Franconia Notch

New Hampshire drivers in the Franconia Notch area during coming snowstorms may think may be seeing double when they look at a state plow truck. New Hampshire transportation officials are poised to deploy a new weapon in their snowplowing arsenal — a tow-behind plow mounted on a trailer that enables one 10-wheel truck to plow two lanes at once. New Hampshire joins Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts in adding the new "tow plow" device to its fleet of plow trucks. Transportation officials say the tow plow will be tested first in Franconia Notch and will eventually be deployed to...

New Hampshire drivers in the Franconia Notch area during coming snowstorms may think may be seeing double when they look at a state plow truck. New Hampshire transportation officials are poised to deploy a new weapon in their snowplowing arsenal — a tow-behind plow mounted on a trailer that enables one 10-wheel truck to plow two lanes at once. New Hampshire joins Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts in adding the new "tow plow" device to its fleet of plow trucks. Transportation officials say the tow plow will be tested first in Franconia Notch and will eventually be deployed to...

FRANCONIA NOTCH , N.H. -- When the granite visage of the Old Man of the Mountain slipped off its precarious perch on Cannon Mountain in 2003 and crashed 1,200 feet into the valley below, it left a hole in the New Hampshire landscape and created an echo that reverberates in the memory of every tourist who came to gaze up at the landmark over the decades. "It's like a front tooth is missing," said Maureen Clark, whose family has owned and operated Clark's Trading Post, a roadside attraction in North Woodstock, since 1928.

MOUNT LAFAYETTE - We hiked on packed snow inside thick gray clouds for most of the morning. At around 5,000 feet elevation, the milky fog brightened for a moment, then the clouds suddenly parted to reveal the entire mountain. Far below, ski trails across Franconia Notch looked like white scuffs down the flank of neighboring Cannon Mountain. Just above us, the peak of Lafayette, at 5,260 feet, lay up a trail of blown snow, deep drifts, blue ice, and bare rock. After giving us time for a few photographs, the hole in the clouds quickly closed, and my wife, Jennifer, and I were back in the mist.

FRANCONIA NOTCH, N.H. - At 8:30 a.m., John and Jackie Morgan begin their routine. Cannon Mountain skiers since 1985, the couple from Narragansett, R.I., makes a beeline for the Peabody Express to hit the middle of the 4,000-foot-plus mountain. After lunch, they stick to lower runs off the Eagle Cliff triple before finishing the day at secluded Tuckerbrook. "Tuckerbrook gives you variety and is good for tired legs," said Jackie, a retired nurse nicknamed the "Queen of Groom" for her desire to stick to corduroy runs.

Kenneth Holmes's life ended in the New Hampshire mountains he knew well but ultimately could not conquer. The 37-year-old father of five, who taught his children to love the outdoors, was a New Hampshire state park worker who spent time rescuing other hikers. He died after camping for several days in the White Mountains. His body was found Thursday near Franconia Notch, deep in the woods surrounded by some of the region's toughest terrain. Holmes was located in a highly exposed area not far from his loaded backpack in an area where several peaks tower above...

MOUNT LAFAYETTE - We hiked on packed snow inside thick gray clouds for most of the morning. At around 5,000 feet elevation, the milky fog brightened for a moment, then the clouds suddenly parted to reveal the entire mountain. Far below, ski trails across Franconia Notch looked like white scuffs down the flank of neighboring Cannon Mountain. Just above us, the peak of Lafayette, at 5,260 feet, lay up a trail of blown snow, deep drifts, blue ice, and bare rock. After giving us time for a few photographs, the hole in the clouds quickly closed, and my wife, Jennifer, and I were back in the...

The muddy water was flowing in a 2-foot-wide stream down the center of Liberty Spring Trail in New Hampshire, deep enough to cover the boots of anyone willing to trudge up its middle. After that inauspicious beginning, patches of icy snow appeared, sprinkled over the trail and slowly merging to form a continuous lane of steep, shiny ice that covered all but the larger boulders. In addition, rain was coming down steadily on this 60-degree, late-April day, putting rain gear to the test and adding a slickness to the Franconia Notch trail.

Where to stay Best Western White Mountain Resort (formerly Franconia Hotel) 87 Wallace Hill Road, Franconia (exit 38 off Interstate 93) 603-823-7422, 888-669-6777 Starting at $132 per night. Indian Head Resort Exit 33, off I-93, Lincoln 603-745-8000; 800-343-8000 Doubles $125-$155, children under age 12 free. Where to eat Gordi's Fish and Steak House Kancamagus Highway(Route 112), Lincoln 603-745-6635 Casual dining with gorgeous views of the mountains.

Flowers, jewelry, fancy chocolates? Thanks, but no thanks. For us, nothing says "romance" like a weekend escape to a country inn. Add a generous dollop of outdoor fun, and our happy hormones shift into overdrive. In our view, the region's country inns are the ultimate romantic escape (OK, besides Paris) any time of year. But they are especially alluring in winter, when fireplaces crackle, candles glow, and wintry activities beckon outside. So throw a few layers of L.L. Bean fleece over those Victoria's Secret scanties (or those Calvin Klein boxers)

FRANCONIA NOTCH, N.H. - At 8:30 a.m., John and Jackie Morgan begin their routine. Cannon Mountain skiers since 1985, the couple from Narragansett, R.I., makes a beeline for the Peabody Express to hit the middle of the 4,000-foot-plus mountain. After lunch, they stick to lower runs off the Eagle Cliff triple before finishing the day at secluded Tuckerbrook. "Tuckerbrook gives you variety and is good for tired legs," said Jackie, a retired nurse nicknamed the "Queen of Groom" for her desire to stick to corduroy runs.

Where to stay Best Western White Mountain Resort (formerly Franconia Hotel) 87 Wallace Hill Road, Franconia (exit 38 off Interstate 93) 603-823-7422, 888-669-6777 Starting at $132 per night. Indian Head Resort Exit 33, off I-93, Lincoln 603-745-8000; 800-343-8000 Doubles $125-$155, children under age 12 free. Where to eat Gordi's Fish and Steak House Kancamagus Highway(Route 112), Lincoln 603-745-6635 Casual dining with gorgeous views of the mountains.

FRANCONIA NOTCH , N.H. -- When the granite visage of the Old Man of the Mountain slipped off its precarious perch on Cannon Mountain in 2003 and crashed 1,200 feet into the valley below, it left a hole in the New Hampshire landscape and created an echo that reverberates in the memory of every tourist who came to gaze up at the landmark over the decades. "It's like a front tooth is missing," said Maureen Clark, whose family has owned and operated Clark's Trading Post, a roadside attraction in North Woodstock, since 1928.

The muddy water was flowing in a 2-foot-wide stream down the center of Liberty Spring Trail in New Hampshire, deep enough to cover the boots of anyone willing to trudge up its middle. After that inauspicious beginning, patches of icy snow appeared, sprinkled over the trail and slowly merging to form a continuous lane of steep, shiny ice that covered all but the larger boulders. In addition, rain was coming down steadily on this 60-degree, late-April day, putting rain gear to the test and adding a slickness to the Franconia Notch trail.

Kenneth Holmes's life ended in the New Hampshire mountains he knew well but ultimately could not conquer. The 37-year-old father of five, who taught his children to love the outdoors, was a New Hampshire state park worker who spent time rescuing other hikers. He died after camping for several days in the White Mountains. His body was found Thursday near Franconia Notch, deep in the woods surrounded by some of the region's toughest terrain. Holmes was located in a highly exposed area not far from his loaded backpack in an area where several peaks tower above...

Near a summit north of Franconia Notch on a November afternoon, a group of seven serious hikers, with several thousand peaks bagged among them, traded tips on curing post-peak hunger. "Mooseland in Twin Mountain," said one, saluting the nearby Mooseland Grill. Other suggestions featured the caviar of the north country. "There's a place in Errol that has good pizza by the slice," said a guy fueled on Diet Coke and Butterfingers. "Mr. Pizza, in Gorham," added another.

New Hampshire State Police say a 47-year-old skier from Massachusetts was found dead on a ski lift at Cannon Mountain over the weekend. Police say John Denapoli of Lunenburg, Mass., had been skiing with friends and family all day Sunday at the Franconia Notch ski area. He was on the ski lift by himself when he was found unresponsive at about 4:40 p.m. Paramedics attempted to revive him, but were not successful. Police say the death is not suspicious and is not being investigated as a ski-related death.