If you are thinking about moving to the White Mountains, you might find yourself hesitating. After all, living in such a location is quite different from living in a city, so you probably have no idea what to expect! What are the benefits and drawbacks? What is there to do in such an environment? The questions keep on coming! Well, we are here to answer some of your doubts with our guide on living in the White Mountains, New Hampshire!
The benefits and drawbacks of mountain living
Before getting into what the mountains offer to those who love them, we should first help you decide whether they would be a good fit for you! Unfortunately, we can’t claim mountains would only bring good things into your life. To be perfectly honest, mountain living might not be for everyone! Here’s what you should keep in mind:
The benefits
- Welcoming communities. Smaller communities are typically far more friendly and close-knit than what you might be used to in a city! It is not unusual for neighbors to offer to help out each other, and you will likely know most of the people in your town.
- Beautiful, clean nature. You have likely gotten used to the various forms of pollution in a city, so getting to live in a beautiful location with clean air and no littering might be quite a shock at first! You might be tempted to get yourself a bike and spend hours just exploring the beautiful nature.
- Relaxing lifestyle. There are very few reasons to rush through your daily life in the mountains. You will have the time to put your feet up and smell the proverbial roses. All those hobbies you wanted to take up but never had the time for? This might be the perfect opportunity to finally get to do them all!
- Lower Prices. You will typically find the cost of living going way down, especially when it comes to housing and groceries.
The drawbacks
- Unreliable services. It is a fact that, due to various factors, you might find yourself in need of backup generators and your own mode of transport! Public transport on a mountain may falter in bad weather, and the same goes for electricity. You might also struggle to access things such as plumbing or health services if winter is especially harsh since they will likely be a decently long drive away. Moving companies working in the area are another thing in short supply, so reliable companies are hard to come by. Therefore, fit2movenh.com should have your moving day information well in advance.
- Fewer job opportunities. You might struggle to find a job in the mountains tailored to your desires. Most are related to tourism, as might be expected, so your diploma might become irrelevant.
- You need to plan everything. You might find yourself living in an area where you can’t just pop over to a store and get what you want. Similarly, you will likely not have access to delivery services, so you will be forced to do the shopping yourself. A well-stocked store could be a significant distance away, so you better make an extensive list and not forget anything!
- Mountain living is physically challenging. This might not be a drawback for some, but mountains will challenge you! Both the thin atmosphere and the demands of mountain life can put a lot of pressure on a person’s body. Chopping firewood, for example, is very strenuous work!
What the White Mountains have to offer
If you’ve decided that the mountain life is for you (or if you need something more to nudge you into making the decision!), let’s look at what the White Mountains themselves can boast of. You may find even more reasons to love living in the mountains!
Living in the White Mountains Guarantees Beautiful Scenery
The Mountains have some truly unique and enchanting locations to offer to their visitors. Here are some of them!
- Arethusa Falls. This gorgeous waterfall is located on the western slope of Crawford Notch and will take your breath away! Not only is the location itself stunning, but the relaxing drum of water and its cool breath also make the location ideal for admiring nature’s bounty, even during the peak of summer.
- Lost River Reservation. For lovers of cave exploration, this location in Woodstock is ideal! It is telling enough that another name for this wonder of nature is ‘Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves. One thing is for sure: it is bound to arouse an explorer’s adventurous instincts!
- Flume Gorge. A striking natural gorge at the base of Mount Liberty, offering a beautiful route to those who like relaxing nature walks!
- Polar Caves Park. Another cave attraction! These caves are named as such because the deepest reaches are cold enough for snow to persist even during the peak of summer heath.If you are looking to cool off, here’s where you should head!
- Mount Washington Hotel. Slightly different from the rest of the items on our list, Mount Washington Hotel is one of the very few grand hotels left from the early twentieth century, and both its architecture and the surrounding area are something to admire.
Many, many ski resorts!
If wild nature is not entirely to your liking, here are some locations with all the amenities you may want!
- Cannon Mountain Ski Area. With twenty-three miles of trails and the stunning vertical of 2,330 feet, this ski area is sure to challenge even the pickiest of the lovers of this sport!
- Wildcat Mountain Ski Area. With a vertical of 2,112 feet and some genuinely challenging cross-country trails, this might be the perfect ski resort for those who want to test more than their ski skills!
- Loon Mountain Ski Resort. With a vertical of 2,109 feet and plenty of easier trails, this ski resort is for those who want to relax and enjoy their skiing while still being moderately challenged.
- Attitash Mountain Resort. Sitting at a vertical drop of 1,750 feet and 68 different runs, Attitash is the most forgiving and easiest of the ski resorts to get started in. They do have more challenging trails to offer to their visitors, so this is perfect for families who want to introduce their little ones to the sport but still enjoy themselves as well!
Final Word
This marks the end of our guide on living in the White Mountains, New Hampshire! We hope that we have made the pros and cons of mountain living clear and done a good job presenting the unique attractions of the White Mountains. Just remember to take your time before you decide! Mountains are beautiful but demanding. So, a decision to move is not one you should make lightly.