VOLUME 35, NUMBER 11 AUGUST 12, 2010 FREE THE WEEKLY NEWS & LIFESTYLE JOURNAL OF MT. WASHINGTON VALLEY A Special Visitor: On Stage in the Valley: One of the private sanctuaries that Helen Summer is the season for Keller retreated to on occasion live theatre in the Valley, to escape the often hectic pace so to be sure you’re up to A 10 of her life was what was date on the various then the Henney home on Foss Mountain in shows, turn to the Snowville during the late Ear’s Valley 1930s..… Roundup section… A14-23 A SALMON PRESS PUBLICATION • (603) 447-6336 • PUBLISHED IN CONWAY, NH Page Two What a summer this is! What’s on your Top 10 List of must-dos in the Valley? By Sara Young-Knox (Sara Young-Knox Photo) Contributing Writer Left and far left: Visitors to hat a difference a the White Mountain Nation- year makes! al Forest can take in the re- W Last year the sun freshing view of Sabbaday was a rare visitor, spotted only Falls off the Kancamagus briefly among the clouds dur- Highway. The site has ing the summer’s nearly con- informative plaques detail- stant rain showers. The rains ing the geological forces of 2009 put a damper on out- that created the falls. door activities, especially those that involved flowing (AMC Photo) water. The height and tem- Below: The AMC Highland perature of the Saco and Swift Center located in Crawford Rivers were often not good for Notch offers a variety of safe boating or swimming. programs and talks on the This year, the swimming, White Mountains. kayaking and canoeing on those rivers have been nothing short of fantastic. As someone who lives within a five minute walk of the Swift, I can personally attest to this. I’ve hardly let a day go by without a refreshing swim in this cool mountain river, sometimes even managing an after din- ner dip to complete the day. In the more than three decades I’ve lived near the base of South Moat, I don’t ever remember a stretch of great swimming going on for this long. Auto Road. If I Sunny weather in the sum- had an extra day to hike, I’d go mer is like fresh powder in the up Mount Jefferson. The winter. You can’t keep it a Caps Ridge Trail starts at secret, and besides, what fun 3,008 feet on the Jefferson would that be? There’s a cer- Notch Road, the highest trail tain joy in seeing the broad head in the White Mountains, smiles on the faces of the visi- so you get to great views real- tors to Mount Washington ly fast. Valley, as they, too, enjoy all Second on my list is a water the activities that this bound- activity. This could include less sunshine makes possible. the aforementioned boating From golfing to shopping, or swimming, but also could hiking to biking, everything’s be viewing falling water, such more pleasant under clear as at Sabbaday or Glen Ellis skies. Falls. The beauty of the The other day while I was mountains is that the water first ascent of Mount Tin Mountain Conservation more than a little hungry, so soaking my toes in the tum- that drains from their heights Washington. In Crawford Center on Bald Hill in Albany I’d head into town for lunch bling waters of the Swift, I was produces an abundance of Notch, I’d learn about the ill- has programs all year-long. or dinner, depending on the imaging what it would be like lovely waterfalls. fated Willey family. On the Which brings me to num- time of day. As I sat at the to be one of those visitors to This summer I took two Kancamagus Highway, I’d ber five on my must-do list: river thinking about this item, the Valley. Splitting myself in trains rides, one on the tour the Russell Colbath getting out into the woods on I found I couldn’t limit my two, I wondered what advice Conway Scenic Railroad, the House, then walk around the a trail. That could be some- dining experience to one would I give my visiting self other on the Silver Lake Rail N’ River Trail to learn thing as simple as the trail at establishment. There are too on where to go, what to see, Railroad, so taking a train ride about the logging history of the Colbath-Russell House, many fantastic restaurants and what to do. Pretending appears number three on my the area. To further expand or as challenging as hiking the from which to choose. that my vacation time in list. If it were up to me, I’d my knowledge of the area, I Presidentials, but I think it is After eating I’d get a little Mount Washington Valley bring back train service from would take in one of the many important, when you’re in the shopping done, making sure was limited and that I may North Conway to Boston. It’s programs offered by several White Mountains National to stop at North Conway never pass this way again, I a great way to travel and sight- nature-oriented organiza- Forest, to actually get in the Village’s 5 & 10 and Zeb’s came up with a list of ten pri- see at the same time. tions. During the summer the forest, even if the trail you are General Store for some old- orities. If I were a visitor, I’d want U.S. Forest Service presents on is still close enough to the fashioned candy. Because I to get a sense of the place and talks at the Russell-Colbath highway to hear the cars go would want to bring some- Ten must-dos in the Valley its history, so I would stop at House. The Appalachian by. thing home to enforce my Top of the list, of course, is historical sites and interpre- Mountain Club has a variety new knowledge, I’d stop at a a visit to the summit of Mount tive markers. In Pinkham of programs and talks, both at Hungry yet? local bookstore and pick up a Washington, whether on foot, Notch, that would mean the Pinkham Notch Visitor By the time I’d gotten to book or two from its local and by the Cog Railway or the learning about Darby Field’s Center and Highland Center. this point on my list, I’d be regional section. If I didn’t live On the Cover Inside Index Telling Tails Canine Training Camp The Bernerhof is back Arts . .Pages A14-18 & 20-23 Located in Fryeburg, Maine, Telling Tails Training On Aug. 3, the revitalized Bernerhof Inn B&B in As The Wheels Turn . .Page A28 Center is teaching both young and old dogs new tricks. Bartlett re-opened as Mt. Washington Valley’s newest Business News . .Pages A12-13 Telling Tails caters to a combination of puppies, older premier inn. Page A13. dogs, competition dogs and service dogs. In addition, Calendar . .Pages A24-25 Camp Canine offers three one-week summer programs Thoughts While Weeding On The Links . .Page A27 for kids, hosted by the Assistance Canine Training Squash is the National Garden Bureau’s Vegetable of Services in Tuftonboro. Our cover star, Blizzard, the Year. The prerequisites for earning the title are that Passages . .Page A11 belongs to Nanci Hayes of Center Conway and com- the cultivars are easy to grow, versatile, and genetically Real Estate . .Pages A5 & 13 petes in Rally Obedience. Page A6. diverse — and squash is a perfect case in point. (Courtesy Photo) Contributing writer Ann Bennett explains. Page A26 Sports . .Pages A29-32 Page A2 - The Mountain Ear, Thursday, August 12, 2010 (Courtesy Photos) Above: The Cog Railway offers daily trips to the summit of Mount Washington. Right: In Crawford Notch, learn about the ill-fated land- slide that took the lives of the Willey family too far away and planned on coming back, I’d get the AMC’s White Mountain Guide. To remind me of the beau- ty of the mountains after I went home, I’d stop at a local art gallery and buy a landscape painting to hang on my living (Courtesy Photo) room wall. Before I went There are so many more Great Glen trail system in Up, Up and Away home, though, I’d make sure things to do and see than a top Pinkham Notch on Saturday, to take in some entertainment. 10 list allows. Maybe my other Aug. 14. Besides checking with The Ear in Alaska This summer the Valley is self would like to zoom down The Mountain Ear’s calendar Ed and Claire Stevens of Somerset, Mass. and Glen, took a copy blessed to have live produc- a zip-line or go horseback rid- listings, a great way not to of The Ear on their recent and very exciting trip to Alaska, which tions and concerts galore, ing. The choices in Mount miss anything is to check the included a helicopter ride to view glaciers in Juneau. from professional summer Washington Valley are end- Mount Washington Valley theater to plays with home- less. Chamber of Commerce’s web- grown talent (check The Ear’s What are almost endless, site at www.mtwashing tonval- calendar for a full listing). too, are the events happening ley.org. Why go see 3-D movies when in and around the Valley. This I’m going to send my other you can go to 3-D theater? weekend offers up a full slate, self to the theater Friday while from the Mount Washington I look for a painting at Art in Leave one slot open Valley Arts Association’s Art in the Park.