The Crawford Path is one of the most well-known hiking paths in North America. The AMC Highland Center lodge provides accommodations for hikers and other visitors and is located in close proximity to the Saco Lake and Mt.Washington.
A young hiker looking at the AMC Highland Lodge over Saco Lake
The Crawford notch is a continuous valley between the White mountains near New Hampshire. The Saco river originates at the Saco Lake and flows through this notch.
Crawford notch and Saco river
This image of the Crawford notch reminds me of my hike on the Franz Joseph Glacier in New Zealand. The trail overlooked a similar "notch" like valley between the Southern Alps.
A river joining the Tasmanian Sea: View from Franz Joseph - Fox Glacier, NZ
My fellow hikers
Besides individual skill, hiking also requires team building and group effort. Trail names help hikers get to know one another on an informal level. These are names usually adopted by or given to hikers. Some examples of trail names include “The Wild Turkey,” “Bamaman,” “Way Seeker,” “Mountain Dew” and “Bird Man.”
Saco Lake and Elephant Head
These observations could potentially inform my design proposal for the bathhouse project in a way that acknowledges the habits and cultures of these visitors. For example, the mudroom could have lockers with a board where people could write their trail names on. The slope of the site around the lake and the path could be replicated into the design, which then becomes an extension of the site, rather than merely a building sitting on a beautiful location.
Polynesian spa in Rotorua, NZ
Canoeing in Saco Lake
People canoeing in the lake could probably have access to the bath house. Distant views of the mountains and lake could dictate the positioning of windows and public spaces.
A Google image of a spa I visited after my hike
View from the spa
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