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The Granite State is blessed with more than 20 great winter resorts, most of them in the White Mountains in the north center of the state, around a two-hour drive from capital Manchester and 2½ hours from Boston, and most of them are just as enjoyable to visit for nature and adventure activities the rest of the year when the snow is gone. So to give you a flavor of what winter fun New Hampshire style is like, here´s my pick of the top half dozen (all in the White Mountains unless otherwise noted):
Located in the historic, picture-postcard town of Jackson (complete with red covered bridge), the state´s oldest ski area celebrates its 90th anniversary this year - and back from a near-death experience when the longtime Fichera family owners announced it would close because of financial pressures, until Indy Pass, a consortium of more than 230 independent winter resorts, stepped in to rescue it. There´s an old-fashioned vibe, affordable skiing/snowboarding, a vertical drop of 1,100 feet, and 45 trails of 143 skiiable acres for all abilities, from gentle beginner slopes to black diamond trails for experts.
NH´s largest winter resort (above and top) boasts 98 trails spread across three mountains and 464 acres, with over 90-percent snowmaking coverage; the state's first eight-person gondola; excellent cross-country facilities and trails; and night skiing on weekends and holidays. On balance Bretton is fairly upscale, but accommodations do vary, ranging from the historic, 123-year-old grande dame Omni Mount Washington Resort down to various nearby condos and family townhouses.
In the town of Franconia, with just over a thousands residents, this 265-acre ski area dating back to the 1930s is located within Franconia Notch State Park and run by the state of New Hampshire boasts its highest ski-area summit (4,180 ft.), a vertical drop of 2,180, and 23 miles of trails offering challenges for all levels but is best for intermediate and advanced. Cannon lacks the fancy frills, bells, and whistles of, say, Bretton Woods, but it´s widely considered a "skiers´ mountain," with a very local feel and even dubbed "the Living Legend." Also in and around Franconia, you can visit the former home of poet Robert Frost, the New England Ski Museum, and the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway.
At another resort area founded in the 30s, in the cute little town of North Conway, you´ll find 170 acres with 56 trails and glades, with a vertical of 1,200 and terrain for all abilities, but especially apt for intermediate and newbies/learners; there´s also a mountain coaster and snow tubing park for off-piste fun. All the above makes it a family favorite, but another reason for that is the engaging town itself (pop. around 2,100), with plenty of lodging, dining, shopping, and entertainment options.
This trio of peaks (the highest of which reaches 3,065 feet) is home to a 403-acre, 73-trail resort in a beautiful setting in the town of Lincoln which by the way is quite a bit newer than the others on this list - opened in 1966. It´s family- and very intermediate-friendly, yet with enough tricky terrain and black trails to keep the hot shots interested, and it has a devoted following of "Looniacs" who come back season after season. The vertical here is 2,100 feet, and amenities include a some of the most advanced lifts in the East, a hotel with a swimming pool and spa, multiple dining options, and activities like ice skating, snow tubing, snowshoeing, and a zip line over a frozen river.
More info: SkiNH.com.
Comments
Very good list. I love Bretton Woods for its historic hotel, well groomed trails, and great ski lifts, among other things. Hopefully I can get up there next winter to explore one or two of the others!