By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CARROLL – After a banner season with lots of snow coming at just the right time, two New Hampshire ski areas have announced plans to build new and replace lifts.
Pats Peak in Henniker has retired the Hurricane Triple Chairlift to make way for a fixed-grip quad lift featuring a loading conveyor for smoother and more efficient loading.
Bretton Woods announced Monday it is replacing The Bethlehem Express Quad with a new BEQ II lift, an advanced, four-person Leitner-Poma detachable quad.
Currently, the only ski area open in the state is Loon Mountain in Lincoln, according to the website for Ski NH.
Celine McArthur, spokesman for Bretton Woods, said the 2024–2025 ski season at Bretton Woods has been one of the best in recent years. They closed for the season this past Sunday.
“We saw fantastic snowfall totals—between 161 and 189 inches, with an average of about 175 inches.
On top of that, consistent cold temps throughout the winter helped preserve our snowpack, giving us a solid base and great conditions that lasted. And the timing of fresh snowfall couldn’t have been better. It lined up perfectly with all the major holidays, including Christmas, MLK Weekend, and February school vacations, which made for some incredible days on the mountain,” McArthur said.
The two new lift announcements are not related to some incidents this past winter in which lifts licensed by the state stopped working. There were some forced evacuations.
One included the Peak Triple Chair at Pats Peak on Feb. 17 when more than 100 had to be evacuated. The state determined the problem to be a wind gust and said it was not mechanical.
There was another incident at Attitash when a chair broke off the lift cable and the male occupant was slightly injured. Another evacuation occurred at Cannon in Franconia Notch.
The Bethlehem Express at Bretton Woods is a 35-year-old chair which offered both winter and summer access.
The BEQ II will be constructed along the same general profile as the original lift, with 14 towers extending from the base area to the Latitude 44 restaurant. The new design will bring several improvements to the guest experience, including a more spacious base area, an improved beginner experience, and increased capacity.
The new lift will be able to transport 1,800 people per hour, helping to reduce wait times and improve slope access.
The ski area will also have for the 2025-2026 season a new black diamond glade.
“We are beyond excited to introduce the BEQ II as part of our ongoing commitment to providing consistent, reliable, and safe lift operations for our guests,” said Alexa Bernotavicz, Assistant Director of Ski Operations at Bretton Woods. “This project marks a big step forward in our effort to elevate the skiing and snowboarding experience here at Bretton Woods.”
At Pats Peak, the change is also “an exciting step forward” said Kris Blomback, Pats Peak General Manager. “We are dedicated to continuous improvements that enhance the skiing and riding experience for all of our guests, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to enjoy the benefits of this new quad next season.”
The Hurricane Triple Chair has been a reliable part of the mountain’s lift system for nearly five decades. While its retirement marks the end of an era, this new quad lift represents the future of Pats Peak, offering enhanced comfort, accessibility, and efficiency for both beginners and experienced skiers and snowboarders.
This summer, two trusted local New Hampshire contractors – Pfister Mountain Services and Phoenix Excavation – will lead construction efforts, ensuring the project stays on track for a winter 2025-2026 opening.