Balsams Hotel Sold - Impact to Northern Pass

The Balsams Hotel in Dixville Notch is bein sold to a group of local investors. There have been previous buyers but the deal fell through. Part of the deal is te SPNHF is going to buy development rights to the property. PSNH has reportedly been purchasing land and right of ways to route the Northern Pass through the Balsams property as an alternative route.

SPNHF needs to come up with the cash to do the transaction so those opposed to Northern Pass may want to assist them in raising this. If a deal hadnt been struck for the hotel, the current owner may have been forced to sell the right of way to PSNH.

There is an article in the Berlin Daily Sun about the transaction.

http://www.laconiadailysun.com/files/pdfarchivenew/BerlinPDF/2011/12_December/8B.pdf

I had to read the articles because the acronyms are too similar.

This is good news, I hope to someday get up to Dixville Notch and visit the Balsams. Maybe even spend one brief night in glorious luxury!

It's closed for 18 months (NHPR story from this morning) for renovations.

Tim

MichaelJ said:

I had to read the articles because the acronyms are too similar.

This is good news, I hope to someday get up to Dixville Notch and visit the Balsams. Maybe even spend one brief night in glorious luxury!

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Its a very nice place the food is out of this world. this was the view from my room when I stayed there

the room itself


and the view from the front porch

This is not your typical campsite on the Cohos Trail. If you stay, gentlemen, be sure to pack a sports coat because "jackets" were required at dinner and I expect that will continue ... a big draw has always been the gourmet cuisine.

It is luxury all the way and, in my mind, the classiest accommodations in New England with such terrific outdoor amenities. I stopped in once in the summer when a prime draw is golf but stayed a few times in winter for the skiing, snowshoeing and groomed xc skiing. Their service spoils one to the "normal" world of rush, indifference and aggression. I would imagine the concierge could help arrange a car spot or drop off on the trail if you're doing sections of the Cohos.

This is the site of the first-in-the-nation presidential ballot and the ballot room is a miniature museum of presidential candidates' memorabilia. Though they could probably vote in spite of construction, I'd think they want to be open for business by then.

We need to distribute power but this is good news to those who object to the industrialization of the countryside without regard for aesthetics and impact on unique and sensitive areas. Hope they are successful in that fund raising.

I was lucky enough to stay at the Balsams a couple of summers ago. It was a wonderful place. Really liked hiking up that ridge across the street.

Two questions: It's closed for renovations until 2013? Any knowledge of the extent of the renovations?

My wife and I stayed at the Eagle Mountain House this summer the same time as a group of hungry investors. They were eyeing the property and talking about installing outdoor hot tubs and fire pits. Not sure I would want either place to change too much.

Second: How far is the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests from its goal of $850,000? Is this a worthwhile group to contribute to?

Last year I went to a Telemark Festival and part of the ticket was a meal at lunch time. Needless to say, I thought the food was horrendous, but I did recognize some culinary dress standards being enforced. Ages ago, (in Eastern Europe) I myself have been one of those students as my high school had a hotel management/cooking and serving orientation.

NHPR seems to be off-line at the moment, but here's an article in the Union Leader:
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20111208/NEWS02/712089953

Daniel Eagan said:

My wife and I stayed at the Eagle Mountain House this summer the same time as a group of hungry investors. They were eyeing the property and talking about installing outdoor hot tubs and fire pits. Not sure I would want either place to change too much.

Second: How far is the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests from its goal of $850,000? Is this a worthwhile group to contribute to?

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I doubt much will change in the character of the Eagle Mountain House. It is an historic landmark and has protections as such. I believe it is owned as condominiums and that would probably be very difficult to buy up. I suspect the "hungry investors" may have been drinking on an empty stomach.

Haven't followed the renovations planned for The Balsams but I expect they'll be in the same character as it too is an historic property. Both are listed in the National Trust for Historic Preservation which has some demanding standards as far as historical/architectural integrity.

The "Forest Society" has been around a long time and owns land as well as holds conservation easements. I recall back in the '80s they were part of a cutting edge housing development in Grantham which pioneered wiser land use away from the classical subdivision; the Forest Society ended up owning acreage in the Eastment Development. They own Lost River Reservation in Woodstock. They have, IMNSHO, been every bit as effective in conserving New Hampshire lands as the AMC without the AMC's overly aggressive subordination of local interests. Here's a link to their website: http://www.forestsociety.org/aboutus/

The Eagle Mountain House condos were consolidated last winter and prospective buyers have been looking at the property.

Brambor said:

Last year I went to a Telemark Festival and part of the ticket was a meal at lunch time. Needless to say, I thought the food was horrendous, but I did recognize some culinary dress standards being enforced. Ages ago, (in Eastern Europe) I myself have been one of those students as my high school had a hotel management/cooking and serving orientation.

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Dont mistake the food in the lodge as being the same as the Hotel. The Ski lodge has the same run of the mill overpriced pub food same as every ski resort. If you stay in the hotel on the other hand food is incredible! I stayed at the Mount Washington 3 weeks ago and imo everything about it was nicer than the balsams the hotel the views etc. Only two things to me were better at the balsams. 1. the food!! 2. the service staff, there attitude was a lot better( not saying that the Mount Washington staff was rude at all) The balsams staff was truly exceptional in every way. BTW I stayed there last valentines day.

It will be excellent if the Balsams comes back to prominence. I have stayed there several times on what was billed as their "Locals Special" check in on sunday nights and get the deal for $99...No better deal in NH. The food from breakfast dinner terrific..fine wine cellar..The rooms mostly quiant and cozy...note the radiator in one of the rooms..no tv..in fact one year I was up there for Super Bowl and they had a 21 inch in the bar...and that was it.. That same year it was so cold it froze my car up solid but the hotel arranged transport to local garage and drove me down the next day after things had thawed out..service.. And for you down hill skiers..one of the best kept secrets ever..long rolling groomed trails..Bretton Woods style...with NO ONE on them you could cross your tracks on the same trail all day long.

The old movie theatre is a real treat and just reading the history on the hundreds of pics on the walls throughout the hotel is an all day event..

A real NH treasure

Silverfox said:

And for you down hill skiers..one of the best kept secrets ever..long rolling groomed trails..Bretton Woods style...with NO ONE on them you could cross your tracks on the same trail all day long.
A real NH treasure

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I forgot about that I was there in prime ski season tons of powder and maybe 35 other skiers there on a saturday. Also nobody skis the glades they have.

Daniel Eagan said:

Second: How far is the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests from its goal of $850,000? Is this a worthwhile group to contribute to?

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I can't comment on the first part, but the second I can. They predate the founding of the WMNF. In fact, the AMC gets a lot of fanfare for their part in helping to get the Weeks Act passed, but it was the SPNHF that sounded the hunting horn and screamed the battle cry that got Franconia Notch State Park created and then helped lead the charge for the WMNF founding. Yes they are 100% a worthy group to donate to. They continue to fight very hard for land conservation here in New Hampshire. I have been a member for years now, and in fact I just got my membership renewal form today....so I will be filling that out.

Brian

SPNHF needs to raise $850,000 in the next 4 weeks. They are a seriously worthy organization, one that does an incredible amount of work in and for the state. A friend of mine has worked tirelessly at SPNHF for over 20 years, but even if this weren't the case, I'd still be giving for this cause. Sometimes you just have to put your money (however little of it you have!) where your mouth is. I would encourage others who care about ensuring open space in NH for years to come to do so as well.

Now its gets real interesting. PSNH is objecting to SPNHs offer for the property.

http://www.concordmonitor.com/artic...17AF3E90026995203A3FA&CSUserId=94&CSGroupId=1

peakbagger said:

Now its gets real interesting. PSNH is objecting to SPNHs offer for the property.

http://www.concordmonitor.com/artic...17AF3E90026995203A3FA&CSUserId=94&CSGroupId=1

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Hey we are gonna sue you because you dont like us and want to sell your land cheaper to someone else. Bunch of Carpetbaggers

"'[Northern Pass attorney Dana Bisbee] evidently does not understand that the trustees are not obligated to sell trust assets,' [wrote Boston attorney John Cornish, who represents the trust]. 'They may fulfill their fiduciary duties, and the directions set forth in the trust, by donating those assets to charities selected by them, with or without any (payment) in return. Certainly, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is a charity eligible to receive a distribution of the property from the trust.'"

Looks like Northern Pass needs better counsel from its counsel.

Stan said:

This is not your typical campsite on the Cohos Trail. If you stay, gentlemen, be sure to pack a sports coat because "jackets" were required at dinner and I expect that will continue ... a big draw has always been the gourmet cuisine.

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But I don't even own a sports coat.

I guess that eliminates me from being a guest. No problem, I don't hang with yuppies anyway.

Speculation on my part is all Northern Pass has to do is create enough doubt on the public's part to derail the SPNH effort to raise the money prior to the closing date. I expect the NP piggybank for lawyers is a lot fuller than SPNHF's.