Fir Balsam Christmas Tree Cut your own Tree Bartlett Inn NH

That is correct.  You can cut your own Christmas Tree for $5 bucks in the White Mountain National Forest  of New Hampshire!  The Bartlett Inn has a tradition of cutting our own Christmas Tree each holiday season.  Usually we find a nice tree on our own property but this year we just could not find one that had a good shape so Innkeeper Nick and his family went to the Ranger Station on the Kancamagus Highway in Conway, NH and paid just $5 to cut our own tree.  This is a great deal on Christmas trees that can cost from $20 – $120 dollars. The Bartlett Inn prefers to cut a less traditional tree: It goes by many a name; Charlie Brown Tree, Stick Tree, Pencil Tree or the real name Fir Balsam.  It is fragrant and grows with larger spaces between branches than trees grown on a tree farm.  It is not as full and bushy as a farm grown tree but it has benefits as the space between branches allows ornaments to be seen and dangle freely and it has an open airy feel.  We made a point to make and buy very light ornaments as the branches are not very thick or stiff.

Start a new family tradition, come to stay at the Bartlett Inn in New Hampshire and cut your own Christmas Tree.  Bring your own twine to tie the tree down on the car and rules for cutting are that you can use hand tools only..no chain saws so bring your own little saw and have fun!  We did.  For more information on staying in NEW Hampshire and cutting your own Christmas tree call 1 800 292 2353.

Mt Washington Views with Bartlett Innkeepers in NH Foliage NH

What better than a sunny September day to take The Bartlett Inn’s Summer Employee (Ozgur from Turkey!) on a sight seeing day and where better than for a ride up the Mt Washington Auto Road in Pinkham Notch NH.  We like the sign that says not a good road to drive if you have a fear of heights at the beginning of the road!  A little frightened we put the truck into 1st gear and went for it!  What can we say…spectacular views at every turn and the top too! We enjoyed lunch at the canteen and the museum in the bottom of the observatory.  One perk of driving up is that you are not limited by the time of the returning coach or cog train.  There are many hikes that can be done from the top too!  On teh way back to the Bartlett Inn there is nice short hike to Glen Ellis Falls off Route 16 .

Glen Ellis Water Falls Pinkham Notch NH

Call Bartlett Inn to stay and Innkeepers will check the Mt Washington Weather Observatory Weather Cam and reports for the best visability day to visit the top during your stay.  We also offer discount vouchers  for the Auto Road saving you $8!  Call 1 800 292 2353 Bartlett Inn a great location to visit the Auto Road or the Cog Railway or to hike to the summitt of MT Washington, NH!

Mt Washington Summit NH Bartlett Innkeepers Did it!!

Mount Washington is the highest peak in the North Eastern United States at 6233 Feet.  Climbers often train here to climb Mt Everest as it is the closest simulation to the weather conditions on the highest peak in the world!   We trained for 2 weeks climbing peaks like Mt Tremont and found the muscle memory took hold.  We were less sore after Mt Washington than after Mt Tremont.  Loved the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail accessible next to the Cog Railroad Base Station.  Beautiful river pools, cascades and

Mimi descending Mt Washington Jewel Trail Great Gulf Wilderness NH Views

waterfalls.  Spectacular Views on the 2nd half of the trail.  Nice challenging steepness and rock climbing but not impossible.   At the the top of the trail are the Lakes in the Clouds…2 small mountain ponds which are crystal clear and beautiful!  And best of all we saw no other humans on the trail!  I love the pure nature experience.  It took another hour to summit Mt Washington from the Lakes of the Clouds following the cairns (piles of rocks about 3 feet tall that help mark where the trail is since the top of Mt Washington is all boulders and scree with no obvious trail)  through the scree and boulders.  This is a fun challenge as there are many trail intersections but nothing obvious because of the 100% rocks so it is a game to follow the signs and the cairns.  We picked a top 10 day for this hike as the view was about 100 miles crystal clear and the weather about 70 degrees and 60 at the top. We took the Jewel trail down and I hated the footing; as you got off the boulders at the top  the trail turns into a small shifty rolly ankle breaking watch every step mine field for 70 % of the way down.  I was told this was the easy trail down but think I will return via Ammonoosuc next time!.  Saying that the views into the Great Gulf Wilderness and the very obvious marked changes at each altitude and flora and fauna and terrain were very interesting. The bottom of Jewel trail was closed and of course curiosity and tiredness got the best of us…so we walked on to find the bridge was washed out by Irene…so if you are not up for a long jump across the brook take the long way down. Great hike, beautiful day and a wonderful accomplishment to be able to say I climbed Mt Washington after living in her shadows for 9 years!  Stay at the Bartlett Inn  NH just 20 minutes to either notch to climb MtWashington.  Guests enjoy a yummy breakfast and good hiking advice whatever trail you choose! See more pics on Barteltt Inn Facebook! 9/27/11

Stony Brook Waterfalls Mt Tremont Trail NHBartlett Innkeeper on Mt Tremont NH Summit

Mt Tremont Trail can be accessed approximately 2 miles east of the Bartlet Inn Bed and Breakfast on US Route 302.  Mt Tremont is 3371 Feet.  My husband Nick, innkeeper and avid hiker, and I – not so avid hiker, did this hike in about 3.25 hours.  I was nervous about so much altitude but found this a great hike.  It was very difficult in that the trail is very rocky, uneven and strewn with tree roots.  Put that on a incline and it does make for a slippery climb with challenging footing.  Saying that, I love that the first third of the hike as the trail travels along Stony Brook which has endless beautiful waterfall cascades and clear pools and river running over sheets of granite;  Just beautiful and a great distraction.  The second 2/3 of the trail are relatively steep but the foliage was beautiful and there were sections of the trail that were red and then yellow. Towards the last third of the climb you pass through a section of trail with trees and exposed roots that makes you feel like you are traveling through a hobbit colony!  One can get glimpses of Mt Washington  and Crawford Notch and I imagine as the foliage drops from the trees the views grow en route.  From the top the views are spectacular looking down at Sawyer Ponds below as well as Greens Cliff and Bear Notch Road and the Kancamagus Highway.  The footing down was pretty hard on the feet.  We found the hiking poles a great help on the descent giving us stability climbing down the steep slippery rocky trail.  This was a great hike if you enjoy beautiful New Hampshire waterfalls and incredible views and do not mind a challenging trail.  For anyone just interested in waterfalls you could do the first section of the trail only and really have a nice easier hike!  Any questions call The Bartlett Inn who offer trail advice to all their guests.  We help you find the best hike for what challenge you are up for and interests you have. Call  800 292 2353 For More Pictures of our hikes check out our Face book posts. Hiked 9/21/11

All the local White Mountain Attractions are now reopened and the hiking is on!  Great time to view waterfalls in New Hampshire!  Some of the local roads in Carroll County NH have been damaged so when you come to visit the Bartlett Inn NH DUE TO IRENE PLEASE CALL FOR DIRECTIONS.  Best access to the Bartlett Inn is Rte 16 to Rte 302. The Kancamagus Highway, Rte 112, is open from Conway to Bear Notch Rd and then Bear Notch Rd South to 302 turn left .5 mi to Bartlett Inn, Rte 112 West of Bear Notch Rd to Lincoln is closed. US Rte 302 West of the Bartlett Inn through Crawford Notch is CLOSED. West Side Rd is now open. Alt Routes are I 93 to Rte 25 West to Rte 16 N to Rte 302 West or from the North Rte 2 East through Gorham NH to Rte 16 South to Rte 302 West to Bartlett NH.

Another option Rte 16 N to the Kancmagus Hwy West to Bear Notch Rd South to US Rte 302 West.

Wildcat NH view to Tuckermans Ravine Mt Washington NH

Ride the Wildcat Gondola to the top of Wildcat Ski NH Mountain and stay at the Bartlett Inn hotel close to North Conway NH.  The views are as spectacular in summer as they are in winter.  We even saw a large bull moose on the Gondola ride laying just under the!  At the top there are several hikes short or long you can do and they give you access to even more views!  WE made it tot the very summit of Wildcat where there is a lookout platform…spectacular looking into Tuckerman Ravine and Huntington Ravine on Mt Washington NH across Pinkham Notch.

The Wildcat zip line is quite long and a real thrill!  The only drawback is that you have to weigh about 70 lbs to ride and so our 7 year old was not able to try it.  Maybe next year!  Stay at the Bartlett Inn Bed and Breakfast and Cottages and then enjoy a beautiful scenic short drive to Wildcat.  The innkeeper will give you some tips for hikes along the way and you can even get lunch at the mountain!  Call 1 800 292 2353. Did we mention that you can bring your dog with you on the tram!!  As long as they don’t suffer from vertigo!

Enjoying wheelchair accessable hiking trail to Sabbaday Water Falls NH

Visiting the White Mountains of New Hampshire in a Wheelchair – Yes it can be done! How do I know? Over a year ago my father suffered a major stroke and was left paralized on his right side. Very sad as this was a man who walked 3 miles a day and still lifted a few hand weight and did his pushups each morning – Semper Fi! Once a Marine always a Marine!  Mom was very nervous about taking a tirp from NY to NH.  We drove together and found many easy exits on I91 and US Rte 302 for  breaks with handicap accessable bathrooms.  The real joy was that we were able to accommodate my dad in a wheelchair at the Bartlett Inn. There is access through our back door with just a 4 inch curb up the back and then into the kitchen – doable in a wheelchair.  Inn Room 5 is on the main floor and so this provided easy access to the bedroom and the inn living and dining rooms too.  The bathroom is not large enough to be truly handicap accessable for a wheel chair but my dad is able to take a few steps with help and to pivot so we managed ok.  We have a toilet chair that made this possible.  Best of all we found that some of the hikes we loved to take to NH Waterfalls including Sabbaday Falls on the Kankamgus Highway and Diana’s Baths Waterfalls in North Cownay NH were fit for a wheelchair.  ( We had a transport chair not a large chair). The hiking trails were hard packed with pea stone and made each of these .5 mile trails possible.  There were a couple of small hills that required a good push but we did it.  The benches set up at intervals along the path were a great resting spot for my mom too.

Another thing my parents love to do is to have a drink on the veranda at the Mt Washington Hotel Bretton Woods NH.  They had handicap access ramps through the front door and onto the veranda and we enjoyed a crystal clear sunset with beautiful viws of Mt Washington.  We were also able to eat at our favorite restaurant, The White Mountain Cider Company in Glen NH.  They have a ramp into the restaurant  and we enjoyed Monday night Burgers (The Vietnamese burger was delicious!)
So come visit New Hampshire – don’t let  a wheelchair hold you back. The Bartlett Inn has some limited handicap accessable rooms but there are other hotels locally that can provide full handicap accessable accommodations if necessary.  The point is that it is possible to see the natural beauty in New Hampshire’s White Mountains from a wheelchair and this was great for my dad!  A real sense of freedom and joy!  We are already planning his next visit where he will get into the Bartlett Inn’s heated swimming pool this summer for some aqua therapy!

Bartlett Innkeeper hike to Diana's Baths Cascading Waterfalls North Conway NH

Diana’s Baths Waterfall North Conway NH Family Hike

Spring Hiking in New Hampshire’s White Mountains is the perfect time to enjoy big water flow at many of the easy to get to Waterfalls.  Diana’s Baths made for a great family hike this week.  It is an easy .5 mile groomed trail to the falls.  We could hear the roar of the water before we could see the falls.  In spring the rain and the snow runoff make the rivers and waterfalls swell.  We enjoyed standing close to the cascade and getting covered with the mist.  There Are plenty of other waterfall hikes near Bartlett, Jackson and North Conway NH…some short and easy, some more challenging but all beautiful at this time of year.  Wear your hiking boots, a fleece and if you plan on going above 1200 feet bring some snowshoes too! Bartlett Inn – Innkeeper Nick will be happy to help you choose the best hike for what you want to see and for your abilities.

Bartlett Innkeeper Nick Crossing a Bridge Carter Notch NH

This is the first post in Bartlett Innkeeper Nicks series Adventures in the White Mountains of NH: Winter.  Share my wilderness experiences as I tell about my hikes in the White Mountains of NH!

 I went on a beautiful winter hike on 27th January with two friends of mine Matt and Greg. We went on the 19 mile loop trail  ( only 7.8 miles round trip) in Carter Notch Jackson NH – the trail head is just above Wildcat Ski Mountain. The trail was in great shape and we didnt need crampons or snow shoes . I Used Crampons on the way down as I was going solo. Met the Hut master Mike who was studying Pine Martens. The views around the hut looking at the Wildcat mountain and on the other side Carter Dome were spectacular. The lake was frozen and the ice was over 3 feet thick so I felt very safe crossing it. There are a few small exposed areas where you will feel the wind and temp drop – apart from that – a very protected trail. To see more pictures and details of our hike go to the Bartlett Inn Facebook page and become a friend .The Bartlett Inn  near Jackson NH is a great base to go out winter hiking.  Greg and Matt stayed at the Bartlett Inn Wednesday night to charge up and then spent Thursday night at the Carter Notch Hut and returned to refuel at the Bartlet Inn and do more day hikes with the Bartlett Inn as their base for Ice Climbs  at Cathedral Ledge, North Conway,  NH and Frankenstein Cliffs Crawford Notch NH.

Mountain Coasters at Attitash and Cranmore North Conway NH
Tubing at Great Glen Trails Near the Mount Washington Auto Road and Cranmore
Snow Cat up Mount Washington or Cog Railway both go partway up in winter weather depending
Zip Lines and Canopy tours at Wildcat Ski Resort in Pinkham Notch NH and Bretton Woods NH
Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides at several local Farms
Snowmobiling – the best NH snowmobiling is just outside the Bartlett Inn NH
Dog Sledding – Lots of fun and bundle up!
Ice Skating in NH (several options)
and of Course….Shopping at the North Conway Outlets!

And if you do ski – Bartlett Inn near Attitash , Bretton Woods and Cranmore and Wildcat NH has discounted ski tickets to all the mountains and great cross country ski trail access too! Call 1 800 292 2353 for deals as we have discounted tickets to all of the above activities and even some FREE tubing tickets!