EACH OF US STANDING IN THE LONG LINE AT THE BASE OF CANNON MOUNTAIN HEARD THE FAMILIAR ORDER THAT WE HAD HEARD SO MANY TIMES LONG AGO: YOU PEOPLE GO THROUGH THAT HATCHWAY THERE AND GET YOURSELVES IN THAT TRAM CAR. GET IN THERE, NOW!!
Bernie Marvin
November 06, 2025
About 20 years ago, in late fall, a large group of US Marine veterans crammed aboard one of the waiting aerial tram cars that transported skiers to the top of Cannon Mountain. It was there that the skiers could enjoy a day of shushing down the mountain and riding back up on the world-famous Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram.
On that day so long ago at Cannon Mountain, we Marines had been invited to visit the summit to observe a commemorative flag-raising ceremony that was to be a reenactment of the famous flag-raising that occurred during World War 2 on the top of Mount Surabachi on the island of Iwo Jima.
Being crammed into the tram cars by our group leader who took on the pretend role as a Drill Instructor to ¥mind us of the way it used to be when we were serving in our Corps,7as from a bit of our past, when we were moved from one area to another, we were tightly jammed inside uncomfortable, wretchedly noisy configuration of a tortuous vehicles we called Cattle Cars. The Tram Cars that day reminded us of those Cattle Car experiences.
The photograph of that flag raising went on to be a Pulitzer Prize winner and remains to this day one of the most recognizable photos from World War 2. For some reason that escapes me today, the Marine unit that trekked up Cannon Mountain had a special reason to raise the flag that day and had invited other Marines to attend, me included. It may have been for a November Veterans Day. It may have been for the November Marine Corps Birthday. I do not recall.
For years, I have not seen any reference to the tram, nor any mention or story about it. But this past week, the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram burst out of dormancy, and I read about it in many stories and blogs that noted the old-style tram cars, like the ones I rode in so many years ago with my Marine Corps buddies, were being retired and replaced with something newer to be known as a Third Generation Aerial Tram.
According to those who are marketing the tram changes, the present cars have been on line since 1980, they carry 80 passengers each and have taken more than nine million passengers to the summit of the 4,080-foot summit of Cannon Mountain, æfering sweeping birdàeye views of Franconia Notch and mountain ranges in four states and Canada. At one time, Cannon Mountain featured a large rock formation that displayed the famous iconic face of The Old Man of the Mountains. When viewed from the proper angle, the craggy profile of the Old Man could be clearly seen overlooking the wide range of mountains.
On the night of May 3, 2003, the Great Stone Face of the Old Man collapsed into a heap of rubble, and since then, the area on the side of Cannon Mountain that once proudly held the magnificent face figure remains bare and reflects nothing.
But as I read last week and the week before, the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram team hosted a public commemorative retirement event on October 26, 2025. There were food trucks, live music, and many fun activities, according to a press release they issued.
So, it appears they were celebrating the retirement of the present tram cars and, at some point in the future, will reveal that what they are calling the third-generation tram is in the works and will be shown to the public later. We can only guess what they plan to reveal at some time in the future.
With a third-generation tram already in the works, the Cannon Mountain staff reminds the public that “this will not be a ‘goodbye,’ but it will be a ‘see you later’ until the project is completed.”
Whenever that is, I have no idea, but it was an interesting event we experienced on Cannon Mountain, being herded into those tram cars and whisked up the mountainside to view the historic flag raising.
I do know that some of the tram staff members were not pleased that we referred to their prized vehicles as 'Cattle Cars,"but it really does not matter now, as those Cattle Cars are being removed from service and replaced by something they speak of as "Third Generation." I am wondering now just what a Third Generation Cattle Car looks like.
I, let you know.
On that day so long ago at Cannon Mountain, we Marines had been invited to visit the summit to observe a commemorative flag-raising ceremony that was to be a reenactment of the famous flag-raising that occurred during World War 2 on the top of Mount Surabachi on the island of Iwo Jima.
Being crammed into the tram cars by our group leader who took on the pretend role as a Drill Instructor to ¥mind us of the way it used to be when we were serving in our Corps,7as from a bit of our past, when we were moved from one area to another, we were tightly jammed inside uncomfortable, wretchedly noisy configuration of a tortuous vehicles we called Cattle Cars. The Tram Cars that day reminded us of those Cattle Car experiences.
The photograph of that flag raising went on to be a Pulitzer Prize winner and remains to this day one of the most recognizable photos from World War 2. For some reason that escapes me today, the Marine unit that trekked up Cannon Mountain had a special reason to raise the flag that day and had invited other Marines to attend, me included. It may have been for a November Veterans Day. It may have been for the November Marine Corps Birthday. I do not recall.
For years, I have not seen any reference to the tram, nor any mention or story about it. But this past week, the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram burst out of dormancy, and I read about it in many stories and blogs that noted the old-style tram cars, like the ones I rode in so many years ago with my Marine Corps buddies, were being retired and replaced with something newer to be known as a Third Generation Aerial Tram.
According to those who are marketing the tram changes, the present cars have been on line since 1980, they carry 80 passengers each and have taken more than nine million passengers to the summit of the 4,080-foot summit of Cannon Mountain, æfering sweeping birdàeye views of Franconia Notch and mountain ranges in four states and Canada. At one time, Cannon Mountain featured a large rock formation that displayed the famous iconic face of The Old Man of the Mountains. When viewed from the proper angle, the craggy profile of the Old Man could be clearly seen overlooking the wide range of mountains.
On the night of May 3, 2003, the Great Stone Face of the Old Man collapsed into a heap of rubble, and since then, the area on the side of Cannon Mountain that once proudly held the magnificent face figure remains bare and reflects nothing.
But as I read last week and the week before, the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram team hosted a public commemorative retirement event on October 26, 2025. There were food trucks, live music, and many fun activities, according to a press release they issued.
So, it appears they were celebrating the retirement of the present tram cars and, at some point in the future, will reveal that what they are calling the third-generation tram is in the works and will be shown to the public later. We can only guess what they plan to reveal at some time in the future.
With a third-generation tram already in the works, the Cannon Mountain staff reminds the public that “this will not be a ‘goodbye,’ but it will be a ‘see you later’ until the project is completed.”
Whenever that is, I have no idea, but it was an interesting event we experienced on Cannon Mountain, being herded into those tram cars and whisked up the mountainside to view the historic flag raising.
I do know that some of the tram staff members were not pleased that we referred to their prized vehicles as 'Cattle Cars,"but it really does not matter now, as those Cattle Cars are being removed from service and replaced by something they speak of as "Third Generation." I am wondering now just what a Third Generation Cattle Car looks like.
I, let you know.
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