Loon Mountain Offers Something for Every Snow Sport Enthusiast

By: Nathan Pasquale NHGSA Intern and PSU Student

I know a lot ofpeople may have forgotten about it, but along with winter generally comes snow.This season Mother Nature has been holding out on us, but we have managed tomake do with what we’ve got. This happens to be a whole lot of snowmachines.  Being a student from PlymouthState University, there are a variety of mountains that are close by, includingone of my favorites, Loon Mountain. I have the privilege to ride two or threedays a week at Loon, and over the past four years, I have learned a lot aboutthe mountain and the area surrounding it. 

Between the Kancamagus Highway and exit 32 on Route 95 liesLincoln and Woodstock NH.  This area is aclassic ski town. As you drive in from 93 you are bombarded with ski shops andlocal restaurants. All of which I drive by without a glance in anticipation ofgoing snowboarding.  However, if you’relooking for a new board, skis, or you’re new to the sport and are looking forrentals, make a quick stop at Lahout’s. Their customer service is great, andthey have an amazing selection of gear, and knowledgable people who love thesport. Don’t let their multiple locations fool you, look for the one with theold gondola outside, that’s where their skis and snowboards are located.

Moving on down the road and keeping your speed under thelimit (strictly in forced), Loon’s entrance comes into view. Once across theriver, make sure to check the main lot for spots. Although on a busy day theymay have a sign saying the lot is closed, take a spin through anyways, you maybe surprised of how close a parking spot you can find.

Once situated, it’s time to hit the slopes. I usually startwith a quick Gondola ride to the summit. Iif you don’t mind meeting new people,hop in the singles line with your friends and you can skip the whole wait.Loon’s peak provides the most trail options with all difficulties. If you’relike me and want to head to the terrain park, trails like Flying Fox and BearClaw provide a fun easy ride down to the main park.  If you are more of an all mountain rider andall you want to do is find some soft open trails, South Peak is a great escapefrom both lines and tracked out trails. South Peak, a new addition to Loon, hasintermediate and advanced trails.  Forthose up to the task, you can take Rip Saw, a double black diamond, which willkeep you coming back for more.  I reallyenjoy a few runs on South Peak but when it really snows, and it’s time for someglade and tree skiing, I bear right at the top and head over to North Peak.

NorthPeak, in my opinion contains some of the most exciting and fun trails atLoon. Can’t Dog and Bucksaw, both woodstrails, contain some great lines.  Staying to the center of Bucksaw has never leadme wrong - you can usually always find some deep snow in there. On a busy day,the solitude of the woods, along with the wind protection, can turn a cold busyday around. Hopefully with a little luck, we will have enough snow to enjoythis trail this season.

After a long day of fun in the snow, I like to relax on theporch of the Bunyan Room, grab the special of the day, and watch people comedown the mountain. If you’re looking to take advantage of some après specials,head to Gordi’s.  Here you can helpyourself to some complimentary popcorn, crackers and cheese. Gordi’s offers specialsfrom 4-5:30 every day.  I stopped in theother day, and they had 25¢ Buffalo wings!  Ofcourse if you’re looking for a refreshing beverage, there is an accompanyingbeer special as well.

I have been going to Loon now for 4 years, and each year Iseem to find something else interesting and fun. The Mountain is a great placeto ski and ride, and the town of Lincoln is a friendly environment whereeveryone is welcome. Next time you’re looking for a place to ski or ride, headto Loon, you won’t be disappointed.

Lake Sunapee Perfect Like a Movie Set or a Hometown

By Kevin Martin, Granite State Ambassador, MtSunapeeLodging.com Class of 2011

Living in the Lake Sunapee region is plain and simple - a treat. "The Other New Hampshire" offers lakes to swim in, rivers to paddle, mountains to climb and ski down, trails to walk, hike or bike and snow shoe or ski mobile on, friendly people who care about others and offers all four seasons of life that New Hampshire is known to share with residents and visitors.

Some of the joys of living in the Sunapee region include coming home at night under the night sky to watch a flock of gaggling geese silhouetted against a full moon as they migrate or waking up to the call of a loon. The Sunapee area is a region filled with people who care about people - from those who know you and those you do not. If you have a car emergency, do not be surprised if the owner of the garage offers a ride home. Neighbors always help neighbors.

A great area to enjoy the outdoors where a traffic jam means you have to wait to make a left hand turn. Easy to get to.

And although he isn't a certified NHGSA (yet), Steven Tyler recently shared his perspective on Sunapee with a personal tour of the area with Oprah! Click on the image below to watch the clip of his tour.

Steven Tyler's Tour of Lake Sunapee

To Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Lake Sunapee is a place so perfect it could be a movie set. Tag along on a tour of his New Hampshire hideaway and see where he met his musical soul mate, guitarist Joe Perry, for the first time.

Indian Head Resort Offers Many Perks

Submitted by Virginia Leighton, Granite State Ambassador
St. Mary’s Bank - American Credit Union Museum Class of 2008

Finally I got to break away and use my Indian Head Resort perk from 2010. They were great when I called to make a reservation for nights of November 17 and 18. Rose S (another GSA) joined me for the excursion. 

NHGSA Rose in Lincoln Woods

We left Concord in the morning on Thursday with a stop at the Tanger Outlets in Tilton. Since I like to give back to those who give to us we lunched at 104 Diner (Common Man property). During a stop at the White Mt Visit Center we realized White Mt Mikey was among the missing. 

Cruised Main Street for a bit and checked in at the Resort. We wanted to try the outdoor pool and jacuzzi, yet, did not want them to open for just us, so we opted for the indoor pool and hot tub. Cleaned up for dinner, I had the prime rib and we took desserts of cheesecake with strawberries back to our room for later. After that big dinner we walked around the property.   

Old Man on the Mountain Memorial

Friday morning we had a great breakfast and headed out to the Lincoln Woods Franconia Falls Trail. There had been a dusting of snow during the night and it was crisp and breezy. We were the only car in the parking lot. As we walked the trail the damage from Irene was still obvious, although many trail repairs were already done. The plan was out to the falls and back an approximate 6 mile round trip. When we approached the intersection of the Black Pond Trail Rose said that her husband had seen many moose out by Black Pond. We opted for Black Pond – the trail was good at first and then narrowed out with a steep drop on one side. That was “ok” until we got to a very steep drop off with a brook crossing and no obviously great way to cross. Remember we were heading to the falls and back (easy hike) so we did not bring our hiking poles. We decided not to risk possible injury and falling in the water – so we turned back to the falls trail. We hiked for about 3 hours and encountered two couples on the return trip.

View from Sugar Hill Sampler

Since the day was far from over we lunched at a sports bar in downtown Franconia, visited Garnet Hill Outlet, went to the Old Man Memorial, Harman’s Cheese, tried some letterboxing near Polly’s Pancake House and checked out the Sugar Hill Sampler (great views from there).  After all that we got back to the Resort and to our delight found the outdoor pool and hot tub opened for some other guests.  It was great until you got out. Dinner was great – I had baked stuffed shrimp. During dinner I looked around the dining room and spotted NHGSA Paul and a friend who had arrived on Friday for his two day stay.

NHGSA Rose on Roaring River Trail

Saturday morning we had breakfast, a stroll around the resort’s pond, a short letterboxing hike on the Roaring River Trail near the Flume and headed home.  We stopped some more at a shop in Tilton owned by my neighbor’s daughter and a stop at Rose’s father’s grave site in the NH Veterans Cemetery.  We also walked the area that has memorials for each branch of the service.  I was quite impressed- it is a great place to visit.

What a great early weekend packed with lots of activities.

Bretton Woods Canopy Tour Great Way to Tour Mount Washington

Submitted by Dennis Roux, Granite State Ambassador Best Western Class of 2005

A very nice Sunday November 13, 2011 found Mariette and I traveling to Bretton Woods. We had reservations at noontime to take-in the Bretton Woods Canopy Tour of tree-top zip lines. Now the decision to do the Tour did not come easy. Both Mari and I have our issues with heights and motion sickness. But this Tour was to celebrate my 65th. So “issues” went out the window.

Our tour included five “young” riders all from Portland, Me. In total our group numbered seven. After signing the requisite paperwork, our guides Carl and Zake set us into harnesses, moved us to a van, and we arrived near the mountaintop for a few minutes of instruction and a practice zip.The keys to Zip Lining are the body curling and the hand braking. If you are bad at either or both your run may come up short or long, A slow run may cause you not to reach the arriving platform. If you fail to brake you may come up too long (read over shooting the arriving platform). Not good!

I came up short of the approaching platform on 6 of 9 zips. However, I mastered the last 3 zips. A short zip means you have to manually pull yourself along the cable up to the arriving platform, or the guide has to extend himself out from the platform to pull you in. An overshoot of the platform means the guide has the challenge of catching and stopping you from hitting the tree that is holding up the arriving platform. It is somewhat embarrassing when you don’t meet the “platform” goal.

This is a wonderful way to spend 3-4 hours. The crew is experienced and safety is the name of the game. Being outdoors with the Presidential Range as your neighbor is just the best. Bretton Woods Canopy Tour consists of 9-10 Zip Lines (depending on the season), 2 Sky Bridges, and 3 Rappels down trees. Zip lines range from 120 to 830 feet with the maximum height from the ground of 150 feet. The views were wonderful and much appreciated especially since as “youngsters” we have hiked much of the Presidential Range. Mt Washington was crusted in snow. The Mount Washington Cog Railway stands out and on our day at Bretton Woods there were two train runs to the top of the Mount. A glass of wine at the Mt. Washington Hotel followed by dinner at the Common Man Italian Farmhouse in Plymouth finished a wonderful day.

While working MHT I have only had a couple of inquiries about Zipping in NH. A Zip Line Tour is a great recommendation to our guests. My understanding is that there are 3 Zip Line Tours in N.H. Mari and I will be buying tour gift certificates for our adult kids for Christmas. And certainly Zip time at Bretton/Mt Washington is on my GSA recommendation list.

Can't Go Wrong with the Kanc!

Submitted By: Ed Gartland, Granite State Ambassador Franco-American Centre Class of 2007

One day at the Big E two women came up to me and started thanking me profusely. While I was trying to figure out what magnificent act I had performed, one of them got a little more specific and said they were so happy that they had spoken to me at last year's Big E and when they asked what they should do on an upcoming visit to NH I recommended a drive across the Kanc. (I always recommend a drive across the Kanc. How can I go wrong?)  Well, following my advice, they did drive across the Kanc and the Bear Notch Rd, as well. They were still aglow with the experience! The thing that really caught their attention was an inquisitive red fox who approached them at one of the lookouts along the Kanc. They were drinking water and munching on rice cakes. They offered some to the fox and he (she?) was only too happy to share lunch with them.

So, remember ~~~ always recommend the Kanc and notify the wildlife that you're shipping in some tourists.

Discover More With Seacoast Segway Tours

Submitted by Richard Russell, Granite State Ambassador
Concentra Urgent Care Class of 2009

Discover MORE of Portsmouth -- the most fun you will have touring the City.

Experience historic Portsmouth, NH in an exciting new way. Take a guided tour on your own personal Segway PT through some of the most beautiful and history-rich places in Portsmouth.

Tours start at the Portsmouth Historical Society's John Paul House. There are two guided tours that you can take.  Historic Homes and City Tour or the Historic City and Waterfront Tour. With Segway's amazingly intuitive riding, the better vantage point from up on a Segway, and the distance you can cover with a Segway, you will never do another tour of Portsmouth like this. Sightseeing on this guided Segway PT tour is a unique and fun way to get to know and appreciate a truly historic seacoast city.

Visit Seacoast Segway Tours online or call 603-828-5280 to schedule the tour of a lifetime.

Mud Season = Incredible Wildlife Watching

Betty's Travel Planning Tips

Submitted by: Betty Gagne, Granite State Ambassador, First in the Nation Class 1999 & Customer Service Assistant NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development

Rumor has it that it’s mud season in New Hampshire. Well, that might be true, but along with the mud comes some incredible wildlife watching. Viewing wildlife is fun and educational – and free! It’s a family-friendly activity, you can do it just about anywhere, and the best part is you can drive aimlessly and practically be guaranteed to see something. Spring is a great time to look for wildlife because the trees are still bare and it’s easier to spot animals during this time of year. Here are a few tips that will help you get the most out of your wildlife watching expeditions:

Source: Wikipedia

Hawks: Hawks can be seen during all times of the day into early evening. Look for them near open fields, along interstates, and circling over head. Hawks like to perch themselves near tree tops so they can spy on their prey. The most common ones are the red-tailed hawks; they are mainly brown with a white, speckled breast and belly. Scan the tops of trees along road ways and you are virtually guaranteed to see a hawk.

Source: Wikipedia

Herons and other water birds: They’re back! Herons like to wade in shallow water and walk slowly along river banks. Look for them in marshy, wet areas that settle along streams and rivers. They fly slowly overhead, flapping their oversized wings with their tiny feet visible under their bellies. If you’re lucky, a heron will lead you to its nest.

Source: Wikipedia

Red-winged Blackbirds: Nothing says spring is here like the presence of red-winged blackbirds. They gather in cattail marshes and other wetlands, spreading their wings in order to be noticed. The females tend to keep closer to the ground while the males preen at the tops of the cattails and trees.

Source: Wikipedia

Moose: With over 6,500 moose in New Hampshire, you are bound to see one in your travels – if you know where to look. Expect to go north to increase your chances of seeing one. The northern sections of Routes 16 and 3 are excellent roads to take in order to see a moose. If you spot a few cars on the side of the road, or if a car coming in your direction flashes its lights at you, it’s likely there’s a moose ahead. Moose like to hang around wet roadside areas called licks. Slow down, use caution, and stay back if you decide to take pictures. Moose are especially hard to see at night.

Source: Wikipedia

Deer: You never know where you’ll see a deer, but they are around. The last one I saw was trotting alongside Route 93 near Campton in the middle of the day. Keep looking along the edges of open fields, especially at dawn and dusk.

Source: Wikipedia

Eagles: Spotting an eagle is an exciting and rare opportunity. Boating on a large body of water will increase your chances of seeing one. Look for a large bird with a white capped head and white tail feathers. The eagle has black wings and a huge yellow-orange beak. They like to soar through the air and nest along cliffs, and their wingspan can reach 6 feet!

Wildlife watching is a great way to spend your spring weekends. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it. It’s the perfect activity when the kids complain that there’s “nothing to do.” For more information about wildlife watching in New Hampshire, please visit the NH Fish & Game website.

Whining Dogs and Clean Snow

Submitted by John Damon
Christmas Farm Inn Class of 2008

What do you do the weekend between the divisional playoffs and the Superbowl? Judy (no, not that Judi, the Judy that was the recipient of the 2010 GSA Hospitality from the Heart award) and I looked in on the Sled Dog Races on Lake Chocorua in Tamworth and the Snow Sculpting Competition held at the Black Mountain Ski Area in Jackson, NH. Both events ran both Sat and Sun. The weather was great and the crowds manageable.

The Tamworth Outing Club has hosted one of the races on the sled dog racing

circuit for many years. This race is one of the longest continuous running sled dog races in the Northeast. Many of you probably know that Admiral Bird’s sled dog teams were trained in the Wanalancet part of Tamworth, NH. I moved to Tamworth in 1964 and volunteered in '65 by packing some of the race course on snow shoes. While most of the up to 20 miles of course is packed by snow machines, some places still need the snow shoe approach. Eventually I worked up to cook hamburg's and hot dogs. I firmly believe the dogs have the most fun. They sure love to run. I counted 4 handlers plus the driver holding a 9 dog team back at the starting line until "mush" was called over the loud speaker. There were all kinds of whining and barking while waiting to go but once they heard "mush" there was instant silence. The "mushers" were holding on for dear life when they left the starting tunnel. We also had a chance to see the kids race a couple hundred yard sprint with only one dog pulling them and the sled. In a couple of cases it seemed that the kid was doing most of the work.



Going into Jackson on Sunday we went through the famous covered bridge and by my Alma Matter, Christmas Farm Inn, site of my GSA training in 2008. We climbed up 16B for a couple of miles to the Black Mountain Ski Area where an invitational Snow Sculpture competition was being held. This is the only New Hampshire State Sanctioned Snow Sculpting Competition! We got there just as the judging was about to begin so all the creations were in pristine condition. The general public had a chance to vote and Judy's choice was also the choice of the public. Exhibitors also judged. Non NH exhibitors judged the NH entries and the NH folks judged the non residents.  The winner was to go on to a National competition and possibly International. It certainly is amazing what you can do with a pile of snow. I found it hard to imagine how they were able to keep the snow so clean. There were about 15 creations and one heck of a lot of talent was on display.

There is so much to see and do. Being a GSA makes me more aware of the many things that are close by and interesting.



7,000 Miles with No Stop Lights

 by Judi Window, Granite State Ambassador, Inaugural Class 1996

A couple of years ago my husband and I decided to explore the woodlands of New Hampshire by snowmobile. Although we don't own a snowmobile and we rarely ride, we went to Alpine Adventures in Lincoln NH to go on a guided snowmobile tour. It was fantastic! If you don't have "winter attire" for just $5 they will rent you insulated snowmobile suite. They do provide you with helmets.

My personal recommendations include:

1. Even if you are new and/or scared, ride your own snowmobile. I doubled up with my husband and found it was more work and harder to hold on to him, than it would have been to handle my own machine. 
2. Stay overnight. You'll never want to leave! So plan ahead and rent a room. Get one with a whirlpool tub, jacuzzi, and/or hot tub, so you can soak your tired bones at the end of a long ride. 
3. Pick a restaurant and plan dinner ahead of time. That way you can enjoy your trip without having to make any last minute decisions! We like the Woodstock Inn & Brewery. Great lodging, wonderful food and deliciously brewed beer (try Pig's Ear)!

New Hampshire has 7,000 miles of snowmobile trails. For those of you who own machines and love to ride in NH, check out the NH Snowmobile Association's website. It is packed with information to make your experience memorable!


For your planning purposes NH has a wonderful state tourism website to help. www.visitnh.gov. ENJOY your trip and remember... If you have any questions, Granite State Ambassadors are your "New Hampshire Information Specialists" ask us and we will find you answers! @askNH.

Seasonal Strolling on the Heritage Trail

By: Richard Russell, Granite State Ambassador
Concentra Urgent Care Class of 2009

Visiting the Manchester area and tired after sitting on a plane or in a conference room?  If so, a walk or jog along the Heritage Trail in Bedford is just the thing to relieve all that stress.  Access is within walking distance of the Country Inn & Suites and Hampton Inn & Suites in Bedford.  Walk down Hawthorne Drive to Station Road to the river and the trail north or south.  Driving? Take Route 3 South of Macy's one and one-half miles to Hawthorne Drive. 

I walk the trail daily from March to November and longer depending

on snow and am amazed at how the trail and river changes season to season.  There are benches available where you can sit and relax and take in the view of the river and contemplate the days events.  You can even take a sandwich and rest at one of the rustic picnic tables.  Serenity is the name of the game and one of the great hidden away places to enjoy in the Manchester area.

Segway Tours of Manchester NH

Submitted by: Sue G, GSA [Currier Museum Class 2010]

The draw of both trying a Segway for the first time and doing a tour of historic Manchester NH took my husband, Dave, and I to the new Segway office on Hanover Street. We parked around the corner on Amherst Street and for $3 total, it wasn't bad, plus our car wasn't in the hot sun.

What a fabulous experience we had! The office was very pleasant and the folks we met were welcoming and competent. They were also pleased to hear I was a Granite State Ambassador (GSA) and had a positive opinion about our group.

There was an option of 2 tours (90 minutes or 150 minutes).We opted for the shorter one and had made reservations for the one at 10am. I was glad we did the shorter one, as there was 45 minutes of training first, so it was quite a while on our feet. The training included a short video and then hands on.

When I first got on the machine, it felt awkward, but I was amazed at how quickly it began to feel comfortable. Our instructors/guides, Aaron and Kathleen, were excellent at guiding us through the training. We also had to do some drills to make sure we could maneuver the Segway easily and stop when we needed to. By the time we headed out, we both felt quite comfortable.

The tour itself was very well done. Aaron has a masters in history, and obviously has done a lot of studying of the Manchester area. We had little sound boxes we wore with earbuds, so we could easily hear all of Aarons commentary. And before we started he did ask what we were interested in so he could tailor his talk to us. We were interested in all of it, history and the current sites, and he accomodated us quite nicely. We also stopped along the way for pictures and to view specific areas more closely.


In the 90 minutes we passed City Hall, the Amoskeag Falls, UNH of Manchester, the Verizon Center, and much more. Afterwards they mentioned they are putting together a special evening tour in October which will have a focus on the haunted areas of Manchester. That sounds intriguing as well.
By the time we returned, we were pretty tired and hungry. Dave and I decided to walk back to one of the places that was pointed out on the tour, a restaurant called "XO on Elm". We enjoyed a delicious lunch while sitting under an umbrella on the sidewalk. It was the perfect way to end such an enjoyable morning.

Whether you just want an opportunity to try a Segway, or you want to learn more about Manchester, or both, this is a great way to spend a few hours. Just be prepared to spend a over 2 hours on your feet, have your camera, and you should be good to go. They do take walk-ins, but its best to make a reservation ahead of time.