GeneralSophisticated TravelerMartini's Visitor Resources Looking for Love Real Estate Shopping Scenic Drives Covered Bridges Learn About History Hold your meeting or event in Mt Washington Valley Cooking schools 2008 Calendar of Events Top 5 Mecca for Adventure General Overview - Mt. Washington Valley 2008 Business to Business Expo FallCovered BridgesScenic Drives How the Locals Get Around 10 ways to "peep a leaf" Scenic Drives and Tax Free Shopping Mud Bowl 2008 WinterAdventureFamily Fun Snow Sports in the Valley Edutainment Mt Washington Valley's eco-friendly ski resorts February Family Fun Valley Ski Resorts Go Green Snowmaking 101 Snowmaking coverage at MWV Ski Resorts Ski Town Glossary Mt Washington Valley Ski Resorts - fast facts SpringTake the Sting out of Black Fly SeasonCalendar of Events - April - June, 2008 Rally in the Valley Mud Season in Mt Washington Valley, 2008 Tuckerman Ravine, 2008 Take the Waterfall Tour, 2008 SummerSwimmingGolf Fishing Free Family Fun Attractions Hiking Biking Waterfalls Rock Formations Learn About History Family Attractions in Mt Washington Valley General BusinessFeb Vacation Week Wrap Up, 2008Janice Crawford Receives Climate Champion Award, 2007 Historical ArchiveMWV StatsArt Spas Annual Meeting 2007 - follow up Bark in the Park - 2007 Fall Getaway Packages - 2007 Winter Outdoor Fun Winter Family Fun Harvest to Holidays, 2007 Janice Crawford chosen as 2007 Climate Champion Snow Princess 2008 Christmas Week Events, 2007 Mud Bowl 2007 Mud Season 2007 Economic Impact of Mt Washington Valley Affordable Winter Vacation options What's New at Mt Washington Valley Ski Resorts Interchangeable Lift Ticket, 2006 Cost-free Holiday Events, 2006 Deals and Additions - 2007-08 Winter Events, January, 2008 Winter Events, February, 2008 Calendar of Events - March, 2008 Affordable Winter Family Packages, 2008 North Conway Village Restoration, 2007 Summer Lodging and Attractions Packages, 2006 Football's over, now what? Summer Business Wrap Up, 2006 Bud to Blossom, 2007 Black Fly Season, 2005 Fall foliage wrap up, 2005 July 4th Wrap Up, 2006 Moose Tours, 2004 |
"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. |