Conditions Report
Report from Friday, February 23, 2024
When most drive along New Hampshire’s I-93, they can easily recall the towering mountains of Franconia Notch State Park or the popular New England escape destination of Lincoln. Yet just 20 minutes off exit 28 lies the town and ski resort of Waterville Valley, the birthplace of freestyle skiing but nowadays known more for its family-friendly resort-oriented experience.
I, like most drivers along the I-93, had passed by exit 28 many times and thought nothing of it until this winter. That all changed when I got the Indy Pass and realized that Waterville Valley existed and looked like an interesting resort to explore. When planning my East Coast ski trip, I added it to the list without knowing much about it and decided to give it a go!
Quick Facts & History
- Date Opened: 1966
- Multi-Destination Pass: Indy Pass
- Number of Trails: 62
- Skiable Acres: 265
- Vertical Drop: 2020′
- Base Elevation: 1820′
- Summit Elevation: 3840′
- Average Annual Snowfall: 125″
- Terrain Breakdown:
- Beginner: 16%
- Intermediate: 60%
- Advanced: 24%
- Number of Lifts: 11
- Night Skiing: Yes (select nights only served by a poma lift)
- Other Activities:
- Cross Country Skiing
- Ski Touring
The day before heading over to Waterville, I was staying in the nearby popular lodging destination of Lincoln, NH. It was a mere 30-minute drive from there before I got to the resort. While the past few days had been rather icy for most of the Northeast, Waterville and the surrounding area had picked up an inch or so of heavy snow that would help soften the terrain that day. On the drive down, the low-lying clouds from the storm still had not cleared, leaving the always exciting reveal of the mountain until I got to the parking lot. Although it was hard to judge with the dense clouds in the morning, I thought the mountain looked decently big but nothing special for the East Coast. That idea proved to be quite deceiving.
While Waterville Valley did not look big at first glance, I found that the trails could be skied quite quickly once I got on the slopes. That’s when I realized that Waterville has a vertical drop of 2,020′, a mere 160′ less than nearby Cannon Mountain’s vertical drop, which felt massive.
I was stunned. I have to figure that a large reason the mountain initially felt rather small is due to the new state-of-the-art Tecumseh Express six-pack chairlift, which was installed only last year. This high-speed bubble chair quickly whisks skiers up the mountain, allowing lift lines to remain minimal (even on Massachusetts school’s winter break week) and allowing me to get the most single-day vertical of my trip at 30,000′ skied.
Out of the nine ski resorts that I was stopping by on my East Coast ski road trip, I was shocked to see that Waterville was the only one that had all of its runs open. While some gladed terrains had some pretty bare patches, most gladed areas were shockingly well covered, while all open trails were in peak condition in terms of coverage. I am unsure if this is because of good snowmaking, snowfall, grooming, or a combination of all three, but Waterville was the southernmost ski area I visited, making it a pleasant surprise.
Another aspect of Waterville Valley that I loved, even as an adult, was the effort put into making skiing fun. I have often wished that ski resorts try to incorporate more activities into their trails, and Waterville did exactly that. The crowd favorite, according to the kids I helped bring up the chairlift a couple of times, seemed to be the Fun Run, a mild ski-cross experience for all ski levels that twists and turns its way down one of the main trails on the mountain. They also offered a NASTAR racecourse (the largest public racing program in the USA) for skiers and riders of all levels to compete in. For little ones learning how to ski, the Trolly to Adventure towed skiers along from the various beginner areas, making for a fun ride instead of a painful walk, which I know I would have thoroughly enjoyed as a child. All of these things helped make Waterville Valley feel like a great family resort, and judging by the around 50% of skiers that day being children, it certainly is just that.
Current Conditions
Weather Outlook
Unfortunately, the weather is not looking good this coming week for any East Coast ski areas. Waterville is expected to see temperatures rise above freezing every day through Friday, and a heavy rainstorm Wednesday will likely take a big toll on most ski resort’s bases. Although the immediate outlook may look grim, my fingers are crossed that the start of March can bring some solid cold weather with some snow to help replenish the heavily damaged bases.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my day at Waterville Valley. While the terrain may not be the most challenging, biggest, or diverse on the East Coast, this mid-sized mountain in the White Mountains of New Hampshire is a great place for skiers to spend a day. I could see myself bringing my family here one day and know this can be a great place for anyone.
For more information about Waterville Valley Resort, check out its website here.
Additional Photos
