Peak experience
Get cozy with Mount Washington at the Glen House
Ihave a thing with Mount Washington. It’s been going on since I was a child and my family vacationed in the area at a resort in the mountain’s valley. From there we could hear Jackson Falls and look out across the White Mountains. It was delightful. But we could not see Mount Washington directly.
And so the begging began the moment we arrived. “Dad! Take me to see the big mountain!” And we’d sit at the base and gaze, sometimes taking the Auto Road to the top but often just taking it all in. Every single time, I was transfixed. Since then I’ve looked at it from the slopes of Wildcat Mountain, ridden a train to the top, taken my kids there, hiked and skied it and more. And still felt a rush every time I see it.
Today, that thrill is enhanced, thanks to the revamped Glen House Hotel at Mount Washington (theglenhouse.com). Tucked into the base of the moun
tain, the Glen House is a chance to savor one of nature’s most lovely peaks, in many different ways.
I arrived at the Glen House on a chilly Monday morning, ready for a few solid days of mountain life. Designed to bring the outside in (giant windows in the great room/bar area and the dining room, as well as balconies off half the rooms) the Glen House is bathed in natural light, heated by hydroelectric power and dotted with bits of history along with whimsical artwork that celebrates nature just outside, respectfully (witness the deer head mounted above the fireplace; it’s a decoupage made from reclaimed fabric that picks up on the accents of the room).
There’s an indoor salt water pool, it too with huge windows; a sunny fitness room, a great bar area and a sun-bathed restaurant that focuses on locally sourced fare.
But outside is where it is at. It being winter, this was the time of year to get out and move on the snow. Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center (greatglentrails.com) is directly across the street (and with a tunnel that leads you — on skis, snowshoes and even fat tire bikes — back past the hotel and toward Mount Washington) and offers free use of its trails and tubing hill to Glen House guests. You can bring your own gear or get rentals there and hike past the hotel and up, although you may find the draw of the hotel’s fire pit (where you can order up a hot drink, a glass of wine or one of their signature cocktails) to be strong. Never Nordic skied before? This is the place to learn: Great Glen Trails is the home area — and employer
— of Olympian Sue Wemyss. Wemyss serves as ski school director and teaches there, so you can learn from one of the best in the world.
It was tempting to hunker down at the Glen House, but I love the surrounding area. Wildcat, an annual top scenery resort in ski publications worldwide, sits across the road (with shuttles available to and from the Glen House). About 15 minutes farther is Attitash Ski Resort, a long-time valley staple with two peaks and great skiing.
If you only have a day, both area’s lift tickets are interchangable, meaning you can ski your morning at one and afternoon at the other, all on the same ticket. That translates to a big mountain feel in a quaint valley. There’s also quaint and historic Black Mountain in Jackson, and Cranmore in nearby North Conway — a classic family resort.
And then there’s the SnowCoach. A comfortable and warm enclosed 9-person vehicle, the SnowCoach takes you on a climb up to the treeline on Mount Washington itself, one of the most interesting weather spots on the planet. As you climb, taking in sweeping views and watching the flora change from thick woods to scrub, red berries dotting trees like an exclamation points along the way. At the top of our ride, at about 4,200 feet, we disembark and take it all in — super high winds, low, low temperatures and, most of all, jawdropping views.
And while the meals at the Glen House are superb, I head out to dine in the lower valley as well: one night at the Wildcat Tavern for its long-running “Hoot Night” that features local musicians and another night at the Red Parka Pub, the place I once headed for après almost daily as a young ski pro in the area. Both are classics; both worth the visit.
Back at the Glen House, I feel at home. My room has a balcony looking out to Mount Washington. The great room’s fire is always crackling (and fresh cookies are put out daily).
And then there is the weather. One day was sunny and cutting cold, winds whipping above us on the mountain trails. Another was a socked-in blizzard — beautiful from the view beside that cracking fire. And the third was a perfect winter day: cold enough to make skiing great but warm enough to not demand indoor breaks. A live screen in the Glen House updates you on the weather way up at the peak of Mount Washington.