Small Ski Area Come Back - New England

[BodeMiller1]

I've been skiing these parts for over 50 years and it seems to me...

1. Snow Boarding revitalized the industry in the late 80's and 90's.
2. Guys like Les Otten, in the same time period, perfected snow making and the cost to make snow and push it around drove the small guys: King Ridge (N.H.), Highlands (N.H.) and many others out of business. Concord, N.H. had at least 3 ski areas with tows (https://www.nelsap.org/).
3. The Cool thing is the old small areas are being rebuilt and improved.

This is truly a renaissance for the sport. My list for 2022 - 2023 includes: Black Mt (Maine,) Black Mt (N.H.), and I think it's Pine Mt. (NH), Magic Mt (VT).

What else is ski worthy?

Kind Regards

David

​

 

[Smellytele]

Saddleback, Bolton, Burke while not small are worthy smaller midsize New England ski areas.

Oh and it’s King pine.

 

[eatskisleep]

Not ski worthy, but worth checking out for biking, Highland, as mentioned above

 

[machski]

I've been skiing these parts for over 50 years and it seems to me...

1. Snow Boarding revitalized the industry in the late 80's and 90's.
2. Guys like Les Otten, in the same time period, perfected snow making and the cost to make snow and push it around drove the small guys: King Ridge (N.H.), Highlands (N.H.) and many others out of business. Concord, N.H. had at least 3 ski areas with tows (https://www.nelsap.org/).
3. The Cool thing is the old small areas are being rebuilt and improved.

This is truly a renaissance for the sport. My list for 2022 - 2023 includes: Black Mt (Maine,) Black Mt (N.H.), and I think it's Pine Mt. (NH), Magic Mt (VT).

What else is ski worthy?

Kind Regards

David

​

Hate to say it, but I don't think the big boys drove King Ridge out. They fell behind their local competition (Pat's/Rebirth of Ragged/Sunapee). King Hill Triple Never had snowmaking and had the longer runs on the hill. Super convenient but not enough pumped into snowmaking for New London to survive.

 

[Newpylong]

Yep, and their snowmaking system ended up getting transplanted up the road to Whaleback. I have the bill of sale in my documents somewhere. Tells you how old it is lol.

 

[BodeMiller1]

Hate to say it, but I don't think the big boys drove King Ridge out. They fell behind their local competition (Pat's/Rebirth of Ragged/Sunapee). King Hill Triple Never had snowmaking and had the longer runs on the hill. Super convenient but not enough pumped into snowmaking for New London to survive.

Good points, King Ridge was an upside down Mountain meaning the hill stood upside down - not. Part of the reason it was family friendly was you could boot the youts up strap on the bear trap binding and push them down the hill. I skied there once with my buddy Roo Dennis and our dads on what was 5" on natural on little to no snow.

Although the lifts weren't anything to write home about, the short vertical let you get in a lot of runs. Butt yes, the Mountain couldn't keep up with the local competition.

 

[BodeMiller1]

Further, and I didn't realize it at the time, butt Humpty Dumpty was there the whole time.

 

[BodeMiller1]

Yep, and their snowmaking system ended up getting transplanted up the road to Whaleback. I have the bill of sale in my documents somewhere. Tells you how old it is lol.

Thank you for your post. Yep, Whaleback is on my list for this fall. I've walked it. The guy who has it has done a great job. I'm sure there are skiable glades on the back. The Mountain pumps out a ton of snow. (I bought a bumper sicka to support the effort!)

 

[Newpylong]

We thinking of the same mountain? Whaleback is owned by a non-profit, not one person. No glades on the back, it's largely flat and clear cut private land that the owner doesn't like trespassing on. They don't make much snow either... lol.

 

[skimagic]

Another small fry -Granite Gorge Ski Area -looks to be back soon. I've driven by a few times, nice pitch, it just need reliable snowmaking.

"Between breaks of silence, bidders at Friday's foreclosure auction raised the stakes from an opening bid of $240,000 to a winning bid of $430,000 on site at the property, located along Route 9 in Roxbury. Bryan Granger, the senior vice president of Keene-based wholesale grocery company C&S Wholesale Grocers, clinched the final bid.
Granger represented Granite Gorge Partnership, LLC at the auction, which claims itself to be a local group of Keene investors with a “shared desire of returning winter and summer activities to Granite Gorge in a safe and inclusive manner,” according to a media statement Granger provided to The Sentinel."

 

[Smellytele]

Safe and Inclusive manner?

 

[2Planker]

I've been skiing these parts for over 50 years and it seems to me...

1. Snow Boarding revitalized the industry in the late 80's and 90's.
2. Guys like Les Otten, in the same time period, perfected snow making and the cost to make snow and push it around drove the small guys: King Ridge (N.H.), Highlands (N.H.) and many others out of business. Concord, N.H. had at least 3 ski areas with tows (https://www.nelsap.org/).
3. The Cool thing is the old small areas are being rebuilt and improved.

This is truly a renaissance for the sport. My list for 2022 - 2023 includes: Black Mt (Maine,) Black Mt (N.H.), and I think it's Pine Mt. (NH), Magic Mt (VT).

What else is ski worthy?

Kind Regards

David

​

King Pine has been kickin' Ass and takin' names.
Huge boost in biz this past year. Tons of exVail employees and skiers showed up.

 

[jaytrem]

We thinking of the same mountain? Whaleback is owned by a non-profit, not one person. No glades on the back, it's largely flat and clear cut private land that the owner doesn't like trespassing on. They don't make much snow either... lol.

Sounds like Bizarro Whaleback.

 

[jaytrem]

Safe and Inclusive manner?

They had some issues with lack of proper supervision at their summer camp. Also had a chair slide into the one behind it.

 

[BodeMiller1]

Also, staring most of all Saddleback... I keep going back to my favorites in Maine, chasing storms and stuff...

We thinking of the same mountain? Whaleback is owned by a non-profit, not one person. No glades on the back, it's largely flat and clear cut private land that the owner doesn't like trespassing on. They don't make much snow either... lol.

Okay, so I am better off at the Dartmouth area. After sleeping on it, maybe a good snow year. If I'm going that far Killington is over the woods and up the hill. Plus, Killington is Killington. Killington is the best Monday - Friday and when it pukes snow to keep the wanna-beeees in the lodge. Truth be told, I try and get to the top and I turn and I go for a ride 'til I get to the bottom and I see you again. - yea (driving guitars in back ground).

I won't even ski Cranmore, again the law of intervening opportunity. If you're going to drive 80 miles and Sunday River is another 40???

 

[BodeMiller1]

Black Mountain of Maine

Black Mountain of Maine is a family friendly ski resort. As New England's best ski value, we offer skiing and snowboarding at an affordable price with free season passes for kids grades 2 and under.

www.skiblackmountain.org

No one on here can talk me out of Black Mountain Maine. Does anyone know of a ski area that welcomes summer hikers (which have not monetized them)? Jay Peak is the only one I know of, it seems like the folks who own slope side from Canada like to share and they do it in a nice way. Never skied Jay, butt I want to hit Burke.

 

[BodeMiller1]

All I did was post the Black Mt. Link and a "Ghost in the Machine" did the rest. The machines are getting smart?

 

[skiur]

Black Mountain of Maine

Black Mountain of Maine is a family friendly ski resort. As New England's best ski value, we offer skiing and snowboarding at an affordable price with free season passes for kids grades 2 and under.

www.skiblackmountain.org

No one on here can talk me out of Black Mountain Maine. Does anyone know of a ski area that welcomes summer hikers (which have not monetized them)? Jay Peak is the only one I know of, it seems like the folks who own slope side from Canada like to share and they do it in a nice way. Never skied Jay, butt I want to hit Burke.

Killington welcomes summer hikers, you can even camp in the vale parking lot.

 

[2Planker]

Killington welcomes summer hikers, you can even camp in the vale parking lot.

Great place !!! No charge at all to ride the chair & hike IF you have a pass for next year

 

[Newpylong]

No charge at all to hike, only to ride the gondola.

The one-way tickets to ride up if you want to then hike down are dirt cheap.