NH Archives - Peter Otis Photos

Ice Castle New Hampshire – Go See It!!

: Ice Castle NH before dusk and impending snowfall

Last Thursday after heavy rains, we had a chance to walk through and photograph New Hampshire’s Ice Castle located at The Hobo Railroad in Lincoln, NH. We had been aware of this wintertime addition to the NH landscape, now in its third season. Other Ice Castles can be found in Utah, Minnesota and Canada. What a treat it was to experience one in Northern New England!!

Unfortunately, rains and a (late or has it just been perpetual) January thaw had beaten down the one acre complex. But it was still a fun visual experience to see it before dark and then again when the light show began. While standing in the various “rooms” we witnessed a wide spectrum of changing lights. Although the cold weather prevented many kids of all ages from using the slides that have been constructed, folks nevertheless were seen crawling through tunnels (and coming out with dripping snow suits!). Lots of video and still cameras captured sights that this week with very cold weather probably look vastly different. Take a look at still images and videos on their web site to see what it looks like in other Wx conditions. A crew of workers with hard hats, and ice climbing gear monitored the ceilings so that we weren’t hit with anything crashing down other than water drops. Normally, their team works hard in cold weather to make turrets and lots of effects that had been greatly softened and worn down by the rains and high temps.

: Ice Castle NH- silhouetted image capture

: Ice Castle NH – how deep inside and outside can one see?

: Ice Castle NH- softened by recent rains

: Ice Castle NH – inside

: Ice Castle NH- resting spot

: Ice Castle NH – silhouetted sharers of a lovely spot

There is a beauty in Ice Castle NH that rivals other light shows I have been fortunate to capture with my camera — The Fountains of The Bellagio Hotel at night, sunrises and sunsets, slot canyons in AZ, Terratractus, fireworks, stained glass windows in churches and cathedrals and more.

: Ice Castle NH- enjoying the fountain

: Ice Castle NH- looking up through dripping icicles

If you can, go and experience this one or one of the other ones, do so. And be ready to slide on the ice too!!

: Ice Castle NH- colorful slide awaiting colder temperatures

And after completing this experience, head over to nearby North Woodstock to the Woodstock Inn Station & Brewery and warm up with the specials of the day or night!!

Peter Otis

peterotisphotos.com

PLACES… plants… people… plus other gems….

NH Splendor- From Mount Washington to Millville – St. Paul’s School 50th Reunion- Class of 1965

Fiftieth high school reunions only happen once!

Getting back to my native New Hampshire recently was really special in many ways!

I was fortunate to attend both our pre-reunion as well as the actual reunion from May 26 – 31. My travels took me from southern, shoreline CT to northern and then central NH. Sugar Hill, NH; Crawford Notch and Bretton Woods, NH; Concord, NH (aka “Millville” by the St. Paul’s School community- allowed me to experience a variety of ecosystems and plants in bloom. It was an unusually warm week. Visiting in-laws in Sugar Hill on the back side of Cannon Mountain, I breathed and viewed a second dose of my favorite lilacs in full bloom (two weeks behind our CT lilac richness). Their little museum has a realy cool exhibit this summer about photography. I’m so glad they took me to see it. A visit to Sugar Hill must include a stop at Harman’s Cheese & Country Store for some of the best aged cheddar anywhere!

Next stop, Bretton Woods (now apparently a part of a town called “Carroll, NH”) and a short stop at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center. I went there to see the new (to me) Center and especially the photo exhibit of Brad Washburn’s incredible; aerial and mountain photographs. If you stop to view the exhibit, be sure to ask at the front desk for the audio part of the tour to hear Brad (now deceased) describe the images.

Wednesday afternoon was focused on a trip up the Cog Railway with some of my classmates and their loved ones. It had been years since I had taken that trip with our family — bio diesel engine for our ascent and descent, but still a thrill to chug up and down and to walk around the summit at 6,288 feet.

For this slide show I have omitted many images of our receptions and dinners. But getting early morning shots (especially) around and in the restored Mount Washington Hotel was a spectacular experience for me. In the 1970’s and ’80’s I had attended a number of professional conferences and then watched it deteriorate. The Omni Hotels have done a grand job of bringing back this grande dame!

Thursday we took a long hike up the country’s oldest hiking rail, the Crawford Path to the summit of Mount Pierce. Descending, I took a bad enough fall that made me unable to row in the next day’s crew race in Concord. It was a lovely hike, but that tumble forced me to take photographs of the race instead of pulling an oar despite having practiced for the past 5 years on a Concept 2 rowing machine. Back in Concord for the actual reunion, we held our race in matched 1972 Pocock shells- first time ever two full boats had competed in a 50th reunion! Special events included chapel services, magnificent organ and carillon music, and an alumni parade led by the oldest alum and ending with the Class of 2015 taking up the rear. There were sporting events, cultural events, exhibits, etc., etc.

My few images give a sense of some of my highlights! What isn’t shown here are the special moments and conversations that took place with classmates and their loved ones. I am already eagerly looking forward to our next quinquennial in 5 years but hope to stay in touch with a number of folks sooner!

Peter

Peter Otis Photos, LLC

PLACES…plants… PEOPLE… PLUS OTHER GEMS

: Sugar Hill Historical Museum – New exhibit called “Flash Back”

: NH Lilacs at Corner of Sugar Hill Historical Museum looking toward Harman’s Cheese & Country Store- source of the BEST aged cheddar cheese and many other goodies

: Crawford Notch, Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center

: Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon, AZ- Photograph by Brad Washburn, showing left and right two different geologic sites

: Heading up to the summit of Mt. Washington on The Cog Railway

: Cog Railway passenger car and biodiesel engine at the summit

: The Tip Top House is the last remaining of the old buildings. It now houses a museum depicting the setting that guests many years ago stayed in.

: Vista description

: Looking from the summit of Mt. Pierce (El. 4312)

: Heading up and over to the Mt. Clinton trail to the Mizpah Spring Hut

: Poles were essential for stability

: A ca. 1917 photo of climbers on the Crawford Path – “oldest footpath in the U.S.) – seen in the lobby of the Mt. Washington Hotel

: Sunrise at the Mount Washington Hotel

: Every view is marvelous in the early A.M.

: One of many paintings and photos – Our (former) Old Man of the Mountain

: Early morning shadows

: Part of the golf course by the Ammonoosuc River

: Canada geese zipping over the Ammonoosuc River

: Capturing early morning pictures

: Nearby marsh

: Early morning light

: Enclosed walkway to the new Presidential Wing

: Mt. Washington Hotel – The Great Hall

: Classic oars; modern oars

: Halycons headed out

: The two classic shells and crews on Turkey Pond

: Ready All; Row!

: Racing for the Interstate 89 bridge- Halcyons in the lead. W hat a perfect day for a 500 meter sprint!

: These are our guys who placed the footprints from the Rectory to the top of the Chapel Toswer in 1965, plus a student videographer

: Our class reunion shirt and coaster, depicting the footprints that showed up Spring 1965

: Class of 1965 in the Alumni Parade, heading to lunch

: A spiritual weekend- Choral Evensong,; Carillon and organ recital; Alumni Service; and Memorial Service for Bill Oates, deceased Rector – with remembrances by Justice David Souter

: Saint Paul outside the Chapel of St. Peter and St. Paul

: The choir, the chapel and one thousand cranes

Rowing Shells – Elite Old-Timers and Today’s Best Eights

Rowing Shells – Elite Old-Timers and Today’s Best Eights

Concord, NH and New London, CT

In the past 10 days I have been privileged to witness races using both classic and the most- ultra modern rowing shells. I have also had a chance to see buffed 20 somethings in top condition as well as my 65+ year old peers continuing their rowing for the gold!

A hiking injury prevented me from rowing #6 for the Shattuck crew at our St. Paul’s School (Concord, NH) Reunion last weekend. Instead, I was fortunate to photograph both our Shattuck and as well as the Halcyon crews in, reportedly, the first time that two fully matched, classic boats raced 500 meters for a 50^th reunion sprint.

While I took the S.P.S. photos with no pre-thought of writing this comparative blog article, Sunday my wife and I had a chance to watch the Second and First Varsity Yale and Harvard crews begin races (3 mile and 4 mile) in their sleek shells on the Thames River at The U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. Before the final race I was able to admire and photograph the varsity Y and H boats.

My photos here are provided to show two beautifully matched 1972 Pocock wooden shells – best in the world for racing teams “in our day”- and the very latest of German Company Empacher’s shells used by both Yale and Harvard after Harvard introduced them with great success a few years ago. These images are primarily of the shells and oars but please also enjoy a few images of young as well as slightly older (!) rowers out doing what gets into our blood and never leaves. My blue team, the S.P.S. Shattucks, was trounced; but my other blue team (Yale) performed beautifully and successfully, setting a new up-stream record! On to Henley for these crews, and back to the Concept 2 ergometer for me for the next 5 years, preparing for 2020!

Peter Otis

Peter Otis Photos, LLC

PLACES… Plants… PEOPLE… PLUS OTHER GEMS

Please enjoy the additional slideshow images from both race days.