If you live in New England, there’s a good chance you’ve enjoyed hiking, skiing or climbing in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. If you have, that’s due to more than just smart conservation policies and good location. You also owe a debt of thanks to a complex history of Ice Age glaciers, specific types of rocks, and massive collisions between continents.
A fascinating exhibit (that will end soon) at the Museum of the White Mountains aims to help people appreciate the massive forces at work that shaped the recreational opportunities we enjoy in the Whites.
The exhibit – Beyond Granite: The Geology of Adventure – runs until March 8. It highlights beautiful spots such as Tuckerman Ravine, Cannon Cliff and Franconia Ridge. The exhibit touches on how rock types have influenced climbing styles in the Whites. It also examines how these ancient mountains used to be taller than the Rockies, and how climate has shaped the landscape of the Whites and will continue to do so in the future.
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