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new hampshire
Up north
A winter’s tale
Pictured, clockwise from above: Fall colours from Milan Hill State Park; summer surfing at the beach; waterside barbie at Lake Wentworth; spring at Applecrest Farm; autumn at Applecrest Farm; Artist’s Bluff; snowmobiling White Lake
Skiing and snowboarding during winter in the White Mountains is a big magnet. And compared to, say, resorts in the Rockies, the prices for ski lift day passes and ski rentals are very reasonable – a massive bonus for families. Many of the ski attractions are only a two-hour drive from Boston, which means international guests can quite literally be on the slopes a few hours after they arrive. Abenaki Ski Area, Wolfeboro, is the oldest community-run ski resort in the country, offering lift tickets for under $20 as well as a 30km crosscountry ski network. Loon Mountain (3,050-feet) has 11 lifts, a gondola and 61 trails which attract both ski and Nordic ski enthusiasts. Attitash Ski Resort in North Conway is renowned for its ski and snowboard instruction and features 11 lifts plus 68 trails for downhill skiers. Ragged Mountain Resort in Danbury has two mountain peaks and 57 trails, including 17 renowned glades and three terrain parks. It also has the state’s only six-person high-speed chairlift. Canon Mountain in Franconia has diverse terrain across two mountains with 95 ski trails and glades plus 11 lifts and sledging and dog sledding but its main attraction is Flume Gorge. This natural granite chasm extends 800 feet around the base of Mount Liberty and has dramatic, crashing waterfalls surrounded by towering 90-feethigh granite walls.
Based in North Conway, Extreme Northern Adventures (northernextremessnowmobiling.com) offers snowmobiling tours through dozens of miles of dedicated and groomed trails in the nearby Great North Wood. This exhilarating activity is very easy to learn but riders must have a current driver’s license. Looking for a bit of après-ski? Just down the road from Attitash is quaint North Conway Village which has restaurants, shops and art galleries lining its main street. Nearby Settler’s Green Outlet Village (settlersgreen. com) is a great place to bag bargains with well-known American brands. Best of all, shopping in New Hampshire is tax-free.
Family-friendly fun One of the favourite pastimes of White Mountain visitors is taking the Cog Railway which ascends Mount Washington, the tallest mountain in the Northeast. Early each day, an historic coal-fired steam locomotive makes the 6,288-foot climb to the mountain top, recreating the experience of what it was like to be a passenger in the early days of travel. For nature enthusiasts, the trails at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center at Crawford Notch (outdoors.org/lodging-camping/lodges/ highland) offer great hiking. There is even a hiker shuttle during the summer to take enthusiasts to nearby trailheads. Due to donations from the recreation company L.L.Bean, there is also a fully kittedout gear room with free-to-hire boots and other gear for those staying at the lodge. Wildlife can be spotted in the mountain’s woods any time of year. Very lucky hikers may see a lone moose lounging
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New Hampshire.indd 48
10/26/17 06:12 PM