New and improved lifts, expanded terrain, more extensive snowmaking, and a major expansion are among the off-season projects by New Hampshire ski areas as they transition from a 2024-25 season that’s being described as “more like a true winter.”
Ski New Hampshire, the trade group that represents some 30 alpine and cross-country resorts in the Granite State, reported that alpine ski areas had estimated visits reaching 2,221,206 during the season, up 3% year-over-year and 7% above a 10-year average.
Ski New Hampshire President Jessyca Keeler addresses the association’s annual meeting at Cranmore Mountain, reporting an uptick in downhill skiing, cross country skiing, and tubing during the 2024-25 winter season. (Courtesy photo)
Unlike the 2023-24 season, which saw numerous storm-thaw-freeze cycles, the 2024-25 season had more consistent snowfall and subfreezing temperatures, making for more favorable snowmaking conditions and more consistent snowpack.
“Though it was relatively warm and dry at first, the weather turned around and became more like a true winter, complete with cold temps and snow,” said Ski NH president Jessyca Keeler.
“The shift back to a more seasonal climate helped increase our skier visit numbers,” she added, noting that the skier visits stayed consistent beginning with Christmas vacation and extending into March.
Cross-country skiing and tubing visits were also up. Ski NH reports cross-country areas, despite facing weather-related challenges, gained ground over the previous season, with an estimated 99,498 visits—14% higher than last year but 12% below the 10-year average. Tubing maintained similar growth patterns, totaling 103,883 visits—a 3% year-over-year increase, but coming in at 4% below the 10-year average.
“These numbers highlight the continued enthusiasm for winter recreation in New Hampshire and the industry’s ability to adapt to changing weather conditions, making the 2024-25 season a positive one overall,” said Keeler, who provided a season recap during Ski NH’s Annual Meeting held in early June at Cranmore Mountain Resort.
A number of improvements are on the table as local ski areas look toward the 2025-26 season and beyond.
The local industry’s biggest project is Waterville Valley’s recently announced multi-faceted plan to, in its words, “remain competitive in the ski and mountain resort industry.”
Among the improvements proposed by Waterville:
- Expanding its terrain by 333 acres;
- Installation of a lift system (a type of people mover) to and from the town of Waterville Valley to the base of the ski area, a distance of about two miles;
- Creation of 200 acres of new gladed terrain and up to 32 acres of traditional ski terrain;
- New on-mountain facilities, including a lift system mid-station building with a guest service and administrative space and a restaurant at the top of Green Peak.
- Expanded snow making;
Construction of a new parking lot adjacent to the lift system mid-station to provide approximately 80 new parking spaces.|
It is a months-long process that requires White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) environmental review in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The village-to-summit lift system is described by the resort as “an important catalyst for future development.” According to the project details, the lift system has two separate segments and a mid-station, It would span both private lands and NFS lands within the resort’s existing and proposed expanded boundary.
Current access from town and limited parking at the area sometimes mean a half hour excursion to drive to a parking spot, walk uphill to the base area, then get on a lift to a ski run.
“This long travel time, coupled with traffic congestion along the access road and in the base area, hinders the guest experience. The resort has identified a need to reduce traffic congestion, create direct access to ski terrain, and improve egress from the mountain to the town, to better meet guest expectations,” says the proposal.
In other improvements:
Pats Peak in Henniker is installing its first-ever quad chair lift, replacing the Hurricane Triple Chair, which has been in service for almost 50 years. The new fixed-grip quad will increase upload capacity and, according to Pats Peak, will offer enhanced comfort, accessibility, and efficiency for both beginners and experienced skiers and snowboarders for the upcoming season.
“This new lift is an exciting step forward for Pats Peak,” said Kris Blomback, Pats Peak general manager.
At Bretton Woods, the Bethlehem Chair, which served as the primary lift service from the base area for some 35 years, is being replaced. A new quad is being built to service 1,800 people per hour, helping to reduce wait times and improve slope access, according to Bretton Woods.
Construction of the new BEQ II is underway and scheduled to be completed by October 2025, in time for the 2025–2026 ski season.
“We are beyond excited to introduce the BEQ II as part of our ongoing commitment to providing consistent, reliable, and safe lift operations for our guests,” said Alexa Bernotavicz, assistant director of ski operations at Bretton Woods.
In addition, a new glades for advanced skiers and riders is being added between Upper Swoop and Upper Express at Bretton Woods.
Gunstock is working in the off-season to refurbish its lifts, including the Panorama quad, the main lift to the summit.
A two-year effort for the Panorama includes replacing the communications line during the spring then upgrading the computerized chair spacing system in the fall. Then they’ll refurbish other parts of the lift and add new lift shacks. The gearbox at Gunstock’s Pistol chair will be replaced, and a new haul rope will be installed for the Ramrod chairlift.
Then there is the chairlift saga at Whaleback Mountain in Enfield, a small independent area that suffered a major setback during the season when its main chair broke down because of a gearbox failure.
It started a campaign to raise $250,000 for repairs and to replace lost revenue so it can continue off-season events such as a summer camp and music concerts and return to skiing next winter. The Killington, Vermont, ski resort donated $10,000 toward the effort.
Mount Sunapee wants to expand its parking to accommodate visitors and crowding that can be problematic on busy weekends. It wants to expand the current Lot 2 and create a new parking lot across the street from the existing one. It has run into some environmental headwinds because of concerns that runoff from the new lot could impact the adjacent wastewater treatment system.
Fickle winters make New Hampshire ski areas especially reliant on snowmaking.
Several areas prior to last season — Tenney Mountain, Gunstock Mountain, Black Mountain, Loon Mountain, Pats Peak, and Mount Sunapee, among them — expanded their snowmaking, some to get 100 percent coverage of their skiable terrain. More incremental improvements are expected through the local industry for the upcoming season.
University of New Hampshire researchers say climate change is expected to cause a long-term increase in average winter temperatures and a reduction in natural snowfall across the state and, indeed, the region.
“With a higher amount of rainfall each winter, ski industries will have to shift their operating practices to survive these changes. Snowmaking and snow farming are two promising physical adaptations that can be made to a ski area to make it more climate resilient,” noted UNH climate researcher August Murray in a 2023 paper.
Murray noted that the ski industry and its supporting industries are estimated to contribute roughly $1.3 billion (as of 2019) to New Hampshire’s annual economy, providing nearly 10,000 jobs to New Hampshire residents. In rural areas, he added, ski mountains have helped facilitate and strengthen economic growth in regions that may otherwise lack industry and infrastructure.
