N. Conway area for beginner?

[RISkier]

A friend was asking me for recommendations for a good place for pure beginners (I think first time on skis) in the N. conway area. I was thinking maybe Black but I've never been. What's got a good learning area and ski school in that area?

 

[deadheadskier]

Wildcat actually has a great learning area on the mountain and their ski school has a very strong reputation.

 

[hrstrat57]

Without question King Pine.

Warmest and fuzziest ski place on the planet.

As small as it is, my kids(as you know now older kids) still love it there. Red Pine and Pitch Pine are where my no 1 learned to ski steep terrain. Pitch Pine is actually very very nasty.

Pokey Pine is a flat blvd that winds around the hill and is a beginners dream. If you can ski Pitch Pine clean you can ski anywhere.

350' vert of has it all, my vote for the ultimate fuzzy into to our sport.

 

[billski]

Yes! Go for warm and fuzzy! No need to pay top dollar for terrain or expertise you don't need. Practically every instructor under the sun and clouds is PSIA certified. The more help and encouragement you can get as a never ever the better. Since over 90% of the never-evers never-ever come back for a second day, do it right. If you can afford it, do a private. You get way more out of it, more take-aways and you don't have to spend 20 minutes watching everyone else do it wrong. With a private, you can also pick your instructor gender; for some people that matters. You will get more out of one lesson than 2-3 group lessons.

Now I'll wait for my PSIA commission check to arrive in the mail!

 

[hrstrat57]

If my original plan was still in place I would be retiring in a few months.

One of my plans of action was get my no 3 through HS(now a JR.) sell here in the flatlands and purchase a home somewhere in the central eastern NH area (Madison etc) retire and get myself on PSIA staff full time at King Pine and teach newbies until I could no longer boot up.

Ain't gonna happen now unless my Megabucks comes in.....:sad:

I really like King Pine.....and the memories of sliding around there with my wee ones and many of their various friends via group trips are glorious.

 

[riverc0il]

King Pine or Black for sure!!! No need to pay big bucks at big mountains when a beginner will never ski more than 1 or 2 hundred vert off a beginner chair at best.

 

[BLESS]

why not cranmore? Isnt that place a beginners paradise? I also know its VERY kid/family friendly. ANNNNDDD its fairly cheap & once this newbie gets addicted (like the rest of us) they have night skiing.

 

[frozencorn]

pine black cranmore attitash. Can't go wrong really anywhere including wildcat.

 

[billski]

why not cranmore? Isnt that place a beginners paradise? I also know its VERY kid/family friendly. ANNNNDDD its fairly cheap & once this newbie gets addicted (like the rest of us) they have night skiing.

King Pine is a lot less expensive.
Newbie package (lifts, lesson, rental) =
Cranmore $89 1st day, $109 subsequent days
King Pine $66 1st day, $76 subsequent days

For RI skier, a lift ticket is
Cranmore $55
King Pine $42

That's $49 bucks savings on day 1, $36 saving on subsequent day.

There may be other factors, like convenience that you might want to pay for, that's more subjective.

 

[hrstrat57]

one more shot of KP

Couple more King Pine points and then I will back off.

A relatively athletic 1st timer should be skiing from the top within an hour or two. The triple chairs are easy to master (the one furthest left was poached from King Ridge I believe)

The left chair (Powder Bear)will allow the beginner to ski meadowlike terrain back to the lift. Pine Spills, Knotty Pine and the West Slope or Scotch Pine will get the newbie exploring....and feeling like a real skier on day one. Red Pine is every skiers perfect first blue square trail and Jack Pine is a great first black. As I have already said, Pitch Pine is serious steep. It's all covered at KP, albeit in a tiny package.

The main triple (Polar Bear)will take the skier to the top and once a bit of skating is mastered straight ahead the previously mentioned Pokey Pine is reachable and will allow the newbie a blissful ramble down to the backside lift(Black Bear) where truly serious terrain can be viewed on the way up, Pitch Pine and Pine Brule. Straight ahead from the backside lift or hard left off the main lift returns the skier to what I call the meadows.....Pine Spills etc.

KP is perfectly laid out for day 1 in your ski career. Milt's Place lodge on the backside is nice and the main lodge is either cozy or cafeteria style.....your choice. Insider tip: on w/e's you can buy your tix at Milt's and feel like you have your own private ski area.

Check out the trail map at www.kingpine.com

King Pine night skiing is an absolute blast......and one of the best bargains in NH skiing. Proud or nosey parents can keep an eye on their kids as they come to the bottom of the hill.

King Pine runs fabulous youth ski camps on vacation weeks and has a very strong jr race program as well.

There are cross country trails, tubing and a skating rink for those interested in that stuff. Purity Springs Resort is slopeside and has a great reputation for family value.

Ok, now I'm done

 

[kickstand]

I think all the places up there have excellent learn-to-ski programs, but my vote would be for Black or Wildcat. Like a few others have said, no need to pay top dollar (Attitash, Bretton Woods) for a learning program. Black is very reasonable and I have a few racer friends who learned there. Wildcat has its own little beginner area that isn't too shabby even for experienced skiers looking to fine-tune their technique. Plus, if you check out Liftopia.com, I know they have discounted learn-to-ski deals on there.

And what I like about Black and Wildcat is they both have that old-school, classic New England skier area feel to them. You definitely will not be pampered at these places, but the experience is great. The trek to both places takes you to Jackson, a quintessential New England ski town. Tell your friend to pop into either the Shannon Door or the Wildcat Inn and Tavern for apres-ski.