Riding the Hardest
Trail In NH
3.3 Miles in 6 Hours to the Jim Liberty Cabin on Mount Chocorua near Tamworth,
NH
December 29,
2007
Courtesy of www.slednh.com
History
The trail which is known as Liberty trail and which goes to the top of Chocorua
Mountain was originally built by a French Canadian named Jim Liberty. Jim
Liberty spoke in broken English and smoked an old clay pipe. He played an
accordion and sang French songs. After obtaining permission to build the trail
from the land owners in 1886, he built it from near George Durrell’s home in
Tamworth to the top of Chocorua Mountain. He received permission from the State
Legislature to charge tolls. Toll rates were charged by the mile at the rate of
three cents for foot passengers and six cents per person in a carriage. In 1891,
he took in $700.00. He also built a stone walled camp with a canvas roof.
However the canvas blew off, so he then added two tents inside for hikers.
In October 1891, he sold rights to David Knowles and Newell N. Forrest of Silver
Lake. David Knowles had built the Lake View House in Silver Lake in 1876. In
July 1892, a hotel was opened near the top of Chocorua Mountain. The hotel was 2
½ stories high and forty by twenty four feet. The first floor consisted of a
dining room, kitchen, parlor and a small bedroom known as the Bridal Suite. On
the second floor were several bedrooms and the third floor was made into a
dormitory, where hikers from boys and girls camps spread sleeping bags.
In 1896 Forrest sold out his interest to Knowles. Knowles strung a telephone
line to Gilman’s store where supplies were brought up by a white horse named
Gypsy. Gypsy would make a daily trip alone to make the estimated 20 by 23 mile
round trip. After being loaded with supplies, Gypsy would climb back up the
mountain.
The hotel registers are at the Chocorua Library. The hotel was open from May or
June until the end of September or early October. Rates ran as low as $2.00
overnight.
In 1914, Ezra and Emma Nickerson ran the hotel, assisted by son Norman and
daughter Sarah. On September 26, 1915, a severe windstorm struck the area. The
hotel was blown away from the mountain and destroyed.
The Jim Liberty Cabin, which was remodeled in 1974 now has nine bunks available
to hikers on a first come, first serve basis.
Video
The following link points to a video on UTube that shows several sleds climbing the trail to this cabin. It took them 6 hours, but this 4 minute video set to music shows the highlights of the trip (high speed connection required):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIW6sv0ex6A
Location Map
The map below shows the location of Tamworth. The Liberty Trail is located due north a few miles..
Topo Map
Here is a topographic map of the area showing the Liberty Trail up Mount Cocorua in purple.
Link to Topic on SledNH.com
If you want to see the original bulletin board topic this video came from, click on the link below:
http://www.slednh.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=887