Waterville Valley is on the verge of a new era

Waterville Valley Resort features a 2,020-foot vertical and endless vistas in the Pemigewasset Wilderness. (Waterville Valley Resort)

You might have thought you stumbled into a good ol’ fashioned barn-raising if you were at Waterville Valley Resort in October, soaking in the peak foliage at this popular New Hampshire four-season destination. Dozens of ordinary folks were lined up on the mountain, wearing sturdy shoes and work gloves, but it wasn’t barn walls they were hoisting on this day.

Just look up after you board the resort’s new Tecumseh Express, a six-person detachable bubble chair, this winter and you’ll see what they were handling — 88,000 pounds of haul rope that needed to be spliced together. On board Tecumseh, you’ll also gain an appreciation for why Waterville Valley ranks consistently at or near the top of New England’s favorite family resorts. 

Developed in the heart of the White Mountains, along the eastern face of 4,003-foot Mount Tecumseh, Waterville Valley guests routinely are rewarded with stunning views of the Moat Mountain Range, the Sandwich Range and Mount Osceola. Mount Tripyramid, the Pemigewasset Wilderness and the Presidential Range are features of the vast, 360-degree landscape, along with views of the Pemigewasset River Valley, Squam Lake and the Lakes Region.

Waterville had been a popular summer destination long before Olympian Tom Corcoran first developed ski trails there in 1966. Easily accessible off I-93, only two hours from Boston, the resort currently features around 250 acres of skiable terrain, spread across a network of 62 trails and glades. With a summit elevation of 4,004 feet and a vertical drop of 2,020 feet, the varied terrain is suitable for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels. 

But what has Waterville Valley fans even more excited is the future. Waterville Valley Holdings, the private investment group headed by the Sununu family, which purchased the resort from Booth Creek Holdings in 2010, has big plans in the coming decade. Opening Tecumseh Express was one important step in that direction. 

Tecumseh Express replaces the 1988 White Peaks Express Quad, the main people-mover from the base area. It is capable of whisking 3,000 skiers per hour along more than a mile span that elevates nearly 1,600 vertical feet in only six minutes. The new six-person detachable bubble lift was installed in partnership with the international firm MND Ropeways. It is MND’s first chairlift installation in North America, though the company has previously supplied Waterville with snowmaking equipment, conveyor lifts and a T-bar.

The MND detachable, built in partnership with Bartholet of Switzerland, will feature 83 chairs with bubbles designed by the Porsche Design Studio. Each chair will include ergonomic seats and child protection features that are common in Europe. Waterville’s location and features were factored into the design to make the lift less susceptible to wind holds.

“Replacing our White Peaks lift is the most important project in our investment plan for the existing resort footprint and will continue our work to enhance the guest experience at Waterville Valley Resort,” Tim Smith, Waterville Valley’s president and general manager, said. “We’re thrilled to continue Waterville Valley’s development and look forward to fulfilling our team’s vision. This is just the first step in a long process, but it marks an exciting milestone toward progressing Waterville Valley into the future.”

That future has been outlined in a comprehensive, 10-year master plan developed in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and made available to the public in 2020. The plan outlines ambitious capital improvements over the next decade, including a resort boundary extension that will create 140 additional acres of skiable terrain on 15 new trails and glades on the south side of Green Peak summit. 

“The most remarkable element of the plan is that it includes the eventual installation of a gondola that will start in the town of Waterville Valley near Town Square and transport guests to the summit of Green Peak,” Waterville CEO John H. Sununu said. “Connecting our pedestrian village to the ski resort will be incredibly exciting for our resort and community.”

The picturesque town of Waterville Valley is one of the top draws to the region, not only for skiers but also for visitors in every season. The town’s commercial center features restaurants, stores and other businesses. Lodging options vary from traditional inns to all-suite hotels. Dining options range from traditional bars to elegant eateries.

The town has its own library and public school (K-8), a recreation center, indoor skating rink, world-renowned tennis center with 18 outdoor clay courts, a nine-hole golf course, ski academy and an athletic center. Visitors can explore 125 miles of hiking and mountain bike trails, a pond for swimming, and a skate and bike park. 

In the winter, the town transforms into a classic New England scene with trees lighted up for the season, an outdoor fire pit, nordic activities (I tried skijoring there one winter), and ice skating, all while surrounded on all sides by 4,000-foot mountain peaks.

Somewhere near Town Square is where the base terminal of the future, eight-person gondola/“chondola” will be positioned, carrying skiers and riders to a mid-station located at the base of the newly developed skiing area. The gondola’s mid-station at the new base area will house lodge facilities, parking and event and ski school space. From there, guests will have the option to continue their journey to the summit of Green Peak. 

In total, the gondola line will span some 9,000 linear feet and 1,400 feet of vertical, operating year-round.

“Our vision for Waterville Valley puts the family vacation experience as a top priority,” Sununu said. “My family has been coming to Waterville Valley for 30 years, and several of us have homes there. We want to preserve what is so special about Waterville Valley and at the same time begin to invest in the mountain to ensure the best possible skiing experience.”

Many Waterville Valley improvements — representing nearly $13 million in capital investment — already have been realized. The Green Peak expansion — the resort’s first major development in 30 years, introduced a new summit lift and 10 new trails across 45 acres of terrain that opened to skiers in 2017. During the ensuing summer, installation of 33,000 feet of new snowmaking pipe began, ultimately providing 100 percent snowmaking coverage across the entire resort. The project included 400 new high-efficiency snow guns. Other improvements include a new, gateless RFID system, installation of the High Country T-bar, a base lodge renovation, and a redesign of the terrain parks. 

The resort introduced its Kids Ski Free pass during 2019-20, which provides a free, transferable junior season pass for kids ages 6-12 for every adult who purchases an adult season pass. Waterville Valley also joined the Indy Pass network in 2021.

Also in 2021, an important upgrade to the 72-kilometer nordic trail system was made when Roughrider logging road was converted into a 13-foot-wide, multi-seasonal trail that now connects the South End System and the North End System.

And those who know Waterville Valley’s significant place in freestyle skiing history will be happy with the news that the resort signed a two-year deal with U.S. Ski and Snowboard to host the Toyota U.S. Freestyle National Championships through the 2024 season. Known as the “birthplace of freestyle skiing,” Waterville Valley has hosted several competitions in years past and many legendary freestyle skiers have competed on the mountain, including Wayne Wong, Doug Pfeiffer, Nick Preston and two-time Olympic medalist Hannah Kearney.

“Waterville Valley is home to a thriving community of young athletes, from the BBTS (Black and Blue Trail Smashers) Snowsports Club (one of the oldest ski clubs in the United States) to the Waterville Valley Academy,” Sarah Van Kralingen, the resort’s marketing and communications manager, said. “We hope events like this will inspire and influence aspiring young athletes, demonstrating the phenomenal skill, athleticism and sportsmanship involved in freestyle skiing.”

Matt Boxler can be reached at [email protected].