steve's White Mountain Blog

Franconia Notch State Park New Hampshire-Video drive.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoyIlCSmsqE   

I found A CD I hope you’ll enjoy for this ride through the White Mountains…A Grateful Dead Remake: by reggae band Grateful Dread

Another beautiful day for a drive through this spectacular state park, there are a half dozen places to pull over and hike several 4 -5,000 foot peaks…fishing or swimming at Echo lake beach and boat launch. Try taking a ride up the 80 passenger tram to the summit or Cannon Mountain, or take a bike ride on the miles of paved trail through the woods of Franconia Notch state park.  This is a great ride and a Grateful Dead Remake – done as a Reggae tune made it even better.

One More Cool reason to take a ride...I borrowed a Convertible from my mechanic while my truck was in the  shop.

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That's right, A Foot of Flurries in the Forecast...A Northeast dusting. The weather in New England can change fast, this morning we had blue sky's - but the maps were telling us we had better get ready for the white stuff.

   Cannon Mountain - Blue sky's and just a hint of clouds on the leading edge of winter weather.

  A Short time later...more clouds than sun envelope the ski slopes, but no one is complaining.

 It's gone from clear to cloudy in a matter of minutes, this is the Franconia Notch State Park. All that travel this route know you never come out the way you went in. Both side of this parkway have White mountain peaks rising up sharply to over 5,000 feet of near vertical summits. Cannon, Lafayette, Lincoln, Little Haystack and Liberty Mountains (all over 4,000 feet) form this chain looking down at the thread of pavement below.

When you get snow where you live they cancel school and you hunker down at Home, in the White Mountains we wax our skis and hit the highway...to our favorite recreational ski resort. The White mountain National forest is great for snowshoeing or back country cross-country skiing. A new Foot of Snow -Bring it on!!

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Cannon Mountain - Rugged Beauty in New Hampshire's White Mountains.

One of the first Canadian clippers arrived last night. I awoke to a light snow coming down, the weatherman said to watch for accumulations above 1,500 feet elevation...which is everywhere near my home. The white Mountain peaks that are above 4,000 feet got a good dowsing of the white stuff - enough to see from a distance. Most of my winter seasonal rental start this weekend, and the few that did decide to come up for their first weekend were treated to some pretty snow fall. I can almost guarantee there will be snow on the hills by Halloween.

Woodstock New Hampshire Looking North to Franconia Notch State Park. Lafayette , Liberty & Haystack Mts.

The left hand range is the back side of Cannon Mountain ski area - Owned by the State of New Hampshire, and considered by many locals to be the last rugged real mountain skiing in the state...no valet parking or baked brie on the cafeteria menu. You are more likely to ski with a local logger than a Wing-tipped CEO here. But  if you haven't ski Cannon in awhile it's time to try it out again...New Lifts, snow making and a huge base lodge expansion adds some comfort and convenience to your skiing enjoyment - plus the old Mittersill side long defunct and abandoned was purchased by the state (in a federal land swap) and offers some new (from old) Alpine Terrain. It may be time to try Cannon Mountain again...but no whiners please!!!.

This shot was taken about ten days ago just enough of a dusting to let us know the season is about to change.

Cannon Mountain and Echo Lake...from the top of Artist Bluff...In August.  Much of the new development and expansion is off to the right side of this photo. There is much excitement planned for an open house Scheduled for November 6th 2010...a kick off to the season and additional time for public viewing of the new facilities.

HOME COMING WEEKEND EVENT: Click on the Cannon fan page event link- http://cannonmt.com/events.html

In 1907 Robert Frost rented rooms from a Farmer in Bethlehem New Hampshire, he spent several summers there to find relief from his hay fever. The Frost family loved the area and decided to purchase a farm, he looked for a place with a nice view and quiet setting. When he happened upon the ideal place in Franconia New Hampshire, he asked the owner if he would consider selling the place. As it turned out the farmer was looking to acquire some additional acreage and the sale would allow just that. The two man shook hands on the price of $1,000 after the Frost family got the tour of the place. The Seller Mr. Herbert happened to see Mr. Frost picture in the paper and felt he could raise the terms a bit...the selling price went up by one or two hundred dollars and the deal was completed. The Family moved in June of 1915...the property stayed in the family for many years.In 1976, the Town of Franconia acquired the property to keep the place as a Museum. Since the mid 1970's the property has been used for Conferences, teaching Seminars and local Festivals...it remains open the the public in the summer months and is as it was when the Frost Family made it their home.

 The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could 
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

  Robert Frost 1916

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  Picture taken on one of my favorite Fall Hikes in Franconia, the view over Echo lake and the Slopes of Cannon Mountain Ski Area are in the background. This site is called Artist Bluff and is but a few miles from the Frost Farm. It's no wonder he found inspiration in the hill.

Directions to the Frost Museum: Highway 93 North from Boston 2.5 Hours, Exit 38 left off ramp straight though the one and only blinking light in town across to rte 116 one mile on your right look for the Robert Frost Museum.

State & Federal Land Swap Doubles Cannon Mt. Ski Area.

Upon receipt of a $40,000 federal Check the Swapping of Lands was completed. The 244 acres in Piermont (NH) was appraised for a higher amount than the 100 Acre parcel in Franconia (NH) making up the $40,000 differance in the swap.

A formal Ceremony is scheduled for the Governor’s Office Wednesday, to mark the completion of this 10 year project. with all concerns met to the satisfaction of the Audubon Society and the White Mountain National Forest (liaison Susan Mathison) the transfer was put on record coinciding with the first day of spring.

This appears to be a win – win agreement between the federal governments which manages the Majority of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine (as the Piermont land has a quarter mile section of the trail running through it) and the State of New Hampshire which owns the abutting Cannon mountain Ski area, and will be allowed to expand their ski terrain due to this transfer.

The state will have restriction on ski operations; in that they will only be allowed to cut above 2,500 (elevation) where the Mittersill trails existed prior to 1989. The state will be further monitored by joint efforts between NH fish and Game and the Audubon Society.

If the ski operation proves to be successful this will double the ski-able terrain at Cannon Mountain, one of the oldest continuing downhill ski areas in the United States. State and Federal Officials decided a full environmental impact statement was not required after completing an environmental site assessment on the properties.

 Development Parcel Available offering 114 acres @$499,900

Realtor Steve Loynd of Alpine Lakes Real Estate in Lincoln NH, Tells the White Mountain Post and Ski Times, he has listed an amazing site with Water frontage and views of the existing Cannon Mountain Ski Slopes. The News of the land swap is not only good for the state of New Hampshire but could prove to be a boost for Local Realtors as well. The Town of Lincoln which abuts Franconia Offers an existing bed base, year round activities and amenities for the visitors expected to be draw to the expanded state forest acquisition.

All  Listings Currently Available in the area can be seen through our Web Site. www.alpinelakes.com

                  Further details: steve@alpinelakes.com  / toll free 800-926-5653