When people I meet talk about skiing in northern New Hampshire, several ski areas come up in the conversation. The most commonly mentioned resorts are Waterville Valley, Mt Attitash, and Bretton Woods. These are all great ski resorts, but two that don’t come up as often as I’d think are Cannon Mountain and Wildcat Mountain.
I often hear complaints about the weather on these two mountains. Wait a minute. We are talking about skiing, right? Of course it’s going to be cold and more than likely windy no matter where you go. I believe we wear jackets, hats, gloves, goggles etc. to protect ourselves from the weather and ski clothing has gone a long way in helping us stay warm and dry. I see this factor as something positive. To me it means that there will be fewer people on these slopes than on the other mountains, which means more space for me and less waiting in line. Another point about the weather at these two resorts is that it is a direct result of elevation and vertical. These are the two highest elevation and vertical mountains in New Hampshire.
The next thing is that there is no night life. The way I see it is, “no nightlife, no problem.” I usually go skiing to ski. I like to indulge in some adult beverages, but I really don’t want to be in a crowded bar until 2:00 am. Oh yeah. I’ve done it and I know it’s a tough day on the slopes in the morning. Quality nightlife is what you make of it. If you absolutely must get out after skiing, try this. Stay in Lincoln and take a day trip to Cannon or stay in North Conway and take the short hike to Wildcat. You can return to your accommodation before dark with enough time to visit the city.
What about this one? “There is no place to stay on the mountain.” My answer is, “Fine.” Less development on the mountain usually translates to fewer people getting in your way on the trails or at the lift line. Also, Cannon and Wildcat are in the White Mountain National Forest and building is highly restricted. The beauty of these resorts is preserved forever. I also think resorts with more populations rank higher in magazine reader polls because people who call them their “home resort” end up filling out ballots like all star votes for professional sports.
Finally, these two resorts are undeservedly overlooked due to their location on a map. Besides Balsams Wilderness and Bretton Woods, Cannon and Wildcat ski resorts are furthest north. They really aren’t much more fun if you think about it. How much difference is there really between a three hour trip and a three hour and twenty minute one? Not much.
So what I am saying is that if you are one of the people avoiding these two resorts for any of the above reasons, you should reconsider. You are missing out on amazing terrain with no crowds and also lower prices than some of the other more popular resorts. So next time you’re in New Hampshire give these resorts a try. I doubt you’ll be disappointed. Remember this is New England and ski conditions will vary with each trip, so don’t let one hard day put you off permanently.