The Woman Behind the First American Ski Lodge

Pecketts on Sugar Hill, an illustrious northern New Hampshire resort in the early 20th century, didn't start out as a "ski house" at all...but it evolved to have a special place in the history of American skiing.  And it was a woman who made that happen.

Pecketts on Sugar Hill was originally an upscale resort that catered to clientele who vacationed in northern New Hampshire in the summertime:

R.Jensen, Trinity.edu

But after studying culinary arts in Europe, the inn owner's daughter returned home with new ideas that went way beyond cooking skills.  She had noticed that the resorts in Europe embraced the winter, and offered their guests winter activities -- particularly skiing.  So she encouraged her parents to develop their business by introducing skiing into their business model.

And thus, Katherine Peckett (1906-1999) was largely responsible for starting the ski resort /ski school industry in America.  Although Sig Buchmayr was credited with establishing the first ski school...it seems that Katherine actually deserves the credit. Not to take away from the substantive contributions of Sig Buchmayr (and others), but as was typical of the pre-war (WWII) era, women just didn't get the credit they deserved.  It was Katherine that took note of the ski industry in Europe while she was there to study culinary arts.  She was the one who then encouraged her parents, to develop their winter business by offering guests skiing.  It was Katherine who in 1928-29 recruited two German, and then three Austrian skiers to come to teach skiing at their inn. And it was she who, in 1929, actually cleared and developed a ski slope on their property, thus establishing America's first ski school (which she staffed with those European ski instructors including Sig Buchmayr) to promote winter business at the inn.  (Skiing Heritage, Sept. 2005, Vol. 17, No. 3).

Peckett's-on-Sugar Hill is widely recognized as the first ski school in America...

          ...but it seems to me that Katherine should have at least been mentioned on the historical marker, too.

Further glamorizing the new winter sport of skiing, the Pecketts (...probably Katherine with her European culinary ideas) also introduced al fresco winter picnic lunches cooked over an outdoor fire in the snow, and cozy apres-ski "teas" in front of the fireplace (according to Franconia and Sugar Hill, by Arthur F. March, Jr.).  It must have been glorious in the 1930's!

Pecketts-on-Sugar Hill became the first ski resort, and remained the only New England ski resort for the next ten years, hosting an array of impressive guests such as Nelson Rockefeller, Averill Harriman, and Lowell Thomas.

A few rare old post cards of Pecketts-on-Sugar Hill reveal a glimpse of the elegance of the inn in its heyday:
(you can see the edge of what looks like a huge stone fireplace in what appears to be an expansive living area/sun-room/sitting room...

...and for even more "apres-ski" elegance, this was the dining room...

What remains today are a few of the smaller buildings on the property of Pecketts-on-Sugar Hill.  You can even rent some of them (check them out on vrbo).

To me (especially now during Women's History month) the most significant thing about this ski house, is that it led to the now ubiquitous ski-school that we all expect at the ski resorts we go to, and it led to the creation of an entire new business model, the ski lodge.  And it seems to me that none of it would have occurred (at least not as early as the 1920's and 30's) if not for the efforts of Katherine Peckett.  And for that, she is the one who deserves a mountain of credit.  While things continue to improve, the imbalance still occurs today, almost a century later:  women routinely take / receive less credit for their work than men do.  So, on Women's History Week, (despite the bronze plaque giving the full credit to a man)...I want to give Katherine Peckett her due.  After all,  she deserves the credit for envisioning the American's first ski school and New England's first ski lodge, and taking the steps to make them happen.

Bette Davis' Ski House

The Academy Award nominations were announced today, and that means it's movie season as well as ski season.  So, with a nod to the silver screen, here's a ski house with an unexpected history -- one that connects the White Mountains of New Hampshire to the golden era of Hollywood!  The Ski House of the Day is Butternut Lodge in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire.  This isn't an ordinary ski house...it was built in 1940 by the iconic American actress, Bette Davis!  The electrifying and individualistic Bette Davis was considered to be "the star" of Hollywood in the 1930's and into the 1940's (and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards during her movie career!).  It was during the height of that movie career that she constructed this house in the mountains of New Hampshire.

The vintage ski house, Butternut Lodge, retains the charm and character of that grand, bygone era, and is in the quintessential understated New England country style, with a twist of Hollywood glamour:

Butternut Lodge has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, and is situated on 22 secluded private acres close to Franconia Notch with skiing there as well as at Cannon Mountain which is only about 5 miles away.

Imagine the glamorous movie star Bette Davis heading out into the snow from here with a pair of those long wooden skis from the '40's!

It has been said that the mountains of New England make you feel like you belong there;  and according to New Hampshire Adventures, White Mt News and other accounts, this house and the surrounding mountains were a refuge of sorts for Bette Davis, providing her with a place to feel at home while enjoying a measure of anonymity.  In return she brought some Hollywood glamour and her generous personal philanthropy to this quiet rural area.  So this ski house seems to have been born out of a connection between anonymity and fame, glamour and philanthropy.  That connection continues to linger;  and to experience this house is to experience that connection.

Along one side of the house is a unique silo (which is said to have been re-purposed from an old Vermont barn) which still holds the grand staircase that leads from the bar on the first floor up to Bette Davis' master bedroom, and then continues up to the third floor sitting room/observation area with sweeping views:

The house is split in half by a massive, central, double-sided brick fireplace:

...with a formal living room on one side:

...and an open kitchen/family room on the other side:

This looks like a nice spot to relax apres-ski, and maybe watch a Bette Davis movie or two!

Bette Davis, with the help of her mother, filled the house with antiques; and the original vintage New England character of the house has been lovingly maintained throughout:

With its wonderful history, I think it's really amazing that Butternut Lodge is available for vacation rentals!  

Here's the huge master bedroom suite, where you can fall asleep in the same space as Bette Davis did all those years ago:

Another bedroom was originally the library...and it still retains a bit of that identity, as well as a bit of the identity of the intriguing movie star who created this house:

Life Magazine published this photo of Bette Davis in 1941...relaxing in her classic ski outfit and 1940's lace-up leather ski boots in front of the fire....possibly even taken in front of the brick fireplace right in this ski house:

......And years later Life concluded that she was the most significant actress of her era.  Yet world-famous Bette Davis, it seems, felt a strong sense of belonging at home in these quiet, seasonal snow-covered mountains.

"A New Englander never forgets New England, the change of seasons, and these mountains that really make you feel like you belong here....I've just got the New England blood in my veins."     -- Bette Davis 

Ski Tipi

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the Ski House of the Day is this amazing Tipi in the White Mountains of New England:

Like the Native-American way of life, the tipi is both dramatic and simple at the same time.  The tipi is located in the woods near Littleton, New Hampshire, on a totally private 31 acre site with numerous hiking trails in a setting that allows a complete connection with nature.  As said on the rental site for the tipi:  "you are unlikely to encounter any other humans, but be prepared to meet...turkey...and even moose!"

The tipi has a circular opening in the side which serves as its front door...and has flaps at the top that can be moved as needed while the central firepit is in use.   The tipi is 22 ft in diameter, and 24 ft tall, with a central stone firepit.  Furniture consists of five log couches arranged in a circle around the firepit.  There's room for ten people to sit around the crackling fire, and room for six to sleep.    There's a simple grate which can go over the fire, and a kettle for heating water.  Simple, basic, grounding...and fun.  For a really unique experience, I think the tipi is simply perfect!

The Pilgrims celebrated the original Thanksgiving with the Native Americans of nearby Massachusetts who actually lived in bark-covered structures, with animal skins inside.  No matter the housing distinction, this tipi is an amazingly unique place!

Ski areas nearby include Cannon, Loon and Bretton Woods, but in the winter wonderland surrounding the tipi in winter, cross-country skiing right out the door (...flap) could be the thing to do here.

The tipi reminds me of the significance of the basics...simple shelter, warmth, and camaraderie / cooperation with others....reminiscent of that original Thanksgiving and that Native American way of life.  Even though Thanksgiving is a day for Americans to give thanks, it's also a celebration of our earliest success achieved through the cooperation of our diverse cultures.

Simplicity, nature, and cooperation among different people (and of course, unique ski houses)....these are among the things I'll celebrate and give thanks for this year.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Franklin Veterans Memorial Ski Lodge

In observation of Veteran's Day, the Ski House of the Day is itself, a memorial to the veterans of the United States.  It is the Franklin Veteran's Memorial Ski Lodge, located in Franklin, New Hampshire.  This cute, modest ski lodge (a day lodge rather than a residential house) sits at the base of the Franklin Veterans Memorial Ski Area:

The idea for a ski area/lodge was hatched by a group of local WWII veterans (presumably in the 1950's), and in the early 1960's the city of Franklin asked the Army Corps of Engineers to construct the ski area on land that had been donated to the city years earlier.  Then Franklin's residents, organizations and businesses mobilized to get the job done.  The Franklin Outing Club was formed to run the area, and in 1962, the city donated $4,000 to construct the ski lodge as a memorial to those who gave their lives in WWII and the Korean War.  Thus was the beginning of the Franklin Memorial Ski Area and its Ski Lodge.

As a veterans memorial, the fireplace inside the ski lodge displays a plaque with names of some of the veterans honored by this lodge...and of course, outside, the American flag proudly presides over the lodge and the slopes for all skiers to see.

The ski area consists of just six trails, a rope tow (with it's original motor) and a T-bar, but has more heart and soul than most of the mega-ski resorts anywhere.  It's a quaint family ski area, where people help one another, where generations of families ski together, and where grandparents can watch their grandchildren's entire ski run from the comfort of the lodge.  It has been described as a "community treasure."  Anyone is welcome at this small ski area which is only open on weekends. And where else can you find a bargain like this...an adult lift ticket for a weekend day is only $15 and just $10 for kids!  And for active military...it's free.

Here's the amazing part...the ski area continues, to this day, to exist on the generosity of volunteers, donations and the fundraising efforts of the community.  Generations of skier-volunteers have been running this ski area since its inception....doing things like grooming the trails, maintaining the lifts and the lodge, serving as ski instructors and ski patrol, and working the snack bar inside--all without any compensation.  They hold an annual Winter Carnival (to supplement the cost of running the place) with events like the cardboard sled races, snow golf, pancake breakfasts, etc.  The ski area and the people who keep it running focus on families and community, and isn't that what our veterans have, and continue to, work to protect?  This ski area and ski lodge are a really heartwarming, hometown type of patriotism! (You can hear some of their stories on the video from their website).

So today, thank a veteran for their service...and check out the Franklin Memorial Ski Area and Lodge;  and maybe this winter (if you're in New England) take what could be one of your most meaningful ski runs...a ski run in honor of our veterans.

Camp-House with the Big Wind-swept View

On the morning of April 12, 1934 (exactly 78 years ago today), the strongest natural wind velocity ever measured was recorded on the top of Mt. Washington, NH...it was an astounding 231 mph wind!  And on this date ever since, Big Wind Day has commemorated the event.  Mt. Washington, the highest peak in New England (at 6,288 ft), claims "the worlds worst weather" (bitter cold, dense fog, heavy snow and record wind)!    Although not a ski resort, adventurous back-country skiers trek to the extreme ski-mecca, Tuckerman's Ravine (and other parts of the mountain), where numerous hazards make skiing a challenge even for the most expert of skiers.  According to the Appalachian Mountain Club (and others), "Tuck's" is the East coast's answer to extreme skiing!

Combine the world's worst weather, the world's strongest wind, and extreme skiing hazards...and you can make your own assessment of skiing here.  But, here's a house where, right from the comfort of the living room, you can see that wind-swept summit of Mt Washington...and with a good pair of binoculars, maybe even witness some of that big wind swirling around.  Here's the view of Mt Washington from the house:


Since 1932 the Mount Washington Observatory has been monitoring the elements at the rocky, windswept summit of Mt Washington (seen in the view above).

The house itself is actually a converted "camp" called Camp U-No...








You'll need a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get to this rental house (in winter)...but it looks comfortable, with a lot of privacy and outdoor space....just watch the wind.

Bode Miller's Ski House

The Ski House of the Day is Bode Miller's ski house at Bretton Woods, NH.  Bode Miller, who was born and raised in rural New Hampshire (in a log cabin without electricity or indoor plumbing!), won 5 medals in the winter Olympics (the most of any US skier), including his Gold in Vancouver 2010.  His ski house has some really interesting features such as a tree trunk that seems to be growing up out of the living room floor, angular architecture, open staircase, hot tub with a view of the slopes, fireplace in the master bedroom, and private balcony off the master.  (Unfortunately, the photos are no longer availabel). The Bode Miller ski house is located about 3 minutes from the slopes of Bretton Woods (where, by the way, you can ski on "Bode's Run" ), and about 20 miles from Cannon (where Bode spent his early years skiing).

This efficient kitchen in his house looks like a nice place to prepare a healthy skiers breakfast (maybe something local and organic...like Bode's breakfast) before hitting the slopes.

Bode Miller is known for his spectacular ski racing ability as well as his largely unconventional approach on and off the slopes; so some might find his ski house (which is inviting and even family friendly, rather than unconventional) to be a bit of a surprise.  (You might also want to check out Bode Miller's Turtle Ridge Foundation to support adaptive and youth sports programs).  Bode Miller's Bretton Woods house looks like a great ski house, with direct connections to Olympic gold, and owned by someone who is considered "the most accomplished ski racer of his generation."

Room for One More in NH

The Ski House of the Day today is this New Hampshire ski house for 11 as described on Boston.com :

There are two things that really struck me about this ski house.  First, it was designed specifically to accommodate lots of guests...and anyone with a ski house will probably agree that the whole experience is more fun when you have room for one more of your friends or family to join you!  The other thing I think is brilliant in this ski house is their tiny bunk "room" that is tucked beneath the staircase.  This clever little trick is a gift to that eleventh guest, offering them cozy sleeping privacy and keeping them off the living room couch!