great glen rebuilding 11/1/01

New building to serve both Great Glen Trails, Mount Washington Auto RoadNext fall is target date to complete 16,000-square-foot facilityPINKHAM NOTCH Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center announced yesterday its rebuilding plans seven months after their base lodge was destroyed by fire.The plan involves merging the four-season outdoor center with the historic Mount Washington Auto Road stage office in one newly-designed facility.According to Jesse Mosston, communications director for Great Glen Trails and Mount Washington Auto Road, the project will entail a complete rebuilding of the existing stage office building, which has served as the center of operations for Mount Washington Auto Road for over 100 years. Opened in 1861, the Mount Washington Auto Road is the oldest manmade attraction in America.The 8-mile road leads to the summit of the highest peak in the Northeast, 6,288 foot Mount Washington.The decision to combine the two companies came after reviewing many different building designs and site plans. "It became quite clear that the best possible move for our companies and guests, was to create a single location where all of our activities, programs and events could be based," Howie Wemyss, general manager of both the auto road and Great Glen Trails, said. "We feel the new design reflects our tradition and 140-year history of providing a special experience in Pinkham Notch. It is our belief this plan will achieve that goal." Architect Ward D'Elia of Samyn-D'Elia Architects, P.A. of Ashland designed the new 16,000-square-foot Mount Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails building. Samyn-D'Elia designed the Glen Fire Station and has done preliminary work for a Bartlett-Jackson high school."The building will be quite an impressive site as you travel through Pinkham Notch," Wemyss said. "Ward D'Elia has created a striking design that blends the history of the stage office and surrounding buildings with the warmth and appeal of the original trails lodge while maintaining a respect for our unique surroundings." The first of three levels will contain the Great Glen Outfitters retail shop that will serve cross-country skiers and snowshoers in winter.The shop will focus on mountain bikers and walkers in spring, summer, and fall. Inside the outfitters shop and passing right up through the building will be a climbing wall that will have inside and outside access.The first level will also include the rental department for cross-country and snowshoe rentals in winter and mountain bikes during the rest of the year.Great Glen's paddling programs for kayaking and canoeing will operate from this site starting next year.This level will also have showers and changing rooms for guests. On the second level, a large open deck will provide views of Mount Washington and the Northern Presidential Mountains.A cathedral ceiling constructed over the new food court and dining area is part of the expansion.The climbing wall will be visible as it makes it way up from the lower level which will allow for viewing from the enlarged Glen View Caf.A large fieldstone fireplace will be located on one end of the dining area. The new gable end facing west will feature large windows that capture the panoramic views of the mountains. Mosston said Great Glen Outfitters will have an additional retail space on the second level from November to April as the Mount Washington Auto Road is closed for winter. From May to October, this level will continue to serve as the Mount Washington Auto Road Stage Office.The retail shop on this level will also make a transition during these months to reflect the auto road while the shop on the first level remains focused on Great Glen Trails all year long.The newly designed building will have a function room on the third floor that will accommodate up to 124 people.This room will serve as an area to hold corporate meetings, have a family reunion, or gather guests for a wedding reception. Administrative offices for Great Glen Trails and the Mount Washington Auto Road will also be on the third level.Since 1998, Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center has been running winter tours up the Mount Washington Auto Road in a specially prepared 8-passenger van called the SnowCoach.The SnowCoach takes passengers up the Auto Road to just above tree line where views look down into the 5,500 acre Great Gulf Wilderness area and over the Northern Presidential Range. Those who are interested in cross-country skiing telemark skiing, or snowshoeing from tree line can be dropped off for a 4-mile downhill cruise. Winter tours up the Mount Washington Auto Road in the SnowCoach will be based at the newly designed building.Mosston said one of the major issues for this project was to manage the stream of activity between the Mount Washington Auto Road, Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center, and its trail system.He feels traffic flow will be improved by moving the entrance to the Mount Washington Auto Road to a point just north of its current location.Access to the trail system for skiers, snowshoers, walkers, runners, and bikers was another very critical concern for the undertaking of this plan.After careful analysis and site planning it was determined that a pedestrian tunnel under Route 16 was a viable solution. "The goal is to have the Great Glen Trails portion of the construction completed by spring of 2002, the Mount Washington Auto Road work finished by the beginning summer of 2002 and the entire project reaching completion by fall of 2002," Mosston said.In spite of this potentially disabling fire, Great Glen Trails conducted all of their summer activities, programs, and events out of a temporary building on the site of our former base lodge. Mountain biking, canoe and kayak tours, and events like the 24 Hours of Great Glen all went on as planned.For the winter of 2001-02, all of Great Glen Trails winter sports and activities cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snow tubing, SnowCoach, ski school, rentals, Glen View Caf and Great Glen Outfitters retail shop will be based out of the Mount Washington Auto Road Stage Office and the temporary building. "We want everyone to know Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center will be here this winter as we work on our plans to make this area even greater," Wemyss said.For more information about the Mount Washington Auto Road and Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center call 466-2333 or visit mt-washington.com.