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Ski areas in NH offer skiing among breathtaking winter surroundings

New Hampshire > State > Winter Activities > Ski Areas

New Hampshire is a skier’s paradise. The fabulous White Mountains has Loon Mountain, Waterville Valley, Wildcat Mountain, Attitash, Bretton Woods, and Cannon Mountain, and others. It is easy to ski two or more mountains in a few days. Non-skiing members of the family to also enjoy local shopping, dining, and sightseeing.

Elsewhere are Gunstock in the Lakes region and Mount Sunapee and Ragged Mountain in the Dartmouth region. Scattered throughout New Hampshire are smaller ski areas that are great for families and beginners. See Deals, Cross Country Skiing, and ski area listings. Or contact Ski NH, the state’s ski marketing group.

Family ski trip in New Hampshire-credit-NH Division of Travel and Tourism Development

New Hampshire Ski Conditions

Deals

Most ski areas offer discounted season passes, stay-and-ski packages, gift cards, or other bargains. These are discount programs by members of Ski NH (603-745-9396).

Ski NH Anywhere, Anytime Lift Tickets 2018-19

Buy a customized combination of lift tickets to your favorite ski areas in your choice at Black Mountain, Cranmore, Dartmouth Skiway, Granite Gorge, Gunstock Mountain, King Pine, Loon Mountain, McIntyre, Mount Sunapee, Pats Peak, Ragged Mountain.Ticket inventory is limited. Packages can be purchased online at SkiNH.com, or by phone at 800-887-5464). Details.

4th & 5th Grade Snowsports Passport 2018-19

Every Ski NH downhill and cross country ski area is contributing one or more free lift ticket for fourth- and fifth-grade students. Every area also has one additional offer on things like lessons, rentals, lift tickets, and trail passes for other family members. Some blackout dates apply. From $35. Details.

Cross-Country (Nordic) Skiing

New Hampshire has a wealth of cross-country skiing, both at traditional downhill ski mountains and also at centers established specifically for cross-country (Nordic) skiing. Below is a sampling.

Bear Notch Ski Touring Center in Bartlett. An old farmhouse is the base for cross country skiing and snowshoeing, offering rentals and gear, hot food, nature experts, and groomed trails.
Bretton Woods Cross Country in Bretton Woods. Nordic skiing, skating and snowshoeing on fine trails that connect to the Stickney trail system. Services at Tree Top Nordic Sports Shop.
Dartmouth Cross Country Ski Center in Hanover. Based at the Dartmouth Outing Club House on Oscom Pond and Oak Hill, where lessons are given.
Eastman Cross Country Center in Grantham. All essentials for Nordic skiing under one roof: gear, lessons, special events.
Franconia Village Cross Country Ski Center. Cross-country center is in Franconia Inn. Rentals available for Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating.
Granite Gorge Cross Country in Keene. Good snow conditions and lots of cross-country trails, recently reconditioned.
Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center in Gorham. This place covers all winter snow sports except downhill skiing. Cross-country skiing, skating, snowshoeing, snow tubing, family programs.
Gunstock Cross Country & Snowshoe Center in Gilford. Cross-country skiing, nature and snowshoe tours, wine tastings, skijouring.
Jackson XC in Jackson. The vast trail system has trails that lead from inn to inn and to a dozen restaurants, with magnificent vistas of the Presidential Range. Full range of services.
Loon Mountain Cross Country in Lincoln. Adventure Center in an old barn is the base for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, skating, telemark, and after-ski activities.
Nordic Skier Wolfeboro Cross Country in Wolfeboro. Enlarged trail network with terrain for all abilities, warming huts, and free skiing for younger children. Stay and Ski Free packages available.
Pine Hill XC Ski Area in New London. A community-based organization with low-cost cross country skiing near Mount Sunapee Country Club.
Purity Spring XC and Snowshoe Reserve in East Madison. Purity Spring Resort is base for equipment and starting point. Trails wander through the Hoyt Audubon Sanctuary.
Waterville Valley Resort Nordic Center. Seventy km of cross-country trails explore the White Mountain National Forest. Trails for all abilities.
Windblown Cross Country in New Ipswich. Twenty-five miles of trails in the Monadnock Region. Telemark and back country skiing on logging trails.

Ski Area Listings

Skiing - Mt. Washington Valley Chamber - North Conway, NH
Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce

‘Best skiing in the East’ no idle boast in the area around Mount Washington

The list of top-flight ski areas in the Mount Washington region seems almost endless, including mountain resorts named Attitash, Loon, Waterville Valley, Cannon, Bretton Woods and King Pine. Exciting and meticulously maintained downhill runs and a host of ski and non-ski activities for all ages and experience levels are the hallmarks of the region’s famous resorts. But there are delights for cross-country skiers, too, with hundreds of miles of trails weaving through riverside hayfields and mountain forests. The area also offers a variety of locations for snowshoeing, snow-tubing, skating, snowmobiling – even dog-sledding. It’s no wonder the region boasts the “best skiing in the East.” Off-season, resorts bring on exciting gondola, zipline and aerial tramway rides.
Loon Mountain Resort Deep Powder Skiing Lincoln NH
Loon Mountain Resort

60 Loon Mountain Road Lincoln, NH, 03251 Phone: 603-745-6281 Toll-Free: 800-229-5666

Winter Season opens mid-November - Are you ready for some super skiing?

Here’s what you’ve been looking for in a top-flight outdoor recreation destination. Located just two hours north of Boston, Loon Mountain offers superb big mountain skiing and snowboarding in the heart of New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Rated one of the most accessible mountain resorts in the East by readers of Ski Magazine, you’ll find 2,100 feet of vertical with terrain for all abilities on three peaks – including an award-winning progression of terrain parks. There’s 99% snowmaking coverage and New Hampshire’s only Superpipe. Kick back, take in the beautiful winter landscape at your own pace and enjoy the snow as you like it – with snow tubing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and a thrilling zipine ride over the frozen Pemigewasset River at the ready.
King Pine Snowy Skiers Purity Spring Resort Madison New Hampshire
Purity Spring Resort

1251 Eaton Road (Route 153) East Madison, NH, 03849 Phone: 603-367-8896 Toll-Free: 800-373-3754

Ski up and down and all around at King Pine

Purity Spring Resort offers winter-long fun starting at King Pine Ski Area featuring alpine skiing and snowboarding. You’ll find 17 downhill trails for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers, 6 lifts, a terrain park, glades and a full-service PSIA-certified ski and snowboard school. The King Pine Rental and Tune Shop rents both classic and skate-skis. Get out on Purity Spring’s XC & Snowshoe Reserve on 20km of scenic trails through the forest and grounds surrounding Purity Lake in the adjacent Audubon Sanctuary. King Pine lift tickets include Alpine and XC skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and ice skating.
Attitash Mountain Resort (and Bear Peak)

Route 302 Bartlett, NH Phone: 800-223-7669

67 trails and glades; terrain parks, snow tubing; night skiing; cross-country; 310 acres of skiable terrain; 1,750-foot vertical drop; 98% snow making

Skiing and Snowboarding -- Classic ski area with trails for all abilities, and glades for experts. It is the sister ski area to Wildcat Mountain. The Abenaki terrain park is on Bear Peak. Easily reached from the Abenaki lift mid-station. Attitash has an excellent ski and snowboard school. Back country glades are not maintained or patrolled; these areas are recommended only for expert skiers.
Everything Else -- Child care provided. Ski and snowboard rental. Plenty of restaurants and bars at the two base areas and in Mount Washington Valley. The Attitash Grand Summit Hotel has luxury lodging and a dynamic after-ski scene. Attitash’s Nor’Easter Mountain Coaster is 4,000 feet of banked curves down the mountainside. The Coaster is open when resort is in winter operation.
King Pine Ski Area

1251 Eaton Road East Madison, NH Phone: 603-367-8896

17 trails and tree skiing; terrain park, night skiing, snow tubing, 50 acres of skiable terrain; 350-foot vertical drop; 100% snow making

More fun, more affordable, it all starts at King Pine. First-timers and families love our friendly, knowledgeable ski school and easy, gentle learning terrain, while more advanced skiers and snowboarders can explore our terrain park, steeper trails, and tree-skiing areas. King Pine also offers regular night skiing, lift-serviced snow tubing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice-skating, family events, and après ski fun.

Child care; ski shop with rentals and repairs; snow sports school. After-ski scene in Trails End Tavern; slope side, mountainside and lakeside lodging at Purity Spring Resort.
Wildcat Mountain Ski Area

Route 16, Pinkham Notch Jackson, NH, 03846 Phone: 603-466-3326

49 trails and glades; 1 terrain park; 225 acres of skiable terrain; 2,112-foot vertical drop; 90% snow making

Skiing & Snowboarding -- Wildcat Mountain has a deep history and loyal fans. Known as a great mountain for families and kids. Wildcat has good snow because of its 2,000-foot base elevation and 200 inches of snowfall a year. It usually is the last New Hampshire ski area to close for the season. Wildcat has the longest novice ski trail in New Hampshire. Wildcat Valley Trail is an expert Nordic (cross-country) ski trail extending from the summit of Wildcat to Jackson Village.
Wildcat, Attitash, Crotched Mountain jointly offer a Vertical Value Card, which saves you 10 percent off holiday tickets, 25 percent off weekend tickets and half off midweek rates. The card can be used toward the $30 Sunday afternoon half day lift ticket, and on Bring-a-Friend Wednesdays. Wildcat is the sister mountain of Attitash ski area.
Everything Else -- Three cafeterias, rentals and lessons, some included in packages; child care.
Abenaki Ski Area

390 Pine Hill Road Wolfeboro, NH Phone: 603-569-5639

7 glades and trails; 0 terrain parks; night skiing; 18 skiable acres; 200-foot drop; annual snowfall 21 feet; 50% snowmaking

Abenaki ski area is a community-owned ski area open since 1936. Seven trails -- ranging from easy to black-diamond -- offer relaxed skiing, including night skiing. Area has glades and a terrain park, friendly workers, and a small rustic lodge. Abenaki is relaxed, uncrowded, with a small-town feel. Nice and low-key for families and kids.
Mount Sunapee Ski Area

1398 Route 103 Newbury, NH, 03255 Phone: 603-763-3500

66 trails and glades; 4 terrain parks, 233 acres of skiable terrain; 1,510 -foot vertical drop; 97% snow making

Skiing & Snowboarding -- Just an hour and a half drive from Boston, Mount Sunapee is a family resort with very good snow surfaces. Nice variety of wide trails, glades, snowboarding parks, and moguls. Lessons at the learning center and lots of easy beginning trails at the South Peak learning area make it welcoming for novices. A unique Families First package allows parents and kids to learn to ski all together, a new canopy zip line tour adds a two-hour adventure with zip-lines, rappels, and a rope bridge.
Everything Else -- Lots of ways to save on lift tickets with a variety of passes and discount programs. A 4.0 College Pass allows college students unlimited skiing and snowboarding at Pico, Okem, Mount Sunapee, and Killington. The pass includes five half-off College Buddy Tickets. Check details of the program
Cannon Mountain

Franconia Notch State Park Franconia, NH, 03580 Phone: 603-823-8800

72 trails and glades; terrain parks, 264 acres of skiable terrain; 2,180-foot vertical drop; 97% snow making

Skiing and Snowboarding -- Cannon calls itself a living legend and apparently many skiers and others agree. It is known for good terrain for all skiers, natural beauty, and affordability. At 4,080 feet, Cannon’s summit is called the highest in New Hampshire, and that can mean very low temps and some ice. Cannon offers the Tuckerbrook Family Area for learning and practicing on trails and glades for beginners and lower intermediate skiers. Cannon’s cool aerial tram (one of only two on the Right Coast) takes skiers and riders to the top of mountain.
Everything Else -- Child care; ski shop with rentals and repairs; snow sports school. After-ski scene is dynamic at the Cannonball Pub; lots of lodgings in Franconia region.
Black Mountain

Black Mountain Road Jackson, NH, 03846 Phone: 603-383-4490 Toll-Free: 800-698-4490

45 trails and glades; 143 acres of skiable terrain; 1,100-foot vertical drop; 98% snow making

With a 1,100 vertical Black's peak rises to 3,303 ft. with views of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range. The mountain has 40 trails and glens evenly divided among novice, intermediate and expert. There are four lifts.
Bretton Woods Mountain Resort

99 Ski Area Road Bretton Woods, NH, 03575 Phone: 603-278-3320

62 trails; 35 glades; three terrain parks; ten lifts, including four high-speed quads 92% snow making; night skiing and riding Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays; 464 acres of skiable terrain

Skiing & Snowboarding – Bretton Woods in the largest ski area in New Hampshire, and certainly one of the most popular. It was voted #1 for three years in a row in Ski Magazine's Reader's Poll. For an unprecedented third year in a row, Bretton Woods has been ranked #1 in the East for grooming. All the statistics for Bretton Woods are grand in scope: the summit elevation is 3,100 feet, with a vertical drop of 1,500 feet. With a north-to-northeast exposure, the season usually runs from early November to mid-April. The average annual snowfall is more than 200 inches.
Everything Else – Bretton Woods offers a ski & snowboard school children’s programs, rentals & repairs, terrain parks, trail maps, ski groups, racing, a competition center, guided winter adventures, and adaptive skiing.
Ragged Mountain Resort

620 Ragged Mountain Road Danbury, NH, 03230 Phone: 603-768-3600

20 trails and glades; terrain parks, snow tubing; 220 acres of skiable terrain; 1,250 -foot vertical drop; 84% snow making

Ragged Mountain has two mountain peaks, plenty of trails, and a brand-new tubing park with 10 lanes in 2013-14. A wonder carpet lift pampers beginners, along with a expanded learning terrain in 2013-14. Natural features for snowboarders have been added to the Wildwoods terrain park. Ragged Mountain’s high-speed chairlift gets skiers and riders to the summit in less than five minutes.
Everything Else -- Child care at the Moosery. Nice, friendly pub with traditional food for outdoors men and -women. IN summer, enjoy the 18-hole, par-72 golf course.
Waterville Valley Ski Area

1 Ski Area Road Waterville Valley, NH Phone: 603-236-8311

60 trails; 265 skiable acres; 2,020 feet vertical drop; cross country skiing; snowshoeing; snow tubing; fat biking

Skiing and Snowboarding -- Waterville Valley was designed and planned specifically as a self-contained four-season resort. Known as New Hampshire’s Family Resort, it features 265 ski-able acres with an altitude of 4,004 feet and vertical drop of 2,020 feet, 60 trails, and 11 lifts. In 2016 Waterville Valley is celebrating its 50th anniversary and hosting the U.S. Revolution Tour. In 2017 Waterville Valley will open Green Peak Expansion, the first Resort’s expansion in more than 30 years and the only one on the East Coast. Lodging options include country inns, condominiums and all-suite hotels. The Adventure Center at the Town Square offers 70 km of groomed trails for cross country skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking.
Everything Else -- Winter activities include NASTAR (National Standard Race) recreational racing with a giant slalom format; snowboarding; snow tubing; dog sled excursions; horse drawn sleigh rides; indoor ice skating arena; and an indoor climbing wall.
Pats Peak

Flanders Road (off Rte. 114) Henniker, NH, 03242 Phone: 603-428-3245

26 trails and glades; snowboarding; snow tubing; night skiing; snowshoeing; 103 acres of skiable terrain; 770 foot vertical drop; 100% snow making

Skiing & Snowboarding -- Pats Peak is just a half-hour drive from southern New Hampshire urban areas and 90 minutes from Boston. Dedicated learning areas welcome beginnings for lessons. More than 70 adult racing teams are active on the mountain. Lots of night skiing opportunities. POP (Pay One Price) on Saturday nights under the lights charges $48 includes skiing, snowboarding, tubing, rentals, lesson tips, bonfires and entertainment. Starts the first Saturday after Christmas. Very dynamic terrain parks. Special skiing days for women only, college students, and other groups
Everything Else -- Learn about and enjoy snowshoeing at the Forest Discovery Trail. Mountain has plenty of dining and pub life.