A few new lifts, upgraded ticketing systems and other enhancements await northern New England skiers and snowboarders.
Vermont’s Killington was the first Eastern ski area to open on Nov. 8, while Bretton Woods was the first in New Hampshire on Nov. 10.
New Hampshire ski officials are optimistic about winter, projecting a 4 percent increase in visitation and spending compared to last year.
Victoria Cimino, director of the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism, expects 8.5 million people to spend about $1.25 billion in New Hampshire this winter. She revealed the figures at a media reception at the Westin Hotel prior to the recent Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo at the Seaport Trade Center.
“With the division’s strategic and nationally recognized, innovative marketing initiatives, paired with favorable economic factors, we are confident New Hampshire’s tourism-focused businesses and attractions will experience a strong winter season this year,” she said.
New Hampshire plans to up its game during January’s Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month — a way to get new blood in the state’s official sport — with three themed weekends, including Ski New Hampshire Weekend on Jan. 27-28.
“The weekend will celebrate New Hampshire’s skiing heritage and history,” said Ski New Hampshire’s president, Jessyca Keeler.
Many ski resorts have purchased new snow guns, improved their grooming fleet, renovated lodges and added new programs.
Skiers will find a new triple chairlift at Pats Peak in Henniker, N.H. The triple replaces the old Peak Double and will double the capacity of the lift from 800 to 1,600 people her hour.
Waterville Valley Resort received approval from the U.S. Forest Service in September to replace the High Country double chair with a new T-bar. Lower down on the mountain, the Pasture J-bar’s been replaced with a couple of carpet lifts.
Black Mountain, in Jackson, N.H., is adding a backcountry skiing and riding program with trail maintenance done with partner Granite Backcountry Alliance. Look for a public warming hut on Mittersill at Cannon, while Cranmore turns 80. Wildcat turns 60 and, along with other Peak Resorts properties, offers military personnel and dependents 40 percent off midweek, non-holiday tickets and 25 percent off weekend holiday tickets with the new military program card.
RFID (radio frequency identification) technology upgrades on both sides of the Connecticut River are replacing the need to wear traditional lift tickets. Instead, a card that fits well in zippered pockets will be read as snow lovers pass through chairlift portals in areas like Sugarbush, in Warren, Vt., plus Gunstock and Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire. Waterville Valley will have one, too, but a little different than the others as it’s a gateless RFID system.
Two new fixed-grip quads replace older double lifts at Sugarbush. Goodbye Village Double and Sunshine Double. Hello Village Quad at Lincoln Peak and Sunshine Quad at Mt. Ellen.
Sugarbush, now part of the Mountain Collective alliance of 16 mountains across North America, is doing away with paper straws at its restaurants to be environmentally friendly.
“No more straws unless you ask for them,” said Sugarbush communications supervisor John Bleh at a Ski Vermont media event at the Seaport Hotel prior to the ski show.
Mad River Glen, which added two snow guns to its bare-bones arsenal, will undergo a $6 million capital campaign to keep the cooperative ski area sustainable, according to marketing director Eric Friedman.
In the Northeast Kingdom, Burke Mountain is replacing the Poma lift on the Warren’s Way training hill, while Jay Peak will have even bigger dramas this ski season with the opening of a 142-seat movie theater.
Though not for winter, South Pomfret’s Suicide Six is planning to offer downhill mountain biking beginning next summer. Meanwhile, Smuggler’s Notch completed its indoor FunZone 2.0 with climbing tower, arcade and huge laser tag arena. Stowe, now owned by the same parent company as Vail (Colo.) Resorts, is taking part in the popular Epic Pass program, which allows access to many resorts throughout the U.S. and Canada, while the Audi FIS Ski World Cup returns to Killington over the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend.
Trapp Family Lodge turns 50 this winter and plans a weeklong celebration from Jan. 20-26, including a chance to ski with the von Trapp family and a special brew by von Trapp Brewing.
In Maine, Sunday River’s new $2.2 million Spruce Peak Triple replaces the resort’s original triple. There’s also the new beginner Bear Paw Trail on Locke Mountain.
So may the new season see a bounty of white.
Marty Basch can be reached at marty.basch@gmail.com.