There’s no doubt about it: we have plenty of snow here in New England. Even kids are starting to back off on their prayers for snow. After all, when the snow is up to one’s waist or even one’s head, it becomes difficult or even impossible to play! However, there are at least two types of places where people always welcome snow, even if it comes week after week (as long as it allows a few days for travelers to get around): downhill ski mountains and cross country ski centers.
New Hampshire is proud to offer about 18 official downhill ski mountains and 19 cross country ski centers. For those interested in skiing and perhaps a trip to (or within) New Hampshire, SkiNH.com is a wonderful resource. SkiNH is really the one-stop Web site for all that you could want to know about skiing in New Hampshire.
Interested in downhill skiing? On the home page of SkiNH all you have to do is scroll over the link for downhill skiing and the entire lift of New Hampshire’s ski mountains will quickly appear. From tall mountains like Cannon with a vertical drop of 2180-foot, and only 21% trails at novice level, or Attitash Mountain, where I first learned to ski, to ones more like Pats Peak, with a 710-foot vertical drop and about half at novice level, we have a variety of mountain types from which to choose. If you know what kind of skiing experience you’re looking for, SkiNH will make the selection process easy; they provide a short description of the mountain and present a clear list of the essential facts (number of trails, lifts, total acreage, etc.).
Cross country skiers will also find SkiNH to be a very convenient resource. Scrolling over the XCountry tabs brings up links to “quick fact” sheets on the 19 main cross country skiing centers. One can discover how many miles there are to ski or snowshoe, and just how many of these miles are groomed or tracked. You will find the typical cost for trail passes and learn about the available amenities, such as lessons or rentals.
SkiNH also provides help for plans concerning lodging, directions, or other activities. Let SkiNH help you get out into the beautiful ski conditions while they last. Though for the sake of the roads and our backs, let’s hope it doesn’t last until summer!
