tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post3183286995958161096..comments2024-03-24T14:10:13.944-04:00Comments on 1HappyHiker: Hiking to Mt. Agassiz the Old-Fashioned Way1HappyHikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-21056412220129347332021-07-19T12:05:22.912-04:002021-07-19T12:05:22.912-04:00I do not have contact info for Stan, the owner, bu...I do not have contact info for Stan, the owner, but he's a friend of my dad's and I've met him a few times. I actually haven't had any contact with him since I started hiking profusely in the Whites, which is too bad, but he was always quite friendly and I'm sure he'd be happy to tell you all about the rocks there. One of these days I should actually hike up his mountain and say hi. He's owned it for as long as I've known him (40 years) and probably longer than that. This weekend I actually drove by the base for the first time - didn't hike because the weather was lousy - but I was happy to find your blog when looking for more info on Stan's mountain.Slow Gin Lizznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-42821379382240687862021-05-03T14:46:46.746-04:002021-05-03T14:46:46.746-04:00Does anyone have contact info on the owner?
Does anyone have contact info on the owner?<br />Paul LeBrunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09759976121474977749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-8776907917537967882021-04-26T11:12:17.257-04:002021-04-26T11:12:17.257-04:00Hi “Unknown” . . . I have no information regarding...Hi “Unknown” . . . I have no information regarding the house with the rocks and glass art that is located at the base of the mountain. However, the occupant of the house seemed friendly on the few occasions that I have passed by him on my way up Mt. Agassiz. So, maybe you could strike up a conversation the next time you do this hike?<br /><br />John<br />1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-55406816707019637142021-04-23T09:38:24.846-04:002021-04-23T09:38:24.846-04:00Does anyone have any information on the house with...Does anyone have any information on the house with all the glass art and rocks at the base of the mountain? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14861155670824233714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-30695810646329981792017-10-22T22:38:19.384-04:002017-10-22T22:38:19.384-04:00So glad you enjoyed the Mt. Agassiz hike. It’s a ...So glad you enjoyed the Mt. Agassiz hike. It’s a nice one!<br /><br />John1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-37688006508221904122017-10-22T21:07:12.557-04:002017-10-22T21:07:12.557-04:00Thanks John. My sister peggy told us about it via ...Thanks John. My sister peggy told us about it via your blog <br />Went up today. Weather was picture perfect. Sunny. Warm nice breeze. With signs of lingering foliage. Simply gorgeous. Patty barrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-83547458139627289062017-08-15T22:32:46.780-04:002017-08-15T22:32:46.780-04:00Peggy, thanks for your comments!
Regarding your q...Peggy, thanks for your comments!<br /><br />Regarding your question, about a decade or so ago, it was possible to stand in the old ski area and get a view overlooking downtown Bethlehem. However, the last time I visited that area, it was filled with tall saplings that blocked the view.<br /><br />John<br />1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-74175126178741270622017-08-15T16:14:49.349-04:002017-08-15T16:14:49.349-04:00I am so thankful I found your blog. I just hiked ...I am so thankful I found your blog. I just hiked it and the views are insane. So quiet and nobody around! Have you ever seen any evidence of the ski area? <br />PeggyAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04846145290498431675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-79356302950086185192014-11-05T15:26:23.595-05:002014-11-05T15:26:23.595-05:00I really enjoyed your blog, esp the pictures. The...I really enjoyed your blog, esp the pictures. They brought back many memories. I hope you will continue adding pictures. My name is Norm Beck. I grew up on congress st.. third house on the left counting the one that used to be on the corner. Interestingly, Phil Gilbert was a boyhood friend. I will check your blog from time to time looking for updates. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-54692023773293058502014-11-05T08:58:32.652-05:002014-11-05T08:58:32.652-05:00Thank you for your reply to my question.
I live i...Thank you for your reply to my question.<br /><br />I live in Bethlehem within a 5 minute walk of the Maplewood Golf Course. And so, I’m familiar with the unfortunate loss of the grand hotels that once graced this wonderful town. Also, I’ve explored many of the places you mentioned, such as the hydroelectric dam in Bethlehem Hollow, as well as the remnants of the other dam you mentioned. Bethlehem is a great place to live, as I think you would agree!<br /><br />Thanks again for reading my blog and posting your comments!<br /><br />John<br />1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-15331643437468162202014-11-05T06:47:50.600-05:002014-11-05T06:47:50.600-05:00No, I never heard of Crufts Ledge. The terrain s...No, I never heard of Crufts Ledge. The terrain south of the Maplewood Hotel drops into a deep valley and terminates at Gale River.(I may have the name wrong). There are many foot paths there as guests during the 20's loved to take nature walks. Did you know that up to the 50's the town contained 30 hotels. Many have since burned. These were not accidents. As the tourist industry collapsed, the owners didn't want to pay taxes. At least they burned them during the winter. If you ever get back there, check out the old hydro electric dam in Bethlehem Hollow. Also if you go down maple st. and follow the old railroad track bed towards Maplewood you will come to the remnants of another dam. At one time this area was a huge lake.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-22541996175102086002014-11-04T17:14:16.331-05:002014-11-04T17:14:16.331-05:00Thank you so much for sharing your past exploratio...Thank you so much for sharing your past explorations of Mt. Agassiz. <br /><br />Of the many interesting things you described, the only one that I’ve come across was the trail relating to the water pipe corridor. Nowadays, exploration of the area surrounding Mt. Agassiz is nearly impossible since so much of it is private land.<br /><br />You mentioned that you are open to questions about the Bethlehem area. Were you ever at a place in Bethlehem called Crufts Ledge? I have searched for it on several occasions, but never found it. I know that it was located on the hillside on the south side of Rt. 302 in the vicinity of the Maplewood Hotel and Casino. Unfortunately, where I think it might have been is now on private land with a house sitting on it!<br /><br />John<br />1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-63824537991775105892014-11-04T10:02:36.101-05:002014-11-04T10:02:36.101-05:00I grew up in Bethlehem in the 40's and 50'...I grew up in Bethlehem in the 40's and 50's. I spent a lot of time exploring Mt. Agassiz which was uninhabited at the time. There is a steep section of boulders in the direction of Mt. Cleveland. I heard the legend of a cave and searched the whole area and concluded it was a myth. If you head off Agassiz in the direction of Maplewood you will come upon a path that leads to a gazebo and below it there is a camp which has the r temnants of benches and some shacks. Maybe a sugar shack or a meeting place. Below Agassiz towards Cleveland there are the remnants of a community probably used by hay fever sufferers. I remember some small cabins still stocked with numerous paper back books. At one time Gordon Miller tried to make the mountain into a tourist attraction building a base house and replacing the house on the summit. He hauled tourists up the road with a tractor called the magic mountain express. It failed. There is a neat area about 3/4 of the way up the road where there is a large flat granite plate covered with lichen. From there you could see a trail which contained a water pipe that pumped water to a huge tank. That's how they got water to the top. I often hiked to the top and skid down the road. I invite questions as I still remember the early days of Bethlehem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-34402567723157506882014-10-26T10:44:09.497-04:002014-10-26T10:44:09.497-04:00Thanks Phil for reading my blog and posting your c...Thanks Phil for reading my blog and posting your comments. Very much appreciated!<br /><br />I have lived in Bethlehem for the past 10 years and am familiar with the corridor of the old railroad and with the landmarks that you mentioned. I’m within a 15 minute walk of the old Maplewood Station and visit it often when out and about. I have taken photos in all seasons of the year of the Maplewood Station in its current condition, and I have a couple of old prints showing the station in its heyday.<br /><br />Thank you for your kind offer to provide me with pictures of Maplewood Station from your private collection. I’ll be contacting you at the e-mail address that you provided.<br /><br />John<br />1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-83684853763944466222014-10-25T09:26:23.225-04:002014-10-25T09:26:23.225-04:00The roadbed starts at the Junction near the Ammonu...The roadbed starts at the Junction near the Ammonusuc River Before it passes the Maplewood Hotel station ( Standing whin I last saw it 15 years ago.) and continues to where you picked it up, and crosses Maple Street and beyond and terminates at the Bethlehem Railroad station. (Stil standing and in good repair as a private home). I can provide pictures of Bethlehem Rail station in it's heyday and recent on request. Phil Gilbert as windjammer73@gmail.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-38026698689378067212012-06-26T16:11:27.362-04:002012-06-26T16:11:27.362-04:00Anonymous,
Thank you for your very kind comments!...Anonymous,<br /><br />Thank you for your very kind comments!<br /> <br />It does take a bit of time and effort to post narrative and photos about hiking adventures. However, I enjoy doing it, and it’s made even more rewarding by folks like you who take a moment to post a comment and provide feedback as to whether the information is useful.<br /><br />John1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-28688396319917983382012-06-26T12:00:57.718-04:002012-06-26T12:00:57.718-04:00I did this last year after seeing it no Rocket 21&...I did this last year after seeing it no Rocket 21's website. Unfortunately it was cloudy the day I went, so it is neat to see what it looks like!<br /><br />Love the blog, you've posted some nice obscure hikes that I have added to my list of hikes to do!! Thanks for your hard work of posting!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-60904762371185664642012-06-25T21:39:53.271-04:002012-06-25T21:39:53.271-04:00Hi Rita,
It’s wonderful to read that you enjoyed ...Hi Rita,<br /><br />It’s wonderful to read that you enjoyed the vicarious stroll through Bethlehem, as well as the view from our side yard. And regarding your comment about a Bed & Breakfast opportunity for the old church that’s for sale, my wife and I have had the same thought. Either that or a conversion to a set of small condo suites. <br /><br />Thanks as always for taking time to post a response.<br /><br />John1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-36830655187120309112012-06-25T20:59:08.151-04:002012-06-25T20:59:08.151-04:00This is a fascinating post, John. First, I love t...This is a fascinating post, John. First, I love the view from your yard. Second, it was nice to see the views along Main Street in your home town. A church for sale in the town of Bethlehem? Sounds like it could be an interesting Bed and Breakfast Inn!<br />Third, the greenery of the forest and the vistas from the top of Mt. Agassiz are amazing!<br /><br />Thanks for providing a most pleasant vicarious "stroll" through your town and its trails!<br /><br />RitaOne Day in Americahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06908834658716123640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-67483993908583480422012-06-24T18:56:20.238-04:002012-06-24T18:56:20.238-04:00Fantastic! It’s always so gratifying to learn tha...Fantastic! It’s always so gratifying to learn that information presented in my Blog is beneficial to someone.<br /><br />Thank you for taking time to post your comments!<br /><br />John1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-51453305522790437682012-06-24T18:32:42.517-04:002012-06-24T18:32:42.517-04:00Thanks John. We stay up in Whitefield on occasion ...Thanks John. We stay up in Whitefield on occasion and are always looking for hikes to do on Sunday mornings before we head back to CT.<br />AnnAnnhttp://hikergal.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-87665719543756885142012-06-23T21:22:58.648-04:002012-06-23T21:22:58.648-04:00Oh my! Chris, how I envy you growing up in such a...Oh my! Chris, how I envy you growing up in such a magnificent place! Being a relative newcomer to Bethlehem, I often feel like I’m coming in at the middle of a movie, or at chapter 5 of a 10+ chapter book!<br /><br />That is amazing that you could once follow the old rail bed from Maplewood Hill Road all the way to the lower ball field. Love hearing first-hand knowledge about this area!<br /><br />Thanks so much for posting your comments!<br />John1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-63555897190686178202012-06-23T18:55:35.324-04:002012-06-23T18:55:35.324-04:00Nice, John! I haven't walked that old railroa...Nice, John! I haven't walked that old railroad bed in years. Back in my "youth" (about 25 years ago), the old ties were very visible, and you could follow the bed from Maplewood Hill road all the way to today's lower ball field (which was part of the golf course). From there, we could take the old road to behind the town pool, or another path north towards lower Maple Street and Wing Road. Glad to see parts of it are still clear!NeoAkelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06780444851250977133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-77065173807148271442012-06-23T18:14:32.740-04:002012-06-23T18:14:32.740-04:00Thanks Mark!
Although this “out-the-back-door” hi...Thanks Mark!<br /><br />Although this “out-the-back-door” hike is particularly nice, most likely you also enjoy some nice locations which are nearby to where you live in RI. It seems that nearly everyone who lives in New England has heavenly bits of natural scenery that are easily reached on foot, or by a short car ride. <br /><br />John1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5541721184143597039.post-76228233821777953132012-06-23T16:57:16.671-04:002012-06-23T16:57:16.671-04:00Wow! What an amazing set of views! I can see that...Wow! What an amazing set of views! I can see that this is just one of the benefits of living in Bethlehem. How great to have such an option literally out your back door. Thanks for sharing a lovely day John.Mark Trumanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14668923500714114502noreply@blogger.com