Bretton Woods - New Hampshire's Best Ski Resort
Written: Feb 10 '07 (Updated Nov 05 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: best conditions & most open terrain in the state
Cons: expensive
The Bottom Line: Watch for deals and if you're headed up this way choose Bretton Woods. I have recommended it several times at the hotel and no one came back disappointed.
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| AliventiAsylum's Full Review: Bretton Woods |
When it comes to skiing in New Hampshire, there’s one place that’s always the first place we think of and that’s Bretton Woods. I can’t say we have gone there the most out of any resort, because our season passes are to someplace much closer to home, but when I’m willing to take a day with the kids instead of just dropping them off, this is usually where we head to.
LOCATION
Bretton Woods is located on Route 302 in Bretton Woods, NH. This is in the shadow of Mount Washington (the Mount Washington Cog Railway is in view across the road) between Interstate 93 to the west and Route 16 to the east. It’s about 2 1/2 hours from Boston, 2 hours from Portland, Maine, or 3 hours from Montreal. The nearest commercial airport is Manchester Regional which is about a 2 hour drive.
FACTS
Bretton Woods has 101 trails and glades on two mountains serviced by 9 lifts, including 4 high-speed quads. There is a third mountain marked for future development, although no official word has come out on that just yet. Summit elevation is 3,100 feet and the base elevation is 1,600 feet, making for a 1,500 foot vertical drop. There are other ski resorts in the area with bigger drops, but not as much terrain, so it’s a trade-off.
92% of the trails at Bretton Woods have snowmaking on them, so even during this winter which was sorely lacking for snow early on Bretton Woods had the most open terrain in the state and was the first ski resort to open.
The director of skiing at Bretton Woods is the one and only Bode Miller. Although I suspect this is more of a figurehead position, it’s still a thrill for my kids when they go to look for him. Last April we missed him by a day during “Bode-fest”.
CONDITIONS
The conditions at Bretton Woods are usually the best in the state. We have gone there when it is clear at home and by the time we made the 45 minute trip, we are in the clouds with light snow. Even skiing in early April we have had decent conditions with the mild weather. That is the time of year, with colder nights and milder days, that we generally see conditions that lean more toward icy. From December until March, however, the conditions are usually terrific and mostly powder, usually fresh!
The smaller “bunny hill” has a magic carpet. Once kids have mastered this, there’s a small lift to the top of a hill with only a slight elevation. I like this because it gives kids the experience of riding a lift and at the same time provides them with a trail a little bit longer than most of the learning areas at ski resorts. My son has spent many an afternoon there this year practicing at this spot and it’s given him great confidence in his skiing ability.
Bretton Woods has a great variety of trails beyond this, for the beginner to expert. 31% beginner, 41% intermediate, and 28% advanced. One of the best is Two Miles Home and that’s because of how long it is! It’s an intermediate trail, but one my 11 year old has no qualms about getting to on her own and going down.
There are plenty of glades at Bretton Woods. The best has to be in the Rosebrook Canyon Glades which are terrific and one of the areas where you have to rely on nature for coverage rather than snowmaking. My kids have been cutting their first teeth on the glades here this winter when they have been open.
I notice that there is a lot of staff around when we are at Bretton Woods which is comforting when you have kids who take off on their own. They do seem to watch the crowds and while they can’t be everywhere at once, their presence does seem to have an impact.
The hardest part of skiing at Bretton Woods can be managing to get to where you want to go. There are no direct lifts to the summit, so often getting to a specific trail means heading up one lift, skiing down a trail to the base of another lift, and riding that to where you want to go. This is especially true in the case of the trails on the West Mountain as there is no parking area or lodge at the base.
There is also Nordic (cross-country) skiing at Bretton Woods, although I haven’t been there to check out the trails. I think next season is the year I might start strapping on those skis and trying it out again.
RATES
Skiing at Bretton Woods is expensive. We are fortunate in that there are specials which make it very affordable to us. They offer their own ski and stay packages with a stay at their Mount Washington Resort and there are mid-week packages available with many lodging facilities throughout the area.
Lift tickets for the Learning Center Quad are always complimentary for all skiers and riders.
Weekend and holiday lift tickets for the 2006 – 2007 ski season are:
Full Day (8 AM – 4 PM)
• $64.00 … Adult (18-64)
• $52.00 … Teen (13-17)
• $39.00 … Junior (6-12)
• $64.00 … Senior (65 and up)
• Kids 5 and under ski free with a paying adult
Half Day (12:30 PM – 4:00 PM)
• $49.00 … Adult (18-64)
• $39.00 … Teen (13-17)
• $30.00 … Junior (6-12)
• $49.00 … Senior (65 and up)
• Kids 5 and under ski free with a paying adult
Mid-week during non-holiday weeks:
Full Day (8 AM – 4 PM)
• $57.00 … Adult (18-64)
• $45.00 … Teen (13-17)
• $34.00 … Junior (6-12)
• $16.00 … Senior (65 and up)
• Kids 5 and under ski free with a paying adult
Half Day (12:30 PM – 4:00 PM)
• $42.00 … Adult (18-64)
• $34.00 … Teen (13-17)
• $25.00 … Junior (6-12)
• $16.00 … Senior (65 and up)
• Kids 5 and under ski free with a paying adult
Late-Day and night tickets (when offered, check schedule):
Twilight (2:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
• $39.00 … Adult (18-64)
• $39.00 … Teen (13-17)
• $31.00 … Junior (6-12)
• $39.00 … Senior (65 and up)
• Kids 5 and under ski free with a paying adult
Night (4:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
• $19.00 … Adult (18-64)
• $19.00 … Teen (13-17)
• $10.00 … Junior (6-12)
• $19.00 … Senior (65 and up)
• Kids 5 and under ski free with a paying adult
There are multi-day discounts as well as season pass programs available. Always check the website for any specials that might be going on as well.
MISCELLANEOUS
There are numerous restaurants and dining options at Bretton Woods. The main lodge has a cafeteria that, while expensive, is good. There are dining options on the mountain itself including the Sugar Shack featuring sugar on snow, which my kids have declared a new favorite. My 11 year old bought a watch to wear just so she wouldn’t miss this when we go there.
My favorite is to dine at the Slopeside Restaurant & Pub upstairs in the Lodge since they have a nice balcony. It’s terrific to sit out there after a shot of Rumpleminze on a snowy afternoon (or that’s the excuse for one when I come inside).
Tubing, ice skating, and sleigh rides are offered at the Adventure Center of the Mount Washington Hotel. Rentals are available and there’s a ski shop which sometimes has some great specials.
Parking is hit or miss. The drop-off moves fairly quickly when we’ve been there, but it can be a hike back to the lodge once I’ve parked the car. Also, there are idiots who park in front of the pathways and nothing is done about it, meaning people have to climb over the cars to walk from the parking lot to the lodge. If you stay at the Mount Washington Resort, they offer shuttle service to the mountain.
Bretton Woods has received many nods from Ski Magazine including high ranking for its family programs, grooming, and overall satisfaction.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Working at a hotel desk, even with the odd hours I work, gives me an opportunity to make recommendations to people. Since my family skis more than anyone else here, I get to make recommendations and the place I've recommended most as long as they don't mind the drive is Bretton Woods. I even had a woman wake up early a few weeks back to tell me how happy she was they went here.
We love going to Bretton Woods and will probably go several more times this season. Although the terrain isn’t as steep or challenging as some other ski resorts, there is plenty to choose from for all abilities. The conditions always seem to be the best in the state and they always seem to have the most terrain open, giving us the best bang for our buck.
website: http://www.mtwashington.com/brettonwoods/index.htm
Other sites to see in New Hampshire:
Attitash Bear Peak Ski Resort ~ Canobie Lake Park ~ Cranmore Mountain Ski Resort ~ Franconia Notch State Park ~ Kancamagus Highway ~ King Pine Ski Resort ~ Loon Mountain Ski Resort ~ Madison Boulder Natural Area ~ Mount Washington Cog Railway ~ North Conway, NH ~ Polar Express Event ~ Shawnee Peak, Bridgeton ME ~ Six Gun City ~ Story Land ~ Whale's Tale Waterpark ~ White Lake State Park ~ White Mountain National Forest ~ Wildcat Mountain
Some places to stay in New Hampshire:
Attitash Mountain Village - Bartlett NH ~ Comfort Inn & Suites - North Conway NH ~ Hampton Inn - Concord/Bow NH ~ Yankee Clipper Motel
Other places to eat in New Hampshire:
Bea's Cafe, Conway NH ~ Cafe Noche, Conway NH ~ Decades Steakhouse, North Conway NH ~ Delaney‘s Hole in the Wall, North Conway NH ~ Harts Turkey Farm, Meredith NH ~ May Kelly's Cottage, North Conway NH ~ Merlino's Steakhouse, North Conway NH ~ Moat Mountain Smokehouse, North Conway NH ~ Muddy Moose, North Conway NH ~ Peach's Restauran, North Conway NH ~ Red Parka Steakhouse & Pub, Glen NH ~ Yankee Smokehouse, West Ossipee NH
Books about the area:
Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide ~ 50 Hikes in the White Mountains
© 2007 Patti Aliventi
Recommended:
Yes
Level of Experience Needed: All
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AliventiAsylum
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Member: Patti Aliventi
Location: Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire
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