Where to Ski

You won’t be disappointed with the mountains in New England!  Plenty of terrain, family programs, snowmaking, natural snowfall, back country cruising, and good times.  Check out the mountains below as you plan your next trip!

In addition to the list below, take a look at this article about some of the top ski areas in the Vermont area --  https://www.alltherooms.com/blog/top-vermont-ski-resorts

Faithfully serving the locals for over 50 years, know as the “biggest little mountain” to some, Pat’s Peak is located just outside of Concord and it knows how to deliver!  There is no doubt that Pat’s is the local, go-to, family-friendly mountain, offering top-quality services everywhere you look.  The great experience actually begins in the parking lot with completely organized and easy-flow parking, setting up your positive attitude right away.  The mountain is laid out very well, making a smooth transition from your car to the slopes.  With each employee, you’ll find excellent customer service with a smile, making you feel like you simply belong there.

Getting the skis or snowboard on, you’ll have 11 lifts to choose from that will lead you to one of 26 trails, 8 gladed areas, 3 terrain parks, or the F.I.S. race trail, ranging from novice to expert.  With one of the highest capacity computer controlled snowmaking systems per acre in the Northeast, you’ll find guaranteed snow coverage all season long.

Being New Hampshire’s largest night skiing facility, you’ll be able to ski after the sun sets and then head in for a great evening to warm yourself up with some delicious homemade food and on the weekends, some great entertainment.  Featuring the famous massive chocolate chip cookie, chili, and soups, all made from scratch every day, along with certified angus beef entrees, you’ll have no problem finding just the right meal for you in the cafeteria.  If the cafeteria isn’t your style, socialize while listening to local bands as you sip on beer or wine, and enjoy the fun yet relaxed setting in the Sled Bar.

For those  interested in getting in as many runs as possible within their time frame, Ragged Mountain is the place to go.  Having New Hampshire’s only high-speed 6-passenger chairlift, users will be at the summit in less than 5 minutes to access their 55 trails and 1,250' vertical.  With their new 700' long tubing park with 10 lanes, users can get a different style of speed as some can reach up to 30mph.

Gunstock Mountain Resort

Gilford, NH

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Located in the beautiful Lakes Region, Gunstock is known for its friendly customer service and pursuit of delivering high quality performance for every person who steps foot on their mountain.  Offering 55 trails, 8 lifts, and 24 lit trails, ranging from novice to expert, users of all levels will find their place at Gunstock.  Encourage your kids to love this resort by getting them involved in the many youth programs throughout the season, and before they can get out, take them to the childcare located right at the mountain.  Taking their customer service to the next level, for over 10 years Gunstock has offered top-notch adaptive instruction program.

Bretton Woods

Bretton Woods, NH

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The largest ski area in New Hampshire, Bretton Woods is renowned for its beautifully groomed wide-open trails serviced by ten lifts including four high-speed quad chairs, four freestyle terrain parks, and breathtaking vistas of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range. The area is consistently rated among the best in New Hampshire for family programs, service, on-mountain food and lodging by readers of SKI Magazine. Elegant lodging options are available at The Mount Washington Hotel, with packages including its “Stay Here, Ski Free” offer. Resort amenities in addition to alpine skiing and snowboarding include 100 kilometers of cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, sleigh rides, snowtubing, children’s programs and an indoor climbing wall.

Loon Mountain Resort

Lincoln, NH

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Expanding over three peaks, Loon Mountain is home to skiers and riders who are looking for a wide variety of terrain from steep bump runs, long cruisers, tree skiing, a full progression of terrain parks, halfpipe and superpipe, to gentler beginner runs and a Burton Progression Park.  With 12 lifts, 61 trails, and top-notch snowmaking, users are guaranteed a more than satisfactory experience.  In fact, The Loon Snow Guarantee promises that if you’re not satisfied with the conditions, you can return your full-priced ticket before 11am and receive a voucher to visit Loon another day during the season.  The Adventure Center features cross-country skiing and snowshoe rentals & tours, lift-serviced and walk-up snowtubing, zip-line over the Pemi River, and the east coast’s only Ice Castle.

Cannon

Franconia, NH

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Recently voted the #1 Value in the East in SKI Magazine, Cannon is known for its excellent and varied terrain, natural beauty, and affordability.  Honoring their home state, Cannon offers a special discount to New Hampshire residents on Wednesdays of only $25.  While best known for its superb expert terrain, Cannon also offers the Tuckerbrook Family Area, ideal for learning and developing skills on thirteen trails and glades for beginners and lower intermediate skiers, in addition to the remaining 57 trails.   Users will find a wide variety of programs for both children and adults, making it a great mountain for families.

Waterville Valley

Waterville Valley, NH

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Popular for its extensive nordic trails, families can find an adventure and wonderful experience on their alpine mountain as well.  Beginners will find their home on gentle learning areas, intermediate on wide rolling trails, park goers on the Exhibition Park and Little Slammer featuring halfpipes, lots of terrain features, and rails, and advanced on black diamond bump runs.  Little ones of all ages will have a memorable trip as they master their way through the Adventure Trail featuring multiple routes through the woods with stops for bear caves, snow whales, a ski-thru sugar shack, hidden animal figures and more.

Attitash Mountain Resort

Bartlett, NH

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Located in the heart of the White Mountains, Attitash Mountain Resort is considered New Hampshire’s premier year-round vacation area. Attitash has been previously ranked among the East’s top ten ski resorts for snow, grooming, weather, dining, après ski, off-hill activities and family programs by readers of SKI Magazine.  The mountain offers 67 trails across two connected mountains that combine traditional New England runs and challenging terrain with modern, wide-open cruisers suited for all abilities. There are also acres of glades and tree skiing and one of New Hampshire’s original progressive freestyle terrain parks.

Mount Sunapee

Newbury, NH

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Repeatedly ranked as having the best snow surfaces in the East by readers of SKI magazine, Mount Sunapee is sure to guarantee a good experience for the whole family.  With countless testimonials about the snow conditions, customer service, and overall experience, it’s a resort that’s sure to impress.  Families can take advantage of the award-winning Families First package where families can learn together and eventually progress to explore the entire mountain of 66 trails with a vertical of 1,510'.

Wildcat Mountain

Pinkham Notch, NH

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Consistently ranked in SKI Magazine as #1 Scenery in the East and Top 10 in the East for terrain, challenge, and value, Wildcat Mountain is sure to impress.  Due to its  Northwestern exposure and location near Mt. Washington, Wildcat boasts of over 200 inches of snowfall annually and is considered to have the most snowfall in the area.  With 49 trails, 225 accessible acres, and a 4,062' summit, users will find Wildcat Mountain as a worthy resort to visit.

Sugarbush Resort

Warren, VT

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Voted as “Best Ski Town in the East” by Outside Magazine, visitors are sure to find a most memorable New England experience in the Mad River Valley.  Visitors will find the area charming and unique with the quirky shops, great restaurants, artisan galleries, covered bridges, and church steeples.  On snow, the mountain delivers an array of opportunities for the beginner to the advanced with their 100+ trails, expanding over 6 separate peaks, giving reason for their nomination of “#1 in Terrain Variety” by SKI Magazine.

Jay Peak

Jay, VT

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With close to 400? in annual snowfall and a liberal in-bounds policy, Jay Peak offers an incredible experience of pure snow adventure, and is anything but ordinary.    The mountain boasts of its “nooks and crannies” that sets itself apart from other mountains.  With 77 trails, slopes and glades, The Zone learning area, and an expansive back country, users are sure to find the perfect carve at Jay Peak.  Investing more than $44 million in resort-wide improvements, new additions will include a new 80,000-square foot Stateside facility including a base lodge offering restaurants, locker rooms, a rental center and 85 room hotel, 84 new mountain cottages, and a complete revamp of the resort’s entrance.

Stretching across seven mountain areas, including Pico Mountain, Killington Resort features access to 190 trails and 29 lifts with one lift ticket, plus the highest lift-served terrain in Vermont from the 4,241-foot summit of Killington Peak via the K-1 Express Gondola. Killington’s elevation advantage delivers an average of 250 inches of natural snow every season and optimal temperatures to produce machine-made snow from more than 1,200 snow guns covering more than 600 acres of terrain.

Killington is known for its diversity of terrain and grooming expertise, providing skiers and riders of all ability levels a choice of wide-open groomed cruisers, narrow classic New England runs, moguls, steeps and 16 tree skiing areas. Killington also offers multiple terrain features for snowboarders and freeskiers, including Bear Mountain’s signature terrain parks and a 500-foot long Superpipe with 18-foot walls. Plus The Stash, Burton’s all-natural terrain park with more than 80 features, including a replica Vermont Sugar Shack.

Smugglers' Notch

Smugglers’ Notch, VT

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Voted as #1 for Family Vacations and Overall Resort in the East by SKI Magazine, there’s no doubt that users will have an experience of a lifetime.  Commonly called ‘Smuggs,’ the three mountains boast of having everything one could need during a vacation, including in-resort shopping, dining, and accommodations, with no use of a car.  Their guaranteed Snow Sport University® will get all the beginners in your group well on their way, their award-winning kids’ programs will give your kids the confidence and the fun on the snow, and boasting of the East’s only triple-black diamond, the experts are sure to be challenged.

Mad River Glen

Waitsfield, VT

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Known for its extensive advanced terrain, Mad River Glen delivers the needed product for the chargers, as well a wide variety of trails for beginner and intermediate.  As the trails follow alongside of General Stark Mountain, friends and family can easily reunite as the single base lodge.

Okemo Mountain Resort

Ludlow, VT

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Located in an authentic New England village, users will have a true feeling of a New England experience.  Receiving accolades and awards from snow quality, grooming, family programs and friendly and professional guest services, the family-owned mountain is dedicated to offering a good product.  With 120 trails and a vertical of 2,200', users will be satisfied with Okemo’s level of varied terrain and services.

Pico Mountain

Killington, VT

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Thanksgiving day, 2013, marks 76 years of making turns at Pico Mountain. In 1937 on Thanksgiving morning, Pico Mountain Ski Resort came to life with only a 1,200 foot rope tow powered by a Hudson car engine and a lot of love.Since then, a lot has changed. But the love that began more than seventy years ago for this mountain still lives today – and it’s as strong as ever. No other big mountain has such small mountain charm, and no athletes love their mountain quite like Pico skiers and riders.Families and skiing traditionalists now enjoy 57 trails serviced by seven lifts, including two high-speed detachable quads. Gentle learning terrain, smooth cruisers and classically narrow New England steeps can all be found at Pico Mountain. Even the most selective skiers and riders will be impressed by Pico’s vertical drop of 1,967’ – taller than 80% of Vermont ski areas.Whether you choose scenic glades or gentle, winding trails, Pico Mountain has it all. And, if you’re willing, we can teach you how to enjoy it all. Our Snow Sports School offers specialized learning programs for everyone from children and first-timers to seasoned pros, all created with quality and value in mind. Pico’s central base area, featuring a cozy lodge and stone fireplaces, is just another reason why this mountain is so special. Having all trails converge into one area make it easy to stay connected with friends and family throughout the day. And when it’s time to recharge, you’ll find a variety of culinary options, including homemade waffles, sandwiches, kid-friendly meals and more. For those seeking a social atmosphere, visit the Last Run Lounge for lunch and après entertainment on the weekends. With its laid back pub atmosphere, crackling fireplace and views of the sun setting on the mountain, it’s the perfect place to wrap up a classic day of skiing in Vermont.

Sugarloaf Mountain

Carrabassett Valley, ME

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Surrounded by Maine’s Western mountains, Sugarloaf boasts as being the mountain with the only lift-serviced above-treeline skiing in the East.  As Maine’s second highest peak, with a vertical of 2,820', and 1,230 skiable acres, Sugarloaf is designated as being the largest ski area East of the Rockies.

Sunday River

Newry, ME

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Located in the South West region of Maine, Sunday River Resort delivers size as it spans three miles long from White Cap to the Jordan Bowl and in between, 8 interconnected mountain peaks, 135 trails, 820 acres,  and a total vertical of 2,340'.  With their Boundary-to-Boundary policy, users have the opportunity to explore the entire mountain, finding their adventures through a massive web of trails.

Nordic Skiing Venues

Looking for a place to Nordic ski in New Hampshire?  Check out the options below to find your next Nordic adventure!

LOCAL

Turkey River / White Farm

Location: 70 South Fruit St. Concord, NH
Distance: approximately 8K
Terrain: mostly flat, level ground
Trails maintained by the Capital Ski & Outing Club
Facebook
Turkey River:White Farm Trail Map

Carter Hill Orchard

Location: 73 Carter Hill Road Concord, NH
Distance: approximately 5K
Terrain: flat with some hills
Rentals
Trails maintained by the Capital Ski & Outing Club
Website

Beaver Meadows Golf Course

Location: 1 Beaver Meadow St., Concord, NH;
Distance: approximately 5K
Terrain: mostly flat, level ground; classic technique suggested

Hopkinton State Fairground

Location: 513 Park Ave. (Rt 103) Contoocook, NH
Distance: approximately 5K
Terrain: mostly flat, level ground
Website

Gould Hill Farm

Location: 656 Gould Hill Road Hopkinton, NH
Distance: approximately 4K
Terrain: varied

DAY-TRIP

Eastman Nordic Center

Location: 10 Clubhouse Lane, Grantham, NH
Distance: 36K
Terrain: wide variety for all levels
Rentals & lessons
Website

Dexter's Inn Trails by Norsk

Location: 258 Stage Coach Road Sunapee, NH
Distance: 20K
Terrain: wide variety for all levels
Rentals & lessons
Website

Gunstock Mountain Resort

Location: 719 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, New Hampshire
Distance: 50K
Terrain: wide variety for all levels
Rentals & lessons
Website

Great Glen

Location: Route 16, Pinkham Notch Gorham, NH
Distance: 45K
Terrain: wide variety for all levels
Rentals & lessons
Website

Bretton Woods

Location: 210 Mount Washington Hotel Road Bretton Woods, NH
Distance: 100K
Terrain: wide variety for all levels
Rentals & lessons
Website

Jackson

Location: 153 Main Street Jackson, NH
Distance: 154K
Terrain: wide variety for all levels
Rentals & lessons
Website

Waterville Valley

Location: 1 Ski Area Rd., Waterville Valley
Distance: 70K
Terrain: wide variety for all levels
Rentals & lessons
Website

See you on the SNOW!