November 19, 2008 E-MAIL PRINT

Best of New Hampshire: Take it for Granite

For the best scenery in New Hampshire, it�s hard to top the views at Wildcat Mountain. (photo: Wildcat Mountain)

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New Hampshire is a magnet for the Boston-area skier. A simple drive up Interstate 93 or the two-lane Route 16 meander are the gateways from sidewalk to snow.

There’s a lot going for New Hampshire. There’s Mount Washington and its allure as both a backdrop for scenery and as a destination come spring. There are benign trails for beginners, corduroy groomers and stomach-dropping steeps. Terrain parks keep the freestylers happy while there’s much to do for those on the après ski prowl.

It’s a tough job to find the best in the Granite State, but someone’s got to do it. As one Roman saying put it many centuries ago, “De gustibus non est disputandum.” Which we translate roughly as, “You like this, I like that.” (Actually, it translates as: “There is no disputing about taste.” Meaning, it’s a personal decision, without right or wrong choices.)

With that in mind, here’s the best of the “Live Free or Die” state for skiers and snowboarders.

MOUNTAIN FEATURES

BEST SNOWMAKING

Crotched Mountain

Lots of areas make really good snow, but Crotched Mountain in Bennington has distinguished itself with the quality of its product. Credit Peak Resorts with single-minded dedication to the most advanced snowmaking technology available, and hang the cost. Pole-mounted fan guns are expensive in themselves, and require a big investment in power supply, but they offer the ability to make better snow in marginal temperature/humidity conditions and throw that snow farther across trails. That means earlier openings, and that’s good for skiers.

BEST GROOMING

Bretton Woods and Mount Sunapee

There’s snowmaking, and then there’s grooming. Two stand out: Bretton Woods in the White Mountains and Sunapee in central New Hampshire. BW’s mellow terrain means its trails retain cover, and that cover stays fluffy. Sunapee’s groomers produce consistently excellent snow surfaces in the challenging weather conditions of lower elevation and more southerly location. Hats off to both.

BEST TERRAIN PARKS

Loon Mountain

Hands down, it’s Loon, with parks scattered across the mountain, including a secret park made up of one-to-three features that move from trail to trail, unannounced and unheralded.

More sedentary locations include the Summit Loop Park, the Burton Progression Park, Bear Island Park, Picked Rock Park, Little Sister Park, the resort’s signature Loon Mountain Park, and the mini-pipe just above the Governor’s Base Lodge.

BEST CRUISERS

Bretton Woods

We return to BW, which specializes in easy cruising trails that retain great snow cover throughout the day. This mountain should, and does, appeal to solid intermediate skiers and families because of the consistently manageable pitch of its terrain. Don’t go there looking for extreme challenge, because you won’t find it. Some (relatively mild) glades ramp up the adrenaline level, but BW is known for its laid-back skiing.

BEST BLACK DIAMONDS

Wildcat Mountain and Cannon Mountain

In New Hampshire, look for steeps at Wildcat and Cannon, both of which also offer excellent high-mountain scenery. Add in the possibility — some say likelihood — of extreme weather, and skiers find a real northern New England alpine experience.

Top Cat/Starr Line and Lift Lion/Black Cat offer fall-line skiing from the summit of Wildcat.

At Cannon, Kinsman Glade and Tramline offer extreme challenge on ungroomed natural snow terrain. Avalanche, Paulie’s Folly and Zoomer offer short, steep runs on snowmaking trails that also see grooming, at least from time to time.

BEST DAY TRIP FROM BOSTON

Mount Sunapee and Loon Mountain and Gunstock Mountain Resort

Sunapee has 1,400 feet of vertical, a satisfying selection of terrain, enough room to explore, good snowmaking and grooming, and an array of lift-ticket deals to make a visit quite affordable.

Loon is big-mountain skiing close to the big city, and it’s getting bigger each year with the expansion to South Peak’s new complex of cruising trails. Good snowmaking, good grooming, a wonderful collection of old-time rolling trails plus a new set of fall-line trails add up to lots of skiing by late afternoon.

Gunstock is the Lakes Region’s family-friendly mountain. The Panorama high-speed quad, the third-longest lift in the state, is the quick ticket to the summit for groomed cruisers like Upper Gunstock and the straight shot Hot Shot. The secluded learning area gives first-timers their own space. And those Big Lake views are stunning.

BEST BEGINNER MOUNTAIN

Pats Peak

This area remains a New England gem, family owned and operated, retaining the qualities that attracted people to the sport in the first place.

For beginners, Pats has a nice selection of green trails off every lift, and a nice progression up through levels of difficulty.

BEST NIGHT SKIING

Gunstock Mountain Resort

Several contenders, but we choose Gunstock’s 21 lighted trails served by five lifts. As night falls, so do lift-ticket prices.

BEST SCENERY

Wildcat Mountain

This area has a lock on scenery. The view west toward the Presidential Range, with Mount Washington and its famed Huntington and Tuckerman Ravines and Gulf of Slides, is breathtaking. This spectacular view is purchased, however, at the price of fierce weather that rolls in from the northwest, rises over New England’s highest peak and rushes down onto Wildcat.

BEST OLD SCHOOL MOUNTAIN

Black Mountain and Cannon Mountain

Black lays claim to being the oldest ski area in New Hampshire, entering its 72nd season this winter, set in a beautiful valley bounded by the Wildcat Range to the West and guarded by Jackson, one of the loveliest New England towns imaginable.

Cannon also must be mentioned in this category, although many diehard Cannon skiers still shake their heads at the snowmaking and grooming that have transformed their blue-ice, granite-laced mountain of yore into something more mellow. Even so, Cannon is one of New England’s great traditional ski areas, with excellent old-time terrain, no frills and scenery that takes the breath away.

BARGAINS

BEST LIFT-TICKET DEALS

Cannon Mountain

The venerable resort leaps ahead of the pack with its two-fer $64 lift tickets Tuesdays and Thursdays, and $30 lift tickets for New Hampshire residents on Wednesdays.

Check around, as lift-ticket deals are widely available and offered throughout the season.

Ski New Hampshire offers books of 12 lift tickets for $399, which includes four tickets to each of three resorts.

BEST SHOPPING

North Conway and Tilton

One could — and often does — end up shopping at the ski resort, usually for a hat, gloves, face mask, ski socks or other essentials, but don’t look for bargains there until the end of the season. New Hampshire has other options, however, including outlet shopping in the North Conway area and Tanger Outlets Mall in Tilton.

Around North Conway are an assortment of stores, fine-art galleries and factory outlets with clothing, artwork, outdoor supplies, mountaineering gear and golf equipment, and New Hampshire-made gifts, crafts and gourmet gadgetry.

On the way south from the ski slopes, pop off I-93 at Exit 20 for the Tanger Outlets Mall in Tilton, with more than 50 high-end outlets minutes from the highway.

FAMILY

BEST FAMILY MOUNTAIN

King Pine

This lovely little area strikes our fancy as the best family mountain for its traditional New England qualities and rural setting, although in this category, too, there are many contenders. Most ski areas appreciate families and make provisions for multi-generational ski groups.

King Pine has three triples, two ropes and a magic carpet, and kid-friendly trails weighted toward beginners (44 percent) and intermediates (31 percent). The area also is contained, with little chance for small skiers to go astray.

The price is right and it has complete snowmaking coverage, night skiing, a 350-foot vertical, a tubing park, a terrain park and a halfpipe.

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT

Delaney’s Hole in the Wall, North Conway

Red Fox Bar and Grille, Jackson

Coyote Grill, Waterville Valley

Again, we leave the slopes and head for the bright lights of nearby towns. Our three choices all offer kids menus, along with food and drink for adults.

In North Conway, Delaney’s Hole in the Wall on North Main Street claims “the greatest grub in the Valley,” and offers a kids menu with comfort food all priced at $5.99.

In Jackson, the Red Fox Bar and Grille on Route 16 has a movie room for kids in the middle of the restaurant and a playroom for toddlers in the east wing.

In Waterville Valley, the Coyote Grill has seven kids meals, $4.99 to $8.75.

APRÈS SKI

BEST APRÈS SKI

North Conway and Lincoln

We’re really looking at towns here, not ski areas, and in New Hampshire the two hottest nightspots are the North Conway area and Lincoln, surrounded by ski areas including two New Hampshire staples — Cranmore Mountain Resort and Loon Mountain — and full of excellent party spots when the ski day ends.

Any list of New Hampshire’s best après ski venues should include the Red Parka Steak House & Pub in Glen, just north of North Conway, long a traditional watering hole for skiers and ski area workers alike. The Red Parka is not shy about tooting its own horn, claiming the “best steaks and ribs in the universe.” Add in live music and interesting appetizers.

Gordi’s Fish & Steakhouse in Lincoln includes two former Olympic ski team members among its owners. Gordi Eaton was on the 1960 and 1964 squads and coached the 1968 Olympic team. Karen Budge Eaton was on the 1968 and 1972 Olympic teams.

The Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing Co. in North Conway offers seven brewed beers and a wide selection of food.

BEST SINGLES SCENE

Woodstock

As with après ski, it’s tough to choose among many contenders, and again we leave the ski areas for a nearby town, in this case Woodstock, near Waterville Valley, Loon Mountain, Cannon Mountain and Bretton Woods.

Here we find the Woodstock Station and Brewery at the Woodstock Inn, where music, food and drink combine into a lively singles scene when the lifts close.

The Brewery offers live performances Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays year-round, with karaoke on Tuesdays. Throw in more than a dozen home-brewed beers and ales and half-priced appetizers daily from 3-5 p.m.

BEST SPORTS BAR

Red Parka Steak House & Pub

Patriots playing Sunday afternoon? No worries. We return to the Red Parka Steak House & Pub in Glen for food, drink and six TVs, including two 42-inch flat screens showing sports of all types. If your companion isn’t a sports fan, there’s also live music and a great menu to keep them entertained.

Roger Leo is a writer and photographer who prowls the outdoors year-round. He lives in Princeton, Mass.

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