December 5, 2009 E-MAIL PRINT

Gunstock takes stock

Among the improvements at Gunstock are better conditions on the mountain�s trails. (photo: Gunstock)

In these trying economic times, you’d be hard-pressed to find a skier or snowboarder who isn’t looking to get a solid return on any leisure investment, whether its new gear, accommodations, or time on the hill. Which is exactly why a weekend at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford, N.H., makes so much sense these days.

For starters, there’s the Weekend Pass, which is available starting at 4 p.m. Fridays. That means you can be leaving your office or home near downtown Boston, zip up Interstate 93, and be skiing on Gunstock trails at 4, knowing the pass is good through the weekend. In the 48 hours between 4 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Sunday, Gunstock is open to skiers and riders for a remarkable 27 hours (4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday) for the price of a two-day weekend lift ticket.

If that’s not enough to get your mogul muscles twitching, just think of how much flexibility that gives you, especially if you’re traveling with the entire family in tow. So if you want to take a few turns, you can. If you prefer to drop the kids off and then set up the condo for the weekend, or even sneak away for a romantic dinner, that works, too. You’ve got until 10 to enjoy yourself. And because the area stays open until 10 on Saturday as well, there’s no need to set the alarm clock and rush out the door for first tracks (unless, of course, you want to).

“Trying to make skiing affordable for everyone is a goal for the ski industry. We need to be flexible. That’s what’s going to keep people in the sport,” says Bill Quigley, Gunstock’s director of marketing and sales, explaining that the area’s night skiing options give Gunstock a huge advantage. “When everyone else is seeing red lights [of cars leaving], we’re seeing headlights.”

The entire focus these days at Gunstock is fun and flexibility. “I see so many families show up in the parking lot yelling at each other at 9 in the morning,” says Quigley. “That shouldn’t happen. This is play time. The sport of skiing hasn’t changed. It’s supposed to be fun. With our weekend ticket, you can get up at the crack of noon, and your legs still won’t be able to last until we close.”

Don’t be surprised if you see Quigley or Gunstock general manager Greg Goddard on the hill passing out cups of steaming hot chocolate just to coax a smile from their customers. “People think we’re trying to sell them a timeshare,” says Quigley, laughing. “But we don’t have any timeshares.”

What Gunstock does have, and always has had, is character. You’ll find spectacular views of Lake Winnipesaukee (especially from the Flintlock trail) stretching all the way north, on a clear day, to Mount Washington. Gunstock also has a rich ski history, beginning with New England’s oldest ski club (now known as the Gunstock Ski Club, the Winnipesaukee Ski Club was first established in 1917) and highlighted by the Northeast’s first chairlift, unveiled in 1937. In the ensuing seven decades, Gunstock has seen a number of highs and lows, most of which have corresponded with the whims of Mother Nature. That situation took a dramatic turn for the better five years ago with the infusion of new capital that has Gunstock enjoying a renaissance of sorts.

“The best thing about Gunstock is that it’s truly a family mountain,” says Carolyn Beckedorff, a two-time U.S. Masters ski racing champ who also is a wife and mother. “It is easily accessible from the Boston area, relatively inexpensive compared to most areas, and really caters to beginning skiers.

“It is a small mountain where you could easily ski all the trails in a day, but that’s one of the things that makes it fun,” says Beckedorff, who got her start in Masters racing while coaching at Gunstock’s storied race program. “You can go with a group, ski all the trails, not have to wait in huge lift lines, maybe hit the tubing park or one of the après-ski options, and just have a good all-around winter day.”

She’s right. The toughest decision you’ll have at Gunstock, as you look up at the hill, is what to ski first. Don’t be shy about asking a lift attendant or any other Gunstock employee for suggestions; with an employee return rate of more than 80 percent, Gunstock staff members are obviously familiar with the mountain and are more than happy to share their knowledge. That’s an enormous benefit for visitors, especially those dropping by for the first time.

Since some folks like stats, here’s the rundown on Gunstock’s major numbers: 1,400-foot vertical drop, 227 acres (trails and glades), 90 percent snowmaking coverage, 55 trails (12 percent novice, 61 percent intermediate, 27 percent expert, with the longest stretching out 1.5 miles), eight lifts (1 high-speed quad, 2 quads, 2 triples, 1 double, 1 conveyor, 1 handle tow), night skiing on 21 trails (with five lifts). But this truly is a mountain where the stats don’t tell the whole story. The lift service has improved to the point where the longest wait last year, at peak hours, was only 13 minutes. And once you’re at the summit, you’ve got plenty of choices.

I still like to get my steep runs in early, since those trails naturally lose their cover first. That means a quick warmup lap on either Upper and Middle Gunsmoke and Middle Recoil before I jump into the black diamonds, such as the Upper Recoil, Hot Shot or a tasty tree selection, including Birch Glades. I’ll also try to sneak over to the mountain’s west flank to pick up Flintlock, Upper Ramrod or Upper Trigger before they spill into Middle Trigger and the Tiger Steeps. Once there, if the lift lines are stretching out at the Panorama High Speed Quad (base to summit in under seven minutes!), I’ll stick with the Tiger Triple chair to get some turns on Lower Cannonball, Tiger, Redhat and Flintlock Extension.

Then it’s back to the main lodge (and the Cobble Mountain Food Court), which is easy. Unlike many of today’s mega-resorts, all of Gunstock’s trails flow back to the main lodge, a reassuring aspect for parents. There, the Ramrod Quad provides terrific access to the bumps on Ricochet, the racecourse on Ramrod, or the terrain elements on Phelps (as well as the Stockade Lodge, a convenient place to grab a quick bite). To the east, the Pistol Complex serves up groomed corduroy that lasts well into the late afternoon, and a great array of terrain, including the easygoing Sidearm, the Blundersmoke Park for freestylers, and a pair of nice, wide intermediate cruisers in Pistol and Musket.

All of these offerings stay, more often than not, in good shape, thanks to Gunstock’s re-energized commitment to improving conditions, allowing skiers and boarders to enjoy the hill at any time, day or night. This past summer, Gunstock installed more than four miles of new pipe that will increase coverage on the mountain to 90 percent, while improvements in the snowmaking plant will more than double the snowmaking output of just a couple of years ago. Snowmaking was added to the popular Sidearm and Out of Sight trails on Pistol, along with new fan guns for the Park. The new technology is more environmentally friendly and energy efficient, which means Gunstock can get up and running faster than ever while using less electricity (the area converts between 90 and 110 million gallons of water a year into snow). As a result, more than 80 percent of the hill is expected to be open by Christmas.

Novices (and the parents of young skiers) will like knowing that, in addition to the snowmaking improvements, Gunstock expanded the Gunshy beginner complex (Gunstock has more than 2,400 kids a week enrolled in its outreach program). Want to try something different? Mountainside Outfitters offers a sweet demo deal, where $15 allows you to sample a host of new skis, including the latest from Head and Fischer, for three hours. For those who prefer skinny skis, Gunstock also offers a cross-country and snowshoes center boasting more than 50 kilometers of nicely groomed trails criss-crossing the area’s 2,400 acres, in addition to a full rental fleet.

Finally, the renowned Gunstock Freestyle Academy, which meets on Saturdays and Sundays starting in December and runs until the end of the season, is offering expanded membership options, including a new half-time membership for families committing to one weekend day.

With so many choices both on the hill (don’t forget Gunstock’s Thrill Hill Tubing Park and other area attractions; see sidebar) and around town, you’re bound to finish your weekend in Gilford exhausted — or recharged. Maybe even both. What you won’t be is disappointed.

For complete details on lift ticket packages and other mountain amenities, visit gunstock.com.

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Gunstock takes stock

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