It’s winter 1934. Snow blankets southern New Hampshire’s pristine Shem Valley and Cardigan-Firescrew Ridge. For many northeastern skiers, this is paradise. They blaze trails, race, and explore the snow-covered wilderness. Best of all, they now have a place to stay. Near Mount Cardigan, AMC has just opened Cardigan Ski Lodge, a two-story, gray-shingled Cape Cod house that sleeps 18.

Seventy-five years later, outdoor enthusiasts still flock to the area. The original “Little House” no longer stands, but the current Cardigan Lodge, constructed using materials from a nearby barn and completed in 1939, attracts recreationalists of all sorts.

To celebrate the backcountry retreat’s 75th anniversary, Cardigan staff will host a reenactment of the 1934 winter this December. The event will include ski races, and the original surviving trophy winners may make an appearance.

The area initially was a winter getaway for backcountry skiers and snowshoers. By the 1960s, AMC transformed Cardigan into a year-round destination that gave visitors a chance to hike on the mountain’s trails and canoe in the nearby lake.

Did You Know?
Duke Dimitri von Leuchtenberg led the original trailblazing into the Shem Valley in 1933 and selected Cardigan’s location.

The lodge has seen other changes in the past 75 years: AMC has acquired approximately 700 more acres in the area; blazed new skiing and hiking trails; and updated the lodge’s technology. Through the generosity of donors, AMC was able in 2005 to renovate the lodge, updating furnishings, carpeting, windows, insulation, and siding.

Despite Cardigan’s transformations, a few things remain unchanged. Cardigan is still rustic, family friendly (it will host three Family Adventure Camp sessions this year), and rooted in tradition. Walls adorned with memorabilia and cozy gathering areas give the lodge a country feel. And those who keep coming back account for the lodge’s friendly atmosphere.

“Tradition plays a strong role in the people who come here,” says winter caretaker Pat Mitchell. “Weekends are taken by groups who have been coming year after year. [They] are very comfortable and treat [Cardigan] like their own home.”

The lodge and nearby campground are surrounded by a 1,200-acre reservation owned and managed by AMC and adjacent to Cardigan State Park. High Cabin, built in 1931, provides rustic, self-service accommodations for 12 near Cardigan’s summit. The lodge itself is 7 miles from the nearest town. “It really is an endpoint destination,” Cardigan manager Tom Fisher says. “No cars, no trucks, just you and the sound of the brook coming down the valley, the wind in the trees, and more stars than you can count.”

Learn more about Cardigan Lodge>>