Where would you live in ski country?

[wtcobb]

Resident of Littleton, NH here. Great community with a walkable downtown, plenty of shops and restaurants (plus a brewery) that's only improving with the River District projects. A nice arts community between Littleton and Bethlehem too.

Cannon, BW, and Burke all within 45 minutes, Wildcat, SR, and Jay (plus Balsams whenever that happens...) within 1.5 hr. Home to the oldest ski shop in the country. Plus Mt. Eustis as our own community hill!

Year round, biking on the rail trail/Parker Mountain MTB area, or Kingdom isn't far. Climbing in Franconia/Kinsman Notches, and Rumney is less than an hour. Fishing and boating (or floating in a tube with a beer) at Moore Reservoir or any number of lakes/rivers. Hiking the Pemi area.

While tourist season picks up and makes the place busier, it's nowhere near as hectic and congested as the Conway area.

 

[dlague]

Resident of Littleton, NH here. Great community with a walkable downtown, plenty of shops and restaurants (plus a brewery) that's only improving with the River District projects. A nice arts community between Littleton and Bethlehem too.

Cannon, BW, and Burke all within 45 minutes, Wildcat, SR, and Jay (plus Balsams whenever that happens...) within 1.5 hr. Home to the oldest ski shop in the country. Plus Mt. Eustis as our own community hill!

Year round, biking on the rail trail/Parker Mountain MTB area, or Kingdom isn't far. Climbing in Franconia/Kinsman Notches, and Rumney is less than an hour. Fishing and boating (or floating in a tube with a beer) at Moore Reservoir or any number of lakes/rivers. Hiking the Pemi area.

While tourist season picks up and makes the place busier, it's nowhere near as hectic and congested as the Conway area.

My Brother in law lives in Littleton as well. He is an avid rock/ice climber and sprinkles in mid week tele-skiing. He also hits up much of the MWV for backcountry skiing as well. Does a lot of fishing on Moore reservoir. While he survives, it does not have a significant job market but he will never leave the area. For him it is not about economics but more about living life he way he wants.

 

[Jully]

Resident of Littleton, NH here. Great community with a walkable downtown, plenty of shops and restaurants (plus a brewery) that's only improving with the River District projects. A nice arts community between Littleton and Bethlehem too.

Cannon, BW, and Burke all within 45 minutes, Wildcat, SR, and Jay (plus Balsams whenever that happens...) within 1.5 hr. Home to the oldest ski shop in the country. Plus Mt. Eustis as our own community hill!

Year round, biking on the rail trail/Parker Mountain MTB area, or Kingdom isn't far. Climbing in Franconia/Kinsman Notches, and Rumney is less than an hour. Fishing and boating (or floating in a tube with a beer) at Moore Reservoir or any number of lakes/rivers. Hiking the Pemi area.

While tourist season picks up and makes the place busier, it's nowhere near as hectic and congested as the Conway area.

Darn, you make me want to live there with that description. Sounds like the place to retire to at a minimum. Just a few more decades! :sad:

 

[crank]

In VT I always liked the MRV area and would likely look in Waterbury.

We are still planning to move out to Whitefish, MT for retirement in a few years.

I want a place in town, walking distance to stores and restaurants and not a big property to take care of, nor a long driveway to plow. This holds true for anywhere I would move. I would rather put up with neighbors and noise than be isolated in the sticks. Been there, done that, don't need it. Sure it's nice to strap on some skis right outside your door, but when you are getting older and thinking ahead your priorities can change.

Whitefish is a really nice town and is 7 miles from the ski area with a free shuttle bus running back and forth. Also has a growing network of MTB trails and is not far from Glacier National Park and many lakes, rivers and wilderness areas. Cons: can get mighty cold there, often foggy mountain with not a ton of super challenging terrain, have to transfer to get there by air from most major cities. Plus: relaxed, friendly town with good food and music, still reasonably priced, close to 4 season outdoors activities, striking distance for trips to many national parks and ski areas. Flathead Valley is a beautiful part of the world.

 

[wtcobb]

My Brother in law lives in Littleton as well. He is an acid rock/ice climber and sprinkles in mid week tele-skiing. He also hits up much of the MWV for backcountry skiing as well. Does a lot of fishing on Moore reservoir. While he survives, it does not have a significant job market but he will never leave the area. For him it is not about economics but more about living life he way he wants.

I saw him last week at our local climbing gym's second anniversary party. Always great to talk with him!

The job market is tough. There are a fair amount of jobs, but not a lot of growth. You need to wait for someone to leave/retire/expire and without a lot of other opportunities, there's not a lot of turnover.

But it's a fun place to be if you can hack it!

 

[snoseek]

Resident of Littleton, NH here. Great community with a walkable downtown, plenty of shops and restaurants (plus a brewery) that's only improving with the River District projects. A nice arts community between Littleton and Bethlehem too.

Cannon, BW, and Burke all within 45 minutes, Wildcat, SR, and Jay (plus Balsams whenever that happens...) within 1.5 hr. Home to the oldest ski shop in the country. Plus Mt. Eustis as our own community hill!

Year round, biking on the rail trail/Parker Mountain MTB area, or Kingdom isn't far. Climbing in Franconia/Kinsman Notches, and Rumney is less than an hour. Fishing and boating (or floating in a tube with a beer) at Moore Reservoir or any number of lakes/rivers. Hiking the Pemi area.

While tourist season picks up and makes the place busier, it's nowhere near as hectic and congested as the Conway area.

This actually sounds like the perfect place and location now that I think about it.

 

[snoseek]

Well the Front Range is where the jobs are so Summit County is a play ground for us as well. This is definitely an active state lots to do lots to see all over. We have not even scratched the surface!

You're down south in Colorado spring right?

If so you can just take the back way into summit on peak days!

 

[dlague]

You're down south in Colorado spring right?

If so you can just take the back way into summit on peak days!

Yes and that will be the plan once the season picks up more. The drive to A Basin was quick on Sunday going over Loveland Pass.

 

[dlague]

I saw him last week at our local climbing gym's second anniversary party. Always great to talk with him!

The job market is tough. There are a fair amount of jobs, but not a lot of growth. You need to wait for someone to leave/retire/expire and without a lot of other opportunities, there's not a lot of turnover.

But it's a fun place to be if you can hack it!

That's cool! He is a lot of fun to be outside with!

 

[SkiMom80]

Resident of Littleton, NH here. Great community with a walkable downtown, plenty of shops and restaurants (plus a brewery) that's only improving with the River District projects. A nice arts community between Littleton and Bethlehem too.

My family is looking into purchasing a vacation home in the Bethlehem/Whitefield area. We love the Forrest Lake area! Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!

 

[wtcobb]

My family is looking into purchasing a vacation home in the Bethlehem/Whitefield area. We love the Forrest Lake area! Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!

I looked at a house on Faraway Rd in that area. There are some nice places up in that area, especially right by the lake. I haven't been by that way recently, but in the summer there were a number of places for sale right along 116 and Burns Pond. I'd go for something set back a bit, though, as there are a lot of trucks that pass through 116.

In that area you'd also be right near 142, which is a slow winding road but will get you right back to the center of Bethlehem. The only thing is you're more removed from many conveniences (like a grocery store). Mac's in Whitefield isn't great, and the Co-op in Littleton (which is great) is a bit of a drive from there. Maybe not a huge deal if it's a vacation home (where you'd want to be removed!) but something to consider. An hour round-trip drive to pick up eggs/bread is a drag!

 

[Breakout12]

Montreal. Yeah, I know it's not NE, but it's a large, cool, cosmopolitan city that is close to tons of ski areas.

 

[podunk77]

I'd be more than happy to live in any of the areas already mentioned, but anyone have thoughts about southwestern NH/southeastern VT? I'm talking about the area from roughly Brattleboro VT up to Claremont NH. Home prices and real estate taxes in the Cheshire and Sullivan counties of NH still seem reasonable, and my guess is anywhere along that corridor you'd be within 90 minutes of places like Killington and Dartmouth Skiway to the north, Sunapee to the east, Bromley/Magic/Okemo to the west and Berskhire East to the south. Sure, these places aren't Smuggs or Jay, but I like the idea of being close to some college towns (Hanover, Keene, and Amherst).

 

[Quietman]

The ideal location would have great outdoor sports opportunities, affordable housing, friendly people etc.

I am biased, living in Woodstock, Maine. I am about 10 minutes from Mt Abram, 24 from the River. Wildcat, Bretton Woods, Sugarloaf, Saddleback are all less than 2 hours away. Shawnee is an hour or less.

Tons of outdoors stuff to do nearby, hiking, kayaking, camping, fishing, hunting, snowshoes, cross country skiing, snowmobiles, ATV's, wildlife viewing, gardening, sky watching (we're away from city lights).

Completely agree, my parents have a 2nd home on North Pond in Woodstock. It's right on the water for summer use, and very convenient as a base for skiing. Close enough to Rumford and South Paris if you need things that you can't get in Bethel. Black mtn of Maine is also a great nearby ski area and when the woods are in play, it is fantastic!

I'm also lucky that I live 20 minutes from Crotched!

 

[podunk77]

Just a thought, thinking from the position of retirement. NH has no income or sales tax. They need to pave those roads somehow. They make up the difference in property taxes.

New Hampshire property taxes are definitely a concern, but they vary greatly by community, and when you factor in the savings from income tax and sales tax, I figure in most cases the difference is between the government taking the money out of your left pocket versus your right pocket. They're going to get it one way or another.

 

[joshua segal]

Ski-on/Ski-off is something I am not interested in personally. We like variety as in multiple resorts - yes we would probably pick a home resort but with multiple mountain passes becoming more prevalent a centralized location is optimal.

...

As a retired guy who lives ski/on ski off, I've been averaging a bit over 100 days per season; about 80 to 90 at home area and about 20 to 30 elsewhere. Most everyone knows I am at Crotched Mt., but CM is within 2 hours of Sunapee, Mt. Snow, Okemo, Killington, Ragged, Gunstock and all of what was Ski-93.

BTW, I had a friend who had a ski-on/ski-off place at Bretton Woods and his season pass was at Jay Peak. Go figure!

 

[Quietman]

Most everyone knows I am at Crotched Mt.

Hi Joshua, from hiking the hill in the last 2 weeks, it looks like you've also been busy this summer clearing at least one expanded tree area. Lets hope there is enough snow to enjoy the glades this year, last year was just a little thin.....

 

[joshua segal]

Hi Joshua, from hiking the hill in the last 2 weeks, it looks like you've also been busy this summer clearing at least one expanded tree area. Lets hope there is enough snow to enjoy the glades this year, last year was just a little thin.....

It is pretty well de-rocked and de-stumped. 3" to 4" will get me in there on rock skis. With a foot, it should ski like a golf fairway with a lot of trees mixed in!

 

[davidsmitth150]

YA you are right @Kusty.

 

[Terry]

A Lake house in the Bridgeton Maine area. 4 season living, Shawnee Peak is right there and it's an easy drive to Sunday River and N Conway NH.

Littleton NH is supposed to be pretty nice too with Cannon right there and everything else the White Mtns have to offer.

Not a Lake house but this is where I live already so don't have to move!