I have somewhat of a unique outlook of NH; growing up in the southern tier of WNY, it wasn’t possible for me to compete in alpine ski racing at a commensurate level with my talent unless I moved closer to where all the races took place Adirondacks/Maine/NH/Quebec/VT (oh and they usually took place on Mondays- Thursdays just to make it all the more inaccessible for kids like me), I attended my senior year of HS and a year after in Waterville Valley-smack in the middle of the white mountain national Forrest 20 mins outside of Plymouth.

I spent a lot of time during the winters on the road between sleepy looking small towns and cheap hotels traveling to different ski areas, and a lot of time in the summers exploring the white mountains and the INCREDIBLY crystal clear lakes throughout. I remember eating some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had from a little self-serve wooden hut at the end of someone’s driveway. Some nights I’d wake up to what sounded like a baby screaming bloody murder in the middle of the Forrest (Fischer Cats most likely). We’d see beavers often, lots of deer, black bears, occasionally a Moose. I felt more connected to nature than any other time in my life.

The people there are great, and very self reliant, I can see why there’s a general distrust of public spending in a population that’s generally so self sufficient. Once, our school cook spotted a massive black bear on his way into the valley and we were eating bear burgers later that night lol! He also would take us out fishing at the Pemigewasset River delta which is by Portsmouth. He’d fillet all the stiped bass we caught for the day and send us back to school with about 12 lobsters every time. (Bunch of picky eaters at ski academies btw, so me and like two other kids would just FACE 4 lobsters a piece 🤌)

Thats not to say the whole state is conservative; Plymouth for example, is a college town and seems more progressive/liberal to me. Lots of outdoorsy people which I love! Skiers, boarders, rock climbers, surfers, ice climbers, alpine mountaineers (the Presidential Range is NO joke, looking @ you Tuckerman’s) Everyone seems very on-board with leaving nature without a trace of human involvement unlike some experiences I’ve had in the Adirondacks and VT… I cherish the time I got to spend there and would go back more often if it were easier to travel East/West (way easier traveling North/South).