The "Old Man of the Mountain" Collapses

(Clearwisdom.Net) According to "China Times" on May 4^th from New Hampshire -- The famed "mountainside Old Man" of the State of New Hampshire was discovered to have collapsed yesterday. An icon has disappeared. Many residents of the state have expressed their sad feelings about this.

The "Old Man" was located in Franconia Notch State Park. From chin to forehead, the granite profile measured about 40 feet and was 25 feet wide. The "Old Man" was a natural rock formation that was created by a series of geologic events beginning an estimated 200 million years ago. Over time, nature carved out a 40-foot-tall profile resembling an old man's face.

Millions of tourists have traveled through Franconia Notch to view the profile, 1,200 feet above Interstate 93 about 65 miles north of Concord. It was unclear when the outcropping actually fell fromáCannon Mountainábecause clouds had obscured the area Thursday and Friday. A state park trails crew reported Saturday morning that the "Old Man of the Mountain" was gone.

"There's only so much you can do," said Mike Pelchat, a state parks official who hiked up the mountain Saturday to make sure there were no signs of foul play.

"With heavy rains and high winds and freezing temperatures, the combination was just right to loosen him up," he said. "We always thought it was the hand of God holding him up, and he let go."

The "Old Man" has become New Hampshire's most recognizable symbol. The face appears on the state quarter, state road signs and countless souvenirs and tourist brochures. The state had used cables and epoxy to try for years to keep the rock profile from falling from erosion and the natural freeze-and-thaw cycle. Those who did the work had warned that a collapse was inevitable, but few thought they would live to see it.

May 5, 2003

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