Sun-bathers and leisurely swimmers were noticeably absent from Hampton Beach State Park last Sunday but a rare breed of ‘penguins’ did flock to the oceanfront for the 13th annual Penguin Plunge! And no, these were not the adorable creatures with little beaks and wings from Antarctica but dedicated humans who dared to jump in the […]
Expect the Non-Expected
The weather here at Mt Washington State Park, as many of you may know by following the Observatory’s conditions page, has been EXTREME since start of the New Year with thaws, cold snaps, lower than average snowfall, very hard/icy snow and peak gusts in the 115mph range. Despite this, winter climbers on the summit are […]
Monadnock Weekly Report 02.01.13
02.01.13 “And I remember the couple, summering near the mountain, who recently told us they had not been able to persuade their teen-age children to make the climb. When I was young, nobody with two legs ever needed to be persuaded to climb Monadnock. Further reflection led me to conclude that if I had the […]
Monadnock Weekly Report 01.25.13
01.25.13 “I reverently believe that the Maker who made us all makes everything in New England but the weather.” – Mark Twain I know I have dropped that Twain quote into Trails Reports before, but it seems especially true now with the Arctic air mass that has had a week long frigid touch reminiscent of […]
The “Other Side of the Mountain”
As skiers and riders make their last turns down Cannon Mountain, some employees are just preparing to begin their evening on the mountain. At 3pm, the Mountain Operations team gathers for their daily meeting. Staff members from each department (Snowmaking, Grooming, Patrol, Lift Operations, Terrain Park, Events, and Snow Sports) meet to forecast the upcoming […]
Monadnock Weekly Report 01.18.13
01.18.13 “Wilderness appealed to those bored or disgusted with man and his works. It not only offered an escape from society, but also was an ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul. The solitude and total freedom of the wilderness created a perfect setting […]
Monadnock Trails Report 01.10.13
01.10.13 “I have been thinking more and more that I shall always be a lone wanderer of the wilderness. God, how the trail lures me. You cannot comprehend its resistless fascination for me.” – Everett Ruess Winter is hanging on here at Monadnock, even as warmer weather starts to move in. Monadnock’s […]
Nansen Milan Winter Recreation
Passing by the Milan Lumber Company, I knew I was headed in the right direction… Located just outside the North Country hub of Berlin, Milan Hill State Park is well worth the drive. The park is home to Nansen Ski Club (oldest ski club in America) where cross-country skiing and other winter sports have been […]
Monadnock Trails Report 01.04.13
01.04.13 “Is anybody out there, please? It’s too quiet in here and I’m beginning to freeze. I’ve got icicles hanging from my knees under fifteen feet of pure white snow.”- Nick Cave It’s not quite as drastic as the song by the Bad Seeds quoted above, but with snow piling up and some recent frigid […]
Cross Country Skiing at Bear Brook
It’s amazing how a few inches of snow changes the course of outdoor recreation we New Englander’s participate in. The recent coating of flakes led me to give cross-country skiing another try for my second time ever. With hiking and biking trails transformed to snowshoe and cross-country ski terrain, I couldn’t have chosen a better place […]