Weekends with Yankee Q&A | White Mountains Guide Steve Nichipor

How does a Connecticut kid from the suburbs end up becoming one of the most prominent outdoor guides in the White Mountains of New Hampshire? “A little bit by chance,” says Steve Nichipor, director of guided programs for the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods. “I didn’t see much snow as a kid, and even to this day I’m enthralled by it. Watching it, playing in it—I just love it.” That’s a good thing, because today it’s his job to lead visitors from across the world into one of the most pristine winter wonderlands in the country. Here, Nichipor shares what his favorite winter action is and what the summer crowds are missing by not visiting the Whites when the snow flies. —Ian Aldrich

Q. What’s your earliest memory of visiting the White Mountains?

I was a student at Bates College and I hiked with my geology class up Tuckerman Ravine. It was fall, and the weather, even for Mount Washington, was pretty decent. I hadn’t done a hike like that before. And those views were something else too. It was all new to me. I loved it, so I just kept coming back. And then after college I moved here.

Q. For people who associate the Whites only with summer hiking, what are they missing out on?

The hiking in winter is a lot nicer and smoother, for one, because you’re not having to walk on rocks the entire day. There’s also just the beauty of the place. It looks so completely different in winter. There’s also such a range of things to do. When I first started, things like climbing and backcountry skiing were fringe activities. You didn’t see people fat-tire biking. That’s all changed.

Q. What’s the advantage of taking a guided outing in the Whites?

You’re more likely to see places you wouldn’t normally see. Anyone can plan a trip via some online research, but chances are you’re just going to be led to the same places as everyone else. Not too long ago I had a woman come up here to hike Mount Washington. When we couldn’t do it, I suggested Eisenhower. And she loved it. She thought it was better than Washington. There are a lot of mountains up here, and all of them have trails to the top. You don’t have to stick with what everybody else is doing.

Q. When you’re off the clock, what’s your favorite winter pastime?

Skiing on Mount Washington. If you get the right conditions, there’s nothing like it. So that means going to Tuckerman Ravine on a weekday, when the crowds aren’t as big. Or, if I know it’s going to be crowded there, I’ll head over to Gulf of Slides, which is more remote.

Q. What’s your advice to someone thinking about doing a first big winter adventure in the Whites?

Be flexible. Research your options and be willing to change, so that if conditions aren’t what you need them to be, you have another plan. Hiking something like Mount Washington is a big endeavor, and the weather is always changing, so it’s OK to be disappointed. There’s no harm in playing it safe—not up here!

Our visit with Steve Nichipor of the Omni Mount Washington Resort is featured on season five of Weekends with Yankee. To find out how to watch, go to weekendswithyankee.com.