By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
MANCHESTER – With a base of natural snow blanketing a majority of the state and perfectly cold night temperatures to blast, New Hampshire’s ski industry gathered Monday night at McIntyre Ski Area to kick of the 2024-2025 season, and honor two political outgoing allies in Washington and Concord.
U.S. Congresswoman Annie Kuster, D-NH, is retiring in January and will be succeeded by Democrat and Nashua native Maggie Goodlander representing the Second Congressional District, which has a lot of ski areas.
State Sen. Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, who is currently Senate President and also retiring, was honored as well for his support of the industry over the years.
Attending also and speaking were Gov. Chris Sununu and Governor-elect Kelly Ayotte.
The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a report recently that the ski industry represents $4 billion to the state’s economy and provides over 32,000 jobs.
This is in an industry that is consolidating and shrinking with shorter winters and less cold in recent years to sustain them.
Yet the industry has done well to keep skiers and snowboarders coming to the state which helps tremendously with the rooms and meals tax.
The National Ski Areas Association states that in 1991 the nation had 546 ski areas and this winter, has 486. New Hampshire has 28 ski areas including two re-opened ski areas last year, at Granite Gorge near Keene and Tenney outside of Plymouth.
Many ski areas are looking to open this Saturday including Gunstock, Ragged, Crotched. McIntyre in Manchester plans to open on Sunday, Dec. 7 along with Pats Peak in Henniker.
Other ski areas are either now open or plan to turn lifts during the week.
Taking advantage of its high elevation location in Franconia Notch, Cannon has 10 trails open.
The guns were blasting snow all over the mountain Sunday afternoon and the parking lots were full for the weekend with skiers and snowboarders who had located, wiped off, sharpened up and otherwise washed clean all the necessary clothing for mid-winter conditions.
Many were there to get the first few tracks after the big meal, renew their passes and were treated to classic mid-winter snow, albeit a bit thin at the base.
The industry had a rough ride of it last year with the weather not cooperating in general and specifically during the money-intensive holiday periods.
But this Thanksgiving’s snow of several inches which stayed, followed by consistently cold, wintry conditions at night have set them up for a strong start to the season.
Even some Nordic trails are now open, thanks to snowmaking and nature, including those at Jackson Ski Touring, Great Glen and Bretton Woods with more hoping to open after an expected snowfall of as much as eight inches in ski country by Friday.
