I was surprised just how close
Cranmore (#5 for the day) was to downtown North Conway, why you could walk from the shopping district to the base of the mountain
in 20 minutes – even with your ski boots on! Cranmore had a limited number of slopes open and seemed to have more
snow guns on than any mountian so far this day. This lovely local mountain had a casual small scale feel - a great mountain for young families with children learning to ski.
I lucked out this time with three
"old timers" at the base of the chair lift. I could tell these guys had worked together for a while and they had a very
relaxed manner. These three represented the comradely I see so often in New Englanders
– a jocular, comfortable friendliness borne of long hours of working the lifts.
My only run led me by a trail
called "Zip" which happens to be the nickname of a dear cousin of mine from Maine. Zip is a legend in Maine canoeing
circles and turns a mean ski as well - in fact, Zip joined me for a later NH ski day.
