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"The view from Intervale can not be surpassed for living, glowing beauty by anything in New England."
-Benjamin Champney.

Little has changed since then...

In 1865, Champney, a summer resident of North Conway, painted "Mount Washington From The Intervale", shown above.

In the beginning

Spend time where the mountains seem timeless, surrounded by many views that have changed little in hundreds of years, and you'll gain a different perspective. Here in Mt. Washington Valley, we are reminded about the importance of the natural beauty around us. At the same time we embrace new and emerging technologies that allow us to live and work with less impact on the environment, and which help us showcase this area to people around the globe. Join us now as we take a look back, and forward, at this most remarkable of places, the Mt. Washington Valley and New Hampshire's White Mountains.

Long before Native American people looked to Mt. Washington, "Agiocochook," as sacred, the Home of the Great Spirit; long before European settlers lifted their eyes to the beauty of the mountains and called them the Crystal Hills, powerful forces shaped these White Mountains. Ancient seas, volcanic activity, erosion, wind, and repeated uplifts that folded and refolded rocks each played a part, as did the Ice Age which blanketed 6288 foot Mt. Washington, one of the world's oldest mountains, in ice more than a mile thick.

When the ice retreated, deep valleys, streams, and craggy mountains remained. Over time, above the timber line, rock, sparse grass, dwarf trees, alpine plants and lichen clung to the wind-swept slopes, while below deep forests covered much of the landscape.

When Europeans first arrived, the Abenakis, part of the Algonquin family, lived in foothills and valleys of the White Mountains. The Abenakis, who included the Sokokis and Pequawket tribes, never climbed the mountains, believing gods lived on their summits. To appease these gods, they held fire dances and sacrificed game to the fires. They hunted, fished and gathered food for their subsistence, and did what outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to do today: they left little trace on the landscape.
From the Native Americans, the settlers learned how to grow corn, pumpkins and squash; harvest maple sugar; and build bark canoes and snowshoes. Today many places carry names derived from their language, including: the Saco (meaning 'flowing out') River; the Ammonoosuc ('fish place') River; Passaconaway, and Kancamagus, chiefs of the Penacooks; and Chocorua, chief of the Pequawkets.

Mt. Washington is unpredictable in its weather and its beauty. Here the highest wind on earth, 231 miles per hour was recorded in April 1934. From its summit on a clear day you can see into five states (New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, New York), Canada, and as far away as the Atlantic Ocean.

Tuckerman Ravine, the "bowl" on the eastern side of Mt. Washington is a glacial cirque. Named for Dr. Edward Tuckerman, Professor of Botany at Amherst College from 1858 to 1886, the Ravine is one of the most recognizable of the mountain's features. In spring and early summer, "Tuck's" is a magnet for expert skiers who must carry their equipment up in order to ski down. The Ravine Trail is also a popular summer hike.

If you would like a copy of our Tips & Tours guide, please sign our On-Line Guest Book and be sure to check off "Tips & Tours" in the "Interests" section.

Anything is Possible in the Mt. Washington Valley, and the MWVCC is here
to help visitors and members alike in their quest for Anything is Possible.

Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce • 2617 White Mountain Highway, Village Square • North Conway, New Hampshire 03860
Visitors: visitor@mtwashingtonvalley.org Members: memberships@mtwashingtonvalley.org

Chamber Works - Since 1996

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In the beginning