New Hampshire’s White Mountains are stunning, especially when covered in snow. The Granite State actually proclaims skiing as their “official sport” because of the big mountains, beautiful ski terrain and plethora of ski resorts.
Here’s a look at some of the best ski hotels and resorts in New Hampshire, offering a blend of luxury, convenience, and exceptional skiing experiences.
Top Ski Resorts and Hotels
Bretton Woods at The Mount Washington Resort Hotel
Bretton Woods at The Mount Washington Resort Hotel is the epitome of turn-of-the-century elegance. Combine the historic hotel with the stellar view of Mount Washington, the reliable skiing at Bretton Woods, and a palatial Presidential Spa - all part of the resort - and you have yourself a winter winner. It also happens to be New Hampshire’s largest ski resort, often awarded best grooming.
The first thing that stands out about Bretton Woods is its aesthetic. With a 464-acre skiable footprint, the resort is the largest in New Hampshire, and its wide layout makes it feel fairly expansive for a Northeast ski resort. The mountain is home to a fancy base lodge, modern gondola, and notably scenic backdrop, giving it a significant leg up in terms of an upscale feel versus other New Hampshire ski resorts. Features such as a just-as-fancy summit lodge, high-speed lifts across nearly every resort area, and a neat caboose at the far west end of the resort also add to the high-end feel.
Looking for a hassle-free vacation with incredible views? Bretton Woods is a surprisingly under-the-radar option. With over 460 acres of terrain and striking views of Mount Washington, the resort offers a package that looks really good at a first glance.
Read also: Vermont Getaway Hotels
Loon Mountain
Loon Mountain is a fantastic ski resort in the White Mountains. We love Loon’s expansive ski terrain, the base to summit gondola, and slope side lodging for ski in/ski out convenience. The Mountain Club at Loon is a choice location right at the base. Loon’s RiverWalk in Lincoln is also slope side lodging, and super close to all the great NH shops, restaurants, movie theatre, brewpubs and après ski in Lincoln.
Jackson
In North Conway, we love the quintessential ski town of Jackson. It’s a historic hamlet, with cross-country trails dotting the snow-covered fields, covered bridges and welcoming inns like The Wentworth and Eagle Mountain House. From Jackson you are in close proximity to skiing at Black, Cranmore, Wildcat and Attitash.
The Balsams Resort at Dixville Notch
The Balsams Resort at Dixville Notch is another historic luxury ski hotel in New Hampshire, with its own private ski area.
Terrain and Skiing Experience
Beginner Terrain
Thanks to its mellow footprint and inviting atmosphere, Bretton Woods is a great choice for beginners. With only the exception of the isolated t-bar, the resort offers an easy way down from every lift, allowing beginners access to nearly every mountain area. And these aren’t just the same token traverses that some other resorts might offer, with Bretton Woods’ green trails offering a variety of views and personalities.
Intermediate Terrain
Bretton Woods is also a pleasure for intermediates, although its blues tend to be on the easier side. Nearly every mountain area offers ample blue-rated cruiser runs, and there is plenty of terrain for this ability level. In some cases, blue-rated runs have the same pitch as a neighboring green trail but are just slightly narrower; however, plenty of more traditional moderately-pitched runs exist as well. A few intermediate runs remain ungroomed at times, providing a strong environment for guests to familiarize themselves with mogul terrain. Bretton Woods also stands out for its intermediate glade terrain.
Read also: Northstar Ski Resort Hotels
Advanced and Expert Terrain
Bretton Woods becomes a much less appealing ski resort once guests reach advanced and expert proficiency. The mountain’s single-black runs remind much more of those at the local hills in Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire than those at other serious East Coast destinations. A sizable portion of black runs are groomers, and they aren’t any more difficult than blues at competing mountains. To give the resort some credit, it does offer a few enjoyable truly advanced-level glades and mogul runs, as well as a small selection of rocks and cliffs off the West Mountain lift. However, these challenges don’t last very long, resulting in a lack of endurance terrain.
Terrain Park
Bretton Woods is home to one modestly-sized terrain park, but like the rest of its footprint, the freestyle setup is targeted towards beginners and intermediates.
Snow Quality and Resiliency
Another Bretton Woods strength, at least for New Hampshire, is its relatively strong snow totals. While they don’t come close to the best in Vermont, annual snow totals typically top 150 inches per season, resulting in a generally reliable snow base. The resort employs extensive snowmaking operations to ensure a resilient base layer even when natural conditions aren’t the best, which, combined with a largely north-facing footprint, helps its terrain stay more consistent than many nearby competitors.
Adding to its family-friendliness, Bretton Woods also offers some of the best grooming operations in the Northeast. Guests can expect smooth corduroy on all greens, most blues, and some blacks, making for nice, carvable slopes.
However, Bretton Woods does have one notably variable terrain zone: the Mount Stickney glades at the far skiers’ right of the resort, which are served by the resort’s sole t-bar. The surface lift rarely runs, so there are only a handful of days each winter that these glades are accessible.
Read also: Beast of the East Lodging
Ease of Navigation
While its footprint is wider than it is tall, Bretton Woods offers a layout that’s fairly straightforward to navigate. Signage is generally clear, and while it can be a bit of a slog to reach the West Mountain area from the rest of the resort, there are signs that make it easy to get to from upper-mountain areas. The one resort zone that’s somewhat hard to find is the t-bar-served Mount Stickney area, as this newer expansion area does not have the same signs pointing to it as key places across the rest of the resort.
Lift System
Bretton Woods’ upscale atmosphere can perhaps be best felt in its lift setup. With the exception of the small sliver of terrain served exclusively by t-bar, the entire resort is held down by high-speed lifts. Bretton Woods’ flagship lift is its Skyway Gondola, which extends up the vast majority of its vertical rise and provides the only eight-passenger gondola service in New Hampshire. Four additional high-speed quads round out the footprint; two of these quads serve much of the same terrain as the gondola, while the other two-the Rosebrook and West Mountain Express lifts-serve somewhat distinct terrain pods.
Crowd Management
Thanks in part to its array of desirable lift redundancies, Bretton Woods handles crowds quite well for a Northeast ski mountain. With the exception of the gondola, Bretton Woods’ lifts rarely see any sort of notable lift lines.
On-Mountain Facilities
Speaking of lodges, Bretton Woods hands down offers the nicest on-mountain facility setup in New Hampshire-and perhaps all of the Northeast. The Rosebrook Lodge, located just across from the gondola top terminal, is a plainly stunning building, with plenty of space and panoramic views of the nearby Presidential Range. And if the Rosebrook Lodge isn’t to one’s liking, the Bretton Woods base lodge offers decent room and seating as well, and the Stickney Cabin is home to limited food and drink options when open. While expensive, food at all of these lodges is much higher quality than that of a typical ski area. Kids will also love the Chutters candy cabin at the top of the Zephyr lift, which is the only dedicated on-mountain candy shop at a New Hampshire ski resort.
This all being said, Bretton Woods’ lodge setup isn’t perfect. While the West Mountain area does have a bathroom, there are no real lodges to stop in for a break over there.
Getting There and Parking
Bretton Woods sits a bit further north than many other New Hampshire ski resorts, but it’s still a reasonable distance from Boston, with a typical drive taking around two-and-a-half hours with no serious traffic. For those who choose to make the trek from New York, the drive typically takes around six hours, making the journey about equivalent in length to a trip to northern Vermont. Bretton Woods also sits about three-and-a-half hours from the Canadian city of Montreal. Like many other Northeast ski resorts, there is no public transportation to and from Bretton Woods.
Lodging Options
Bretton Woods perhaps goes more hand-in-hand with a singular hotel than any other ski area in the Northeast. The resort is directly adjacent to the Mount Washington Hotel, a historic red and white building that’s as plainly visible from the resort at Mount Washington itself. This hotel, along with the land surrounding it (and Bretton Woods itself), is home to the broader Omni Mount Washington Resort, which includes additional winter activities such as sledding and snowshoeing. Rates for this hotel tend to get pricey, but many guests will find the experience worth it.
For those who don’t want to stay at the Mount Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods offers a few other on-site inns that are more reasonable in price, although they’re still upscale. Bretton Woods is also home to a handful of generously-sized vacation home rentals, although they tend to be quite expensive.
For more affordable options, visitors will want to check out the nearby town of Twin Mountain, which is about 10 minutes away from the ski resort.
Après-ski Scene
Bretton Woods is much more oriented towards families than party seekers, and the resort lacks much in the way of an après-ski scene. However, this doesn’t mean the resort is completely dead. The Slopeside Pub, located on the third floor of Bretton Woods’ base lodge, offers communal vibes and occasional live music.
Best Ski Mountains in New Hampshire
Snapshot descriptions of other ski resorts located in New Hampshire
- Attitash (Bartlett): A classic New England ski destination split between Attitash's narrow N.E. runs and Bear Mountain's wide, top-to-bottom trails.
- Black Mountain (Jackson): Terrain suitable for all abilities and age levels. Great views of Mount Washington from the summit.
- Cannon Mountain (Franconia): Here’s the highest ski area summit and longest vertical in the state. Add in the adjacent 98 acres of Mittersill area for easier sliding. Don’t miss dropping into the New England Ski Museum at the base of the iconic aerial tramway.
- Cranmore Mountain Resort: This is where skiing took off. Hannes Schneider, the celebrated Austrian skimeister and father of modern skiing, first opened his ski school and introduced skiing to the masses from New York and Boston. The original skimobile lift is now a museum piece. The ski area maintains its charm and interesting terrain today after all those years.
- Crotched Mountain 100 acres of groomed terrain, tree glades and challenging steeps. Home to the Rocket, a high-speed detachable quad, you can ski or ride Thursday-Saturday nights.
- Dartmouth Skiway (Hanover) Just 20 minutes from the campus of the same name this small ski area basically on the lower portions of two mountains is convenient and fun. ski teams over the years.
- Gunstock (Guilford): Gunstock's tradition of family skiing began during 1937. Plenty of families from the Boston area, about 1.5 hours away, call it their “home” mountain. It offers one of the region's largest night-skiing operations.
- King Pine (E. Madison): Known for its family-friendly atmosphere, affordability, good grooming and gentle terrain for learning to ski or ride. Besides the venerable Purity Springs Resorts is only ¼ miles from the ski slopes.
- Mount Sunapee (Newberry): Close to Interstates I-89 and I-91. Its 66 trails are spread out over 233 acres of skiable terrain and a 2,743 summit elevation. Take in Lake Sunapee views from on high.
- Pats Peak (Henniker): Hurricane is one of the steepest runs in the region. Diverse terrain for night skiing with the only beginner run in the state open day and night and also has plenty of lit double diamond terrain and glades.
- Ragged Mountain (Danbury): Ride the Summit 6-pack, the state’s only high-speed, six-person chairlift and the Spear Mountain Express high-speed quad. Two peaks with a total of 250 skiable acres of terrain. It is indeed ragged and craggy.
- Tenney Mountain (Plymouth): Tenney Mountain is small, affordable and hassle-free. 45 acres with Wednesday night skiing.
- Waterville Valley (Waterville Valley): Former owner Tom Corcoran regularly played host to many a prominent Bostonian, including members of the Kennedy clan. Waterville has hosted numerous international races and World Cups. Intermediates like the idea of the number of blue trails from the top. There’s a nice village vibe here.
- Whaleback Mountain (Enfield): Family-friendly, affordable skiing and riding. This non-profit ski area offers access to skiing to everyone in the community. Programs include after-school groups, lessons, hosting area ski clubs and the adult race night league.
- Wildcat Mountain (Jackson) Located in the Mt. Washington Valley, this northwestern exposure provides the the highest amount of annual snowfall in the area and terrific views of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range. Nearby North Conway is plenty lively at night.
Tips for Planning Your Ski Trip
What 'cool' ski towns are near N.H. ski areas?
- Named one of the best ski towns in the world by National Geographic, North Conway is close to seven ski resorts from Cranmore to Bretton Woods. Visit the Muddy Paws Sled Dog Kennel in nearby Jefferson. Shoppers will enjoy the North Conway Settlers’ Green Outlet Village with tax-free shopping. And for all your après ski fun, North Conway is the winner.
- BlackMountain and Wildcat Mountain are located high in the mountains above the towns of Jackson and Intervale, N.H.
- The village of Jackson allows history-minded skiers to get a glimpse into New Hampshire's past. Wander through Jackson's landscape to the ‘Honeymoon’ covered bridge, constructed in 1876. Enjoy some of the best cross-country skiing in the nation at the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation. Intervale offers families a quieter place to stay than North Conway, yet it’s closeby.
- Explore the many shops in Lincoln, then take a drive along the famed, 34-mile scenic Kancamagus Highway that winds its way through the White Mountains.
- Waterville Valley comes alive with thousands of visitors on big ski weekends. This year-round resort community is located at the base of the Mt. Tecumseh. Take a mid-day break and enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the many restaurants in the village. And don’t worry about getting to and from the mountain. There’s a resort shuttle that runs continuously throughout the day.
Getting to New Hampshire Ski Resorts
All New Hampshire ski resorts are within a relatively easy drive from Boston, Portsmouth, Hartford, New York. It depends, of course, on which ski area you have chosen and how long you can stand to play car games.
The closest drive-to areas are Gunstock (1.5 hours), Mount Sunapee (1.75 hours) and Pats Peak (1.5 hours). The farthest are Wildcat and Black Mountain (3 hours).
Live out of state? There are two regional airports and, of course, one international airport many people chose to fly into and out of and then simply rent a car. Choose from Boston’s Logan International Airport, Lebanon Municipal Airport, and Manchester-Boston Airport.
How cold is it in winter?
It can get cold in the winter months as temps can run from 20-50 degrees Farenheit. Hey, it's New England. February is likely to be the coldest month. Cold fronts are common as early as October, and the first of the snowstorms usually happen by November. So what? Bundle up.
Pricing
1-day adult lift tickets go for as high as $149 if you buy at the window during a peak time, so you’ll certainly be paying for the high-class amenities if you don’t plan ahead on a peak weekend or holiday. But if you visit on an off-peak weekday and buy your ticket in advance, tickets can go for much more reasonable rates.
Final Thoughts
So Bretton Woods really isn’t for experienced skiers and riders, and it’s not for those looking to take long endurance runs either. But the resort stands out with some of the best on-mountain infrastructure in the Northeast, making a compelling proposition for families and more casual vacationers with its fantastic lodges, modern lift setup, and strong grooming operations.