Black Ridge Expansion at Loon Mountain, NH, Set for Winter 2027-28

Loon Mountain has recently announced an expansion of the Black Ridge sidecountry glades, located off North Peak. The area has been skiable for years as an ungated, out-of-bounds slackcountry zone. However, it will now be gated, patrolled, and gladed to improve access and the overall experience. Work will commence in early 2027, with operations expected for the winter of 2027-28.

The terrain in question occupies a saddle connecting Loon Mountain’s North Peak with Black Mountain – hence the name Black Ridge. At 272 acres, the area is a veritable kingdom by East Coast standards. It’s enough to expand the size of the current resort by 67%, taking the crown from Bretton Woods to make Loon the largest ski resort in New Hampshire, with a total skiable area of 675 acres.

• Related: Loon Mountain, NH, Season is off to Strongest Start in Decades

Details of the Black Ridge Expansion

The summit of North Peak reaches 3,050 feet (930 meters). Meanwhile, the Black Ridge gate will be located at about 2,850 feet (869 meters). In total, the vertical drop will tally at about 1,350 feet (411 meters) of pure tree skiing. 

While Loon Mountain is primarily north-facing, the Black Ridge glades are mostly west/northwest-facing. The traverse stretches about 1.25 miles (2.01 km), after which skiers and riders reach some uphill sections. Overall, the Ridge comprises some excellent fall-line, open (by New England standards) tree skiing. Eventually, the terrain finds its way into a gully system. Skiers and riders are then funneled back to the North Peak quad. 

It’s unclear exactly how much cutting will take place on Black Ridge. Legally, Loon Mountain is expanding its Special Use Permit with the U.S. Forest Service, specifically the White Mountain National Forest. Presumably, the resort will try to maintain the area’s wild, raw character, while also making it accessible to ski patrol. Similar expansions that have taken place at other New England resorts could provide an idea. The prime example is the Brackett Basin expansion at Sugarloaf Ski Area in Maine. 

Though it goes without saying for many readers, Loon Mountain has stressed that this will be expert-only terrain with no grooming or snowmaking. “Black Ridge isn’t for everyone, and that’s the point,” Brian Norton, President and General Manager of Loon Mountain Resort, said in a press release. “It’s a true rugged experience — natural and raw, unlike anything else we maintain at Loon today.”

The Recent Loon Mountain South Peak Expansion

The Black Ridge project is coming off the back of another major expansion on South Peak, completed in 2024. That development significantly expanded Loon’s skiable terrain and added some expert trails. Other recent developments include Loon’s bike park, an excellent summer addition with 1,065 feet of vertical and 15 miles of trails.

Loon Mountain occupies a beautiful part of New Hampshire. The resort’s perch in the White Mountain National Forest, between the towns of Conway and Lincoln, is ideal. New Englanders who know Loon Mountain probably think of it as a great family resort, with lots of green and blue groomers. Until the recent development, the resort offered only 35 acres of in-bounds, gladed tree skiing. However, the South Peak and Black Ridge expansions have significantly changed the game for Loon. 

• Related: Loon Mountain Resort, NH, Expanding Terrain and Adding a New Quad Lift

Potential Limitations of the Black Ridge Expansion

From a functional perspective, it’s not totally clear if Loon will become the locals’ favorite anytime soon. Expert skiers, the ones capable of skiing the new Black Ridge area, tend to gravitate toward Cannon Mountain, whose summit reaches 1,000 feet (300 meters) higher than Loon’s. Moreover, the North Peak chairlift is often packed on weekends, leading to long lines. Since this terrain requires a ride to North Peak, it may also necessitate some wait time. It’s unclear if and when Loon is planning to update its North Peak chairlift. 

The expansion will make Loon the largest ski area in the state. Therefore, the marketing advantage is clearly a large motivating factor for the resort to officially incorporate this terrain. However, it’s unclear how many days a year Black Ridge will actually be skiable. With its relatively low elevation in the middle of the White Mountains, Loon is in a bit of a snow shadow. Officially, the resort receives about 132 to 163 inches (335 to 414 cm) of snow per annum. On-piste, the resort features nearly 100% snowmaking, but off-piste is a different story. 

However, with an average base depth of around 3 feet (90 cm), skiers and riders will most likely have enough base coverage for at least part of the winter. We’ll always take more expert terrain over condos and ski-in-ski-out mansions. All in all, this seems like a great development for East Coast skiing.