By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
BRETTON WOODS – Cold weather early Friday allowed Bretton Woods to fire up its snowmaking system for testing, an indication that the upcoming ski season is not far behind.
Since the lifts last ran around the bull wheels at the state’s more than 30 ski areas, operators have been busy improving their products but operators are looking wearily at almost dry snowmaking ponds due to the drought and are actually for once, hoping for rain.
The hissing sound of snow guns were back in the cool clear night air Thursday and a dusting trails with white was visible at dawn as the state expects a busy fall foliage long weekend, this weekend as it is Columbus Day and Indigenous People’s Day on Monday and Thanksgiving for Canada.
Bretton Woods looks to be among the few resorts in New England to open early and in the past have worked hard to make trails available as an amenity to Omni Mount Washington Hotel guests who come for Thanksgiving in late November.
Crews there are wrapping up a summer of transformation, from major mountain maintenance to the installation of a brand-new high-speed lift. And now, a new name and elevated rating for one of its most challenging glades.
Bretton Woods is installing the all-new BEQ II, a four-person detachable lift replacing the original Bethlehem Express Quad, formerly the oldest detachable lift in New England.
Also new at Bretton Woods this winter is an expert-level glade between Upper Swoop and Fabian Express. It has been rated a Double Black Diamond and given the name: “Mom Said No.”
Snow gun testing began before sunrise Friday, October 10, marking another major milestone as crews prepare for early-December opening, weather permitting.
“The season could begin even sooner if conditions allow, potentially as early as November,” according to a press release.
For more information and updates, visit https://store.brettonwoods.com or follow @brettonwoodsnh on social media.
Also hoping to open first or at least early is the state’s oldest mountain, Black Mountain in Jackson, which is under new ownership and was the last to close last year on May 3.
There has been over $7.5 million investment in the past two years including snowmaking and new trails on the 1,100 foot vertical hill, said Erik Mogensen, whose Entabeni Systems helped purchase the ski area from John Fichera, who planned to close it in 2024.
At Waterville Valley Resort they have laid the foundation for the resort’s new T-Bar and at Pats Peak crews have been working to secure new towers being flown in for the new Hurricane Quad chairlift.
In Conway, home of Ski NH the statewide organization which promotes skiing, Jessyca Keeler, president, said there has been significant investments from new lifts and expanded snowmaking to sustainability initiatives and upgraded lodges “these improvements highlight New Hampshire’s commitment to offering world-class skiing and riding close to home,” she said.
Six ski areas have added new lifts to provide faster and more efficient uphill access for their guests. In addition to Bretton Woods and Pats Peak, Waterville Valley Resort will unveil a new MND Ropeways T-Bar, expanding uphill capacity and access to terrain for training programs, athletes, and recreational skiers and riders and Whaleback Mountain is adding a new surface lift serving Lower Spout, the racing trail, as well as Canyon, Scrimshaw, and new connector trails.
Meanwhile, brand-new conveyor belts, or ‘magic carpets,’ will provide safe, easy uphill transport for children and beginners at Loon Mountain Resort’s Sarsaparilla Learning Center and for all guests of King Pine’s Tubing Park.
Keeler said that in addition, Cannon Mountain has invested in a wide range of lodge upgrades to improve guest comfort and aesthetics.
Projects include new roofing on the Notchview and Brookside lodges, fresh paint on the Peabody, Notchview, and Brookside buildings, updated paint on the Peabody lift terminal, as well as new lighting, flooring, stair grips, and fans in the Peabody Lodge. Guests will also notice the addition of new digital signage in Peabody, further enhancing the overall experience.
King Pine has transformed its Evergreen Room into a multi-use event space featuring a custom bar, handcrafted post-and-beam ceiling, updated dance floor, and upgraded A/V systems. This follows recent improvements, including the addition of a rooftop deck, which provided expanded base lodge outdoor seating.
Skiers and riders at both alpine and Nordic areas will also see extensive trailwork including, Great Glen Trails which dedicated effort to widening trails to reduce tree debris, leaves, branches, and blowdowns on the trail and result in improved skiing conditions.
Cranmore Mountain Resort is introducing Arctic Light Tubing, New Hampshire’s first glow-in-the-dark nighttime tubing adventure with lights and music.
This experience will be available every Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday night.
Snowmaking is energy-intensive, but advances in technology are making it more efficient than ever. Today’s systems allow ski areas to produce more snow with less energy while using smart monitoring tools to optimize when and where snow is made—ensuring maximum coverage and the best possible conditions.
This summer, several New Hampshire resorts made major snowmaking investments including Loon Mountain Resort which doubled its snowmaking capacity on North Peak, while Bretton Woods invested more than $200,000 in new pipelines and tower guns.
Gunstock Mountain Resort installed 24 new HKD Impulse tower guns and Klik hydrants to boost efficiency, and additional snowmaking upgrades were made at Ragged Mountain Resort and Tenney Mountain.
Nordic areas also continue to benefit from expanded snowmaking capacity, which is especially valuable in winters when natural snowfall is limited. Jackson XC and Great Glen Trails both added new snow guns at their cross-country centers this summer.
The National Weather Service considers New Hampshire in a drought but weather models are changing and there is rain in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday.
There has also been investment in night skiing opportunities which are using energy efficiency.
Waterville Valley Resort upgraded its night skiing operations with energy-efficient LED lighting, while Cranmore Mountain Resort and Loon Mountain Resort have each added the PistenBully 600 E+ to its fleet—the cleanest and quietest snow groomer in its class. With its Tier 4 engine, the E+ reduces fuel consumption, noise, and CO? emissions by up to 20 percent while allowing staff to cover more terrain, faster. Loon Mountain Resort has also added another Ford Lightning vehicle to their lineup, bringing them to five EVs in total – the most of any ski resort in the East.
Several long-term projects are underway across the state including at Cannon Mountain which will retire its iconic tram after the weekend.
It has unspecified plans for a replacement which may take up to three years.
Loon Mountain Resort will begin work this winter on New England’s first pulse gondola to connect the hotel to the base.
Waterville Valley Resort’s Master Development Plan illustrates the conceptual development of both the mountain and the village, creating a link between the Town and the Resort via construction of a proposed village to summit lift system, as well as increasing resort access, diversity of alpine, glade, and Nordic terrain, and additional guest services.
Follow along with the Resort’s development progress by visiting Waterville.com for more information about their Environmental Impact Statement and New T-Bar Installation Project.
Similarly, Dartmouth Skiway’s Master Plan has an ambitious goal of becoming the nation’s most sustainable ski area, featuring all-electric automated snowmaking, expanded glades, and a new Learning Center.
“Winter is a vital part of New Hampshire’s culture and economy,” said Keeler, “and the investments our member ski areas have made this year reflect that importance. These upgrades not only enhance the skiing and riding experience, but also strengthen the communities that depend on winter tourism.”