Set on 2,500 pastoral acres just outside the classic New England village of Stowe, this charming, Austrian-style chalet has been welcoming visitors since 1950. Owned and operated by the von Trapp family, whose story has been immortalized by the beloved film The Sound of Music, the Trapp Family Lodge is home to 96 rooms and suites, 18 luxurious villas, and 100 hillside guesthouses.
Nordic skiers and snowshoe aficionados will delight in exploring the resort s extensive trail network, which includes more than 40 miles of groomed trails and an additional 60 miles of forested backcountry. Winter adventures, including horse-drawn sleigh rides, set out from Trapp s outdoor center, where you can rent equipment, sign up for lessons, or shop for cozy winter gear. Meanwhile, what may just be the East Coast s best alpine skiing and riding can be found right up the Mountain Road at Stowe Mountain Resort, home to 485-acres of terrain spread across Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak.
N ew Hampshireâs revolving seasons have always determined my outdoor activities.
When the snow falls, I tune up my snowboard and head for the resort, or grab a pair of snowshoes for a jaunt around local trails once they are filled in.
But once the mud dries in the springtime, I pull out my mountain bike for the adrenaline-pumping thrill of downhill runs that get me through the warmer months.
For those who canât get enough of the rolling adventures, the trend of fat-tire biking that is exploding on the East Coast provides cycling opportunities 365 days of the year, even when the ground is covered in snow.
Way, way, way up, just below the Mount Rosebrook summit opposite New Hampshire’s mighty Presidential Mountains, a new building is now visible, glinting in the fall sunlight.
This, the Rosebrook Lodge, is the venerable Omni Mount Washington Resort’s brand-new 16,000-square-foot on-mountain, up-mountain dining and event space. It opened at the beginning of fall, tentatively, though, with limited service due to the pandemic restrictions.
Still, Rosebrook Lodge had at least a couple of weddings under its belt by Columbus Day Weekend, a very popular time for leaf peepers and pre-ski season travelers in this remote northeastern New Hampshire region.