There’s a school vacation week bearing down on us and for the first time in what feels like a very long time, New England is the place to be for snow.
Social media sites are peppered with western skiers looking for advice on where and how to ski the east. Hotels are booking up and with no warm spell in sight before that vacation week begins, it promises to be a ski week to remember.
Except this: You never planned a trip. You dragged your feet on purchasing advance tickets. So while all that beautiful and near totally natural snow is just a car ride away, it feels farther for you than for those poor, lack-of-snow western folks looking to come this way.
It’s not too late. True, while most slope side lodging may be booked and most big name ski resorts are anticipating record-breaking crowds, there’s still room for you, my last minute-planning ski friend. With creative thought and a fresh approach, a ski day (or more) are still within reach.
Take these tips and apply them and you, too, will be cruising the perfectly covered groomers, going knee deep or more in the fluffy tree skiing snow or just hanging out and soaking it all in.
Here’s how:
Think smaller: It’s natural to dream of skiing a big mountain. But I’m here as a skier who’s skied pretty much across the globe to tell you some of my best runs and most memorable days have taken place at smaller spots.
Why? It’s not that they’re less crowded (though smaller does tend to attract at least a few less on busy days); it’s more about what you find there. Smaller hills are like your super fun, chill and interesting country friend. There may not be an eight-pack lift to zip you to the top, but the folks loading the triple will know your name by midday.
You’ll save money at a smaller resort as well. As dynamic pricing sweeps the industry (and to be honest, ramps up the day ticket prices at some popular resorts to amounts that will make you say “no,”) smaller resorts, for the most part, tend to stick to their season long prices, which are usually reasonable in today’s ski world.
Take Tenney Mountain (https://www.skitenney.com/) the recently reborn ski area that offers classic New England skiing, a lovely lodge and a great ski school. There, advance tickets stand at $69 for adults; the same price they are any other week. They stay at that price on weekend days as well. If you’re not sure of your day yet, you can purchase an any-day ticket for just $10 more.
Crotched Mountain (https://www.crotchedmtn.com/) gets you out and skiing or riding for $79 when purchasing online ahead of time, the same price as non vacation weeks. There you’ll find a great high speed quad and runs that belie their 1,000 vertical. It skis fun and big.
And for the taste of a non-profit, true community ski area, hit Whaleback Ski Area (https://www.whaleback.com/) for a day. It’s easily accessible, steep enough to be a top race training spot and super affordable at – get this – $20 for adults and $15 for children. At that price, you can spring for burgers for everyone in the base lodge.
Timing matters: Honestly, if you can avoid it, skip the President’s Day weekend. It’s the height of the ski week and tends to be crowded (but if it’s the only time you can go, do it). Crowds will thin out a bit as the week goes on, but timing a last minute ski day well can really amp up your fun. First chair is a good idea: if you’re doing a day trip plan on arriving a half hour before lifts spin, boot up and grab a coffee before you start. Those first two hours should give you plenty of fresh laps. Then, rather than break at lunchtime like the majority of skiers, take a late morning break and head back out those lunch hours – or pack a pb and j or a cheese stick and granola bar in your pocket and ski right through. When the trails begin to feel skied off in the afternoon, you’ll have had your fill.
The snow is pristine this special season. Forgive yourself for lagging and set it in motion now. It’s never too late for #SkiDayJoy.
Night skiing a lights-out experience
As the Bee Gees sang soulfully, “Oh the night skiing, night skiing; we know how to do it.”
Or something like that.
In any case, perhaps the best way to beat the long lift lines and crank out a ton of runs on relatively crowd free hills is simple: Try night skiing.
Night skiing was born here in New England. It was a group of General Electric employees who doubled as Bousquet Mountain (https://bousquetmountain.com/) enthusiasts who first set up lights for night skiing back in 1939 when they installed mercury vapor floodlights on poles to keep their beloved ski hill open past 4 p.m.
Today, while it’s not available everywhere, there are more than enough choices for you to pick from for a true vacation week adventure.
Night skiing feels extra special, and if you’re lucky you’ll get a moon glow or star-filled sky to look up at as you ride the lift.
Another great night skiing spot is Wachusett Mountain Resort (https://www.wachusett.com/), where 20 trails spanning all ability levels are lit most nights until 9:30 p.m. Their base stays lively as well with live music, special meals, plenty of cider doughnuts and perhaps the best Guinness pour on a mountain.
Pat’s Peak in New Hampshire (https://www.patspeak.com/) is an easy drive as well and stays open until 9 or 10 p.m., depending on the day of the week. Their entire lower mountain is lit up for night skiing, and there are even night lit glades – a super unique skiing experience. Pat’s often grooms things out before night skiing as well for fresh corduroy like you’ve never experienced before.
The Mac Daddy of them all in the east has to be Crotched Mountain (https://www.crotchedmtn.com/) in New Hampshire, where they’ve elevated night skiing to practically an art form. Fire pits roar for warning up, meeting friends or sipping libations around. A DJ is usually on site pumping tunes and a full 100 percent of the mountain is lit. Oh, and every now and again – the next time being Feb. 14 – they spin the lifts until midnight. If that doesn’t tire the kids out, nothing will. And, hey, maybe the DJ will play that Bee Gees song.
