FLUME GORGE

The Flume is a natural gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty. The walls of Conway granite rise to a height of 70 to 90 feet and are 12 to 20 feet apart. A trip into the Flume begins and ends at the Flume Visitor's Center. Guests can choose to walk through just the Gorge or do a two mile loop. We did the two mile loop which included Liberty Gorge, The Pool, and another covered bridge. The walk includes uphill walking and lots of stairs. The boardwalk allows you to look closely at the growth of flowers, ferns and mosses found here.  The cost is either $16 pp for adults or you can buy a Discovery Pass which includes The Flume and a ride on the aerial tram at Cannon Mountain for $31 pp. The Pass saves you $4.

The Flume was discovered in 1808 by 93-year-old  “Aunt” Jess Guernsey when she accidentally came upon it while fishing. She had trouble convincing her family of the marvelous discovery, but eventually persuaded others to come and see for themselves. At that time, a huge egg-shaped boulder hung suspended between the walls. The rock was 10 feet high and 12 feet long. A heavy rainstorm in June of 1883 started a landslide that swept the boulder from its place. It has never been found. The same storm deepened the gorge and formed Avalanche Falls.

This picturesque covered bridge is one of the oldest in the state. It was built in the 1886 and has been restored several times. Such bridges were often called “kissing bridges” because of the darkness and privacy they provided. This bridge was built across the scenic Pemigewasset River. Pemigewasset means “swift or rapid current” in the Abenaki Indian language.

At the top of the Flume is a close view of Avalanche Falls. The 45-foot waterfall creates a roaring sound as the Flume Brook enters the gorge. The falls were formed during the great storm of 1883, which washed away the hanging boulder.

On the Ridge Path is Liberty Gorge, a beautiful cascading mountain stream that flows through the narrow valley.

The Pool is a deep basin in the Pemigewasset River. It was formed at the end of the Ice Age, 14,000 years ago, by a silt-laden stream flowing from the glacier. The Pool is 40 feet deep and 150 feet in diameter, and is surrounded by cliffs 130 feet high. A cascade rushes into it over fragments of granite that have fallen from the cliffs above.

On the high cliff above the Pool, the Sentinel Pine stood for centuries. It was one of the largest in the state, nearly 175 feet high, with a circumference of 16 feet. The hurricane of September, 1938 uprooted the giant pine whose trunk bridges the river above the Pool and forms the base for the covered bridge. The bridge offers a good view of the Pool.

The Wolf Den is a narrow, one-way path that involves crawling on your hands and knees and squeezing through rocks.  Mr. W walked in, but it was pretty wet, so decided not to crawl. He did manage to get close to the Bear Cave.

After we did the hike, we drove over to Cannon Mountain to do the aerial tramway to the top of the mountain.  It takes riders up 4,080 feet to the summit of the mountain in less than 10 minutes. They claim it is the oldest tramway in the United States. Each tram car has a capacity of 80 persons and ascends 2,180 feet vertically. On a clear day, you can see the mountains of four states and Canada. We could not have asked for a more perfect day to be on the mountain.

At the summit there are walking paths, an observation deck, bar, cafeteria, and restrooms. 

At the entrance to the tram, there is a ski museum.  It is free so we decided to take a look.  Bodde Miller grew up in this area and skied all his life in these mountains.  He has loaned his Olympic Medals and his World Cup trophies to display at the museum.

The Flume was absolutely gorgeous and well worth the hike.  It is a must see if you are ever in the area.  The tram, on the other hand, was kind of a disappointment and I would skip if ever here again.