Cannon vs Bretton Woods

[gregory99mar]

Which should I go to on Christmas weekend?

 

[riverc0il]

Ski em both!

Do you have a preference on terrain or other such things?

 

[thetrailboss]

Depends on terrain preferences really. Two very different mountains. They used to market a joint pass called, "the Bold and the Beautiful." Cannon is a serious mountain with overall much more pitch and variety than Bretton Woods, which is generally very similar to a flatter Sunapee. BW has more snowmaking and faster lifts.

 

[polski]

Cannon is closed on Christmas day.

That might help you make a decision for Saturday at least ;-)

 

[billski]

Cannon is closed on Christmas day.

That might help you make a decision for Saturday at least ;-)

Many ski areas are closed on Christmas. I really never look too hard, since skiing is off my schedule. Even Christmas Eve is a time of pretty low service levels - most of the employees want to be somewhere else.

 

[hiroto]

I'm spending my holiday at Bretton Woods.

Cannon and Bretton Woods are reporting some new snow for last few days, while other nearby mountains (Loon, Attitash) are not. This looks like my first holiday skiing vacation that there is no rain in sight, and most open terrain (73%) I have see at Bretton Woods for this time of year

 

[polski]

Yeah, as billski noted in his NH thread in the weather forum, north of the notches has been the sweet spot for localized snowfall thus far this year. I'm trying to see if I can get my boys up to Bretton Woods tomorrow, basically ski nonstop 9-1 and then get back in time for Christmas Eve family stuff. Cost/benefit calculation (cost being mainly drive time) seems better with BW (or Cannon) than closer options - not quite as much time to ski but more fresh snow and terrain.

 

[Rogman]

While I haven't skied it in years, Bretton Woods is more of a family mountain. Some good woods if it has the snow, but nothing too challenging if it doesn't. Cannon on a good day is awesome, on it's worst, it's a wind swept sheet of ice. That's life in the notch. Despite their proximity (maybe 20 minutes apart), they sometimes see very different weather patterns. Don't assume that weather conditions will be similar on a given day. And when does the Mittersill lift open...?

 

[hrstrat57]

Many ski areas are closed on Christmas. I really never look too hard, since skiing is off my schedule. Even Christmas Eve is a time of pretty low service levels - most of the employees want to be somewhere else.

Agreed here, I would never consider skiing on Christmas eve or Christmas, the thoughts of a chairlift incident requiring an emergency evac would be troubling at best.....

I have to work today and I don't want to be there.....ski area employees are no different....I can't imagine much worse than having to watch peeps having fun skiing while I wanted to be home with the fam. A service employee nightmare I would think.....reason I guess while a lot of areas care enuff for their employees to shut down.

Re the 2 areas they represent the exact opposite ends of eastern skiing...BW is cruiserville, mostly wide, flat to moderate consistent pitch slopes buffed to perfection(at least when you make first chair) There are some nice old school blue square trails off the the mountain right but largely cruizin will be the impression.

Cannon remains largely old school skiing, steep( very steep in spots) often winding, narrow old cut trails....just a blast but you need better skills and well tuned, high performance gear to really enjoy the mountain. BW can be cold at times but Cannon on the right day can be downright painful cold.

In all honesty, if you want to experience a lot of what NH skiing has to offer you could do a lot worse than skiing both of them.

A TR or 2 reporting your impression would be very well received, I look forward to reading.

 

[hiroto]

Yeah, I actually never skied at BW until I got married and have kids. Now it is one of my favorite mountain for family skiing, and great for multi family gathering with varying ability.

 

[polski]

BW is cruiserville, mostly wide, flat to moderate consistent pitch slopes buffed to perfection(at least when you make first chair) There are some nice old school blue square trails off the the mountain right but largely cruizin will be the impression.

My experience at BW is admittedly limited but it's always been when they've had new snow and one thing I like is that on many of their wide trails, they'll leave like half ungroomed. Works well if you're skiing in a group with varied preferences.

I was at Cannon a week ago on second-day snow and they'd left a lot ungroomed, but I was there spring skiing a couple years ago and inexplicably they'd flattened everything wall-to-wall top-to-bottom. So who knows.

Cannon's definitely more challenging, and conditions can be harsher, but I'd say BW is a bit underrated. On days when for whatever reason BW has fresh snow and Cannon and others haven't I wouldn't hesitate to hit it even if not with my family.

 

[Edd]

I didn't do a report but I was at BW on Tuesday and skied nothing but ungroomed terrain all day. They have multiple glades open. Several top to bottom runs are left ungroomed pretty much 24/7. It dumped all day on Tuesday; I'm thinking they picked up 5 inches. Don't know what has happened since.

As said earlier, BW and Cannon are very different mountains. I dig Cannon, but BW is closer for were I drive out from. Also, 2 things I don't have to worry about at BW: wind holds and snow quality. I think these things are related. The mountain is favorably positioned so that wind holds are rare and I assume this helps them (along with the mild pitch) with their snow not getting blown right off the mountain.

 

[polski]

I didn't do a report but I was at BW on Tuesday and skied nothing but ungroomed terrain all day. They have multiple glades open. Several top to bottom runs are left ungroomed pretty much 24/7. It dumped all day on Tuesday; I'm thinking they picked up 5 inches. Don't know what has happened since.

They say another few inches last night for 9-11" in past 48 hrs., and that's on top of a decent base from past snow. And thanks for reminding me of the glades; I'd noticed that in their trail report yesterday and that had me leaning toward BW tomorrow but Cannon is appealing too - roughly a half-hour closer, when we're going to be stretched for time. Decisions, decisions ...

Also, 2 things I don't have to worry about at BW: wind holds and snow quality. I think these things are related. The mountain is favorably positioned so that wind holds are rare and I assume this helps them (along with the mild pitch) with their snow not getting blown right off the mountain.

True, though Cannon has this funky thing where they're good when winds are out of the (I think) NW, as can happen (I think) after nor'easters go through. The day after the Valentine's Day storm in '07 just about every resort had wind holds but Cannon was open to the top with 26" new and there were just occasional gusts.

 

[witch hobble]

They used to market a joint pass called, "the Bold and the Beautiful." Cannon is a serious mountain with overall much more pitch and variety than Bretton Woods,

They still do. I have that pass. It is only available midweek.

I was at Cannon this AM and skiing was excellent, though getting crowded compared with my other outings so far this season. Lots of powder-hawks traveling in packs. It is good (in the longview) that the natural trails are getting skied in and packed down, even if it is frustrating in the short term. Today was a two fer day and I'd say there was alot of college age crowd there. Way more snow natural snow than Lincoln, and down here in Plymouth we still have bare ground.

Like everybody else said, Cannon has a lot more challenging terrain if that is what you seek. BW is fun, but I will offer you this word of caution: holy sticker shock in the cafeteria!!! Even more so than most ski lodges. I made the mistake of not packing enough snacks last time I had the kids there. Paid dearly. Literally.

 

[hammer]

Think I've asked before...I've read that there are challenging trails at Cannon, but how much is there at Cannon that's OK for upper intermediates? Is there enough in the Tuckerbrook area to keep lower-level skiers happy?

 

[Cannonball]

Take a look at the Cannon trail map. I think you'll find it to be true to its designations. Their blacks (front 5 etc) are the challenging trails you've heard about. Their blues like Ravine (up-mid-low) Cannon (up-mid-low) etc are perfect for upper intermediates. And their greens are well placed in isolated trails pods like Tuckerbrook and Gremlin. Despite its reputation as a 'scary' mountain, it's a great place for families and all abilities.

However, it is true that you are less likely to have a sunny day at Cannon then just about anywhere else.

 

[RISkier]

Think I've asked before...I've read that there are challenging trails at Cannon, but how much is there at Cannon that's OK for upper intermediates? Is there enough in the Tuckerbrook area to keep lower-level skiers happy?

I think the blues at Cannon are fine for solid intermediates. Overall it's certainly steeper than most NH or Southern VT areas at which I've skied. I'd say the trail ratings are closer to what you'd find at Sugarbush or Stowe. One of the headwalls on Main Street at Stowe (a trail on the "easy" Spruce side) requires a winch cat for grooming. For a while they were marketing it as the "family area" at Stowe. I recall seeing quite a few families standing at the top of that headwall trying to figure out if they could get down it. I've skied at Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, Deer Valley, Give Cannon a try. I would say the upper part of Cannon is pretty exposed and can be very cold and wind blown. Try it on what looks like a pretty nice day. Going back to the original question, BW is much less challenging but most lifts are pretty well protected. If it's windy and cold at BW it'll probably much windier and colder on Cannon.

 

[jack97]

Think I've asked before...I've read that there are challenging trails at Cannon, but how much is there at Cannon that's OK for upper intermediates? Is there enough in the Tuckerbrook area to keep lower-level skiers happy?

I think the blues at Cannon are fine for solid intermediates. Overall it's certainly steeper than most NH or Southern VT areas at which I've skied. ....
...... I would say the upper part of Cannon is pretty exposed and can be very cold and wind blown. Try it on what looks like a pretty nice day. Going back to the original question, BW is much less challenging but most lifts are pretty well protected. If it's windy and cold at BW it'll probably much windier and colder on Cannon.

Ditto....imo, some of Cannon's intermediate's are close to the blacks at Sunapee. What makes some of them challenging (to me) are conditions especially when they are hardpack. I use to make it a point to keep my skis sharp when I hit that mountain.
In terms of Tuckerbrook, last time I scouted that area, the pitch was tame but it was short as well. I seriously doubt it would keep most skiers happy beyond half a day.


Back to OP, I have been going to BW ever since our kid put on skis, we start the season with that area. That place is nested in a pocket that protects it from NCP.... there have been several times, places south like Cannon, Loon and WV would get the NCP while BW will gets the goods.

 

[billski]

I don't think I have ever used the term "buttery groomers" to describe Cannon. But I have used it to describe Bretton Woods often.

I think Cannon often suffers what I call the "intermediate syndrome" much like Stowe does. The vast majority of people ski the the blues so that by late morning they are often scraped off when the pow is not deep. That results in a scratch-fest for the remainder of the day. I have often found blacks to be in better shape and vastly more navigable and fun for this very reason - the traffic alone is far less on the blacks.

 

[ctenidae]

It's like asking if you want to drive on gravel roads or paved highways. Both are fantastic if that's what youwant to do. Cannon is sort of rough and tumble, Bretton Woods is nice and smooth. BW you can ski pretty well as hard as you want, Cannon you have to ski as hard as it wants. Your mileage may vary.