What's good in New Hampshire?

[efoxx]

I have always skied various resorts in Vermont, only once dipping into NH to ski Sunapee because it was part of my All-East pass at the time, but how are the other resorts in the state? I already bought a season pass to Killington because I live in NYC and driving beyond K-Mart is way too many hours in the car but I want to plan at least one trip to a resort in NH. I was checking out Cannon and it looks amazing. Similar to Stowe, with the deep notches which really impressed me. I am looking for a resort with an overall steep pitch, good snow and great trees skiing. Any suggestions that would match that criteria? How about Brenton Woods? Thanks.

[surfsnowywaves]

Here's the scoop, as far as I see it, YMMV: (if I don't include your favorite little area, I'm sorry in advance.)
Wildcat: great snow, great views, plenty of steeps, and I hear theres lots of woods tucked away around the mountain.
Attitash: has some steep stuff, has some fun stuff, but overall, the snow quality isn't that great, lots of very hard hardpack that gets overgroomed.
Bretton Woods: flat, but gets great snow and has some (short) fun pitches if you know where to look. great views, great wildlife (cougars are a house specialty)
Cannon: sometimes has some wind issues. has some nice wide open steep stuff, can get bountiful snowfall if the storms roll in right, has opened up mittersill so there's plenty of interesting stuff on the maps this year. lots of woods tucked away around the mountain.
Loon: if you like it mellow and groomed, Loon's your place. Crowds out the wazoo. Not the greatest snow quality in the world, either. Does have a couple of steeper fun trails (n peak area).
Tenney Mtn: small, all slow chairlifts, not too much vertical, not too steep, elevation means that it doesn't get consistent snow. however, this being said, one of my all-time favorite days sliding on snow has been at tenney. absolutely love the atmosphere, and if the snow is there, then it sticks around for a while. also, $25 all day midweek lift tickets.

and as a comparison,
Sunapee: superb grooming (and I mean great grooming, their groomers are better than loon or 'tash or anything. i prefer less groomed stuff, but I never fail to have a good day at Sunapee), not that much steep stuff, overpriced.

Disclaimer: if your opinion is different than mine and you wanna complain about it, SUCK IT!

But that's my take on New Hampshire ski areas. BTW, Cannon and Stowe are quite dissimilar, I'd say. Especially when it comes to snow. Ask RR about why the Cannon snow situation isn't as pretty as Stowe's, but don't expect him to reveal his secrets.

[riverc0il]

Much as I love New Hampshire, you will be hard pressed to find the same consistency in snow quality and open tree runs as you might find in NoVT. As I recall, even Killington has a higher annual snowfall average than any ski area in New Hampshire. One of my favorite sayings is that if Cannon got the same snow as NoVT, I wouldn't ski any where else. Essentially, you can't beat some of New Hampshire's mountains when they have a good base and good snow. That said, they often don't and there are many years that tree skiing can only viably happen in NH during February and March (at best).

All that said, I am biased, but I would consider Cannon to have the best steeps, technical skiing, and tree skiing in New Hampshire. Though it is not on all the map to be honest. Even sticking with the map though, you'd be hard pressed to find anything on map in Vermont that compares to Kinsman Glade. I am not sure I would compare Cannon to Stowe but then again I wouldn't really compare any mountain to Stowe.

Wildcat is also a great option. Not a lot of really steep trails but they have their fair share of glades and off map stashes. Personally, I prefer Wildcat for spring skiing but that is just my preference as they have great 2k vert spring bump runs.

Not sure I would recommend much else given your criteria. For the other major resorts, Loon does not have much tree skiing. They have put a few short tree runs on the map recently. Mike's Woods is a nice shot. Not the place I would go for trees and they groom a heck of a lot and don't quite get some of the powder shots Cannon and Wildcat pick up due to lower elevation. Bretton Woods has a lot of trees that have recently been added but I can not speak to their quality. Bretton is generally considered a flatter mountain than others in NH. Waterville is pretty short on verticla (discounting their summit double) and does not have much for steeps and trees.

Although not in NH, I have always considered Burke (VT) to be an unofficial part of the NH I-93 skiing corridor. Burke has sensationally great tree skiing, more snow than any ski area on NH (though not as much as NoVT), and skis steeper than average (taken as a whole) without having anything trails that are really steep). If you were planning to stay overnight and make it more than a day trip, I would suggest a Cannon/Burke combo and perhaps throw in Wildcat for a three day option. That would involve some driving (especially with the Wildcat option) but you could stay someplace central (say StJ or Littleton) and driving would only be 30-40 minutes to either location.

Or. You could just go further north in VT and ski Bush, MRG, Stowe, Bush, Jay, etc. If you want to ski NH for the experience and novelty of it and want to try the best that NH has to offer.... go for it. If you are looking for trees and snow quality that is on par with VT... don't book in advanced as the consistency factor is not as good in NH as NoVT.

Just my two cents as someone that loves NH for its mountains and terrain and VT for its snow and more frequently open trees.

[T0DD]

this thread.

Please keep the opinions coming.

[shogunnamedjust]

"Loon does not have much tree skiing"

this is spot on...nothing to see here, stay away :)

[icelanticskier]

"Loon does not have much tree skiing"

this is spot on...nothing to see here, stay away :)

ya, and no REALLY long consistent fall line skiing either. something that cannon lacks cept for some long woods lines on and off the map. loons woods $uck;)
and mid week it's wicked crowded on a pow day;););) spring corn skiing there $ucks also

i pick loon.

rog

[surfsnowywaves]

ya, and no REALLY long consistent fall line skiing either. something that cannon lacks cept for some long woods lines on and off the map. loons woods $uck;)
and mid week it's wicked crowded on a pow day;););) spring corn skiing there $ucks also

i pick loon.

rog

i'll bite your troll (with rog it should be considered a trawl, judging by the amount he does it)

growing up in MA I had a threedom pass for two years. of the three mountains, I'd have to say waterville was my least favorite, and Loon and Cranmore I considered more or less equal. (Bold statement, I know) The thing with Loon is that it is ungodly busy on the weekends, more so than other places (in my experience). You mention that its empty on weekday pow, but then again, ANY SKI AREA THAT ISN'T KNOWN FOR SNOW WILL BE UNCROWDED WHEN THEY GET IT. So there, I said it. Loon, Waterville, Attitash, Sunapee, Gunstock, etc, will ALL be uncrowded. ESPECIALLY ON WEEKDAYS. There are a handful of ski areas that will be crowded on weekday powder days. Here's the short list: Jay Peak, Smuggs, Stowe, MRG, 'Bush. In NH, you'll find midweek pow crowds at Cannon and Wildcat, because people expect them to get snow.

"So what's the moral of this story, Uncle Johan?" you might be asking yourself.

Well, listen up kids: if it snows hard, you can stand in liftlines and score uber-gnar-knar-sickter-bro-brah lines at the aforementioned 5+2 places, and maybe get super quality but less quantity, or you can go to the other places that aren't as highly regarded for snow (when they get snow) and maybe trade some snow depth and quality for quantity of untracked.

Disclaimer: all of these statements will fluctuate with the intricacies of the weather pattern delivering it. The devil's in the details my friends.

Also, edit to add:A day of skiing is better than a day of work so regardless of where and when you go, quitchya*****in'!!!

[RR]

It's all good when there's enough snow on it!

[Seeker]

Well said SSW! Heck, I've had a really fun powder day at Wachusett of all places. I know, I know, it's not in NH. ;)

My 0.2. Of all the New Hampshire ski mountains, Cannon is my favorite. I love the vibe, I love the views, I love the terrain--and mostly that would be heading over to Mitty for a bc-like experience. But I have rarely been there when the full mountain was skiing well. Even with fresh snow, there are ALWAYS icy, sketchy spots. I don't think I've ever really skied the trees there--we did Kinsman once and it was totally skied out (and BTW wow what a crappy trim job they did). However, the front four almost always provide ample entertainment, regardless of what the rest of the mountain is doing, and the trails from the top of the tram house are fun and twisty NE style.

I've never had a particularly great day at Wildcat and have yet to see what all the hoopla is about. Hope to do so one of these years.

Sunapee does have, hands down, the best grooming you'll find in NE. So if the snow sucks everywhere else, go to Snappy, and you will have a fine time. But it's not the most exciting terrain, although the glades do add some interest. If the glades are closed, it can get tiring, especially on a crowded day--which are most days.

OVERLOOKED GEM: Ragged Mountain. They've added some kick-butt glades that I can't wait to get in. Similar to Sunapee, but much more interesting and extensive glades and MUCH fewer people.

And I have to give a shout out to BW. The new glades are fun and the views are great. It's a nice place to relax and have fun. Plus they supposedly don't have the wind issues other places do. Some great beginner glades as well-- a good place to learn to ski glades IMO along with definitely not-for-beginner glades.

It all looks good at this point! One day on snow so far, and I ready for MORE!

[stoneman]

Jeez Seeker - pretty much exactly what i would have said if i wasn't so lazy.
Except that i have had a few chances to ski cannon when it has had the goods... and it s*ked so bad i can't even describe it.

[efoxx]

Thanks for all the feedback. I think I will probably plan a trip to Cannon or Wildcat sometime this winter. Not interested in Loon or Attitash, especially in light of the fact I am coming from Killington. Last season I skied Magic Mt, which was great. I loved the solitude, there were literally 30 skiers on the entire mountain on a SATURDAY! Additionally I really enjoyed the more traditional trails, more narrowly cut. The trees were pretty damn good as well! Only problem with Magic was they only had one lift running, I can't remember if it was the black or the red lift. While the lift was incredibly slow, I think I ended up getting more vert due to no lift lines at all. How about Saddleback Mountain in Maine? Looks very promising, has anyone ever been there?

[downhilly]

Cannot go wrong with wildcat and cannon. I know wild cat has a few $9 days this season. Fri 12/18, Fri 2/26, and fri 3/26. Cannon usually has some deals as well. Last year if you brought some canned goods it was buy one ticket get one half price or maybe it was free. Either way something to look into.

[brakeformoose]

Cannon and Wildcat would be my choices if I was coming up here. Regardless of the terrain, I really just don't enjoy the resortiness of most of the other areas in the state, even when they are not crowded.

That being, said BW has some decent glades and an amazing nordic system if you're into that sort of thing. Loon and WV just bore the hell out of me and are known for their crowds.

As Seeker said, Ragged Mountain is definitely an overlooked gem. It's really unfortunate they haven't been able to compete with the big guys in NH, but at least you know it won't be too crowded then.

[skibumm100]

I was gonna chime in with Ragged as an option for a quick day trip from K-mart but Seeker and BFM beat me to it. It's probably about the same distance as Sunapee. It's a nice surprise. Some good woods skiing and pretty good variety overall. Lodge is nice, if that matters. Bar serves good beer. It's usually not too crowded on weekends. It's no Cannon or Wildcat but it's fun and close. You mentioned Saddleback. I haven't been there yet but it's on my list for this year.

[icelanticskier]

don't go there, it's way too far and you won't like it. thanx for not going to loon. thinking inside the box is what us "others" like to here most other folks doing.

rog

[drewvw]

I'm going to frame it a up a bit different, I personally:

love cannon when it snows and i've spent a lot of time in the notch.

hate loon on the weekends cause the crowds are ridiculous, which is a shame cause its a great mountain.

enjoy sunapee when I want a quick, mellow day to practice my turns. Or the snow is bad everywhere else.

like wildcat but find it awfully hard to go there with ol' george across the street (and unlike rog never have the time to ski both :D).

neutral towards all the other mountains (bw, attitash, waterville, gunstock, etc) but they can all be good on the right day or with the right people.

will always keep Stowe as my nostalgic favorite resort. So many amazing memories skiing/hanging there (and ummm...my marriage too :) )

prefer to ski the bc in NH the majority of the time...

[TuaGuy]

prefer to ski the bc in NH the majority of the time... People BC ski in NH? This is not the skiing you seek, stay with the lifts.. move along, move along.

[natron]

don't go there, it's way too far and you won't like it. thanx for not going to loon. thinking inside the box is what us "others" like to here most other folks doing.

rog

lifts shut down due to winds that make wild cat look tame, temps. colder than cold -5 is typical half of the season, powder gets scoured turns into styro-snow, stay away from saddleback and sugarloaf unless you live within 2 hrs. of them so when you get skunked there, you wont have to drive back 10 hrs. yup NH resorts are the best, vt is overated and maine is TOO FAR and CROWDED with fellow maniacs, wish I lived in NH;)

[riverc0il]

Thanks for all the feedback. I think I will probably plan a trip to Cannon or Wildcat sometime this winter. Not interested in Loon or Attitash, especially in light of the fact I am coming from Killington. Last season I skied Magic Mt, which was great. I loved the solitude, there were literally 30 skiers on the entire mountain on a SATURDAY! Additionally I really enjoyed the more traditional trails, more narrowly cut. The trees were pretty damn good as well! Only problem with Magic was they only had one lift running, I can't remember if it was the black or the red lift. While the lift was incredibly slow, I think I ended up getting more vert due to no lift lines at all. How about Saddleback Mountain in Maine? Looks very promising, has anyone ever been there?
If you like Magic, you will love.... Saddleback, Burke, and Black.

Black? What? YES!!!!! One of NH's best mountains on a powder day. Short on vertical and not steep at all (though a few trails have 100-200' of steep) but it is a classic mountain with a great vibe, cheap, and a ton of fun. But you didn't hear it from me....

;)

[icelanticskier]

lifts shut down due to winds that make wild cat look tame, temps. colder than cold -5 is typical half of the season, powder gets scoured turns into styro-snow, stay away from saddleback and sugarloaf unless you live within 2 hrs. of them so when you get skunked there, you wont have to drive back 10 hrs. yup NH resorts are the best, vt is overated and maine is TOO FAR and CROWDED with fellow maniacs, wish I lived in NH;)

i couldn't agree more.:D see you at da riv tomorrow? should be a full on snow storm of boyne's finest fan guns and towers. close yer eyes and yer in utah. almost:). right stuff could be epic. dickie and i will be doing what dickie and i do best. if you can't find us, listen carefully and you'll surely hear dickie somewhere, everywhere. turns, turns, turns. legs burn, burn, burn.

no turn left behind my friend from the one syllable state. the only one.

rog

[natron]

no turns tomorrow, workin till 5p. wed. however, might make p.m. turns. word on the street thurs. could be more rain than snow, but sat. could be a decent snow event, we shall see... what weather man predicted the rock to get 24'' in 24 hrs.?

[icelanticskier]

no turns tomorrow, workin till 5p. wed. however, might make p.m. turns. word on the street thurs. could be more rain than snow, but sat. could be a decent snow event, we shall see... what weather man predicted the rock to get 24'' in 24 hrs.?

if the riv skis well tomorrow, i'll prob go back there on wed as i'm not too stoked to deal with the sherb for up and down for the limited skiing up high. i'll drive right by the rock tomorrow and give a look up. basically, if the bc skis better, i ski there. if i can ride my butt on a chair for better turns, i ride chairs.

we shall see........

rog

[RR]

.....Not interested in ....Attitash

...Saddleback Mountain in Maine? Looks very promising, has anyone ever been there?Hold on there hoss!

Attitash has some mighty stimulating on-piste terrain. When conditions are good it's well worth enjoying a day there. They have a nice race program there with lots of talent. Their location (lack of elevation) gives them the same problem as Wachuset: rock hard snow.

Saddleback? Oh yes, it can not be amply described...just go! It gets very cold...but that keeps the snow soft and they leave a lot of it untouched by groomers. Think of it as a snowboard friendly Mad River, but much bigger. Rangely lake provides powder every bit as good as Champlain!

[RR]

If you like Magic, you will love.... Saddleback, Burke, and Black.

Black? What? YES!!!!! One of NH's best mountains on a powder day. Short on vertical and not steep at all (though a few trails have 100-200' of steep) but it is a classic mountain with a great vibe, cheap, and a ton of fun. But you didn't hear it from me....

;)SkiLasnow patrols at Black full time. Saw him at the Expo :D

Those in the know will enjoy Black after an awesome breakfast right in the village.

[surfsnowywaves]

SkiLasnow patrols at Black full time. Saw him at the Expo :D

Those in the know will enjoy Black after an awesome breakfast right in the village.

Mmm, I hope you're talking about Yesterday's, because nothing ushers in a new day like Yesterday's! I've spent many a New Hampshire Valley Morning there.

[RR]

Mmm, I hope you're talking about Yesterday's, because nothing ushers in a new day like Yesterday's! I've spent many a New Hampshire Valley Morning there.Indeed!

A picture of Rider.Steve getting ready to commit breakfast in that very establishment:
http://www.techsourceconsultants.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10040/normal_IntentToCommitBreakfast.jpg

[P-HUG]

[QUOTE=RR;134665]SkiLasnow patrols at Black full time. Saw him at the Expo :D
QUOTE]

That's a rare sighting......skilasblackpatroller turns up...come back to us skilas

[Lost Kodiak]

Black Mountain, in Jackson, NH! It's the sweetest, late season, low vert, mellow terrain, family, sun, soft snow mountain in NH. And the nordic system in Jackson is pretty cool, too.
And your close enough for the earn-your-turns up on Mount Washington

[TuaGuy]

Black Mountain, in Jackson, NH! It's the sweetest, late season, low vert, mellow terrain, family, sun, soft snow mountain in NH. And the nordic system in Jackson is pretty cool, too.
And your close enough for the earn-your-turns up on Mount WashingtonIf you want to step up the bc game from Black, try JSTF Doublehead, just upslope, same road. Sweet run, nice views, and kept cut by the Touring folks. It's quick, varied, and surprisingly under the radar.

[icelanticskier]

If you want to step up the bc game from Black, try JSTF Doublehead, just upslope, same road. Sweet run, nice views, and kept cut by the Touring folks. It's quick, varied, and surprisingly under the radar.

under the radar..........;)

rog

[charesty]

ddblhead will be my break from the family over Xmas, then some runs on black.

[natron]

if d. head will be skiable by x-mas or black for that matter, what little is there will be gone thurs., hopefully it returns soon..:confused:

[mikefroth]

King Pine.

[riverc0il]

I think we are getting away from the OP's parameters here...

Then again, Black does not match the OP's parameters but I only threw that out there because the OP mentioned enjoying Black Mountain.

[TuaGuy]

under the radar..........;)

rog Like trail usage at world class JSTF is gonna change with a post here.:p With what you've got in your back pocket for terrain that no one knows you should rest easy about DH.:)