A trip down memory lane

[carole]

I started keeping a journal in 1990. I wish I’d started sooner as the journal helps refresh the memories and some before that are very vivid and others are harder to recall the details. So as not to derail another thread regarding roads through the notches I will raise the question here if someone knows: When was the road through Pinkham first paved? I have a recollection of driving through when it wasn’t paved.

My husband and I were reminiscing about some of our early trips north. We had a ’68 VW bus/camper which was the start of our camping/hiking/backpacking trips together. I had lived in NH when I was young and visited places like StoryLand but I don’t think that is when I remember the Pinkham Notch road.

I have seen lots of changes through the notches but they still thrill as the mountains come into view.

 

[Gris]

Showin yer Age Girl... ;-)

Dunno when the road was 'paved,' but i think Wildcat just celebrated its 50th season. Couldn't have been long after Wildcat opened, could it?

 

[carole]

When was the road through Pinkham first paved?

Perhaps it was undergowing reconstruction at the time? They did that several years back. But I am quite sure it wasn't paved at the time-early 70's maybe.

 

[dclynch]

It must have been construction. I know it was paved in the 60s. I think we passed through in the last half of the 50s on a paved road - but this I'm less sure about.

 

[grouseking]

Does anyone have a picture of it before it was paved?

grouseking

 

[RoySwkr]

You can call the state hwy dept but I'm sure it was paved by the '60s, perhaps under construction or maybe you cut across Pinkham B Road

The older road is the present parking lot at AMC after a wider road was built out front, after the snow melts look for some of the funny concrete project markers

 

[peakbagger]

If you look along the section north of Pinkham, there are several abandoned sections of road in the woods that are close to the river. I suspect that one of the goals of reconstruction was to keep the road away from spring floods. The great gulf parking area is part of the old road. There was a significant relocation done just south of the Stony brook road, the small neighborhood on the left was built along the old road bed (and is unfortunately prone to flooding).

 

[carole]

The older road is the present parking lot at AMC after a wider road was built out front,

Yes, I have seen parts of the older road. When was it widened? I do recall it was narrow also. Definitely not Pinkham B.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Yes, I have seen parts of the older road. When was it widened? I do recall it was narrow also. Definitely not Pinkham B.

Thanks for the replies.

I remember on one ski trip to Wildcat in the late 60s, Rt. 16 was so narrow that it was only one car width in many places (like the old covered bridges). But, those were big snow years, and the plows were not robust enough to push the snow way back. The driving was as exciting as the skiing in those days!

 

[RoySwkr]

The Rte.16 bridge near the Stony Brook trailhead has a USGS marker cast in the abutment dated 1963 so that's a good guess when that section was rebuilt. Sections of the old narrow bridge are visible upstream and White Birch Lane nearby looks like it once was the old road if you want a flavor of its width and twistiness.

I seem to remember a couple sections near Dead Mans Curve and Rocky Branch trailhead being done in the 70s or 80s

 

[WinterWarlock]

'68 VW camper?

Sweet! - wish they still made those things...