The Old Man is gone – or is he?
Let’s Start at the Beginning
Long, long ago, he was an iconic symbol to the Mohawk native Americans in the northeast USA. Later, In the early 1800s, he become the state identity for the residents of New Hampshire. Who is he? He is the Old Man of the Mountain. He sits high atop the Cannon Mountains, near Franconia, NH. To be more clear, the northern exposure of the mountain top forms the profile of an old man. Thus, this profile became the legendary Old Man of the Mountain. The Old Man of the Mountain was without peer when it came to being a symbol of New Hampshire…
For truly righteous New Hampshire residents, the Old Man was even critical body art. Furthermore, the Old Man of the Mountain was synonymous with New Hampshire pride. Then, on May 3, 2003, the Old Man of the Mountain fell off. Poof! The Old Man perished. The rock ledge that was his chin just fell off the mountain. Then, the rest of his whole face just fell off the mountain. So, that’s it. Tragically, many centuries of geology were gone in an evening. The Old Man is gone – Or is he?
When there is a will…there is a way
So, it’s now May 4, 2003 and the Old Man is gone. The Cannon Mountain is just another majestic peak in scenic northern New Hampshire…
There is not really a practical way to fix a mountain. However, that did not stop the NH residents from brainstorming all sorts of epic ideas. And, by “epic,” I mean stupid. However, about 7 years later, the friends of the Old Man settled on a plan. That plan was the Old Man of the Mountain Profiler Plaza. Now, this is going to be tricky to explain. First, you need to put your feet in the proper footprint to get the exact angle to view the mountain. There was no size 14 foot prints, just saying. Anyway, you then close one eye and look along the steel profiler extending toward the mountain. The steel profiler has rock-like projections on one side. Here are the key components to the illusion…
If you carefully follow the instruction…and get just the right angle….abracadabra…the Old Man of the Mountain reappears…
It is what it is
That’s it. That’s the Old Man of the Mountain Profiler Plaza. For reasons that were unclear to me, this really made me laugh out loud while I was creating the illusion. First, the Profile Plaza is not a crowded tourist attraction. So, I am standing by myself on this isolated platform in the midst of these beautiful mountain peaks. I am trying to get my feet and eye in just the right spot to put the Old Man back on the mountain. Trust me. You will feel stupid and have a chuckle.
In summation, I am not going to say this little hidden oddity is worthy of an all day drive. But, it does have many redeeming qualities that make it worth a stop. First, it’s right off the major interstate in northern Vermont. So, its very easy to access. Second, it’s in the Franconia Notch area of Vermont which is absolutely one of the most beautiful areas that I have visited. Third, it’s all free and there is hardly anyone in the park. And lastly, you get to create your own illusion… the Old Man is gone – or is he? Have a wonderful day. PT
I hope you have enjoyed reading “The Old Man is gone – or is he?” on Traveling with PugsleyTonks.
If you liked that oddity, how about this one https://travelingwithpt.com/druid-magic-is-alive-and-well/
If you want to visit the Franconia recreate the Old Man for yourself, here you go https://www.cannonmt.com/things-to-do/activities/old-man-of-the-mountain
p.s. I give you the Franconia Notch. It was an absolutely beautiful area of Vermont
