Early Mountain Summit Houses

Just aquired a 1855-1865 stereoview of the Summit House on Mount Lafayette. It shows about 9 people, 2 women in large skirts, and half a dozen horses. I've been told it was only in use for those 10 years? I find it hard to believe the horses could have made it up the Bridal Path! Maybe the present trail was located a bit differently then?

I have another of the Summit House on Mount Moosilauke which I'd guess was taken about 1860-1865. This view shows at least 2 dozen people around and on the roof.

There are many of the Summit & Tip Top Houses on Mount Washington. I also find it amazing a horse could make it up Mt Washington over the Crawford Path!

Then there were the Burro's that folks could ride for a fee from the Crawford House.

Not being a horse person, I'm guessing the old time horses that did this were quite different from present day horses?

Anyone have stereoviews/pictures of other Summit Houses and/or books on the subject or know of others?

There was a small stone building on Mt Monadnock from about 1912 to sometime in the '60's or so. This was originally built as a forest fire lookout, which took the place of a small wooden earlier one.

I think I remember hearing of one on Mt Moriah?

MTNRUNR said:

There was a small stone building on Mt Monadnock from about 1912 to sometime in the '60's or so. This was originally built as a forest fire lookout, which took the place of a small wooden earlier one.

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I've seen the photo of the Monadnock summit "house", but don't recall where. I think my dad may have taken it, or it was a stereo photo of his. I don't think he still has it though, I believe he sold most of those and his postcard collection.

And on the subject of horses: Legend has it a horse was ridden to the summit of Monadnock, some accounts have it done via the Halfway House and White Arrow trails and another account has the ascent being made via the White Dot. Maybe Andrew will chime in on this one.

>I find it hard to believe the horses could have made it up the Bridal Path!

It's actually called the Bridle Path. Guess why.

>Maybe the present trail was located a bit differently then?

Not significantly. That ridge is fairly narrow, there's really only one way to go.

>I'm guessing the old time horses that did this were quite different from present day horses?

Nope. For centuries there have been many breeds of horses; these would have been neither thoroughbreds (fragile and expensive) nor draft-horses (too dang big), but ordinary riding horses bred and trained to be calm and gentle. I bet they used some ponies too, as they were considered more suitable for women.

Unless it involves using your hands, language, or advanced math, anything you can do a horse can do better.

Very cool history lesson!
Maybe the horses came up Geenleaf or on an older route that avoided the
Agonies!?

una_dogger said:

Maybe the horses came up Geenleaf or on an older route that avoided the Agonies!?

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Judging by the modern trail names, I'd hazard a guess that horses could and did travel the Bridle Path. (They might have also taken Greenleaf Tr.)

Horses were also used on Mt Washington via the Crawford and the Davis Paths. (The WMG describes the Davis Path as the "third (and longest) bridle path to the summit", so there is at least one more.) And, of course, the auto road was initially a horse road.

Doug

Keep in mind that 100+ years ago, those trails may not have been nearly as rocky and eroded as they are today. All that rock-hopping we do today could well have been under smooth, firm soil and not an issue for horses at all.

una_dogger said:

Very cool history lesson!
Maybe the horses came up Geenleaf or on an older route that avoided the
Agonies!?

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The Agonies were not nearly as eroded with as much exposed bedrock as today even 30-40 years ago, so would have been much easier walking for horses 150 years ago, I think. Ditto for many parts of the Crawford and Davis Paths, but certainly not the summit cone on Mount Washington from the old photos I have seen. I am really amazed that horses could be prodded up (and down) that stretch.

1882 – snips of a letter from Isabella Stone (book = Mountain Summers):

“Can you believe I have actually made the ascent of Lafayette?...
We hired two horses and the head guide, mounted at the entrance of the bridle path in scientific manner by springing into our saddles from the ground with one foot in the guide’s hand, and started on our steep and winding way, with lunch and wraps. The guide held onto the tail of Miss E’s horse, while mine followed with Fred clinging to its tail! A comical sight we must have been to an outsider, but there were no spectators, for we had the mountain quite to ourselves all day. We had a fine view, far better than the average the guide said, though somewhat hazy in the extreme distance. We had occasional glimpses of the view as we wound along, but just before coming to Eagle Lake, we emerged from the woods and the superb ravines and mighty brother peaks close to Lafayette burst upon our vision in all their indescribable grandeur, while high above us, a mile distant, rose the rocky wind-swept crest, the goal of my aspirations for so many summers past. At one place only were we obliged to dismount on account of the roughness of the way for a few yards. We rode bravely up to the beacon on top, and then walked down to the spring and lunched, sheltered from the fierce wind and in full view of the Mt. Washington Range….”
(she also adds this was the first time she had ever mounted a horse)

Oooh. Cool. I'd love to see pics of the horses. I'll bet a fit Morgan could make it up with energy to spare... They are TOUGH.

DougPaul said:

"third (and longest) bridle path to the summit", so there is at least one more.)

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I believe the third was the route up from Fabyan's which is now the cog.

The 1876 description linked to by Barkingcat matches the Greenleaf trail. I guess the "Old" Bridle path got its name when Greenleaf replaced it as the preferred route. I believe the OBP was the one used during the existence of the summit house.

Here are a few images that show horses and summit houses. I'll see what else I can dig up. It's hard to find stereoviews of the Lafayette summit house, so it's great that you were able to acquire one.

Lafayette summit house from a stereoview by Soule:

Note the horses and cart in the background at left.

Lafayette summit house from a stereoview:

This is the highest resolution I have on this one since I don't own it, but you can see all the horses milling about. Is this is the one you have?

Mt Washington first summit house from a stereoview by Soule:

This image predates the carriage road, so the horse came up by one of the bridle paths.

Kearsarge House from a stereoview:


Since it was mentioned, Monadnock Tip Top House from a postcard:


Also, here's the original Moosilauke summit house from a stereoview:


There was a log house on Moriah for a few years in the late 1850s. I've never seen a photo of it.

DougPaul said:

(The WMG describes the Davis Path as the "third (and longest) bridle path to the summit", so there is at least one more.) And, of course, the auto road was initially a horse road.

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I agree with JN that the preferred horse route from the W was similar to the cog, even EAC used that route from his hotel later on.

And the auto road was a _carriage_ road, which required a better route than a bridle path.

As with people, horses can be trained to traverse rough terrain like dogs their physiology is such that going down may be harder than going up

http://www.whitemountainjackass.org/history.html

Donkeys were used in the Whites up until 1965.

The Unstrung Harp said:

Oooh. Cool. I'd love to see pics of the horses. I'll bet a fit Morgan could make it up with energy to spare... They are TOUGH.

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Think about what they eat...oats, sugar cubes, carrots and apples...sounds like a trail bar to me

David Metsky said:

http://www.whitemountainjackass.org/history.html

Donkeys were used in the Whites up until 1965.

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The summer that I worked at the Flea, the donk stories on the Bridle Path were still fresh, with one reported trip being especially arduous because the donkeys took turns jumping off White Rocks fully loaded into Walker Ravine. Just as the hut guy would get one donk unloaded, dragged back up the slope, and repacked, a different donk would jump off. Probably one reason that the use of donkeys for packing the huts was abandoned.

Im no horse expert, but I used to own just about every old White Mt. book written and studied much of the whites history. From my perspective at the risk of sounding condesending, people in general where much tougher back then and as a result thier animals where as well. Ive spent a considerable time in the CO Rockies as well and you see alot of horses in the backcountry and they are very surefooted indeed.

Dr. Dasypodidae said:

The Agonies were not nearly as eroded with as much exposed bedrock as today even 30-40 years ago, so would have been much easier walking for horses 150 years ago, I think.

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And easier running for people. That explains those quick Hut to Hut times!



Sorry kids, no "erosion handicap" is available...

Tim Seaver said:

And easier running for people. That explains those quick Hut to Hut times!



Sorry kids, no "erosion handicap" is available...

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Indeed. When I was in grad school at UMaine, a forestry student was doing a trail compaction study for his MS thesis. But, in retrospect, it is too bad that we do not have lots of close up survey photos of hiking trails from the olden days that we could compare with photographs taken now, much like the repeat photographic studies of larger-scale landscape changes.

Chocorua Peak House

A three story summit hotel existed in the vicinity of the Jim Liberty Cabin on Mt Chocorua. It blew off the mountain one night in 1915. It was operated by a man named David Knowles. I have a copy of a small pamphlet on the subject published by Marion Nickerson and John Downs in 1977.