A New England Old-School Skiing Sampler

The region that birthed Alpine skiing in America is still blessed with dozens of smaller, beloved ski areas with deep local roots. Here’s a sampling to get you started.

Black Mountain, Jackson, NH: Classic twisting wooded trails since 1935 in the heart of the Mount Washington Valley.  Stats: 45 trails; vertical drop 1,100 feet.  Make It a Weekend: Jackson is famous for its miles of cross-country trails and its bounty of cozy inns. blackmt.com

Camden Snow Bowl, Camden, ME: A community-owned ski mountain whose views of Penobscot Bay give skiers one of the most stunning panoramas in the East. Its toboggan chute is a shout-out-loud experience.  Stats: 26 trails and glades; vertical drop 850 feet.  Make It a Weekend: Camden is known for its array of year-round inns. camdensnowbowl.com

Dartmouth Skiway, Lyme, NH: Share the trails with elite racers from Dartmouth’s ski team.  Stats: 30 trails; vertical drop 968 feet.  Make It a Weekend: In the heart of a lovely college town, the Hanover Inn serves some of the region’s best food. sites.dartmouth.edu/skiway

King Pine SKI AREA at Purity Spring Resort, East Madison, NH: A small hill that still boasts one of the steepest runs in the state, giving a challenge to all levels.  Stats: 17 trails; vertical drop 350 feet.  Make It a Weekend: The resort offers a park-your-car-once experience, while just down the road is the Snowvillage Inn. kingpine.com

Mad River Glen, Fayston, VT: The only cooperatively owned ski area in the country is known for its natural snow and no snowboarders. Enjoy its last-Tuesday-in-January tradition of a 1949 lift price ($3.50).  Stats: 53 trails; vertical drop 2,037 feet.  Make It a Weekend: Pitcher Inn in Warren in one of most touted in New England. madriverglen.com

Magic Mountain, Londonderry, VT: Explore narrow, twisting trails that are little changed from when they were first cut decades ago.  Stats: 39 trails and 11 glades; vertical drop 1,500 feet.  Make It a Weekend: Seven miles away, the Inn at Weston is a short walk from the famed Vermont Country Store. magicmtn.com

Middlebury Snow Bowl, Hancock, VT: Owned by Middlebury College since 1934; the historic lodge with a huge fieldstone fireplace is as iconic as it gets.  Stats: 17 trails; vertical drop 1,000 feet.  Make It a Weekend: Stay right in the heart of town at the c. 1827 Middlebury Inn, overlooking the village green. middleburysnowbowl.com

Mount Abram, Greenwood, ME: Only a few miles from Sunday River’s super ski resort, this is the uncrowded, budget-friendly alternative.  Stats: 44 trails; vertical drop 1,150 feet.  Make It a Weekend: With inns and restaurants catering to skiers, Bethel is just a dozen miles away. mtabram.com

Pats Peak, Henniker, NH: Run by the same family for decades and beloved for its tubing hill, trails that flow to a homey lodge, and M&M chocolate chip cookies.  Stats: 28 trails; vertical drop 770 feet.  Make It a Weekend: Five minutes away is the farm-to-table dining and eco-friendly lodging of the Colby Hill Inn. patspeak.com

Ski Butternut, Great Barrington, MA: A family favorite known for lovely beginner and intermediate runs along the edge of a state forest.  Stats: 22 trails; vertical drop 1,000 feet.  Make It a Weekend: A perennial pick on “best small town” lists, Great Barrington has a food scene to rival any in New England. skibutternut.com

Suicide Six, South Pomfret, VT: Get your snow fix with history at the site of the first ski lift in the country, c. 1934.  Stats: 24 trails; vertical drop 650 feet.  Make It a Weekend: The elegant Woodstock Inn owns the hill and offers ski discounts to guests. suicide6.com

Titcomb Mountain, Farmington, ME: The oldest ski-club-operated hill in Maine is a world apart from massive Sugarloaf, 45 minutes north.  Stats: 16 trails; vertical drop 350 feet.  Make It a Weekend: Find snowshoeing and snowmobile trails in Mount Blue State Park, and stay by the water at Wilson Lake Inn in Wilton. titcombmountain.com

Note: Indy Pass offers low-cost season passes that give you two days’ skiing at many smaller Northeastern ski areas. For information, go to indyskipass.com.  

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