New Hampshire

A glorious day on Mount Kearsarge North in N.H.

Published

1 year ago

February 9, 2025

A glorious day on Mount Kearsarge North in N.H.

Located on the outskirts of North Conway, New Hampshire, Mount Kearsarge North, elevation 3,268 feet, is an excellent intermediate mountain hike. Ledges on the upper western slope offer wonderful views of surrounding mountains and the distinctive fire tower at the top provides phenomenal panoramic vistas.

Originally called Mount Pequawket, Mount Kearsarge has an interesting history. Like several New Hampshire peaks, the summit was the site of a small hotel in the 19th century. A bridle path was constructed in 1845 to transport guests by horse. The hotel reputedly “blew off the mountain” and was rebuilt, only to blow away a second time. In 1909, it was replaced by one of the earliest fire towers in New Hampshire. The Mount Pequawket Fire Tower was operated by the Forest Service until 1960. The sturdy structure has withstood over a century of adverse weather conditions and is open to the public.

My friend, Kenny DeCoster, and I are both coping with knee problems and have been considering a moderate mountain hike to test our limitations. After reviewing the various options, we decided on Mount Kearsarge, a six-mile roundtrip trek. Much of the trail is on the former bridle path so there is minimal steep rock scrambling, an activity that is particularly challenging for our ailing knees. We chose a mid-January day for the outing.

We met at a rest area on Route 16 in North Conway on a clear, sunny day with seasonably moderate temperatures. Since parking is limited at the trailhead, we left Kenny’s truck in the rest area parking lot and drove a short distance to the trailhead on Hurricane Road in North Conway. Only two parking spaces remained when we arrived.

Gusty winds were forecasted for the summit, so we packed plenty of protective clothing. However, if confronted with unusually destructive winds, retreat was our plan. The surface at the trailhead was a combination of hard-packed snow and ice so we started out with micro-spikes and wore them throughout the trek.

Some buildings were visible on the right as we hiked easily on a wide trail in a predominantly hardwood forest. After perhaps a half-mile, the path narrowed and steepened. The trail in this area has been severely damaged by erosion and sections were free of snow and ice. Since the bare ground was frozen, we decided to continue wearing micro-spikes.

The surrounding forest gradually transitioned from hardwood to mixed conifer and the gradient intensified as we persisted upward. And, the snow depth began to increase.

Soon after, we arrived at a lengthy stretch of icy open ledges. The ledges provided an opportunity to enjoy partial views of the Saco River Valley and the barren summits of the Moat Range in the west.

At the top of the ledges, we entered a dense spruce growth on a narrow twisting path. This section of the trail rises steadily as it wraps around the steep northwest side of the upper reaches of the mountain. We encountered pockets of hard ice in this area that required careful maneuvering.

Angling northeasterly, we slowly progressed over rough terrain in stunted mountain growth and emerged onto exposed summit ledges with marvelous views facing south. Contrary to the ominous forecast, the winds were almost nonexistent. We were amazed at our good fortune as conditions were nothing short of glorious.

We proceeded towards the prominent fire tower that could be seen above mountain scrub. Two hikers were leaving the impressive structure when we arrived. After removing our micro spikes, we climbed the stairway to the glass-encased enclosure. The 360-degree views from the tower and the exterior deck were phenomenal. We settled in for a leisurely lunch break surrounded by wondrous vistas.

Caution was the watchword for our return. The icy areas on the ledges were particularly hazardous and, since descending causes greater stress on knees and hips, we slowed to a deliberate pace in steep sections.

Mount Kearsarge is a popular trek and we met about a dozen hikers during our descent. Most importantly, we experienced minimal knee discomfit during the outing. More winter hikes appear to be in our futures.

My mountain guidebook, Mountains for Mortals – New England provides detailed directions, a map, and precise orienteering data for this hike. And, my latest book, Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine narrates exciting climbs on the nine best mountain hikes in Maine.

Ron Chase resides in Topsham. His latest book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine” is available at northcountrypress.com/maine-al-fresco or in bookstores and through online retailers. His previous books are “The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery” and “Mountains for Mortals — New England.” Visit his website at ronchaseoutdoors.com or he can be reached at ronchaseoutdoors@comcast.net.

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New Hampshire

New Hampshire employment law in 2026 – NH Business Review

Published

8 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

New Hampshire employment law in 2026 – NH Business Review

What employers are getting wrong, and how to fix it before it becomes a claim

New Hampshire’s employment law landscape heading into 2026 may not be dramatically different from last year, but the real risks lie in implementation missteps. From the initial setting of wages, to calculating and distributing wages, employers will likely find a specific statute and/or labor regulation governing the transaction. Failure to follow these detailed wage and hour laws can result in significant back wages and other penalties being imposed by the state or federal Department of Labor following an audit. Fortunately, however, this area of employment law is relatively easy to master, once you are familiar with the basics.

Notice compliance

One of the most common pitfalls for employers in New Hampshire is misunderstanding the wage and hour notice requirements under RSA 275 and the related New Hampshire Department of Labor Administrative Rules.

At the time of hire, employers must notify employees in writing of their rate of pay and the day and place of payment. This notice is traditionally delivered to employees by way of an offer letter or some sort of “New Hire Rate of Pay” form. (A sample form is available from the New Hampshire Department of Labor website.) What surprises most employers, however, is that Lab. 803.03(f)(6) also requires employers to request and obtain their employees’ signatures on this written notification of wages, and employers must keep a copy of the signed written notification of wages on file. Further, employers must notify employees in writing during the course of employment of any changes to wages or day of pay prior to such changes taking effect, and the employer must obtain the employee’s signature on this subsequent notification as well. (See RSA 275:49; Lab. 803.03.)

Employers are further required to notify employees in writing, or through a posted notice maintained in a place accessible to employees, of:

• employment practices and policies with regard to vacation pay, sick leave and other fringe benefits.

• deductions made from the employee’s payroll check, for each period such deductions are made.

• information regarding the deductions allowed from wage payments under state law. (RSA 275:49; Lab. 803.03.)

Policies regarding vacation and sick leave should inform employees whether or not the employer will “cash out” unused time at year end or at the end of employment, and if so, under what terms. Again, if any changes are made to vacation pay, sick leave and other fringe benefits during the course of employment (all of which are considered “wages” under New Hampshire law), employers must request and obtain their employees’ signatures on the written notification of the change, and must keep a copy of the signed form on file. (Lab. 803.03.) Importantly, notification by way of pay stub alone is not sufficient, and, these requirements apply to both increases and decreases in pay.

Two-hour minimum (reporting pay)

Another frequently overlooked obligation is New Hampshire’s two-hour minimum reporting pay requirement. Under RSA 275:43-a, non-exempt employees who report to work but are sent home early must generally be paid for at least two hours. Weather-related closures, client cancellations or operational slowdown days can trigger this rule. Employers should also note that the New Hampshire Department of Labor currently applies this law to remote-based employees. Consequently, employees who “report to work” at an employer’s request from a home office may likewise have a right to two hours of pay, depending on the circumstances.

Salaried vs. hourly employees

Misclassification of employees as exempt from overtime remains a significant source of compliance exposure. The position’s job duties — not the titles or label such as “salaried” — determine whether an employee qualifies for an overtime exemption.

Employers, particularly in nonprofits, health care and small businesses, unintentionally misapply exempt classifications to roles such as administrative staff, office managers, executive assistants, program coordinators or hybrid jobs that involve significant non-exempt tasks. Over time, as organizational needs evolve and employees take on broader responsibilities, job duties can drift outside of an exemption’s scope.

Best practice is to periodically review job descriptions and actual job duties to ensure continued compliance with exemption criteria, particularly following any significant restructuring or job redesigns.

Peg O’Brien is chair of McLane Middleton’s Employment Law Practice Group. She can be reached at margaret.o’brien@mclane.com.

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New Hampshire

New photo released in unsolved 1997 homicide of a N.H. woman

Published

20 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

New photo released in unsolved 1997 homicide of a N.H. woman

Local News

“Our family wants to know what happened, who did this and why,” said the family of the victim.

A new photo has been released of the victim in a nearly 30-year-long unsolved murder case, in the hope of finding any new potential witnesses in the cold case, New Hampshire officials said.

“Our family wants to know what happened, who did this and why,” the family of Rosalie Miller said in a press release. “We miss her and want to give her peace.”

Miller was last seen on December 8, 1996 at her apartment in Manchester. At the time of her disappearance, Miller had plans on meeting friends in the Auburn, New Hampshire area, officials said.

Her body was found on January 20, 1997 in a partially wooded spot on a residential lot along the Londonderry Turnpike in Auburn, officials said in the release.

The autopsy report declared Miller’s death a homicide by asphyxiation due to ligature strangulation, N.H. officials wrote.

As part of a new effort to garner public help with the case, an “uncirculated” photo of Miller, 36, is being distributed “in hopes it may jog the memory of someone who saw or spoke with her in the winter of 1996,” Attorney General John M. Formella and New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall announced on behalf of the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit in a joint press release.

Investigators are especially hoping to talk to anyone who was in contact with Miller in December of 1996 or anyone “who may have seen her in the vicinity of the Londonderry Turnpike in Auburn during that time,” officials said in the release.

The newly released photo of Rosalie Miller, 36, who was strangled to death nearly 30 years ago. – Attorney General John M. Formella and New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall

“We are releasing this new photograph today because we believe someone out there has information, perhaps a detail they thought was insignificant at the time, that could be the key to solving this case and bringing justice for Rosalie and those who loved her,” Senior Assistant Attorney General R. Christopher Knowles, New Hampshire Cold Case Unit Chief said in the release.

The New Hampshire Cold Case Unit encourages anyone with any amount of information to contact the group at [email protected] or (603) 271-2663.