In this episode of the 603podcast, Dan Egan sits down with Sarah Eastman and Karen Cummings to unpack “Mount Washington Valley: Through The Ears,” a vibrant collection of Mountain Ear newspaper stories from 1976–2005 that detail how the unique community of North Conway became a world-class destination. This conversation moves from railroads and grand hotels to artists selling hand-painted “postcards,” then onto five historic ski areas and the ingenious Cranmore Skimobile that still lives in local memory.

We explore the people who built the culture like Joe Dodge and the AMC hut system that stitched the Presidential Range into reachable segments, and the Eastern Slope Ski Club, a volunteer engine that teaches every elementary school child to ski and quietly seeds future Olympians. Along the way, we revisit the Spring Champagne Stampede and the Mud Bowl—events that turned low-snow years and shoulder seasons into fundraisers and folklore—plus the Volvo International tennis era that put North Conway on national TV without sanding off its edges.

Eastman and Cummings discuss the valley’s heartbeat and offer practical wisdom: respect Mount Washington’s dangerous weather, start with short hikes, ride the tourist train to feel the past, wander the village where the station’s towers frame the mountain, and let the Saco River and the notches reset your sense of New England. Sarah and Karen share how they sifted thousands of features to preserve the characters and places that defined a community—proof that storytelling can hold a town together long after the presses stop.

You can purchase Mount Washington Valley: Through the Ears from Bondcliff Books, the local bookstore.

Subscribe for more Granite State stories, share this episode with a friend who loves the Whites, and leave a review telling us your favorite North Conway memory.

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Mad River Coffee celebrates 20 years of roasting coffee, legendary egg sandwiches, meals to go, and live music right off Exit 28 in Campton NH.

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Note: This episode was recorded in later spring of 2025.

On this episode of the 603podcast, Charlotte MacDonald talks with host Dan Egan and opens a window into the work of the Mount Washington Avalanche Center, where life-saving forecasts are crafted in pre-dawn darkness and tested daily against the mountain's unpredictable temperament. Rising at 4:30am to analyze weather data, MacDonald collaborates with fellow forecasters to publish early a.m. advisories that backcountry enthusiasts depend on before heading into avalanche terrain.

The White Mountains present unique forecasting challenges with wind-driven snowpacks that transform hourly. "In some ways it's easy to get into our terrain," MacDonald explains, "but it's also challenging." Unlike static snowpacks in other regions, Mount Washington's snow constantly shifts with hurricane-force winds that alternately stabilize and destabilize slopes. This dynamic environment requires forecasters to develop intimate knowledge of how wind, temperature, and precipitation interact across the mountain's complex terrain.

MacDonald's journey from recreational skier with little avalanche knowledge to professional forecaster offers a compelling narrative about the importance of education and mentorship. Today, she's pioneering mentorship programs to help others develop crucial safety skills, emphasizing that education shouldn't end with a basic avalanche course.

The increasing popularity of backcountry skiing has transformed the forecaster's role beyond simply predicting avalanche conditions. As more adventurers explore remote terrain year-round, MacDonald and her colleagues balance forecasting duties with search and rescue responsibilities, community education, and cultivating a culture of information sharing. Her simple request? Send photos and observations from your adventures—they provide vital data that might save lives.

Whether you're an experienced backcountry traveler or simply curious about how avalanche professionals protect mountain communities, this conversation offers rare insight into the elements behind every forecast.

To learn more about the Mount Washington Avalanche Center, visit https://www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org/ where you can find information on upcoming workshops, news, and the MWAC App for easy access to avalanche information and observations on-the-go.

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Dan Egan sits down with author and travel writer Dawn Barclay to explore how she transforms New England’s most gripping true crime stories into planned road trips. Dawn’s new series, Vacations Can Be Murder, maps cases across New Hampshire and the region with exacting research, stories, and a surprising amount of care for the living.

Dawn explains the difference in crime patterns from Maine to Massachusetts, and what gives New Hampshire’s cases their distinct voice. From the Smuttynose to James Colbert murders, she traces how landscapes shape stories—and how stories, in turn, shape travel.

If you’re curious about dark tourism done right, you’ll find practical insights here: respectful itineraries, further reading to deepen context, and victim resources embedded throughout.

Press play to rethink true crime through the lens of place and history on this spooky Halloween episode of the 603podcast.

More on the Vacations Can Be Murder can be found here. Stay up to date on all of Dawn Barclay's work on her site.

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For more information about the 603podcast visit 603podcast.com