New Hampshire

A Day at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort

Family fun and gorgeous alpine skiing await at Bretton Woods in the New Hampshire White Mountains.

By Ian Aldrich|Feb 05 2018| Print icon

A Day at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort

Ski lodge at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort.

Credit: Ian Aldrich
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

Views of the Mount Washington Valley come easy at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

Credit: Courtesy of Bretton Woods
Views of the Mount Washington Valley come easy at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.
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.

Ski lodge at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort.

Credit: Ian Aldrich
Ski lodge at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort.
Credit: Ian Aldrich
Inside the lodge at lunchtime.

Inside the lodge at lunchtime.

Credit: Ian Aldrich
Inside the Bretton Woods ski lodge at lunchtime.
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.

Canopy Tour at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort.

Credit: Courtesy of Bretton Woods
Canopy Tour at Bretton Woods Mountain Resort.
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, and potato chips) was met with approval.

Parent fail? Perhaps. But this ski lodge lunch (hot chocolate, chicken fingers, and potato chips) was met with approval.

Credit: Ian Aldrich
Parent fail? Perhaps. But this ski lodge lunch (hot chocolate, chicken fingers, potato chips, and candy) was met with approval.
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.
View of the Omni Mount Washington Hotel from Bretton Woods Mountain Resort.

View of the Omni Mount Washington Hotel from Bretton Woods Mountain Resort.

Credit: Courtesy of Bretton Woods
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.
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. 

SEE MORE ABOUT BRETTON WOODS: Bretton Woods | Ski Trail Favorites The Mount Washington Hotel at Bretton Woods, NH | Historic Hotel Tour Ski New England | Unique Ski Mountain Experiences

Ian Aldrich

Ian Aldrich is the executive editor at Yankee, where he has worked for more for 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.

More by Ian Aldrich

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  1. Your story brings back great memories I have of a bus trip a friend of mine and myself took back in the “90’s. It was a beautiful sunny day allowing us to see the beautiful scenery from the top of the mountain. The skiing was great, the lines weren’t long due to it being a week day. Thanks for brining back some very fond memories.

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