s farms, these types of

services just aren’t the way to go. Instead, try investing in a CSA share this season.

What is a CSA? CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Each farm has their own take on what their CSA looks like, but the basic principles remain the same: it’s a partnership with the farm to receive seasonal produce/products throughout the growing seasons.

You can think about it just as you would a magazine subscription, but instead of receiving a monthly issue, you’re receiving a weekly box of what is being produced on a farm. Did you know the average vegetable travels 1,500 miles before it reaches us here in the Mt. Washington Valley? By investing in a CSA, you receive fresh, seasonal produce, herbs, flowers, eggs and/or meat from our farms right here close to home.

Being a member of a CSA has many benefits: reducing your carbon footprint and grocery bill; eating fresh, nutrientpacked products; and keeping your food dollars local; not to mention building relationships with local farmers and their families. The CSA model was built to create a symbiotic relationship of support between a farm and its community. Membership is paid up-front, helping the farmer cover overhead costs early in the season when they need them the most. Investing in a CSA is truly an investment in tomorrow, and in our community.

Find CSA options at the following farms A New Day Farm, Madison, NH Earle Family Farm & Hosac Farm, South Conway, NH Fly Away Farm, Stow, ME Hancock Family Farm, Casco, ME Little Field Farm, Conway, NH Meadowfall Farm & Forage, Parsonsfield, ME Mountain Heartbeet Farm, Effingham, NH Naylen Farm, Conway, NH Patch Farm, Denmark, ME Pork Hill Farm, Ossipee, NH Sap Hound Maple Company, Brownfield, ME Sherman Farm, Conway, NH Tanna Farm, Tamworth, NH Weston’s Farm, Fryeburg, ME Open Daily at 11am (603) 733-5550 6 1464 Mountain Valley Blvd, No Conway White Mountain Highway

For more details and information on each of these CSA options, head to the Mt. Washington Valley Eaters & Growers’ (MWVEG) Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ MWVEG/ or the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust’s website: www.usvlt.org.

18 MWVvibe.com

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19

THE LATEST BUZZ ON LOCAL HONEYBEES

A C LOS E R LO OK AT WHAT ' S BUG G I N G N H H ON E Y B E E S

N

by Olivia S a unders

ative pollinators and honeybees have captured the attention of the nation. You don’t have to look far to find news articles detailing catastrophic insect decline, or massive hive loss in California almond orchards. Even tech giants are working to create artificial robot bees to conduct pollination services.

There is a lot of light being shed on the importance of our insect friends, especially that of the honeybee. Any loss of insect species will have ripple effects throughout our agricultural and

fly. We know and love honeybees for the sweet treat of honey, which we harvest from the hives, but they are of greatest value for their pollination services (estimated at $15 billion). Because honeybees are social insects and can live in managed hives that we can easily move about, we use them to pollinate our crops.

These include our wild lowbush blueberries, pumpkins and winter squash, raspberries and apples, and hundreds of other foods we eat each day. While they are not the most efficient or

native ecosystems, negatively impacting global food supply.

There are many reasons to be concerned about threats to pollinators—especially if you enjoy eating food.

The honeybee, Apis mellifera, is a social insect that was imported to the United States shortly after Colonial settlers arrived. Native people called the honeybee the white man’s

effective pollinators (bumblebees are much hairier and have a longer tongue, making them better at moving pollen around and accessing different flower shapes), we use them because we know how to keep them in an easily mobile box.

As of the most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report, there were over 2.63 million colonies of honeybees in the

In 2016, the New Hampshire Beekeepers Association (NHBA) began a project to learn more about annual hive loss in the state. They surveyed beekeepers in New Hampshire, asking them how many of their hives had died over the winter months (October 1 through April 1). The results of their survey were frightening.

20 MWVvibe.com

United States managed by about 150,000 beekeepers. Many of the 2.63 million hives used for pollination will start their season in California’s almond orchards, move to Florida for citrus season, then head north for blueberries in Maine. These bees spend most of their lives confined on the back of a flatbed truck, only to be set free into a desolate landscape with a single type of food. As you might imagine, this is a stressful way to live.

In New Hampshire, most beekeepers are hobbyist, or sideliners. Most keep between one to 10 hives, and a few have more than that, making it more of a full-time business. A small num-

acute and synergistic toxicity of chemicals to honeybees and other insects. When bees are out foraging, they visit many flowers over the course of the season. They may bring back to the hive small amounts of different kinds of residual pesticides on these visits.

Research at Penn State University has shown there is a synergistic effect when small amounts of pesticides are combined inside the hive. Often the chemical causing the problem is not the active ingredient of the product, but an adjuvant added to the pesticide to make it work better. This is a concern because only

ber of beekeepers in the state provide pollination services for local farms, and will move hives to orchards or vegetable farms when needed. Most hives in New Hampshire, however, remain on the owners’ property, never getting moved.

Nationally, the challenges facing honeybees are related to poor nutrition and exposure to pesticides, pathogens, and parasites. Similar to humans, honeybees need a robust diet to stay healthy. When they are out foraging, they need flowers that provide pollen with 20 percent protein and 10 specific amino acids. Most flowers do not have all 10 amino acids, so they must source their food from a variety of plant species to get the nutrition they need. In New Hampshire and Western Maine, this is easy since bees collect food from many different tree species, such as maple, willows, apple, and pear, not to mention the many herbaceous perennials—dandelion, white clover, goldenrod, and fall asters, among them. Our diverse landscape of forest and fields is an asset for the honeybees.

We also hear about insect decline due to pesticide exposure.

While cases of direct colony loss due to exposure to pesticides are rare these days, there is more concern surrounding the

the active ingredient is tested by the EPA for its impact on bees, not the additives (the EPA considers them to be biologically inert). This acute exposure results in bees losing their way home, impacts brood and larvae development (larvae are mostly fed pollen), and negatively impacts honeybee immunity.

We certainly have pesticide challenges in this area, but likely our honeybees are foraging in areas free from pesticides as industrial agriculture is somewhat minor here compared to other states. Bees out foraging in lawns sprayed with weed killer or other chemicals in our town fields or backyards will likely be bringing those pesticides home with them. To combat these challenges, farmers in NH and Maine have jumped on a funding opportunity from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to plant pollinator habitats on their farms through the EQUIP program. These managed wildflower

The number-one cause of hive loss in the United States, and as shown in the NH Hive loss survey, is the Varroa mite. The Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is a small parasitic insect that lives on the outside of the honeybee.

Olivia Saunders (left), field specialist for the UNH Cooperative Extension in the Food & Agriculture Program, inspects hives with Eve Klotz, owner of the Farm by the River in Effingham, NH.

Photo provided by Olivia Saunders

Spring 2019

21

Hive LossBYByCOUNTY County HIVE LOSS

Coos

2017/18 Hives Reported 7

2017/18 Hive Loss 100%

Merrimack Rockingham

204 165

73% 65%

Hillsborough Cheshire Sullivan

199 158 184

57% 55% 53%

Grafton Carroll Belknap

136 94 129

51% 49% 47%

Strafford

81

38%

2016/17 Hives Reported 4 194 134

2016/17 Hive Loss 50% 78% 67%

109 45

64% 38%

217 93 58

62% 60% 67%

49 84

78% 56%

2016/17 Winter Loss

2017/18 Winter Loss 50%*

100%*

67% 51%

60%

- Belknap had the biggest change 78%47% (2.5x larger sample) - Hillsborough, Rockingham & Merrimack were similar year to year - Cheshire’s loss was 17% higher (3X+ larger sample)

47%

78% 62%

78%

56%

It is unclear if the larger sample size may have been a major contributing factor.

38%

New Hampshire Beekeepers Association - 2018

*very small sample size

6/20/2018

64%

NH Beekeepers Association

areas function as a safe haven for pollinators to access nectar and pollen free from any pesticides.

In 2016, the New Hampshire Beekeepers Association (NHBA) began a project to learn more about annual hive loss in the state. They surveyed beekeepers in New Hampshire, asking them how many of their hives had died over the winter months (October 1 through April 1). The results of their survey were frightening. In 2016-17 of the 1,004 hives reported, 65 percent

Bees out foraging in lawns sprayed with weed killer or other chemicals in our town fields or backyards will likely be bringing those pesticides home with them.

49%

67%

53%

73%

55% 57% *very small sample size

38% 65% 6

of them did not survive the winter. In the 2017-18 winter, 1,340 hives were reported, with 58 percent not surviving past April.

This number is nearly three times the amount deemed acceptable by beekeepers.

In Carroll County, 94 hives were reported, with a 49 percent hive loss. Through splitting of colonies (similar to dividing a cell), beekeepers are able to duplicate and replace lost hives. However, at such a high rate of loss, replacing all the hives becomes challenging. Reasons for this high level of hive loss are multi-faceted.

The survey showed that beekeepers with less than five years of experience were more likely to lose a hive than those with more than five years’ experience. It also showed that those that used a commercial treatment for Varroa mite control had higher survival rate than those who did not apply a control. The hives with the strongest survival had at least one treatment for Varroa mite, and a spring and fall treatment for Nosema. Drought was also a contributing factor in 2016. When rainfall is low, flowers produce very little nectar, causing a nutritional strain on the bees’ diet.

With climate change now here, beekeepers are aware this may continue to be a challenge in future years.

The number-one cause of hive loss in the United States, and as shown in the NH Hive loss survey, is the Varroa mite. The Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is a small parasitic insect that lives on the outside of the honeybee. The mite was first found in 1987, and shortly thereafter eliminated wild colonies of bees.

Every honeybee colony has or will have the Varroa mite, and if uncontrolled, will kill the hive. They attach themselves to adult bees and move between colonies when bees intentionally or unintentionally drift from one colony to another. When a Varroa mite attaches itself to a bee, it robs it of critical fat stores, sucking energy from the bee, and creating an entryway for other pathogens to infect the bee. Varroa will continue to weaken

22 MWVvibe.com

Photo courtesy of www.beekeepclub.com

SURVIVING WHITE MOUNTAIN WINTERS In northern climates like ours, bees are confined inside of the hive. To survive, they cluster in a ball to keep warm, similar to penguins.

The queen is at the center of the cluster being kept comfortable, while the bees on the outer layer of the cluster create heat. They do this by vibrating or shaking the muscles in their abdomens (thorax). This vibration or friction raises the body temperature of the bee, resulting in cluster temperature around 80 degrees, even during our coldest winter days. Depending on the species of the bee (i.e., Italian versus Carniolan), a colony should have 60 to 100 pounds of honey stored away in the fall.

a hive until it reaches collapse. There are a host of other diseases affecting honey bees, including Nosema, a fungal pathogen that lives in the midgut of the bee, and European and American foulbrood, which can also kill a hive outright if not detected early. Not to mention our furrier pathogen friends, bears and mice. A beekeeper must keep a keen eye out for these disease and insect pests, and know when to step in to improve the health of the bee and the survival of the colony.

Following the 2016 Hive-Loss report, UNH extension and the NH Beekeepers Association put together a plan in hopes of reducing the high level of hive loss. Through a grant from the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, the NHBA was able to secure funding for the program.

The first part of this plan was to train experienced beekeepers in identification of specific diseases. UNH Extension worked to train 20 individuals (all representing different beekeeping associations around the state) in using a microscope to identify Nosema cerenae spores. During our long cold winters, when bees are confined, the level of Nosema infection can skyrocket, causing bees to become sick and die before spring. Aside from viewing a sample of the bees’ gut under a microscope, there is no way to identify if the bees have Nosema. Often an infection occurs without detection, and the beekeeper is unable to make management changes, resulting in the problem happening again and again. Through the NH Honeybee Diagnostic Network (www.nh-honeybeehealth.com), we now have trained volunteers equipped with microscopes to analyze bee samples at no cost to the beekeeper. We have also increased our attention to mite management. The NH Beekeepers Association has started NH Spring 2019

PHOTO: JOHN TULLY

As long as there are sufficient number of bees in the cluster, the cold is not directly what kills the bees. During this long confinement, when temperatures are consistently below 50° F, the bees cannot fly, and may therefore be forced to defecate inside the hive. If the bees are weak or diseased in the fall, they will likely not survive this long period of confinement, as disease can spread rapidly.

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HOW YOU CAN HELP THE BEES

A healthy, diverse diet rich in carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and amino acids has been proven to improve the longevity of the honey bee. The honey and pollen put away by the bees in the summer must last through the winter until the snow recedes and the first flowers come out. One solution to improving the survivability of the honey bee is to improve their nutrition. Much research has shown that a bee fed a multi-floral diet (i.e., many flowers) is better able to survive the stresses of pesticide exposure and disease pressure. We can improve the survival of the honey bee and our native bees by ensuring they have a healthy diet.

• Celebrate dandelions in spring and don’t mow until they’ve bloomed.

• Plant native flowers in your landscape.

• Use clover in your grass seed mix.

• Follow the calendar and make sure you have something in bloom from April through the first frost.

• Fall asters and goldenrod are two of the most important fall flowers for the honey bee. They provide some of the last fresh food they will eat all year. Keep these plants in flower by delaying the mowing of them until the first hard frost.

• Avoid purchasing flowering plants from a big box store. These plants are likely treated with insecticides that can hurt bees when they collect the plants nectar.

Instead visit a locally-owned garden center and ask about their bee-friendly plants.

Any list of plants recommended for bees is incomplete, since there are so many species important to pollinators and insects.

It is important to recognize the role of flowering plants and the function they have in supporting our food system. We each have a part in managing these critical resources to keep our insects healthy and surviving.

Our favorite flowering plants for NH honeybees: clovers: red, white (great in lawns), alsike or crimson, golden rod & fall asters, dandelions, sunflowers (heirloom varieties),basswood/linden trees, and all native perennials

Healthy Hives Project, an initiative to promote healthy hive management. Each year there will be a specific management theme.

This year’s theme is Varroa mite testing. The goal is to get more people (whether they treat or not) to test for infection and make them more aware of their Varroa situation. They hope to combine this data with the annual Hive-Loss survey to better understand why NH honeybees are dying.

The final piece of plan is to increase the number of commercially available, locally adapted queen bees. There is a push across northern New England to breed queens and develop genetic strains that are suitable to our northern climate. Most beekeepers purchase packages of bees in the spring, imported from the south (Georgia or Florida) or California. Many argue that these southern bees do not winter well, reducing their survivability and beekeeper sustainability. This spring, UNH Extension will train a small number of advanced beekeepers (who wish to commercially sell queens and bee packages) on how to raise and breed queens that are locally adapted to our climate. The hope is that this long-term solution will result in better overwintering success for beekeepers in the north.

If you would like to learn more about the beekeeping work being done at the UNH extension, reach out to Olivia Saunders, who works for UNH Cooperative Extension in the Food & Agriculture Program as a field specialist. Olivia founded the Winni Bee Club and is the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) state coordinator for NH. Her interests lie in organic production, soil and organic matter management, beekeeping, and assisting beginner farmers. Olivia can be found at the extension office in Conway village, or visit www.nh-honeybee-health.com.

JOIN A LOCAL BEEKEEPING ORGANIZATION The following is a list of local bee groups that offer monthly education. While the groups are member organizations, all are welcome to their meetings, even non-beekeepers.

Winnipesaukee Beekeepers Association Meetings on the 1st Thursday of every month at the Tuftonboro Town House. 247 Middle Road, Tuftonboro, NH North Country Beekeepers Association Meetings on the 2nd Sunday of each month, 6 – 8 p.m. at Littleton Food Coop’s Cafe. 43 Bethlehem Road, Littleton, NH Oxford Hill Honey Bee Club Meetings on the 2nd Saturday of each month at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension office. Route 26 in Paris, Maine York County Beekeepers Association Meetings the 2nd Monday from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the library in the Sanford Junior High School, Sanford, ME For a complete listing of all clubs, visit www.nhbeekeepers.org or www.mainebeekeepers.org.

April McCarthy-Braca is a canadian watercolor artist who is inspired by the beauty of the natural world. Her watercolor bees can be seen in this article and at www.aprilmcb.com. Her inspiration comes from moments that need to be captured, not only by the eye, but by the soul.

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Photo courtesy of NadienB

Keeping It Real and Sweet Purely Natural Benefits of Honey and Maple Syrup

By Beth Nagle Griffin

The seasonal flow of maple sap is a reminder of the perpetual rebirth of a new season—full of hope and promise. Warming days. Crisp, cold nights. The glorious moment when maple trees let loose their glistening liquid silver, soon to be turned​ into deep brown gold. This true harbinger of spring brings with it the sweet lure of pure maple syrup, and later into the season, raw local honey. Nature has perfect timing is a faithful force when it comes to renewal. We can “tap” into this inherent flow to keep our bodies healthy and feeling rejuvenated by enjoying the benefits of local natural sweeteners like pure maple syrup and raw honey.

First, the bad news: all sugar sources raise one’s blood sugar, and overconsumption of any type of sugar can cause disease. In all things sweet, it’s best to consider added sug-

vitamin riboflavin and minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, manganese, iron, potassium, selenium, and others, maple syrup has a nutrient density that is pretty impressive. Maple syrup is also high in phenolic compounds, a type of antioxidant. Studies have shown that plant-based foods high in these beneficial compounds can help protect the body’s cells and tissues. Choose the darkest grade maple syrup for the greatest antioxidant benefit.

Raw honey has less nutrient density than maple syrup, but still has many redeeming nutritional qualities. Raw honey does contain some trace minerals and the darker the honey, the more the mineral content. Raw honey has beneficial oligosaccharrides, which is a type of complex carbohydrate that supports the digestive system. Raw honey also contains phyto-

ars carefully. Cane sugar has no nutritional value and studies documented in the U.S. Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health cite the highly addictive and disease-promoting effects of cane sugar consumption. Agave is another refined sugar and is extremely high in fructose. Fructose immediately elevates blood sugar and repeated blood sugar spikes put the body at risk for disease. Agave is actually higher in fructose than high-fructose corn syrup!

Although both maple syrup and raw honey are high in natural fructose, the natural nutritional benefits of pure maple syrup and raw local honey surpass refined sweeteners, especially when maple syrup or raw honey is combined with the soluble fiber in whole foods, such as oats or vegetables, because the fiber slows the absorption of the natural sugar.

Here’s more good news: pure maple syrup tops the chart of the USDA Nutrient Database and Canadian Nutrient File of Nutritional Values for Various Sweeteners. Rich in the B

chemicals such as carotenoids, phytosterols, and peptides, to name a few. Studies show that phytochemicals play a significant role in our health and may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Raw honey is also antibacterial and antifungal and is a natural remedy to soothe a sore throat.

Why “raw” honey? When honey is processed or heated, its benefits are destroyed. Choose raw honey from a local beekeeper. Local honey may help with managing a mild seasonal pollen allergy by desensitizing the allergy response over time.

It’s also important to the health of the planet to choose local natural sweetener products. The cane sugar refinement industry is one of the greatest polluters of the planet, destroying habitats and wildlife all over the globe. Cane sugar and derivatives are in most processed foods, which usually come from “away.” When you satisfy your sweet tooth locally, you renew your own health, which enhances the health of the planet and the livelihoods of the community. How sweet is that?

Real maple syrup tops the natural sweetener charts when it comes to mineral and antioxidant values; and raw honey, with its nutritional profile and antibacterial and antifungal properties, is better than for you than processed sugars.

Spring 2019

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By Clem McAuliffe

HOPE Springs Eternal

Thirsty for a Refreshing Perspective Easier said than done. By winter’s end, I had nearly lost all hope of ever strolling barefoot through the grass. The pangs of cabin fever were sneaking in. The massive mounds of snow that had been plowed and piled so high around my house blotted out much of the natural daylight. The landscape had become so treacherous, I hired a Sherpa to guide me to my mailbox. There were times when I would stand on my porch feeling like a downhill skier scoping the best “lines” across the icy driveway to my car.

Through it all, my trusty companion never complained or lost hope. Thank you, beer, for being there for me. Beer doesn’t make the man, it’s man who makes the beer. So, it is to those men that I am truly thankful. Men like Mason Irish, of Saco River Brewing. With the expansion of the brewery and renovations to the barn for more outdoor space, Mason’s been a busy boy. Not so busy that he didn’t find the time to brew Batch 200 again. As the name suggests, Batch 200 was

supposed to be a one-and-done experimental IPA. Lucky for us, Mason knows a thing or two about beer, and Batch 200, for what it is. A fluffy, juicy NEIPA (New England India Pale Ale, for those who might still be unindoctrinated) that will be around for a long time, and hopefully live to be 100, or 200. Mason is so dialed in he could brew blindfolded.

There are few other things that can successfully be done while blindfolded.

Saco River Brewing learned about one of those things when they recently took 2nd place in a Best Craft IPA from Maine Blind Taste Test with their Hornet’s Nest IPA. They beat out some pretty big and respected beers—and I couldn’t be more excited for them. Congratulations! I am also looking forward to buying the new Saco River beer swag blindfolds for next Christmas’s stocking stuffers.

During the long winter, Tuckerman Brewing found a cozy place for their smooth 6288 Stout to hibernate. In a collaboration with the Tamworth Distillery, the stout was aged in apple brandy and whiskey barrels. When this bear of a beer

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comes out (mid to late April) be sure not to miss it or the equally spirited release party. Later in the season, the new Summer Pils will be available beginning in May. A new take on their refreshing citrusy summer ale, these colorful cans will be popping up like daisies. Also popping is the free live music at the tasting room every Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. Additional concert info and lineup, like the Lumberjack Festival on June 8, are available on their website, www.tuckermanbrewing.com.

With enough beer choices to accommodate any particular palate, Schilling Beer Co. in Littleton is a must-drink destination. From their traditional European-inspired brews to the new budding American Ale project, Resilience, the collections’ common traits are excellence. The dry-hopped Erastus, an abbey-style tripel, dry-hopped with Hallertau Blanc and Citra is delicious and sneaky. At 9% ABV this incredibly easy drinker will challenge your will power and test your faith not to end up being asked to take a vow of silence. On the other side of the aisle is the equally sneaky Ponyhawk. This DIPA Mongo wallops you with haymakers of grass, pine, and citrus from the Simcoe, Mosaic, and Galaxy hops. Watch out, because at 8% ABV, the gulpable Ponyhawk could make a horse stagger. Complete with an amazing restaurant that features wood-fired pizza, Schilling is a great time, anytime.

Rek’-lis Brewing, in Bethlehem, ignored their namesake with the painstakingly precise brewing of Brutus, their big, juicy, New England IPA (NEIPA). Ian, from rek’-lis, was kind enough to break down what makes a NEIPA:

“The biggest thing is probably the water profile. You have to start with water that is chloride heavy, rather than the typically calcium heavy water used in more traditional IPAs, such as Pliny the Elder. Water that has a higher chloride-to-calcium ratio will have a softer mouth feel, which results in less crispness but more chewiness, meaning that the flavors kind of linger in your mouth longer.

Another aspect of a great NEIPA is the pH of the water. It needs to be higher than a traditional ale. A higher pH means less acid,

Spring 2019

New Beer Gear has arrived for NH Beer Trail lovers with updated prizes for the season. Just cash out at 10, 25 or 60 breweries to redeem. If you don’t have the NH Brewers App, download it now for brewery events, to collect beer trail stamps, view brewery map, and more! Get all the details at www.nhbeer.org. which means smoother flavor, less crisp, and less bitter. But mostly, a higher pH creates and environment that makes yeast cells very happy. Why? Yeast are very fortunate beings. Their lives consist of eating, breeding and sleeping, and then eventually dying. They live a lot longer in a higher pH environment, which results in yeast remaining suspended in the beer for longer, rather than settling out resulting in a cloudy beer that the NEIPA style is known for. Next is the fermentation temp; it’s a few degrees higher than normal, which contributes to some nice fruity esters from the yeast.

After that, a good NEIPA is all about the hops. The trick is to add

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HOP Springs Eternal Citra, Simcoe, and Mosaic are now common words in the craft-beer vocabulary.

But that wasn’t always the case. Go back as little as 20 years and none of these “designer” hops even existed. Christopher Barnes, from the Full Pint Craft Beer News explains that “many of these hops are patented, trademarked, and proprietary. They were developed by private entities who license the hop to prospective growers or maintain the monopoly on their growth. This has led to a spike in prices for designer hops that is fueled both by the scarcity and the demand.

They can be many times the price per pound of more available and traditional hops.” So, as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for,” and what you’re paying for is new, exotic flavor profiles and more intense flavors and aromas.

Thanks to Ian at rek’-lis, we know about the finest personality traits of the BRU-1 hop. Here are some other trending American designer hops, their traits and examples of brewers that feature them in their recipes.

Citra Like the name suggests, strong citrus notes of grapefruit, melon, lime, and tropical fruit. (Saco River Brewing’s Hornet’s Nest NEIPA) Simcoe Flavor and aromas include passion fruit, pine, berry, and earthy notes. (Mast Landing’s Tell Tale Ale) Mosaic A crossbreed from a designer hop and an older American bittering hop. (Simcoe and Nugget) This proprietary hop offers up hints of mango, blueberry, and tangerine. (Woodstock’s Mosaic Papaya Pale Ale) Amarillo A lucky discovery at Virgil Gamache Farms in Washington. This hop is excessively yellow when torn open which earned the hop its name. Amarillo is Spanish for yellow.

Who knew? Better tasting and easier to harvest than an Armadillo, Amarillo gives off aromas of orange and grapefruit, along with peach and apricot. (Great North’s Tie Dyed Pale Ale)

El Dorado Although packed with enough alpha acids to make it a viable bittering hop, El Dorado is most well-known for its big stone fruit profile, like peach with tropical notes of watermelon and pear. (Hobb’s Darkest Before Dawn Black IPA) Idaho #7 Packing more punch than Rocky 7, this hop features dank pine, tropical fruit, juicy fruit Gum, and some earthy characteristics.

Sorry, Stallone. (Concord Craft’s Senetah American IPA) Sabro My new favorite variety has tropical fruit flavors with a coconut surprise. Great when you want to escape to the dunes of the Cape. (Black Hog’s Shook IPA) Azacca A long list of lip-smacking pecks like mango, papaya, orange, grapefruit, lemon, spice, pineapple, grass, tropical fruit, and citrus. I want Azacca chapstick!

(603’s Scenic Session IPA)

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PERSON(S)

BEER (BREWER)

Lorena Bobbitt Captain America Mother Teresa The Hulk Donald J. Trump Jerry Garcia Stephen King O.J. Simpson Al Roker Aquaman

Green Monsta (Wachusett Brewing Co.) Jai Alai (Cigar City Brewing) Full Clip (Stoneface Brewing) Union Jack (Firestone Walker Brewing Co.) Follow Me (14th Star Brewing Co.) Window Seat (Baxter Brewing Co.) Bolt Cutter (Green Flash Brewing Co.) Storm King (Victory Brewing Co.) Safe Space (Concord Craft Brewing Co.) Friends in Merlot Places (Springdale by Jack’s Abby Brewing)

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the hops to the boiling water only long enough to extract their oils, but not break them down, leaving flavor and aroma only, with just a touch of bitterness. There are over 100 varieties of hops, each with their own special flavor and aroma that range from floral, fruity, citrus, berry, and herbal.

Brutus uses a newly developed hop from the Pacific Northwest, called Bru-1, which packs a punch of floral fruitiness, specifically pineapple, along with a bit of spicy citrus. A fresh pint of Brutus looks and smells like a freshly poured glass of pineapple juice, yet, in reality it’s an 8.4% NEIPA, that, amazingly has no fruit in it.”

Thanks, Ian. I’m sure there are some home-brewers who appreciate the tips— and many others, like myself, who can’t wait to kiss Brutus on the lips.

Starting off spring with a zing, Hobbs Brewing Co. will be serving up their Silk Road Ginger Hefeweizen. The traditional Hefe with subtle notes of banana and clove is enriched by the organic juiced ginger added during fermentation. The ginger in Silk Road lends a clean, fresh snap that mingles cordially with the wheat and lemon notes.

Silk Road is a soft delicate and incredibly

drinkable beer that, although canned, is only available during the spring. Another spring offering is their Scottish Wee Heavy, brewed with local maple syrup. This big malty beer is a classic style that warms you to the core, even if your lawn furniture is still buried in the snow. The robust syrup from Cragged Mountain Maple in Freedom, NH, picks this wee heavy up to another level. And, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love maple syrup? It will only be available on draft, so you’ll have to pick yourself up and get to Hobbs on Route 16 to lift a Wee Heavy pint. Also, keep your ears pricked for a new batch of their flagship, Whaddya Say? IPA. Although brewed with a whisper of wheat malt to soften the mouthfeel, it’s the new school American hops, Mosaic and Azacca, that let this beer say it loud and clear, “Drink Me!” You don’t have to tell me twice.

Lastly, an honorable mention to the rest of the brews and brewers that complete the magnificent mosaic of mountain valley beers. With this full array of local brews available, you’ve got your pick of the spring litter. Go out and adopt a bunch and maybe I’ll bump into you as I hop around filling my Easter basket.

PERSON(S)

BEER (BREWER) continued

Hugh Hefner Robert Kraft Stone Cold Steve Austin A cairn artist Bruce Lee Captain Sully George Washington Lenny Kravitz Garth Brooks Norman Bates Rambo Robert Plant Hannibal Lechter Mr. Rogers Bobby Fischer The Who Trey Anastasio Thor Max Bialysto0ck Santa Claus Tom Brady André the Giant Emperor Gaozu

Hornet’s Nest (Saco River Brewing) King of the North (Brewery Ommegang) Hell Yes (Moat Mountain Brewing) Tie Dyed (Great North Aleworks) Zoe (Maine Beer Company) Virtue (Schilling Beer Co.) Silk Road (Hobbs Brewing Co.) Red Dragon (Rockingham Brewing Co.) Whole Lotta Lupulin (Smuttynose) The Juice (Peak Organic Brewing Co.) Old Chub (Oskar Blues Brewery) Firestarter (North Country Hard Cider Co.) Rockpile (Tuckerman Brewing Co.) Jam Sesh (Sap House Meadery) Combover (Schilling Beer Co.) Dank Wood (Founders Brewing Co.) 6288 Stout (Tuckerman Brewing Co.) Czech Pilzner (Moat Mountain Brewing) Le Freak (Green Flash Brewing Co.) Undercover Shutdown (Lagunitas) Peeper (Maine Beer Company) Hammer Time (Rockingham Brewing Co.) Love Me Longtime (Throwback Brewery)

Spring 2019

SAVOR THE HOPS.

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

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

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S TA

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www.barleyandsalt.com Settlers Green Streetside, 1699 White Mountain Highway, North Conway, NH 03860 • (603) 307-1037 29

LIFE ON TOP PRESERVING THE ALPINE ZONE

By Birch Malotky

The magic of the alpine is that there is beauty, both in the distance and at your feet.

Most people see what’s in the distance, but many miss what’s at their feet.

– Jeff Lougee, Director of Stewardship, The Nature Conservancy, NH

T

he alpine zone feels expansive, tenuous, and other-wordly. It’s a landscape of twisted rock, stunted shrubbery, and singular views, surrounded on all sides by lush forest. Mixed hardwoods on the lower slopes wave new leaves in a sea of green, spilling down the mountain side and flooding the valleys below. Above them, spruce and fir grow in thick bands between broadleaf forest

and roiling clouds.

Above this transition zone, commonly called treeline, lies the alpine zone; relict patches of habitat more akin to the Canadian Arctic tundra 600 miles north than anything on the surrounding slopes.

The winter brings heavy ice deposition, abrasive, wind-whipped snow, and gusts strong enough to prune trees. There are around two frost-free months, and in the

life reliant on sunlight and moisture very easy. The plants and animals that do survive live in isolated patches on ridges and summits, cut off from other populations by the sea of forest below them.

And yet, these “islands in the sky” are as, if not more, diverse than the typical northern hardwood forest, home to dozens of rare and threatened species, each of them uniquely adapted to sur-

and windswept ridge. Approaching 4,900 feet, the conifers shrink, gnarl, and weave their branches and roots together. When they drop below head height, the world furls out to fill the view, canopy breaking to reveal distant summits, lush valleys,

summer, despite regular precipitation, the well-drained soil remains dry, thin, and acidic. In the Presidential Range of New Hampshire, the peaks are shrouded in clouds 60 percent of the year. All told, the alpine zone is hardly a place that makes

vive in a stunningly harsh environment.

Exemplars of hardiness, these species are strictly no-frills, so they might be easy to miss most of the year. A walk along the Alpine Garden trail in June, however, might have you wondering

Above this transition zone, commonly called treeline, lies the alpine zone; relict patches of habitat more akin to the Canadian Arctic tundra 600 miles north than anything on the surrounding slopes.

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WiseguyCreative.com photo

about the plants that know how to put on such a show.

LOOK DOWN

Each leaf is no more than half an inch long, green-brushed-rouge, fat and waxy with round edges and a blunt tip. The leaves grow in tight rosettes, cheek by jowl like emperor penguins weathering the Antarctic winter. Themselves pressed together, the rosettes form a rounded blob of vegetation coherent enough to earn this plant the common name “pincushion plant.” The “cushion” itself is no more than a few inches tall and, like a tiny thicket, is nearly impenetrable.

Most of the year, Diapensia (Diapensia lapponica) keeps a low enough profile that you might never see it, so tight to the ground it might well be shrink-wrapped.

Starting in early June, however, its bed of evergreen frugality erupts with delicate Spring 2019

flowers. Each stem waves a bowl of five white petals dusted gold with pollen, stars bobbing above the dark cushions that produced them.

Alongside Diapensia, tucked likewise against ground that is more rock than soil, is Lapland rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum). In bloom, its leathery blue-green leaves are submerged beneath showy purple blossoms that sport stamens longer than their petals. A miniature rhododendron, the rosebay’s disproportionately large flowers are wonderfully aromatic, if you can get close enough to the ground to smell them.

The little specks of color between them reveal alpine azalea (Kalmia procumbens).

Small and brilliant, it develops tight red buds that look like jackfruit, which give way to clusters of pink, crown-like flowers perched atop succulent green foliage.

Together, these three illuminate the space between fields of jagged rock and dry sedge, a study in contrasts at the turn of the season. Some of the earliest alpine plants to flower, their dramatic arrival on a windswept and rocky landscape trumpets the arrival of spring in New Hampshire’s high mountains.

But these ironically titled “big three,” are more than just flash in the pan. As explorers of the alpine ourselves, we have a lot to learn from them. In fact, we might learn more than we ever thought possible, as alpine plants are simultaneously reflections of the present, histories of the past, and heralds of the future. Each one has its own story to tell, and all it takes to listen is paying attention to the beauty at our feet.

FLOWER AS WEATHER STATION

The Mount Washington Observatory can tell us that Mount Washington has some of the worst weather on earth. It can tell you that its summit, sometimes dipping into the jet stream, has experienced gusts up to 231 miles per hour, and that the wind frequently carries abrasive snow and scouring ice particles. It can show us pictures of rime ice coating the ground and stunted trees, and thermometers nearly quivering with cold at -34 degrees.

But so can Diapensia.

Like any species battling for existence, Diapensia has honed its structure and function over millennia to match the demands of its environment, each innovation a response to clear and pressing needs. For example, it and other cushion or mat-forming plants grow short and tight to take advantage of a thin layer of air close to the ground that is always calmer

and warmer than the rest of the air column. Additionally, their density and shape forces wind to flow over them, rather than blow into them. This prevents gusts from wicking away their moisture and heat, or pruning their leaves and stems.

The “big three’s” leaves are all leathery, waxy, or hairy to trap and retain moisture, evidence of how scarce water is on these upper summits. Despite an annual 84 inches of rain, the soil in the alpine is so thin and well drained, and the wind so fierce, that any precipitation is quickly lost to evaporation, wind, and gravity. Waxy coatings help shield against desiccation, like putting a lid on rice to keep it from drying out, while tiny hairs hold moisture around the leaves, reducing the amount of water lost during photosynthesis.

Sunlight and heat are as precious as water in the alpine, as can be seen from the many ways that alpine plants have adapted to take advantage of them as quickly and effectively as possible. The leaves of species like Diapensia contain high levels of anthocyanin, a reddish pigment that allows them to photosynthesize at colder temperatures and lowerlight conditions than other plants. It may also protect them from harmful UV rays, and even act like anti-freeze in the coldest months. Many alpine plants are also evergreen. With an average of only 60 to 70 growing days a year, these plants don’t have time to spend leafing out in the spring. Instead, with evergreen leaves, they can begin photosynthesizing as soon as temperatures get above freezing. Even so, it may take them decades to grow the size of a footprint, and years before they are ready to flower.

In flower, they seem to abandon the lean economy of energy that character-

Alpine azalea (Kalmia procumbens) Photo courtesy of Dins Barnett

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Photo courtesy ©Arthur Haines, Native Plant Trust

WiseguyCreative.com photo

Photo courtesy of Dr. Mareike Conrad

Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum) and Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala), fill the spaces between fields of jagged rock, as the setting sun casts a shadow of Mount Washington over receding spring snow in Tuckerman Ravine and Wildcat Mountain Ski Area in the distance.

izes the rest of their life cycle, but they must, in order to attract the few pollinators that can make it in the alpine.

By growing lots of colorful flowers, the plants maximize their chances of being seen. To draw the pollinators in, the flowers are cup-shaped, trapping heat and creating invitingly warm little spaces for pollinators to enter. Mountain avens (Dryas octopetala), found only in the White Mountains and Nova Scotia, will even

Krummholz, the aptly named “crooked wood,” is an excellent example of plants using the landscape to their advantage.

Typically classified as sub-alpine, this stunted, twisted, and interwoven spruce fir community occurs right along treeline, representing the point at which regular damage from ice and wind make it structurally impossible to grow like a real tree.

Any higher, and the trees may literally be ripped off the mountain. And yet, patches

most of their alpine neighbors, and often include species from lower elevations.

Growing under cornices along headwalls, in gulfs and ravines, and anywhere else where snow accumulates the thickest (like the Alpine Garden), these species survive the rugged weather by hiding from all but the best of it, insulated from spring frosts by a thick blanket of snow while their neighbors freeze and thaw daily. This protection means sacrificing some of the

track the sun with its flowers to increase this warming effect. It seems like a lot of effort for a marginal improvement, but like many alpine adaptations, something small can make a world of difference in the most unforgiving conditions.

of krummholz sometimes make incursions fully into the alpine, typically in sunnier, more protected valleys.

The Monticello and Bigelow lawns are equally distinctive alpine communities, tucked on the flanks of Mount Jefferson and Mount Washington, respectively. Slightly less common than the cushion-tussock communities, these sedge meadows take advantage of flat areas with a northwest aspect, where the prevailing winds may create clouds and moister conditions.

The rarest alpine community, occupying less than three hectares throughout the White Mountains, is the herbaceous snowbank community. These plants lack the evergreen leaves and woody stems of

potential growing season, but they benefit from a longer lasting source of water and the photosynthetic capacity of their lush, leafy foliage. These communities are both diverse, home to 90 vascular plant species, and variable, with no one plant dominating the others. Robbins, or dwarf, cinquefoil and Boott’s rattlesnake root are both extremely rare snowbank species that are endemic to the White Mountains, meaning they don’t grow anywhere else on earth.

Alpine goldenrod, another snowbank species, is important habitat for the White Mountain Fritillary butterfly, another White Mountain endemic. Representing less than 1 percent of an ecosystem that itself comprises only .13 percent of New Hampshire’s area, these communities are precious pock-

After buried cables were installed along the Cog Railway, “creating an un-vegetated zone several meters wide,” New Hampshire Habitat Action Plan reports, “recovery of alpine vegetation has been extremely slow.”

FLOWER AS TOPOGRAPHY

Becoming the ultimate alpine survivor isn’t the only way to thrive in the high mountains, however. The hardy cushion plants like Diapensia more or less carve out a niche for themselves in the most extreme, ice-scoured, wind-battered, soil-less parts of the alpine. Other species find a niche for themselves, seeking valleys and scoops in the earth, lee sides of slopes, and deeper, moister soils.

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THRIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS

WHAT HIKERS CAN LEARN FROM ALPINE PLANT ADAPTATIONS.

Thick, waxy leaves: Put Vaseline on your lips, nose, and cheeks to avoid wind burn and frost nip. Wear lots of insulating layers and a windbreaker to hold in heat.

Low to the ground: Crouch or lay down during powerful gusts of wind to avoid getting knocked over. On a sunny day, spread out on a rock slab to soak in its heat.

Grow in dense cushions: Huddle together with friends when you’re cold to help trap each other’s body heat.

Evergreen foliage: Pack your lunch the night before, so that as soon as its light out, you’re ready to hit the trail while everyone else still is messing around getting their food together.

Accessory pigments: Bring a variety of snacks, some sugars for quick fuel, proteins for muscle repair, and fats for long-term energy. Plants use a range of pigments to maximize the light they can photosynthesize from.

Slow growing: Don’t try to overdo it, hike the pace and distance appropriate to your fitness and energy levels, as well how much food, water, and daylight you have.

Long lived: Follow all these tips, and you will be too!

ets of life-dotting islands in the sky.

FLOWER AS HISTORY

The alpine zone was not always so rare, however, nor so restricted to high, rocky peaks. Like the tundra that blankets northern Canada, these stunted trees and dwarf shrubs dominated New England for a thousand years after a warming climate forced glacial retreat. Starting 14,000 years ago, ice sheets at times a mile thick retreated northward, scouring the bedrock clear of once-rich soils, shedding huge boulders and plucking sheer faces from the lee side of granite outcroppings.

In their wake, they left the land barren and rubble-strewn, inhospitable to all but the hardiest of colonizers.

The lichen came first, casting grey and green bodies over the bare rock like a crust. They extracted minerals, absorbed water, and caught debris, slowly forming a mat of soil thick enough for mosses and ferns to take hold. Over centuries, sedges, dwarf shrubs, birch, and alder followed, slowly finding purchase on a landscape that was once nothing but ice.

As the climate grew more temperate, trees entered the landscape for the first time in millennia. Poplars were first to arrive, followed by spruce, fir, jack, and red pines—all of them small and sparse at first. On the upper slopes of the White Mountains, the tundra remained.

By 10,000 years ago, the forest was growing and thickening, with oak floodSpring 2019

ing the warm lowland valleys like a storm surge from the south. The broadleaf trees were closing in, pushing spruce and fir upslope, which in turn pushed at the edges of the tundra high in the mountains.

Within a couple thousand years, maple and hemlock arrived, joined later by beech, chestnut, and hickory. Together, they enclosed New England, an unbroken canopy sprawling over the landscape, except for a handful of rugged peaks that repelled their every advance. High in the Presidentials, snow blasted and wind scoured, the tundra remained, a memory of a freshly thawed world.

FLOWER AS BELLWETHER

For nearly 12,000 years, the arctic plantscape of the alpine zone has remained intact. However, its historical resilience belies its sensitivity to disturbance and change. With thin soil and slowgrowth, for example, it is extremely susceptible to trampling, disturbance, and the accompanying erosion. After buried cables were installed along the Cog Railway, “creating an un-vegetated zone several meters wide,” New Hampshire Habitat Action Plan reports, “recovery of alpine vegetation has been extremely slow.”

Careless foot traffic can be equally threatening, particularly to small and isolated populations like that of Robbins’, or dwarf, cinquefoil (Potentilla robbinsiana). Ninety-five percent of the world’s population of this plant was contained

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PLEASE USE THE TRAILS We all go to the mountains for different reasons and motivations, but there are some common threads that bring us back to the high places. The first that comes to mind is the rugged beauty. We test ourselves and our abilities among the aesthetic rock faces, raging winds, and stark alpine landscapes, but we only visit for a short time—we never live in it. Under foot and tucked into crevices and nooks live tiny wonderful communities of plants that make your tests of fortitude look like an afternoon stroll.

Living through obscenely cold winter months with nothing, they have evolved to survive like no other and remain a beautiful addition to this otherwise barren land. That evolution comes at a price—so specialized they cannot live anywhere else. They can’t protect themselves with claws or teeth, they can’t move aside for you to walk by, and they can’t bounce back from being under your sprawling sunny picnic off the trail. They shouldn’t have to, either.

We have miles of maintained trails throughout the alpine zone thoughtfully laid out to get you from summit to summit or back to your warm or air-conditioned car. These delicate but tenacious flowers are not obvious most of the time, but the well-marked trails are. Take a few extra minutes next time you’re thinking about cutting a corner and look around at the beautiful vistas. Take note of the delicate, strong, and stubborn flowers that are a vital part of that vista.

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AMC’S FLOWER WATCH PROGRAM Long-term monitoring plots established as part of AMC’s Mountain Watch have already shown that alpine species are flowering one to two days earlier as a response to climate change, but the landscape is so complex that they need more data to paint an even richer picture.

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Starting this spring, the Appalachian Mountain Club is creating the opportunity for you to take part. With a simple app in hand and a reminder to look down at your feet, you can join AMC scientists in tracking how climate change is affecting flowering alpine species. All you have to do is take a picture and share it on AMC’s Flower Watch project on iNaturalist; the app runs algorithms to help you identify the species, and an enthusiastic online community can help confirm your best guesses and unknowns.

1. Download the iNaturalist app and register online at www.inaturalist.org/signup.

2. Turn on location settings to ensure your photos are “geo-tagged.”

3. Take photos of flowers, especially of target species (see below).

4. Upload your photos to the “Northeast Alpine Flower Watch” project.

5. Check back to learn more: species identification and research updates.

6. Keep snapping!

Target species: Diapensia, Labrador tea, billberry, Bigelow’s sedge, mountain cranberry, mountain avens Learn more at www.outdoors.org/flowerwatch

within one acre, and the Crawford Path ran straight through it until the 80s. Exuberant collection and damage from hikers pushed Robbins’ cinquefoil to the brink of extinction, until a timely listing under the Endangered Species Act, transplantation by the New England Wild Flower Society (NEWFS), and a re-route of the Crawford Path saved it. The cinquefoil brought together an array of partners, from the NEWFS to the Appalachian Mountain Club, the NEWFS, White Mountain National Forest, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2002, this furry-leaved plant with flowers like globs of yellow paint, was removed from the Endangered Species List, the first plant to be removed because of a successful recovery.

Unfortunately, not all threats to the alpine zone are so direct and preventable. Because they exist as small, isolated patches, and already occupy the highest available habitat in their range, scientists have deep concerns over the potential impact of climate change.

According to the Fourth National Climate Assessment, released November 2018, “by 2035 … the Northeast is projected to be more than 3.6°F (2°C) warmer on average than during the preindustrial era. This would be the largest Spring 2019

increase in the contiguous United States and would occur as much as two decades before global average temperatures reach a similar milestone.” Milder winters, more rain, and potentially altered wind patterns are predicted to accompany this warming. For the alpine zone, these changes could result in encroachment by the subalpine forest, with a rising treeline displacing alpine vegetation higher and higher upslope until eventually it is forced off the top of the mountains and extirpated from the Northeast entirely.

Disaster may not be as imminent as it seems, however. While the summits are warming, there is evidence that the warming is occurring more slowly on the high peaks than it is at lower elevations.

Also, the White Mountains’ notoriously fierce winds and heavy ice deposition could help to hold treeline at bay, as it likely did during a warming period 5,000 to 9,000 years ago. We already learned from the current distribution of plants in the alpine, that subtle but important differences in aspect, slope, exposure, and soil provide a rich mosaic of habitats for a variety of plant communities to survive.

That same diversity of “micro-habitats” in the alpine may provide species with the refuge they need from warming climate

and changing weather patterns. Being the largest and best-connected patch of alpine habitat in the Northeast, the Presidential Range may prove pivotal in saving these species from oncoming change.

Because of this, it’s more important than ever to give the alpine zone the care it deserves and the protection it needs.

The less stressed these species are from unsafe levels of ozone—from trampling, from erosion, from pollution—the greater their capacity is for resilience. Equally, the more we understand about the unique system that the Northeastern alpine zone is, and the ways that individual species respond to warming, the greater our capacity is for resistance.

In addition to Mount Washington and the Presidential Range, alpine zone habitats can be found on Franconia Ridge, North and South Baldface, Mount Davis, Mount Bond, Bondcliff, Mount Guyot, South Twin, Mount Moosilauke, in New Hampshire; Mansfield and Camels Hump in Vermont; Whiteface, Algonquin, and Mt. Marcy in New York; and Baxter State Park, Mount Bigelow, Mahoosuc, Sugarloaf, and Abraham in Maine.

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“COME QUICKLY, PEOPLE ARE HURT. IT’S BAD.” Our team of wilderness first responders (WFRs) packed, and were out the door pronto. After a short, fast hike up the branch-littered trail, we found them. What we saw was shocking; an enormous fallen pine had crushed a yellow tent with two inside; one quiet, one screaming.

Tony Meiklejohn / SOLO photo

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SAVING LIVES A SOLO Journey That Impacts Many

By Jean Lee

The wind was howling and the trees were swaying; trees branches were snapping like little twigs. We got the call after dark: “Come quickly, people are hurt. It’s bad,” squealed the caller. Our team of wilderness first responders (WFRs) packed, and were out the door pronto. After a short, fast hike up the branch-littered trail, we found them. What we saw was shocking; an enormous fallen pine had crushed a yellow tent with two inside; one quiet, one screaming. “We are here to help you,” were my shaky first words to them. We quickly went to work going through the checklist that we had just learned: Is the scene safe? How do I protect myself? Call for more help. We then sliced open the tent and began our ABCs: airway, breathing, circulation …

I

n the 70s, an organized remote emergency medical services (EMS) system in New Hampshire was in its infancy using an anachronistic skill set. Injured skiers, climbers, and hikers were being rescued from the woods, but were brought to the ER with fractures splinted in place, or worse,

The golden hour (the first critical hour) is greatly influenced by medical providers’ actions. These skills, and the extended care needed, are what SOLO teaches. The website says it simply: “Since 1974, SOLO has taught wilderness/extended care emergency medical courses, from basic to very

and local mountain rescue personnel.

The courses continued to grow into numerous complex programs for various higher-skilled EMS services. The number of trainings rapidly increased.

In 2018, nearly 1,000 medical first aid courses were taught at the Tasker Hill campus and at sponsors’ locales.

dead from an uncontrolled bleed. On one long, hard rescue, where mistakes were made, Frank Hubbell and his team realized they needed new methods in caring for the injured when in remote circumstances … and programs to teach these. Frank Hubbell and Lee Frizzell thus began laying the foundation to make this vision into a reality, and a highly successful reality it is today.

Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities (SOLO) opened its doors 45 years ago on Tasker Hill Road in Conway, New Hampshire in the foothills of the Mt. Washington Valley. Dr. Frank Hubbell and Lee Frizzell are the co-founders, visionaries, and the heart and soul of SOLO. Along with a dedicated team of talented, creative people, this powerful partnership continues to run a rapidly growing first-class wilderness medicine school, develop up-to-date curricula, and expand its global outreach.

For the critically injured in field, nothing matters more than the actions taken in the first five minutes.

advanced. We teach all over the United Sponsors (hosts of medical coursStates and overseas, and are widely es) are a vital part of SOLO’s business. known and respected as both a pioOregon State University Adventure neer and leader in the industry.

We are the oldest continuously operating school of wilderness medicine in the world.” SOLO’s rapid growth was indicative of the staggering need. In 1974, a basic “Mountain/Woods S. Peter Lewis / SOLO photo First Aid” course was taken on the road by Hubbell. The primary Leadership Institute, MEDIC/Sierra objective of that original program Club, Nantahala Outdoor Center (SOLO remains the foundation of SOLO’s Southeast), Florida Outdoor Academy, most popular course today, Wilderness and SOLO Florida are a few that enterFirst Aid (WFA). Soon after, courses tained WFA courses in February 2019. were customized for the Appalachian Sponsors are able to host all courses, Mountain Club, the New Hampshire except the Wilderness Emergency Fish and Game, college outing clubs, Medical Technical (WEMT), which

For the critically injured in field, nothing matters more than the actions taken in the first five minutes. The golden hour (the first critical hour) is greatly influenced by medical providers’ actions. These skills, and the extended care needed, are what SOLO teaches.

Spring 2019

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is taught eight times each year at the Tasker Hill Campus. SOLO explains how they participate in sponsored training: “People learn best through direct experience, so we create a relaxed environment

Training Program. The 300-plus teachers (with more being trained annually) live throughout the U.S. and Canada, and outreach is expanding globally. Most have careers that coincide with the need for

is a valuable resource. In a recent issue, you can learn how to treat shock and a sucking chest wound, and (one that is closer to home) how to remove a splinter from under a fingernail. Back issues and articles are easy accessed at www.wildernessmedicinenewsletter.com.

SOLO’s students are numerous and diverse. Some have gone on to higher levels of medicine; some are the sons and daughters of the first wave of students, while others are on the brink of retirement and want to give back to their communities. The student population has changed from a white male-dominated group to a gender-, ethnic-, and agediversified one. When taking a course, it is likely that you’ll be sitting next to a person that flew a long way, whose accent is intriguing, or whose background is amazingly unique.

SOLO’s outreach extends deeply into the White Mountains. Countless volunteers in the Mt. Washington Valley provide thousands of search and rescue services annually. The majority of these volunteers have been trained at SOLO: ski patrollers, river-rescue personnel, and the highly skilled individuals of the Mountain Rescue Service. Due to SOLO’s generosity, education and recertification is affordable to these local professionals. When in session, staff and students can volunteer on backcountry search and rescue missions, as SOLO is a licensed NH state non-transport rescue unit. Sandy Stott states in his book Critical Hours: Search and Rescue in the White Mountains, “SOLO contributes people-power to rescues, but their great-

in our courses that fosters a comfortable, safe, ‘open learning’ atmosphere where students feel at ease asking questions and learning from each other. We are decidedly hands-on, using mock emergencies to create realistic, believable, learning opportunities. Along with the scenarios, we use demonstrations and practice sessions, as well as traditional talks, lectures, and (if available) multimedia presentations. Regardless of the course level, the emphasis is always on safety, awareness, prevention, and the environment.” SOLO instructors are trained in medicine, having their WFR or beyond, and in teaching philosophy at a week-long Instructor

this training: adventure guide services, ambulance personnel, school educators, and camp directors.

For more than 20 years, SOLO has been participating in curriculum consensus groups that produce foundational guidelines and update changes for WFA and WFR courses. They continually incorporate the latest evidence into their texts and trainings. The use of neck braces, backboards, and tourniquets are examples of practices that have recently been revised. A $15 lifetime subscription to the SOLO-published “Wilderness Medicine Newsletter,” which started in 1988 as a paper mail-out and went digital in 2002,

est influence has been in the proliferation of hikers, climbers, and skiers with wilderness medicine skills.”

Providing assistance, programs, and partnerships for indigenous people has become an important focus for SOLO. Following the January 12, 2010, 4:53 p.m., 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti, SOLO staffers gave aid in rural medical centers in a country where three million people were affected, while the country faced the greatest humanitarian need in its history (worldvision.org). World outreach and programs are expanding with the creation of SOLO Schools International (SSI). Teams of instructors travel inter-

Tony Meiklejohn / SOLO photo

SOLO teaches first aid classes for groups across the country and around the world. While the classes focus on the hard and often serious skills of emergency medicine, the power of teamwork and community create bonds of friendship and cheer that make the classes as fun and rewarding as they are educational.

SOLO’s outreach extends deeply into the White Mountains. Hundreds of volunteers in the Mt. Washington Valley provide 5,000 hours of search and rescue services annually.

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LEE FRIZZELL & FRANK HUBBELL, DO, SOLO’S FOUNDERS “Fire-couple” was how the husband and wife team of Frank Hubbell and Lee Frizzell were described in the early 70s as they worked together on EMS services in the Conway area. After Lee took the EMT course from Frank in the mid 70s, their prophetic mission began. Lee, a former English teacher, was the sole female on the Conway Fire Department and Rescue Squad and liked the “feeling that her skills were needed and helpful to her fellow citizens.”

From the very beginning, Frank and Lee were partners— from the naming of the school, to the building of the facilities, to teaching those early courses. Lee, the co-founder and recently retired executive director, now serves as a consultant to SOLO, dealing with the political issues surrounding wilderness medicine on the state and national levels. In the early years, Lee’s income as an English teacher at Kennett High School supported SOLO. She also taught courses there as Frank earned his physician assistant degree from Northeastern University in 1984, and his Doctor of Osteopathy from The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1991.

Dr. Hubbell is the founding partner of Saco River Medical group in Conway, NH and is the director of its urgent care clinic. He is the medical director and a senior instructor at

Spring 2019

SOLO, sits on the medical board of NH Medical Directors, and is the co-founder of TMC Books, where he has authored, coauthored, or has been a contributing editor on seven major wilderness first aid publications.

WILDCARE—Working In Less Than Desirable Conditions And Remote Environments, the textbook for the EMT and WFR, is his and his team’s latest achievement. In 2018, he was awarded the “Educator of the Year” at the Wilderness Medical Society Conference in Utah, the highest accolade in this field.

An awareness years ago that more could be done for the “remote” injured, inspired Lee and Frank to intuitively build a wilderness medical school. They are a paragon of a partnership: two smart individuals working hand in hand to create what today is, according to SOLO’s website, “leading the industry since the last ice age, who are focused on the wilderness, and who will make you ready for anything.”

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nationally to teach (and teach teachers) a customized WFR course that is culturally and geographically specific. SSI is ready “to provide the most current extendedcare medical education across the globe.”

The primary hope is that no matter how dire things look or how long a rescue will take, properly trained people will find you and help you. Charlie Townsend, a local professional guide who earned

countries; 22 were women. It was an intensive eight-day course, using a four-pronged approach: classroom segment, practice segment, hands-on segment (usually outside), and testing. We were the “victim,” the “first responder,” and the “bystander.” Daily role-playing provided practice, and more practice. And there were mistakes—lots of mistakes. We would practice building a litter, “beaming”—which is the process of

There is an overwhelming urge hours after an intensive, multi-day course to act on the knowledge you’ve just learned.

After my WFR course this past June, mine was to make a multitude of first aid kits to address different circumstances. I thought about the different scenarios that I may encounter. I prepared each kit with the knowledge that I had just gained and other first aid kits that were shown. They come

We were the “victim,” the “first responder,” and the “bystander.” Daily role-playing provided practice, and more practice. And there were mistakes—lots of mistakes.

his emergency medical technician (EMT) training at SOLO in 1982, and who maintains WFR certification, was recently a first responder on a person who was seriously hurt, and he did what he was trained to do. He states, “Wouldn’t you be psyched to know that your climbing or hiking partner is a wilderness first responder? It’s a courtesy, and almost an expectation of anyone who spends a lot of time in the woods.”

THIS WRITER’S PERSONAL JOURNEY There were 31 of us from three different

untangling and/or lifting and moving to a place of safety and comfort—constructing a shelter, tractioning a broken femur, stopping an arterial bleed. Every scenario had a mystery to be triaged (assessing and prioritizing patients), solved, and fixed. We participated in immersion and experiential training techniques and learned what we needed to KNOW, and DO—two foundational elements of SOLO’s teaching philosophy. We were taught how to logically think about the environment, the physiology of the person, and the actions that needed to be taken and why.

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with me now. A very powerful takeaway from this training—literally.

Louis Jacobs, who took the WFR course, sums it up brilliantly: “The WFR course vigorously applies the egalitarian and functional core that is SOLO’s philosophy. Students are taught a concept, and minutes later apply that concept (in class) to a ‘live,’ maybe bloody, probably screaming or gasping victim. The disorderly conduct of a screaming victim threatens an orderly diagnosis, but is tempered by the light and timely guidance of the instructors. The WFR course is controlled chaos,

WILDCARE, THE BOOK Since 1976, SOLO has been the leader in Wilderness Medicine. Presently, SOLO (also an American Heart Association Training Center) focuses on four core courses: Wilderness First Aid (WFA or “Woofa”), Wilderness First Responder (WFR or “Woofer”), the 170hour Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT), and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). The WFR and WEMT use the textbook, WILDCARE—Working In Less Than Desirable Conditions And Remote Environments, authored by Frank Hubbell.

This 330-page text sets a new standard for content and clarity. The informative and artistic text was both a team effort and a family affair. The illustrator, architect, grammarian, artists, designers, proofreaders—the seven key people who are responsible for this feat have been deeply connected with SOLO from five to 35 years.

Whatever your level of training, this is a must have reference for anyone who may work outside the Golden Hour.

For additional information, visit www.soloschools.com.

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all to the benefit of the students.” Comparing it to a University of New Hampshire course, he continues, “It’s hard to believe that SOLO can cram almost two classesworth of material in little over a week. It’s intense and empowering! The instructors emphasized the WFR doesn’t teach you miracles, but teaches you structured care in an unstructured environment, a template for treatment with limited resources, and enough working knowledge to stabilize a patient, collect essential information. The WFR course takes that awesome responsibility and makes it tangible, actionable.”

Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities (SOLO) SOLO offers the following courses.

DISASTER WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER; PREPPING FOR DISASTER; SEARCH AND RESCUE; ACLS / PALS / PEARS; CARDIOPULMONARY RESCUSICATION (CPR); and CPR AWFA-to-WFR BRIDGE. Check the full schedule online at www.soloschools.com, call (603) 447-6711, or email info@soloschools.com.

621 Tasker Hill Rd., Conway, NH

TASKER HILL CAMPUS The home campus sits on Tasker Hill— 300, mostly-wooded, acres with trails leading up to its summit. On top, stunning views of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains will greet you on a clear day. It is two-and-a-half hours north of Boston, MA and one-and-a-half hours northwest of Portland, ME. The campus has three major buildings: the Main Building, the Octagon, and Toad Hall. An authentic Celtic roundhouse and a staff log cabin complete the landscape.

The Main Building, built in 1974 by Frank, his dad Hank, and Peter Marques, of Tentsmiths, is a three-story gambrel barn, serving as the training center, office space, and testing hub. It is “functional and funky.” The main classroom has the latest high-tech teaching aids, comfy chairs, and big windows to keep an eye on the weather. A year later, the Octagon was built. Originally a teaching space, it now serves as the administrative office and dining hall. The two-story structure has offices upstairs and a kitchen and dining area below. Three hearty, delicious meals and irresistible homemade treats are prepared daily.

A three-story, 24-foot tall, totem pole, designed by Ted Walsh and carved

by Ted, Frank and his dad Hank, plus a ginormous central wood stove, are at the heart of this structure. Toad Hall, with two apple trees out front, houses 40 students, and has clean and simple rooms. An oldfangled red phone booth awaits on front porch to “call home.” The roundhouse is where the “hobbit lives,” and visiting staff stay in the cabin with the cat. All are connected to the main building by a walking path littered with splint-sized sticks, dismantled shelters, and matted down underbrush, indicating where learning had taken place. The campus is convivial, communal, and vital to all who enter.

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Klementovich Photography

The Anatomy of a

BACKCOUNTRY

RESCUE

By Mike Cherim

If you’re injured in the backcountry, there are many possible scenarios with as many outcomes, but most have one thing in common: Rescue will take longer than one may expect. To give a better understanding of why, this fictional tale describes a typical rescue from start to finish.

T

o begin our story, let’s consider this: It is early June and you’re hiking a Bonds traverse the shortest way possible with a friend. You get on trail bright and early at 7 a.m. on the northern end at the Zealand trailhead. Your plan is to bag Zealand, West Bond, Bond, then Boncliff. You hope to finish your 48 there, stopping long enough for that classic Bondcliff photo, weather permitting. Your friend has already finished his list; you’re both very experienced hikers.

It’s good that you’re not alone, even though the ideal party size is four (a patient, a caregiver, and two runners).

It should be noted that both of you are carrying a decent amount of gear. You with the “10 essentials,” and your friend is carrying the “13 essentials”, preferring the thoroughness of that list. Both of you have your cell phones, but neither of you is carrying a PLB (personal locator beacon)— though those things really provide mixed results. The weather is average for June, in the 50s up high, but it’s supposed to be sunny for the entire day, albeit very windy. The Mount Washington forecast is calling for gusts in the 90s out of the northwest. Knowing this, you hypothesize that the winds on the summits, excepting that of Zealand, and the col between Bond and Bondcliff will be likewise ripping something wicked. You are

correct—as you will witness first-hand in a few hours. To help you stay on your feet, you’re both bringing trekking poles.

MOVING AHEAD Let’s fast forward a bit, speeding up the day. You made it to the AMC’s Zealand Hut, stopped for a fresh cookie and to fill your water bottles, then you took on the most significant ascent of the day with your climb up to Zeacliff. You stopped there for a while, grabbing some awesome photos of Whitewall Mountain, the stunning Zealand Notch view, and a selfie with your friend. It was a great day so far—both of you were feelin’ it.

After Zeacliff you continued on the Twinway, stopped at the Zealand summit for a photo of that well-known sign.

There you held up a sheet of paper that said “45” and took a photo (congratulations, by the way). The photo caption will read “three more to go” when you post it on Facebook in a few weeks. You and your friend continued on over the true summit of Mount Guyot and onto the junction with the Bondcliff Trail. After pausing to take it all in, you continued on over the Guyot south sub-summit then dropped down toward the junction of the Guyot Tentsite spur. You both wisely took a water inventory and realized you each had more than enough to get you to

the next crossing, allowing you to forego the significant drop down to the Guyot spring. You moved on; the West Bond Spur junction was close at hand.

Upon arriving at the junction, you both considered dropping your packs for the one-mile detour to the summit and back. You were ready to do it, but your partner spoke up, declaring the notion a bad idea, asking, “What if one of us gets hurt?” This called to your better judgement, so upon further reflection, you agreed. As it turned out, nobody got hurt on West Bond, and the packs didn’t even come off your backs, but you didn’t know that going in. Smart. Just imagine if someone did get hurt and the packs were left behind. Not good.

After you experienced the winds on Guyot’s summits and on West Bond, you were both comfortable continuing on— feeling that what lies ahead would be manageable. And you did manage—for a while.

The winds on Mount Bond, being the highest point on that ridge, were indeed ripping something wicked. Even more so in the col between Bond and Bondcliff.

There, thanks to the Venturi Effect, which compressed the already strong winds as it would a fluid as they passed through the narrow dip in the ridge, you were really being buffeted. You both made it through, though. With the help of those poles. That

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was a good choice!

It was a glorious day. The temperatures ended up being 10 degrees warmer than forecasted, making it feel downright balmy. You both wore an upper body wind layer to take the bite out of the wind. On the bottom you had “zip-offs,” with the lower legs zipped off. Sunglasses and sunscreen were both in use. The sheets of paper that had “46,” “47,” and “48” written on them stayed in your pack.

That was what you were thinking about as you pressed hard against your poles pushing upward, racing the final paces to the Bondcliff summit with a huge grin on your face. That’s when it happened.

It was really bad timing on the part of the wind. It was an atypical gust—the Mighty King of Gusts—and it slammed you down. Hard. It happened just as your leg was tight between two rocks. The upper part of your lower left leg carried its momentum forward, but the lower part held fast between the rocks.

The twin snap felt audible above the wind and probably was. By the angulation—not being a doctor or anything—it looked like your lower left leg was completely broken. You were in some pain, that was for sure. You screamed. That could be heard above the wind. And that brings us to now.

THE PRESENT There was nobody on the summit at this time. You both made pretty good time despite your extended Zeacliff stop, and you passed several others headed this way.

The strong, erratic winds, however, were probably sending some packing while others were certainly being delayed. Not one person was visible from behind. And nobody knows if anyone was coming up from Lincoln Woods. It looks like you’re on your own. At least for now.

What to Do First As was noted, your friend is a pretty experienced hiker, like you. Luckily, you have both taken a wilderness first aid course, so you kind of know what to do.

While gritting through the pain, you both layer up. The pain, wow, this was never fully described in the classroom. You put your puffies on and replace your pant legs. You leave your left one off, of course.

Your friend, the one carrying the 13 essentials, has a foam sleeping pad and is Spring 2019

carefully handing to you in the wind. It’s not easy, but you’re able to get it under yourself. It is important to get off the ground and get sheltered up at this point, which you know.

After these initial steps, your friend pulls traction on your lower leg, straightening it. This hurts like hell, but you try to maintain your control and endure the pain the best you can. Once straightened, being it’s a lower leg, your friend releases the pressure and works calmly on creating a big, ugly, fat, and fluffy splint (this is how they’re described in the backcountry) to hold the leg “in line” and protect it from further injury. If only this stopped the relentless pain.

You both have additional layers, extra food and water, and the situation is being managed pretty well, all things considered. Now it’s time to improve the sheltering situation using a tarp, a bivvy, or whatever is at hand. This would include sitting on a pack or on fir boughs to get off the ground if your friend hadn’t brought that pad. Your friend also had a tarp, so that goes over you. Awesome.

You’re pretty comfortable, albeit still in a lot of pain, and no longer in immediate danger of succumbing to hypothermia.

Yes, even on a nice day in June.

Seeking Help If others were there, these steps could be carried out while the first aid and comfort basics were being implemented.

But they weren’t, so we’re going in a logical, necessity-driven order. Now it’s time to get help. You know you’re not walking out. You can’t even stand up. Between wind and your injury, you can’t even make it to the shelter of the woods. You’re stuck on the summit of Bondcliff! But already we can see how things could be much worse. We’re relieved for you.

You friend pulls out a cellphone*. The carrier on that phone is AT&T, but there is no cell signal. Your phone, with Verizon, is likewise useless. Under your tarp, your face lights up as you remember something from your WFA class, though. The instructor, as you recall, said: “Try dialing 9-1-1 anyway. You might not have cell service, but you might be able to reach a 9-1-1 repeater and reach an operator.” Excitedly, you remind your friend of this little-known fact then you both try it pressing the buttons on your phones. (*See communication notes.)

Unfortunately, it didn’t work, the nearest* repeater must be either out of sight or too far away. It looks like your friend will have to go get help while you stay put. Your friend leaves you few more

clothing items and a bit more food and water, looks grimly at you, then wishes you luck while you wish him the same.

You know it’s going to take a few hours just to get to the Lincoln Woods parking area and the U.S. Forest Service Ranger posted there. You close your eyes and begin the wait. Your friend starts hiking.

The distance to the Zealand Hut is shorter, but it’s a lot more difficult and potentially dangerous, so heading down towards Lincoln Woods makes sense, even though it is nearly nine miles away.

Your friend isn’t a runner, but hurries as much as possible, making it to civilization in only three-and-a-half hours. Thankfully there is indeed a ranger at the station, so help is at hand more quickly. Otherwise your friend might have had to drive all the way to Lincoln before making a call to 9-1-1. Reaching the ranger first may have saved a little time.

Wheels in Motion The USFS ranger is alarmed as she listens, then gets on the radio and calls in the situation to her district office. Her supervisor asks to speak with your friend while simultaneously patching the call through to the New Hampshire Fish and Game. It is NHF&G that will coordinate the rescue at this point.

The Fish and Game commander gets on the phone and the pertinent information is collected and recorded: who, what, when, where, and how. Then “how” comes up again as the supervisor considers the options on how he is going to rescue you. There aren’t many viable options. The powerful winds are supposed to continue right on through the next two days as a slow-moving front sweeps the area. The commander, with his decades of experience, knows that an airlift medivac isn’t on the table. The only thing they have left is the use of their personnel, their “four-wheeler” OHRVs, and volunteer manpower.

He gets off the phone with your friend, the ranger, and the district office, and makes another call. First to mobilize some Fish and Game officers, sending them as a sort of advance team. After mobilizing the team, the commander gets on the phone again calling out to the PVSART (Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team) dispatcher letting them know what’s going on. There’s not going to be a “callout” until the advance team further assesses the situation, but he figures the heads up will be appreciated.

On Bondcliff Two Fish and Game officers are shuttled

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BACKCOUNTRY RESCUE TIMELINE

22 HOURS IN After a long, uncomfortable overnight on Bondcliff, the party awakens to an amazing sunrise as they await the litter carrying volunteers from the Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue Team.

27 HOURS IN The large group of rescuers finally make it to the patient, “package” him for litter travel, then load him into the device and begin the long, arduous task of carrying the patient out over some pretty tricky terrain.

START - 0 HOURS IN It’s a beautiful, albeit breezy morning in early June, and two experienced, well-equipped hikers leave the Zealand trailhead, embarking on a long southward Bonds Traverse. This will net them four 4,000-footers, the final one being Bondcliff.

6 HOURS IN On the final push towards the fourth summit, a sudden gust of wind downs a hiker. It appears a leg is broken. The two attend to this unexpected emergency well. After first aid is administered, and communication for outside help fails, hiker #2 sets off for help.

10 HOURS IN The other hiker reaches a ranger and the NH Fish and Game is alerted.

They organize a wellsupplied forward team of two to hike to Bondcliff to assess the situation.

Experience tells them the weather will not allow a helicopter.

4 HOURS IN The hikers are making good time, even though they stop for an extended stay at an overlook known as Zeacliff. The two are strong and passing others going to same way as they summit Zealand on their way to the junction with Bondcliff Trail.

14 HOURS IN The situation is under control, thanks to the two hikers having proper gear and some training. The NHF&G officers stay with the downed hiker overnight. A litter team with dozens of people will hike in the morning to rescue the patient.

FINISH - 33 HOURS IN The patient is loaded onto a four-wheeler OHRV and driven the rest of the way to an awaiting ambulance once arriving at a larger trail. The team of NHF&G officers and PVSRT volunteers begin their hours-long exit.

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down Lincoln Woods Trail on two large four-wheelers. They stop at the bridge over Franconia Brook and continue on foot. The two are super fit, and despite carrying large, overnight-ready rescue packs, make great time covering the distance to Bondcliff, doing so in just a hair over two hours; stopping only long enough to get situation updates from hikers coming from the direction of the scene. They arrive close to sunset and quickly spot you. You’re still wrapped in your tarp and you have two hikers that have stayed with you while help was on the way.

You’re in a ton of pain, but still okay thanks to a combination of your preparedness, having good layers, your foreword thinking, and the kindness of others to help keep your mind occupied during these long hours. You did have to pee at one point, and that was difficult and extremely painful, but you’re here, and now and the NHF&G is also here.

They speak with you, find you totally aware and oriented. This situation is not life threatening. The officers tell you their plan and you accept it—you have no choice. The pain is so intense you just want it to end now.

One of the officers steps away to communicate with the scene commander via satellite* phone and relays the situation. He says the patient will need to be littered out by hand, using volunteers since nature won’t cooperate; it’s way too windy for a helo. Being that you’re generally okay, the officers decide to make you as comfortable as possible for the night and bivouac with you on Bondcliff overnight. The sunset is beautiful, but after that the darkness comes and the three of you—the two good Samaritans left after the officers arrived—have a long, not-particularly-comfortable night on the mountain. Eventually a beautiful sunrise will warm your soul and amaze you, but the wait involves many, many less-thanpleasant hours, for all parties.

The Calvary Back at Lincoln Woods the scene commander relays the situation to the other officers standing by, as well as to PVSART, whom he has on the phone. The plan is to have the NHF&G advance team overnight with you while he coordinates a carry-out using Fish and Game officers and PVSART personnel in the morning. It will be decided after the initial PVSART callout response if other organizations like AVSAR (Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue) will need to be called. The scene commander releases his personnel, telling Spring 2019

them to be back by 7 a.m., ready to hike.

Meanwhile a PVSART volunteer gets the ball rolling, writing down “Callout #28” on a sheet of paper bearing many names and numbers. The phones start ringing. Within an hour, 32 PVSART personnel have stepped up, giving up their Sunday for you. You should feel honored.

By the way, talk of your accident, and your preparedness, has already spread on social media—and the response is positive. Thought you might like to know you’re not being vilified.

Between the PVSART people and a half-dozen Fish & Game personnel, there’s no need to involve other agencies. By 7:30 a.m. there are already people being shuttled to Franconia Brook by way of the four-wheelers. All eyes are on them as they pass other hikers out for the day in hopes of hiking the Bonds or Owl’s Head.

Some know what’s going on from Facebook, while others just know it’s a rescue or recovery—they pray it’s not something too bad. They empathize with the unseen patient, assuming it’s a hiker like them.

Wow, they marvel at the sheer number of people wearing lime green shirts—all the volunteers that are involved. It’s an impressive show. These folks are really dedicated!

THE CONCLUSION Eventually, as you know, everyone makes it up to you. They bring you a nice carbon-fiber litter to carry you in, then begin the process of “packaging” you. You might want to pee before they get started, by the way. They are happy you said something now and you take care of business, difficult and painful as that may be.

It doesn’t take long before they get you moving down the mountain and to the “Stairway to Heaven.” There they struggle. This part involves the use of rope to help secure your litter as they lower it over this rock staircase, of sorts.

More pain. The good news is that the winds are a bit diminished now that you’re in the shelter of trees.

Once past that natural obstacle, the carryout is pretty straightforward. Not easy, but no real surprises aside from one stream crossing (and the team makes that look easy). It takes several hours, but they eventually get you to the bridge crossing Franconia Brook and litter you across.

On the other side a four-wheeler awaits. The volunteers are dirty and tired and very happy to see the machine as they continue out on foot. You’ll be glad to know they’ll be home by dinner. I can tell by the look on your face that you’re psyched about being done with this

whole thing, too. It’s a bumpy ride and it hurts, but it’s fast, and soon they transfer you to a gurney and slide it into the back of a waiting ambulance. You, my friend, have been rescued.

The scene commander sticks around until all of the PVSART volunteers check back in and his people and equipment return safely. He goes back to his office to begin the paperwork and to prepare an official statement to the press. I’ve already heard that because of your Hike Safe card and your preparedness, this one’s on them. Great news, right?

Oh, by the way, regarding the 48 … sorry, but you’ll have to come back for this one. Being carried doesn’t count.

*Communications Notes: This is a fictional piece of writing of which some parts are contrived for the sake of telling this possible outcome. According to a F&G spokesperson, the actual communications capabilities on Bondcliff are as follows: Currently 9-1-1 repeaters may be available to some cell phone users, while those with Verizon will likely have actual cell service. Satellite phones are no longer necessary in that area. It should also be noted that the two did not have a PLB or SPOT (satellite personal tracker) device as mentioned in the story, but these things are not the end-all, be-all answer and have proven unreliable in the past. If using one for yourself, which isn’t a bad idea, you do need to know how to use it and understand its limitations. Lastly, do be aware that while this story is contrived, it does quite accurately describe lots of places in the White Mountain National Forest, and other hiking destinations the world over.

CONSIDER THE NH HIKE SAFE CARD The NH Fish and Game department is authorized to sell voluntary hike safe cards for $25 per person and $35 per family. The card is valuable for hiking, paddling, cross-country skiing, or other outdoor recreation.

Cardholders are not liable to repay rescue costs if needed.

Visit www.nhfishandgame.com or www.hikesafe.com for info.

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Wiseguy Creative photography

This article made possible with assistance by:

By Jake Risch

A Guide to the Birthplace of Extreme Skiing A pilgrimage to Tuckerman Ravine, the birthplace of extreme skiing

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housands of people make the trek up to the bowl every

spring. The gullies, chutes, and snowfields on the eastern flank of Mount Washington are hallowed ground, a sanc-

tuary of steep, where legends are born and history made. Skiers have tested their mettle in Tuckerman Ravine since 1931, when Charlie Proctor and John Carlton first skied over the headwall.

The ravine has hosted iconic ski races such as the American Infernos and Olympic Trials. Generations of top big-mountain athletes cut their teeth on Mount Washington.

Early spring is often the prime season for Tuckerman Ravine. Warm days and cool nights set up a melt-freeze cycle that cultivates Tuckerman’s staple crop of corn snow. With terrain unlike any found at ski resorts in the Northeast, the ravine’s above-treeline skiing offers steep, bigmountain, alpine terrain more commonly found in the Rockies or Alps. The spring snowpack is generally stable, with lower risk for avalanches.

Choosing the right day is tricky, colder temperatures at higher elevations turn a fun

The Mount Washington Avalanche Center publishes a daily avalanche forecast that details the up-to-date hazards and conditions. The Mount Washington Observatory posts the current and forecasted conditions online in near real-time.

Spring 2019

corn run into a slide-for-life situation. Late season snow storms can quickly ramp up the avalanche risk. It is important to pick your day based on prevailing weather and snow conditions, rather than an arbitrary calendar date.

Tuckerman Ravine on a sunny spring day is as good as it gets for skiing on the East Coast.

There are turns to be found in the winter as well—with avalanche training, backcountry skills, and an understanding of the unique risks associated with alpine terrain. With over 150 deaths, extreme weather, and relatively easy access, the Presidential Range is among the deadliest in the world. Adventurers should understand the recent weather history and forecast—and plan accordingly.

The Mount Washington Avalanche Center publishes a daily avalanche forecast that de-

tails the up-to-date hazards and conditions.

The Mount Washington Observatory posts the current and forecasted conditions online in near real-time.

THE ROUTES

The classic ski line—the route of the famous Toni Matt Schuss—is The Lip, a wide snowfield that drops over the looker’s right side of the ravine headwall. Skiing is best early in the season. Access this route by ascending a boot pack up the right side. The steepness of this route increases with elevation. Skiers can choose their own level of adventure by hiking only as high as the pitch they are comfortable skiing back down, though finding a spot to put your skis on can be difficult. Continuing up the connecting south-east facing snowfield on the Mount Washington Summit Cone links up one of the longest runs in Tuckerman. The relatively moderate pitch and forgiving wide-open slopes make this a great option for first turns in the ravine. Later in the spring, snowmelt undermines this zone, forming deep crevasses and eventually opening a terminal waterfall.

Looker’s right of The Lip descending from the Lion Head ridge is a series of gullies that get progressively steeper from right to left. The first R3, or Right of Right of Right Gully, only has snow in the best years. Next—named for its

New England Ski Museum photo

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shape of the forking gullies at the top—Lobster Claw offers good early season skiing with a shallow snowpack that melts out faster than other routes. Right Gully—another classic run for first turns in the ravine—is a direct climbing route to access skiing on the east snowfields on the Summit Cone. Right Gully has a dog-leg, right-hand turn above the “Lunch Rocks,” a hazard for a long, sliding fall. Located between The Lip and the Right Gully is The Sluice.

The steepest run in the ravine follows a serpentine route down the right flank. All three of these runs are south facing. They are the first to receive the warming rays of the sun and are best skied earlier in the day.

To the left of The Lip, extending across to The Chute is the Headwall. There are numerous lines and variations at different snow levels. Just to the left of The Lip is The Icefall, a series of 10- to 20-foot frozen waterfalls. Further to the left is the Center Gully, with several steep chutes and routes through a maze of rock outcroppings and ice flows. Access the Icefalls and Center

The Lip, or traversing in from the top of the Left Gully.

On the far-left side of the bowl is a couloir that almost stands by itself as a separate zone. Once you hike up into the Left Gully, you enter a shear-walled granite cathedral. The crowds of the ravine are left behind as you follow the boot pack to the top. The fan at the top of the Gully forms a steep near-cornice slope on skiers’ left and a slightly less steep route on skiers’ right. The Left Gully faces northeast; its high walls keep the snow in the shade for most of the day. It has the longest season of all the routes in Tuckerman.

Outside of the ravine, another popular option is the lines off of the Boott Spur Ridge. Hillman’s Highway is similar to, but longer than, the Left Gully. The highway is the long diagonal couloir south of Tuckerman Ravine. It offers two steep forks at the top, combining into a long, more moderate grade couloir about a quarter of the way down. At the halfway point, skiers have the option of traversing into the Lower Snowfields for

Gully by traversing in from above The Lip. Careful route finding is essential to avoid the cliff bands and waterfalls. The traverse into the center wall is “no-fall terrain.”

On the looker’s left side of the bowl is the iconic hourglassshaped route called The Chute. The Chute is among the steeper lines in the bowl. The route starts off with wide-open turns at the top, funneling down through a narrow choke before opening back up into the lower bowl. There are variations to the north and south for riders looking to test their steep and tight skiing mettle.

Access The Chute by boot-packing up it, traversing in from above

more wide-open turns. To the looker’s left and right of Hillman’s are Dodges Drop and the Duchess, two of Mount Washington’s most technical lines. Lines to the looker’s left of Dodges include Stove Pipe, Cathedral and the Boott Spur gulleys. Access all of the Hillman’s Highway zone from the top of the Sherburne Ski Trail. Ascend the highway boot pack to the top and scramble along the Boot Spur Ridge to your chosen line.

Exiting Tuckerman Ravine is the Little Headwall and Sherburne Ski Trail. In good years, early in the season, skiers and riders can slide all the way from the floor of the bowl to the

All of the skiing on Mount Washington is prone to avalanches, except for the Sherburne Ski Trail.

Near its top, even the Gulf of Slides ski trail is struck by debris from avalanches. Travelers hiking, climbing, or skiing on or below steep, open slopes should carry basic avalanche safety gear— a beacon, probe, and shovel—and seek education via an avalanche awareness and safety course.

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parking lot in Pinkham Notch. After passing the first-aid cache, the drainage flowing out of the ravine drops over a series of waterfalls called the Little Headwall. When filled in with snow, this area—to the looker’s right of the lower snowfields—offers one last pitch of steep skiing before dropping down the 2.5-mile Sherburne Ski Trail. The Sherburne was cut by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 30s and retains the character of a classic New England ski trail. It is an excellent stand-alone ski tour mid-winter when the avalanche danger is elevated. In the prime season, be ready for 2.5 miles of moguls, water bars, and exposed rocks or dirt patches.

Later in May, long after the lifts have stopped spinning down in the Valley, the Mount Washington Auto Road season opens. The East Fields is a moderate grade snowfield with 800 feet of buttery corn turns located on the eastern flank of the Summit Cone. Once the road is clear, skiers and riders can access the snowfields from the summit of Mount Washington.

Park in the last pullout on the left before the last steep pitch to the summit and scramble over the rocks to the top of the snowfields. You cannot see the snow from the parking area.

The tailgate party starts in May and continues while the snow lasts. Spring skiers also access the steep couloirs of the Great Gulf from the road.

SAFETY

“You control your own risk by choosing where, when, and how you travel.” – Mount Washington Avalanche Center

Avalanches

All of the skiing on Mount Washington is prone to avalanches, except for the Sherburne Ski Trail. Near its top, even the Gulf of Slides ski trail is struck by debris from avalanches. Travelers hiking, climbing, or skiing on or below steep, open slopes should carry basic avalanche safety gear—a beacon, probe, and shovel—and seek education via an avalanche awareness and safety course. While winter snowpack elevates the risk, Avalanches are triggered during “calendar” spring months.

Those choosing to ski when a dynamic winter snowpack exists should seek out more avalanche safety and rescue education and travel with experienced companions.

The melt-freeze cycle of spring reduces—but does not eliminate—the avalanche risk. Be aware of recent snowstorms, exceptionally warm days, and periods when the temperatures stay above freezing overnight. Rapid warming can cause wet avalanches as the top layer of the snow turns to slush and runs down the hill and cause sections of the bowl to “blow-out” in large wet slides. The best defense against wet avalanches is terrain awareness. If caught or knocked off your feet, understand where you will be swept, and choose terrain that minimizes exposure to cliffs, trees, and hazardous terrain. Lingering on the floor of the bowl puts you in the crosshairs of these types of slides, sometimes large enough to bury a person.

Ice-Fall

Falling ice is a significant springtime hazard in Tuckerman Ravine. On warm spring days, ice exposed by melting snow breaks off of the ravine walls, tumbles down the steep slopes, crashes into rocks, and explodes into clouds of shrapnel. The chunks of ice can range from watermelon to pick-up-truck-size and will kill or severely injure anyone hit. This ice breaks off when the connection to the rock melts from warm temperatures, direct sunlight, or periods of rain. Cold temperatures reduce this hazard. If there is good spring skiing, there is risk of ice-fall.

Spring 2019

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FOTR is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization incorporated to preserve and protect the unique alpine U.S. Forest Service to sustain the traditional uses of this distinctive area and to support

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Layout & Graphics by WiseguyCreative.com. Aerial photography by Aerial Photo NH

The best way to avoid being hit by falling ice is to minimize time spent directly under (in the fall line of) ice visible high on the ravine walls. Ice-fall hits the area called “Lunch Rocks” and the area directly below the ice flow in the center headwall every season. Don’t hike up or have lunch in the line of fire for hanging ice. Instead, sit on your pack, lower in the floor of the bowl. The view is still superb, and you reduce your risk to near zero.

Icy Surfaces and Long Sliding Falls

When temperatures drop below freezing, the sweet buttery corn snow locks up into hard, icy, pocketed, surfaces akin to the surface of a golf ball. The freeze-up happens quickly at the end of the day as slopes move into the shade, overnight, or when temperatures drop below freezing. Falling under these conditions results in long uncontrollable slides, often causing serious injury and even death. An ice axe and crampons and the skills to use them are your best defense against long sliding falls in steep terrain.

Skiers should be wary of dropping into shaded routes late in the afternoon. Sometimes finding an alternate softer or lower-angled route down, or pulling out the crampons and down-hiking is safer than testing your edge tune on a steep icy slope.

Crevasses/Undermined Snow

Crevasses are holes in the snow, often large enough to swallow a

GEAR GUIDE

person. The snowpack gliding or creeping downslope will crack, creating a crevasse. When crevasses form over undermined snow, they create deep, inescapable holes with cold water flowing through them. The Lip and the Center Bowl have the largest and most dangerous crevasses. The Chute and Hillman’s can also develop crevasses. This hazard develops later in the spring after an extended warm period. The crevasses increase in size and danger as the season progresses.

Undermined snow is caused by snowmelt flowing under the surface of the snow. Hikers and skiers can break through areas of undermined snow and fall into the river flowing underneath. Undermined snow is found on warm days in terrain that naturally collects and channelizes the flow, commonly found in the brook bed between Tuckerman Ravine and Hermit Lake Shelter, the Little Headwall, Lobster Claw, Right Gully, and Hillman’s Highway.

Skiers and riders can avoid crevasses and undermined snow by learning how to identify each hazard and avoiding the areas where they are present. The Snow Rangers and Mount Washington Ski Patrol are great resources to find out where these hazards are developing.

Bad Weather/Exposure

Mount Washington is the Home of the “World’s Worst Weather.”

The summit sits on the convergence of major storm tracks.

The world-record wind speed recorded by a human (231 mph) occurred on the peak in April 1934. Rain, snow, sleet, thick fog, high winds, blowing snow are all common occurrences, often on the same day.

Unprepared travelers can quickly get into trouble as conditions deteriorate. The weather acts as a complicating factor and can turn what would be a minor injury in the frontcountry into a life-or-death situation. The weather changes quickly. Travelers should understand the forecast and maintain situational aware-

First-aid kit: One per group

HARD-GOODS RECOMMENDATIONS Below is a list of some of the essential gear you’ll need to head up to the ravine for a day. It may be spring in the Valley, but consider that winter-like conditions exist on Mount Washington year-round.

Crampons: Aluminum or steel with front points, MICROspikes are not a substitute

Skis: AT or telemark skis/splitboard with climbing skins or alpine skis/snowboard with microspikes or snowshoes

Food: Lunch, snacks; enough to keep fueled over the length of the planned adventure

Ice axe/whippet: Short mountaineering axe or Whippet ski pole

Boots: Alpine, alpine touring, or telemark

Water: Wide-mouth bottles, 2+ liters a minimum; can be replenished at Hermit Lake

Poles: Regular or adjustable ski poles

Headlamp: Two sources of light

Backpack: 30- to 45-liter backpack with attachments for skis/board and ice axe

Repair kit: Leatherman, zip ties, duct tape, and ski straps

Beacon: Required safety gear for travel in avalanche terrain

Additional: Sunglasses, sunscreen, camera, map/compass

Probe: Required safety gear for travel in avalanche terrain

SOFT-GOODS RECOMMENDATIONS

Shovel: Required safety gear for travel in avalanche terrain

Layers: An appropriate layering system for the forecasted weather, with extra in case of emergency

Helmet: Skiing or climbing helmet

Base Layers: Light- to mid-weight

synthetics, tight fitting and close to skin, tops and bottoms Over-Base Layer: Light-weight fleece or heavy-weight Techwick®; Power Stretch® and micro-fleece are ideal materials for this layer Insulation Layer: 200- to 300-weight fleece, heavyweight soft shell, or PrimaLoft® sweater jacket Wind and Rain Layer: Waterproof/ breathable pants and jacket, jacket with full waterproof/breathable hood Hunker-down layer: “Puffy coat” hooded jacket insulated with down or PrimaLoft® Gloves: 1 pair of mittens; 1 pair fleece or liner gloves; 1 pair of ski gloves Hat: fleece or wool Socks: Wool/synthetic Face protection: Balaclava, neoprene face mask, or buff

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Klementovich Photography

Klementovich Photography

Wiseguy Creative Photography

(L) Now part of the National Ski Patrol – Eastern Division, the Mount Washington Volunteer Ski Patrol (MWVSP) patrols Tuckerman and Huntington ravines from March through the end of May for each spring skiing season. (C) As the spring sun shines brightly into the ravine, rocks warm and melt the snow away, leaving massive, sometimes unseen, holes and crevasses, some which can be deep and filled with water. (R) Skiers and hikers gather at the Hermit Lake Shelter—a great spot to grab lunch or change layering and footwear to prepare for travel in alpine terrain. Potable water and pit toilets are available.

ness as the weather changes. A puffy coat, water- and windproof-layer, and an extra set of gloves could be lifesaving pieces of kit, and are worth the weight. The ability to recognize deteriorating weather to decide when to turn around and head down could save your life.

The best source for weather info for the region and higher summits is the Mount Washington Observatory website, www.mountwashington.org. Photos and videos are updated frequently at www.instagram.com/mwacenter.

LOGISTICS

How to Get There

The Tuckerman Ravine Trail leaves the AMC Pinkham Notch Visitor Center (PNVC) on Route 16, south of Gorham, NH. There is additional parking in offhighway lots south of the visitor center.

Parking is not allowed along Route 16 when snow banks prohibit vehicles from being completely off the pavement. NH State Troopers will ticket cars parked in the emergency/breakdown lane.

It is 2.4 miles and 1,800 feet up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to Hermit Lake Shelter. Early in the season, it’s easiest to skin up this trail using alpine touring, splitboard, or telemark equipment. Later in the season, travelers strap their ski/ board to their pack and hike up to the snow line. It is possible and common for those with traditional alpine skis or snowboards to hike all the way to Hermit Lake with hiking boots and traction devices, such as MICROspikes®.

At Hermit Lake, skiers, climbers, and boarders stop on the deck to visually recon Tuckerman Ravine and Hillman’s Highway, grab a snack, check the latest weather and avalanche forecast, and transition gear and clothing for travel in alpine terrain.

The AMC Caretaker, Mount Washington Ski Patrol, and Snow Rangers are available Spring 2019

to provide updates on the conditions and hazards. Potable water and pit toilets are available at the Hermit Lake Shelter.

From Hermit Lake, skiers and riders headed to the Hillman’s zone will head left, over the brook bed, and up the top of the Sherburne Ski Trail to the foot of Hillman’s Highway. Travelers headed to Tuckerman Ravine Trail will exit the courtyard to the right and boot or skin up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail into Tuckerman Ravine.

If the Little Headwall is filled in, skiers and riders can exit the ravine, ski over the Little Headwall, and down the Sherburne Ski Trail to Pinkham Notch. When the Little Headwall waterfall blows out, skiers and riders are asked to hike down the Tuckerman Ravine Trail and cross over to the Sherburne Ski Trail at Hermit Lake. The ski lines of the Hillman’s zone exit directly into the Sherburne Ski Trail.

Head down to Pinkham by skiing the Sherburne Ski Trail as far as the snow lasts. Once the snow runs out, cross over to the Tuckerman Ravine Trail at the nearest cutover and hike down to Pinkham. The Snow Rangers will close the Sherburne Ski Trail at the last cutover before the snow runs out.

It’s often tempting to duck the rope and keep skiing, but rarely worth it. Keep in mind that the Sherburne is for skiing and the Tucks trail is for hiking. Don’t ski down the hiking trail or hike up or down the skiing trail.

Over the past few summers, volunteers from Friends of Tuckerman Ravine and Granite Backcountry Alliance trimmed back the encroaching brush, opening up the “Sherbie” to the base of the Little Headwall. Each year, the snow rangers rope off sections of the Sherburne as the snow coverage retreats up the hill. It’s important not to walk on the muddy slopes below, since this can lead to erosion that can ultimately ruin the ski slopes.

Organizations Protecting the Ravine and Promoting Safety

Several non-profit organizations work to preserve the “Tuckerman Experience,” maintain infrastructure, and promote public safety.

The Mount Washington Volunteer Ski Patrol is on duty each spring to provide public outreach, medical aid, and searchand-rescue support for Tuckerman and Huntington ravines. Founded in 1939, the ski patrol is one of the oldest National Ski Patrol chapters in the country.

The White Mountain Avalanche Education Foundation promotes avalanche awareness by leading youth avalanche awareness courses, providing science curriculum to high schools, conducting avalanche awareness presentations for the general public around New England, and hosting the annual Eastern Snow and Avalanche Workshop.

Friends of Tuckerman Ravine provides financial and material support for the Mount Washington Avalanche Center and supports infrastructure maintenance and upgrade projects in the Cutler River Drainage.

The friends’ group—working with Granite Backcountry Alliance—are the trail adopters of the Gulf of Slides and Sherburne ski trails, and host periodic volunteer trail work days. Friends of Tuckerman Ravine host the annual Tuckerman Inferno adventure race the second Saturday in April.

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WiseguyCreative.com photo

SPRING RAPIDS In the valley

By Jake Risch

During the paddling season, members of the tight-knit paddling community turn into amateur weather forecasters, monitoring precipitation and temperature forecasts, United States Geological Survey river gauges, and remaining snowpack to predict when rivers will have sufficient water to paddle.

T

he Mt. Washington Valley is known for spectacular hiking, historic ski routes, and impressive granite walls for rock climbing. Less people know that the Valley is also home to steep bouldery streams and rivers that beckon the Northeast’s whitewater paddlers during the spring run-off and fall tropical storm

season. These streams or “steep creeks” in whitewater parlance offer classic runs, ranging from class II through class V on the international scale of river difficulty.

During the paddling season, members of the tight-knit paddling community turn into amateur weather forecasters, monitoring precipitation

and temperature forecasts, United States Geological Survey river gauges, and remaining snowpack to predict when rivers will have sufficient water to paddle.

A couple of days before a major rain event, their phones blow up with group text message threads: “who can paddle,” “what’s your time window,” “dude,

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ELLIS RIVER Brian Boyle exits the class V “Gorge Rapid” on the Upper Ellis River in Pinkham Notch.

don’t jinx it,” “dawn patrol, anyone.” It’s enough to drive non-paddling spouses and significant others crazy.

Once a group gets organized, there is a full range of whitewater available in the Mt. Washington Valley to chase water. Beginners can get their start on the class II sections of the Saco River. The Bearcamp River in Tamworth is a great training ground for class II and III paddlers. The classic Swift River provides challenges for newer paddlers to build up their class III and IV skills on high-quality whitewater that scratches the itch for veteran padSpring 2019

dlers. Aspiring paddlers can step up to the East Branch of the Saco, another class IV test piece. Hard charging “hair boaters” will find plenty of action on the class IV and V sections of the Cold, Dry, Ellis, Peabody, Sawyer, and Wildcat rivers.

Beginners get their first taste of whitewater on the Town Run section of the Saco. This section that starts at Davis Park in Conway and finishes just after the Route 302 bridge. It is a go-to stretch for local paddling schools and clubs. Another beginner run is the Inferno section of the Saco in Bartlett. This section from Thorne Pond to Humphrey’s Ledge contains flat and moving water, with a few class II rapids to keep things interesting.

Paddlers looking to work on their eddy hopping, surfing, and river running skills should head to the Bearcamp River in Tamworth. This three-and-a-half-milelong run is an excellent teaching river with class II and III rapids. There are plenty of opportunities to work on eddy turns, ferries, and front surfing. The class IV gorge above the put-in offers advanced paddlers a challenging warm up.

Flowing into the Bearcamp in Tamworth, Cold Brook, is a class V whitewater fun park. Tumbling down out of the Ossipee Range, Cold Brook cascades over seven distinct navigable waterfalls ranging from 10 to 30 feet tall and through a 300-yard long narrow river gorge. This photogenic run is short; paddlers can make multiple laps in a day.

Another class III classic is the Upper section of the Saco. Starting at the base of an impressive gorge across from the Notchland Inn in Crawford Notch, the Upper Saco offers over six miles of constant class III rapids. The hardest rapids, Sawyers Rock and Tweedledum Tweedledee, can be seen from Route 302 on the way to the put in.

The gorge at the beginning of the run adds a class IV challenge to the run.

The gem of the White Mountains is the Swift River. Following the Kancamagus Highway on the Conway side, the Swift offers something for every ability.

Above the Rocky Gorge tourist sight is a class I and II section. Beginner paddlers should make a note of the take-out to ensure they get out before the class V rapid through Rocky Gorge. From Rocky Gorge to Lower Falls, the Swift River is mostly class II and III with some harder rapids leading into the Lower Falls tourist area.

There are multiple routes through Lower Falls that are either class IV or class V, depending on flows. One popular route

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UPPER ELLIS RIVER

Matt Risch is on the money, finding the right slot on the Upper Ellis River.

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is for kayakers to launch off the six-foot vertical drop in the center of the falls.

Below lower falls to the Darby Field sign, where the Swift departs the Kancamagus Highway, is a stretch of classic class III-IV boulder gardens. Highlights of this section are the class IV Cabin Gorge rapid, a quarter-mile puzzle of granite boulders over three distinct rapids, and the Stair-

on unsuspecting boaters. Linking sections above—accessible when the White Mountain National Forest Service gates are open—provides one of the longest continuous whitewater runs in the Valley.

The upper section includes a two-mile class V section that flows into a four-mile class IV section. The Upper East Branch is a remote wilderness run, far from the

case, another class IV drop with a sticky hydraulic at the bottom to avoid.

A go-to after-work run is the East Branch of the Saco along Town Hall Road in Bartlett. The East Branch has several sections that are regularly run.

The most popular is the lower two-anda-half miles. Starting just above the first bridge over the river on the Town Hall Road, the East Branch offers consistent class III whitewater with several harder class IV rapids. This section has several hidden sticky hydraulics that sneak up

road. Unfortunately, as of the time of publishing, the Upper East Branch has a significant number of downed trees blocking passage and creating serious life-threatening hazards to navigation.

Stepping it up a notch, kayakers looking to push into class V territory will find plenty of action on the Sawyer River in Livermore. The Sawyer is a non-stop bobsled run of a river. Early in the spring, paddlers access the river by hiking two miles up the Sawyer River Road to the camp at the Cabin Slide rapid. Kayakers

Starting just above the first bridge over the river on the Town Hall Road, the East Branch offers consistent class III whitewater with several harder class IV rapids. This section has several hidden sticky hydraulics that sneak up on unsuspecting boaters.

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SAWYER RIVER

Nate Harvey uses his Jedi skills on the Sawyer River’s class V “Attacking the Death Star.”

who are feeling their oats can choose to put in above the V+ Cabin Slide. The Cabin Slide is a 60-foot tall, 300-yard long series of waterslides over granite slab that ends with a tight slalom move around an undercut boulder to avoid a rather sticky hydraulic, or hole.

The Cabin Slide is the real deal for class V paddlers. It’s hard to scout and has significant consequence for a missed line. Fortunately, it is easy to put in right

long hike with your boat, is the Dry River flowing out of Oakes Gulf.

Flowing out of Pinkham Notch, paddlers have descended the entire length of the Ellis River from the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center to Route 302 in Glen. The section below Goodrich Falls offers great class II and III boating at a wide range of water levels. The river is mostly class III and IV, offering a similar lower volume longer run to the Swift from the Route

below and run the rest of the river. The rest of the river is non-stop whitewater action, with constant rapids. The action at normal water levels is solid class IV with a couple of class V rapids boasting names, such as Attacking the Death Star, Pin Kit, and Baby Hammer Factor. Paddlers heading to the Sawyer should be confident with their class IV abilities and follow someone down who knows the run the first few times. Most of the rapids look very similar from the top. It will take a few runs to get your bearings. Another similar run in the area, if you’re up for a

16 Bridge near the old Dana Place, down through Jackson to Goodrich Falls.

The highlight for me is the Upper Ellis. Starting where the river first rejoins Route 16 on its way south down to the Dana Place Inn, is a classic class V test piece. The run starts out with four 6- to 10-foot, class V waterfalls, and a mandatory portage. It then drops down through a section of class V eddy-hopping above another set of falls. Class IV action continues to The Gorge. The Gorge is a threesection rapid where paddlers have to make a move to avoid a large boulder in

The Cabin Slide is the real deal for class V paddlers. It’s hard to scout and has significant consequence for a missed line. The rest of the river is non-stop whitewater action, with constant rapids.

the center of the river, navigate another six-foot vertical drop, and exit the Gorge via a final six-foot plunge. The run finishes with a half-mile of “boogie water.”

Other, more challenging, runs in the Pinkham Notch drainages include the Wildcat, and branches of the Peabody.

Maybe, if you ask, one of the local paddlers will fill you in on the logistics of these lesser-known gems.

Although the season is short, the Mt. Washington Valley offers paddlers a variety of runs that cover the full spectrum of whitewater challenge. I encourage those looking to get into the sport to take a lesson, find a mentor, and learn the ropes.

PADDLING RESOURCES

Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center www.greatglentrails.com Beginner whitewater kayak lessons Sawyer River Group www.sawyerrivergroup.com Swiftwater rescue courses White Mountain Swiftwater Rescue Team www.wmsrt.org Support river search and rescue

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Photos by Thomas Giordonello

By Lulu Henle

Collaborating with local farmers and foragers, Tamworth Distilling & Mercantile is causing a stir with its innovative approach to unique small-batch, craft spirits.

T

amworth, New Hampshire has always been a town of growers and makers. Beginning in the late 19th century, this small town at the foot of the White Mountains functioned as a seasonal haven for politicians, artists, and the academic elite, while the roots of the local community remained steadfastly agricultural. Over the years, those branches have intertwined, and today a standard coffee shop conversation in Tamworth spans the spectrum from poetry to politics to this year’s crop yield. On a summer weekend you can find local produce and crafts at the bustling Tamworth Farmer’s Market, attend a workshop on 19th-century medicine at the Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, and catch a show at the historic Barnstormers Theatre, all in the same day. Tamworth is a town known for breeding growth and invention, while also honoring the past.

Today this collaborative and creative drive is gaining Tamworth international recognition in a new field: craft spirits.

Tamworth Distilling & Mercantile, a small-batch, scratch-made craft distillery, Spring 2019

opened its doors three and a half years ago, and has been causing a stir with its innovative approach to distilling and the unique, fresh flavors the distiller produces. They collaborate with local farmers and foragers to distill a wide variety of spirits, all produced in small batches in accordance with the seasons.

Most of Tamworth Distilling’s spirits are distributed to New Hampshire State liquor stores and are available year round.

A handful of notable classics include: White Mountain Vodka, Tamworth Garden White Mountain Gin, and Chocorua Rye Whiskey; as well as the recent addition of Old Hampshire Blended Applejack, a blended apple brandy distilled from New Hampshire-grown apples. The distillery is currently campaigning to declare Old Hampshire the official state spirit of New Hampshire. Another spirit currently available in state liquor stores is a limited winter release called Skiklubben, a unique take on a traditional Scandinavian spirit infused with caraway called aqvavit or aquavit, which has yet to gain much recognition in the U.S. Tamworth Distill-

ing is one of only a handful of American distilleries to produce an aquavit, which is available through the winter, only while supplies last.

While the abovementioned spirits are available state-wide and all year, only at the distillery’s tasting bar in Tamworth Village that one can discover the full range of their experimental portfolio. Take Art in the Age Maplejack, for example, a lowproof, apple brandy flavored with maple syrup tapped from local New Hampshire trees. Or the Tamworth Garden gin series, which incorporates seasonal ingredients collected by hand at various times of year in order to, as head distiller Jamie Oakes puts it, “recreate the essence of that season in a bottle.” These gins are flavored with hand-foraged balsam poplar buds, pine resin, spruce tips, local honey, and a variety of wildflowers grown in the raised beds on the distillery property.

At first glance, it may seem strange to have a craft distillery tucked away so far off the beaten path, but a closer look reveals how it makes perfect sense.

Tamworth Distilling is the brain-child

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of advertising maverick (and seasonal Tamworth resident) Steven Grasse, and was born from the desire to produce topquality spirits from scratch, using only the best ingredients sourced as locally as possible. Frustrated with the oversaturated market of mass-produced and artificially flavored spirits run by gigantic companies, Grasse decided to start his own distillery, bringing spirits back to their agricultural roots. Grasse explains,

of history, he was also attracted to the rich background of creatives who had spent time in Tamworth. Once Grasse spent some time in the small town at the foot of the White Mountains, the pieces started to fall into place. He bought a historic house in town and soon met Oakes, whiskey-lover and native of Madison, New Hampshire, who would eventually become Tamworth’s head distiller. Oakes connected Grasse with fellow Kennett

it held for the town, was determined to save as much of the original structure as he could. Today the distillery itself is housed in a new building, but next door stands the renovated remains of the inn’s original wing.

Since opening its doors in 2015, Tamworth Distilling has delivered on all of Grasse’s original dreams, invigorating the local economy and producing spirits drawn directly from the surrounding

“Working alongside farmers and foragers allows the distillery to create a symbolic whole, while remaining accountable to their local communities.” A native of Pennsylvania, Grasse had also witnessed the irrevocable effects of fracking on the local farming industries and resolved to find a home for his dream distillery where the water would not be threatened by such pollution.

With these thoughts in mind, Grasse found Tamworth. He had family ties to the Lakes Region and had grown up spending summers in the area. A lover

alum Matt Power—a Tamworth native who had just earned his master’s degree in chemistry and was looking for a career that brought him closer to nature, rather than trapping him in a pharmaceutical lab. The three of them put their heads together to design a distillery on the bones of the old Tamworth Inn—once a thriving part of Tamworth’s community that had been unused and boarded up for years, leaving a vacuum in the heart of Tamworth Village, both physically and culturally. Grasse, recognizing the beauty of the old building and the importance

environment. Grasse, Oakes, and Power are eager to explore the wilder (and stranger) side of what the environment has to offer. The most obvious example from this year is the ultra-limited release of Eau de Musc: a bourbon flavored with real beaver castor. Beaver castor, or castoreum, has been used for centuries as a natural flavoring agent, a fact Power discovered when researching the list of ingredients recognized by the TTB (The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) as safe for use in commercial products. Inspired by this fact, Tamworth

Tamworth Distilling is the brain-child of advertising maverick (and seasonal Tamworth resident) Steven Grasse, and was born from the desire to produce top-quality spirits from scratch, using only the best ingredients sourced as locally as possible.

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acquired a small amount of sustainably and ethically sourced castoreum from a trapper in southern New Hampshire and blended it with two-year-old bourbon and other local botanicals that are found in a New Hampshire beaver’s environment: birch bark, fir needles, raspberry, and wild ginger. The resulting spirit sold out from Tamworth’s retail space in a matter of weeks, but as Grasse says, “We have plenty of other crazy ideas up our

worth. Unlike castoreum, which inspired a spirit because it was already certified as a useable ingredient, the recipe for Blueberry Black Trumpet Cordial came first, with approvals following. Oakes and Power wanted to infuse a blueberry cordial and found that low-bush blueberries and black trumpet mushrooms tend to grow in the same areas. When they infused the two together, they made a perfect pair. The black trumpets added just enough earthi-

focus on one or two categories—just gin and vodka, or just whiskey—but at Tamworth Distilling they do not limit themselves to any one type. If they can get their grains (or in the case of brandy, fruit) from farms within a 150-mile radius of the distillery, they will make it.

With that brief in mind, Tamworth Distilling produces vodka, whiskeys, gins, brandies, and a variety of other experimental and sometimes uncategorizable spir-

sleeve; keep an eye out because you never know what we’ll decide to try next.”

Eau de Musc was the most sensational of Tamworth’s wild offerings, but it by no means stands alone. One of Tamworth’s most popular spirits is their Art in the Age Blueberry Black Trumpet Cordial, an infusion of low-bush Maine blueberries and black trumpet mushrooms, foraged locally by the NH Mushroom Company in Tam-

ness to give the spirit authentic character.

The result quickly became a fan favorite, one of the few spirits Tamworth Distilling tries to have in stock at their tasting bar all year round.

From the first day they opened, Tamworth Distilling has impressed their audience, not only with the quality of their products, but with a wide range of uncommon spirits. Most distilleries will

its—often spurred by whichever crop is particularly good that year, or what new relationships they’ve forged with local producers and farmers. The only spirits you will never find from Tamworth are tequila and rum, since they are distilled from agave and sugarcane, respectively, crops which are unlikely to grow on a New England farm anytime soon because they require a warmer climate. Rye, corn,

One of Tamworth’s most popular spirits is their Art in the Age Blueberry Black Trumpet Cordial, an infusion of low-bush Maine blueberries and black trumpet mushrooms, foraged locally by the NH Mushroom Company in Tamworth.

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The Nashua - by Chef Steffani Adaska Type: Adult beverage. Serves: 1. Prep time: 2 minutes Inspired by a creative cocktail from MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar in Nashua, NH, Chef Steffani Adaska recreates this cocktail with Tamworth Distilling’s White Mountain Gin and North Conway Olive Oil’s Black Cherry Balsamic Vinegar INGREDIENTS • 2 oz White Mountain Gin • 1 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur • 1.5 oz + 1 teaspoon Black Cherry Balsamic vinegar

• 3 oz grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed is ideal) • Luxardo Maraschino Cherry • Ice

DIRECTIONS Place ice, gin, elderflower liqueur, 1.5 ounces Black Cherry Balsamic and grapefruit juice into a bar shaker. Place the lid on top and shake vigorously for at least 17 shakes. Pour into a chilled glass. Drizzle with an additional teaspoon’s worth of Black Cherry Balsamic and garnish with cherry. Enjoy! barley, and wheat are sourced from farms spread throughout New England and Upstate New York. Apples are sourced from Carter Hill Orchard in Concord, where they are pressed to a fresh cider and delivered to Tamworth in large totes.

Whenever a recipe requires a malted grain—a complex process involving the wetting and gradual drying of grains to release specific flavors—Tamworth sends

their fresh grains to be hand-malted by Valley Malt in Western Massachusetts.

In addition to sourcing all of their ingredients as locally as possible, Tamworth Distilling also recycles and reuses their spent ingredients to the fullest extent, leaving as little waste as possible and continuing the cycle of local agriculture. Spent grains are sent to White Gates Farm in Tamworth where they enter the feed for cows and pigs and are used in

organic compost; and to Sunnyfield Brick Oven Bakery in Wonalancet, where they are baked into “distillers” bread. Remaining fruits and berries left over from infusions are pressed, refermented, and used to create the distillery’s ultra-limited “Test Kitchen” series, available only at the tasting bar in Tamworth in production quantities as small as 50 bottles. In 2017, Tamworth produced a one-time limited release of lemon-infused vodka in collaboration with Flatbread Pizza Co., using only lemon peels that were left over from Flatbread’s signature maple syrup lemonade. “It was one of our more labor-intensive products for sure,” says Power, “what with picking up all the lemon peels [from North Conway, Portsmouth, and Amesbury, MA], but … it was worth it.”

Now that Tamworth is releasing a range of fully aged products, new doors are opening for collaborations within the community.

The very first barrel that they emptied—which held their commemorative 1766 Rye Whiskey released in honor of the town’s 250th anniversary in 2016— was sold to local cider makers, Dube & Robinson. Their “So Local” cider, made from local wild and heirloom apples, is now resting in the same barrel before being bottled. Another early barrel, used to age Tamworth’s William Whipple Winter Wheat Whiskey, was sold to Lucas

Roasting Company in Wolfeboro, where it’s been used to rest green coffee beans before roasting. The resulting espresso coffee was in turn utilized by Hobb’s Tavern in Tamworth for their coffee stout, which eventually made its way back to Sunnyfield Bakery for a stout gingerbread sold at the Lyceum alongside cups of Whipple espresso. “That was a really fun progression to see,” says Oakes, “that was really the full circle of what we’re all about.” Oakes states the distillery receives inquiries about purchasing spent barrels almost every day, but for now, most of them have to walk away disappointed. “We haven’t even come close to reaching the threshold of what we can do, creatively, with those empty barrels.

Eventually we’ll have a lot more barrels to recirculate, but for now we have to be very selective, and keep back most of them for our own experiments.”

If the past three and a half years are any indication, future experiments are something to watch out for. While it is not legal to ship spirits in New Hampshire, Tamworth Distilling is open every weekend for spirit tastings and purchases, along with barware and other luxury gift items, just in time for the new season!

Tamworth spirits, available in state liquor stores, can be located through the Liquor Commission’s website.

To stay updated on all of Tamworth’s current releases, hop online to their website at www.tamworthdistilling.com, or follow them on Instagram @tamworthdistilling.

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INVESTMENT/DEVELOPMENT PROPERTY. 14 acres zoned mixed use adjacent to Attitash makes this a one-of-a-kind location.

MLS# 4723460

Specializing in commercial & residential real estate Keller Williams Lakes & Mountains

www.barnstobeaches.com

51 HOLDERNESS RD, SANDWICH, NH Imagine owning a piece of history, charming home with a lovely setting in the sweet village of Sandwich N.H Schedule your home tour today!

MLS# 4727066 Spring 2019

2285 ROUTE 16, WHITE MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY, OSSIPEE, NH Gorgeous, historic Gingerbread Farm. Your new home and business will sit on 16 acres of lush fields. High-traffic count, great visbility, and enjoy the river frontage!

MLS# 4693457 65

Know of an interesting story, past or present, pertaining to the Valley? See something here that isn’t accurate? Let us know! Send suggestions or corrections to info@mwvvibe.com.

Benjamin Champney, one of the most celebrated landscape artists, was born in New Ipswich, NH in 1817. When his father died suddenly in 1827, his mother sent him to Lebanon, NH, where he attended school, and was encouraged to sketch and draw. At 16, he moved to Boston and talked himself into an apprenticeship with the Pendleton Lithographic Co. There, he experimented with color landscapes and later continued his education in Paris, France. Upon his return in 1846, he had established himself as one of the best young American landscape artists. In 1850, he returned to the White Mountains, a place he was always fond of, calling the landscape WhiteMountainArt.com photo “something more than terrestrial.”

Carroll Reed and the Eastern Slope region’s relationship began in the 1930s, when the popularity of the area was growing among skiers. Reed was a banker at John Hancock Insurance Co. in Boston and would ski on weekends. A day at Wildcat Mountain in 1934 would change his life forever. Spring conditions caused Reed to ski out of control into a tree, ConwayDailySun.com photo partially paralyzing his lower extremities. After surgery and rehabilitation, he began to regain feeling. While in the hospital, he read about Hannes Schneider in St. Anton, Austria, and their approach to organized ski schools. He decided to start a ski school to teach proper techniques and avoid accidents like his. The Carroll Reed Ski School opened in 1936 … and the rest is history.

In the years following the Civil War, the country was looking for a way to return to normalcy; many looked to the relaxation of summer getaways. The arrival of the railroad brought accessibility to the White Mountains—resort hotels, hiking clubs, four season travel, which ushered in a “golden age” of tourism. As a result, many different guidebooks of the area were published, enticing visitors to find solace in the woods. Moses F. Sweetser, an avid hiker, wrote White Mountains: A Handbook for Travellers (1881) and recounted “the restorative powers that a week in the mountains could provide.”

While he supported the hotel’s guided tours, he believed the only way to truly experience nature Images-of-new-hampshire-history.com was a self-guided “journey on foot.”

Redstone (Conway, NH) was once a bustling village and the home of the Redstone granite quarry, beginning in the mid-1800s. The quarry was unique because it contained both green and red granite, which was a complement to the quarry in North Jay, ME, (which was primarily gray granite). The North Jay Granite Company purchased the land on Rattlesnake Mountain, where the quarry was located, and the Maine & New Hampshire Granite Corporation was formed. Granite from the quarry was transported all across the country, with ties to Grant’s Tomb (New York), National Archives (Washington, DC), and the Masonic Temple (Alexandria, VA).

The temple was the largest undertaking by the RedstoneQuarryNH.com quarry, using mostly pink granite.

The first meeting of a hiking club in America took place in April of 1863 in Williamstown, MA—the Alpine Club of Williamstown. They organized weekly trips, including a notable trip to the White Mountains. As a result, hiking clubs sprouted up all over New England, including the White Mountain Club of Portland (1873), which lead to the creation of the Appalachian Mountain Club in 1876.

The Tuckerman Ravine snow rangers used battery-powered receivers that helped them find buried avalanche victims. The beacons, carried by skiers in the ravine, transmitted back to the rangers, allowing them to determine the location of skiers.

Prior to the receivers in the 1950s, rangers used long poles to locate buried skiers.

Henry “Swampy” Paris was the founding director of what became the Mount Washington Volunteer Ski Patrol in 1939. A welder by trade, he wanted to help fellow skiers understand the landscape, help the injured, and practice safe ski techniques.

Paris lead the ski patrol until 1982. In 2015, they created the “Mount Washington Volunteer Ski Patrol Swampy Paris Thank-You” award to recognize volunteers who follow Swampy’s example.

Tuckerman Ravine and the headwall were not yet attempted until around 1931, when John Carleton and Charley Proctor became the first to ski the headwall and several gullies. Toni Matt, an Austrian, schussed (skied directly down) the headwall, traveling at high speeds in 1939. Brooks Dodge skied the narrow gullies in the ravine, places the trailblazers of the 1930s did not attempt, including his signature Dodge’s Drop.

The Carroll Reed Shop, founded in 1937, was once home to the “world’s largest ski pole.” In 1955, a large ski pole was placed on the left of the shop and quickly became a landmark. It was later moved to the left of the building, where it stood until April 2018. The ski pole sustained such damage that it could not be salvaged and was removed.

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IT’S WORTH THE TRIP! Over 20,000 square feet of home fashion to fit your family’s needs.

WE DELIVER WITHIN 100 MILES! ROUTE 16 between Berlin & Gorham, NH • 603-752-5212

WE DELIVER WITHIN 100 MILES WWW.TOPFURNITURE.COM • MON - FRI 9-6, SAT 9-5 & SUN 11-4

With exciting displays, a huge selection of new fashions beautifully accessorized for your home and home decorating services,we are the destination for your home furnishing needs. We also have the newest styles in home appliances.

Come see our showroom for the best selection of the latest styles in furniture, and appliances in the North Country!

Spring 2019

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at Kahuna Laguna Indoor Water Park

It’s always 84° in here!

Hotel and Water Park Packages

Red Jacket Mountain View Resort Home of Kahuna Laguna Indoor Water Park

800-RJACKET ( 800-752-2538)

kahunalaguna.com

redjacketresorts.com

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