I have an affinity
for the Granite State’s scenic, family-friendly ski areas. They are
easy to get to, and often less expensive.
Here are four ski areas easily reached from the greater Boston area
offering big mountain skiing with small resort vibes.
Don’t let the name
Ragged
fool you. This family-friendly ski area in Danbury, New Hampshire
has a six-passenger lift, that reaches the summit in 4 ½
minutes, which should satisfy the most vertically addicted in your
family.
But there is no need to run yourself “ragged.” Take time to enjoy this
resort, and to appreciate the details, like the tastefully designed
New England-style base area, modeled after a farmhouse and a classic
big red barn with silo, a step above the typical concrete bunker of a
base lodge.
Ragged has something for everyone, two mountains - Ragged and Spear,
and 50 trails worth of variety. Ragged Mountain is the peak serviced
by the six-seater lift. This oversized flying couch, the only six-pack
in New Hampshire, can seat your entire family and lift lines are no
worry.
From the top of Ragged, a meandering Easy Winder trail allows
beginners to experience the summit, while rolling, knolling Exhibition
is an aptly named cruiser for its lift line venue.
Those who love glades will find copious tree runs, with entertaining
names like Casper’s Cascade and Stinky’s Slide. Park and pipe fans
will discover an entire trail dedicated to the Infinite boarder cross
and Terrain Park, punctuated at the end by a halfpipe.
Spear Mountain to the
west is a separate mountain peak. The ride up is a slower triple
chair, more relaxed and less popular than Ragged’s showcase lift – but
definitely worth your turns on the popular Flying Yankee trail, or for
searching out more tenacious glades.
Juniper Meadows is
Ragged’s learning area, well located by the rental shop and childcare,
but tucked away from the mainstream traffic. There is a ski carousel
for tots and a triple chair serving perfectly pitched beginning
slopes, all a snowball’s throw from the main lifts – so families can
keep tabs on each other.
Twenty
minutes up the road in Plymouth, New Hampshire is Tenney Mountain.
“Tenney is such an authentic ski experience, the trails here have so
much personality and the lifts are not high-speed which gives the
place a real mountain culture,” said extreme skier and former GM of
Tenney Dan Egan.
Tenney’s Hornet double chair to the summit brings you to some
time-honored trail skiing on soft, less-trafficked snow. All Tenney’s
trails have a natural flower or wildlife
theme, in keeping with the desire to preserve the ski experience in
its essence.
For
adventure, Tenney has a plethora of glade trails like Fisher Cat,
Black Fly and Hornet Glades. Plus there is the new Base Camp Terrain
Park with hits, spines, and tables.
A lower-mountain triple chair on the west side is ideal for learning
families.
A bit further south,
Mount Sunapee
in Newbury, New Hampshire is a pleasant ski mountain with a big area
feel of over 60 trails and over 1,500 vertical. Bring the camera for next
year’s holiday family photo; the views are fantastic on a sunny day.
Mount Sunapee often offers Cares and
Shares day where tickets are about $20 if you bring three non-perishable food
items.
Gunstock
in Gilford, New Hampshire, overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee and the
White Mountains, is another family gem. Gunstock sells a six-pack of
fully transferable tickets, which works out to $20 per child per day.
Or your family can ski for the Sunday family four-pack.
Spring is the best time to ski with your family. For one thing, you
can actually see the kids’ smiles, without neck gators or facemasks.
You will save on lift tickets, hot cocoa breaks and hand warmers. You
can string together several runs without the incessant “I’m cold – I
need to go in.” And this spring, these New Hampshire areas have snow
and deals to justify season-extending family ski trips.
