Mountaintop Picnic

My short summer bucket list included "picnic on mountaintops". Picnics are always fun, but if you can picnic with a view, they become a mini-vacation -- a sort of removing oneself from the world for a bit -- but with tasty food! One lazy, Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks ago, we packed a picnic and headed to our mountaintop destination, nearly 3,000-ft. above sea level, to the summit of Mount Sunapee, New Hampshire. I had been to the top before (click here) and was excited to show Dave and Julia this unique destination where we could picnic with a view.

Mount Sunapee, which is indeed a mountain, is also a ski resort which offers summer lift rides to the top. To be perfectly honest, heights and chair lifts are not my thing, but I knew the view from the top was worth it. And after some pleading to please lower the safety bar and some admonishments to not rock the thing, I settled in and enjoyed the ride. We could feel the temperature getting cooler as we ascended and the fresh mountain breezes rushed refreshingly over us. Negotiating the on and off of a chair lift with a large picnic basket and a smallish (but heavy) cooler was not as difficult as expected, and before we knew it we were on the top of the mountain with the world before us. What a view!

For once, I think I finally hit on the ideal sort of picnic fare -- simple, delicious, and not too much work. This meant that most of it was purchased from the market, some was foraged from our refrigerator, and an effort was made for dessert.

From the market: rotisserie chicken (sliced), salami, crackers, Brie, Fontina, crusty bread, really good butter, strawberries, plums, French soda.

From our refrigerator: homemade dill pickles (click here), leftover tomato-mozzarella salad.

Dessert: chocolate ganache tarts

We sat there, munching away, having almost the entire mountaintop to ourselves. Julia, at one point, asked, "Is this when bears smell our food and come eat us?" Happy to report that didn't happen! We brought binoculars and playing cards, but amusements paled compared to the simple enjoyment of the view. Occasionally, another group of people would wander close for a good view of the lakes and forests beyond. We'd chat for a few moments. I'd offer them some food. They'd decline and move on. They didn't know what they were missing! The view was great, but the view + picnic was sublime!

By far, my favorite memory of our mountaintop picnic was the several times Dave threw his arms wide to the breeze, smiled, shook his head, and said, "Ahhh...I LOVE this!" I think another trip here in the autumn just might be a good idea!

View on the way down.

Useful Links:

Mount Sunapee  - for year-round fun!

Metal Cooler - This is our absolute favorite cooler! It will pack food for four people tightly, or for two with ample room. All the food you see here that needed to be refrigerated was packed in it (plus room for ice). I'm also quite fond of giving it as a wedding gift!

Artisanal Cherry & Lemon French Soda - Yum!