On a recent weekday I traveled with my young son from our home in southern New Hampshire to the White Mountains to ski at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. We arrived on a Sunday and were guests of the nearby Omni Mount Washington Resort, the grand dame of the old hotels that have lured tourists up north for more than a century. We wrote about the property in our January/February 2017 print issue (Where Winter is Grand | New Hampshire’s Grand Hotels) and featured it again with a video tour in our February 2017 digital edition (Tour the Omni Mount Washington Resort).
Views of the Mount Washington Valley come easy at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Bretton Woods
People travel to the Mount Washington Valley throughout the year, but it’s during winter when the region takes on an identity all its own. Against a backdrop that is the northeast’s highest peak, this part of New England can turn even those who wish the season would just go away into true outdoors fans.
Ski lodge at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort. Photo Credit : Ian AldrichInside the Bretton Woods ski lodge at lunchtime. Photo Credit : Ian Aldrich
In terms of New England’s rich alpine ski history, the Bretton Woods ski area is a newbie. While various proposals were put forth to bring skiing to mountains like Jefferson, North Twin, and Pierce, among others, this part of the Whites lacked a true alpine destination for decades. That changed in the late 1960s when plans were put into place to open a ski mountain on the Rosebrook Mountain Range. On December 29, 1973, Bretton Woods opened its doors to its first skiers. It offered an 1,100 vertical feet, and eventually two double chairlifts, T-bar and 30 acres of snowmaking.
Today, Bretton Woods lays claim to being New Hampshire’s largest ski area, with 464 acres of skiing and snowboarding on 62 trails and 35 glades across three terrain parks. Its terrain may not challenge expert skiers, but it overwhelms with the beauty of the Mount Washington Valley. On a clear, crisp winter day, easy and exceptional views of the mountains—and of course the nearby hotel—come into focus. Meandering down the slopes is excused, even expected.
Canopy Tour at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Bretton Woods
I’ve skied all over New England, but Bretton Woods is one of my favorites. A few years ago, I was there for a story on its two-hour long zip line ride, aptly called the Bretton Woods Zip Line Canopy Tour. Now that my six-year-old son, Calvin, has started skiing, I wanted to share the Bretton Woods ski experience with him.
Parent fail? Perhaps. But this ski lodge lunch (hot chocolate, chicken fingers, potato chips, and candy) was met with approval. Photo Credit : Ian Aldrich
A light snow had fallen the night before we hit the slopes, but by the time we arrived at Bretton Woods, the sun had started to crack through the clouds. Midweek skiing meant the lift lines were minimal and after a few test runs on the Magic Carpet ride, we went big, and straight to the top. For the rest of the morning and into the early afternoon, we took easy, green circle runs back down to the base. “I can see our hotel,” my son exclaimed each time we arrived back at the top. He kept marveling at the Mount Washington’s size. “I think it’s bigger than a ferry boat,” he said at one point.
The view of the Omni Mount Washington Hotel from Bretton Woods Mountain Resort. The property is also home to the Bretton Arms Inn and Lodge at Bretton Woods. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Bretton Woods
It had been a journey to make it up north. We had overpacked clothes and at the insistence of my son, toys, for a one-night stay. The car load of items made it look as though we had no plans to return home. But we did, and as we pulled out of the Bretton Woods parking lot for the long ride back to the house, I knew the trip had been a success when I looked back and saw my exhausted son fast asleep.
Have you ever visited Bretton Woods for an overnight visit or day of skiing?
This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated.
Ian Aldrich is the Senior Features Editor at Yankee magazine, where he has worked for more for nearly two decades. As the magazine’s staff feature writer, he writes stories that delve deep into issues facing communities throughout New England. In 2019 he received gold in the reporting category at the annual City-Regional Magazine conference for his story on New England’s opioid crisis. Ian’s work has been recognized by both the Best American Sports and Best American Travel Writing anthologies. He lives with his family in Dublin, New Hampshire.
