There is a state in New England where ancient mountains rise above the treeline into bare Arctic tundra, where sheer granite summits look out over oceans of forests, and where one of the fastest wind speeds ever recorded was once clocked here at 231 miles per hour.
But New Hampshire is also the pla…There is a state in New England where ancient mountains rise above the treeline into bare Arctic tundra, where sheer granite summits look out over oceans of forests, and where one of the fastest wind speeds ever recorded was once clocked here at 231 miles per hour.
But New Hampshire is also the place where Thoreau came to reflect, Thornton Wilder was inspired to write his seminal play Our Town, and the oldest summer stock company in America stills performs in an 18th century barn.
New Hampshire is art and adventure, natural wonders and quintessential charm. But most of all, like the state’s nickname suggests, it is a place to live free and to the fullest.
In today’s episode we set off on a seven-day road trip through three of the state’s most rugged and fascinating regions - from backpacking in the White Mountains and scrambling up waterfalls to discovering art inspired by nature, and nature infused with an artistic eye.
Get ready for the Live Free Road Trip.
Highlights include:
• Hiking the Presidential Traverse - three days, and four peaks above 5,000 feet, including Mt Washington, the highest (and windiest) summit in New England.
• Discovering the ‘business class of backpacking’ staying in the Apallachain Mountain Club’s backcountry huts - three-course dinners, epic views, and cosy beds.
• Finding out about the MacDowell Institute, a legendary artists' residency founded in 1907, whose past guests include Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, James Baldwin, Thornton Wilder and hundreds of other world-class artists.
• Hiking Mount Monadnock - reputedly the second most climbed mountain in the world after Mount Fuji, with views across New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts. Hear why this was one of Thoreau’s favorite hikes!
FIND OUT MORE
Produced in collaboration with Lonely Planet: LonelyPlanet.com
Find inspiration, itineraries and everything you need - including how to book this exact road trip - at visitnh.gov (Visit New Hampshire) or follow them on social at @VisitNH
Thank you to our guests:
Marielle Fibish, senior outdoor guide at the Appalachian Mountain Club.Find out more at: outdoors.org
Ben Cote, Newport local and outdoor fanatic. Connect with him at tracylibrary.org
Michelle Stahl, Executive Director at the Monadnock Center for History and Culture. Find out more at monadnockcenter.org
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Armchair Explorer is written and presented by Aaron Millar. Audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie. Produced by Armchair Productions
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Miles Howard, former worker at the White Mountains Appalachian Mountain Community huts, discussed his recent Boston Globe piece on the challenges facing these backcountry delights. Then New York Times writer Caren Osten Gerszberg talked about vacations created by experts to help "reki…Episode Notes
Miles Howard, former worker at the White Mountains Appalachian Mountain Community huts, discussed his recent Boston Globe piece on the challenges facing these backcountry delights. Then New York Times writer Caren Osten Gerszberg talked about vacations created by experts to help "rekindle the spark".
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