New Hampshire Ski Areas Offer Holiday Activities
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
New Hampshire’s ski resorts are the place to be this holiday season. Although Mother Nature hasn’t been particularly cooperative with snow and cold, ski areas have still been able to take advantage of windows of snowmaking opportunity, and many New Hampshire ski areas’ lifts will be running, albeit servicing limited terrain. And while there hasn’t been an abundance of snow yet this season, ski areas will be offering plenty of activities – including many attractions typically available in the summer and fall months – for all ages, including families looking to spend some time outdoors over the holiday break.
SANTA SIGHTINGS & NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATIONS
- Ring in the New Year at Ragged Mountain on December 31 with a New Year’s Eve bash with tubing, karaoke, a buffet dinner, photo booth, live band and a fireworks display at 9 p.m.
- Pat’s Peak celebrates with their New Year’s in Motion, which includes skiing and riding, a comedy show, raffle prices, dancing, and a champagne toast under a midnight fireworks display. The party begins and 6 p.m. and the slopes are open until 10 p.m. This event is perfect for families looking to celebrate with their children.
- Loon Mountain has events all Holiday Week long including a chance to ski or ride with Santa on Christmas Eve, the Best Damn Ugly Sweater party in the Paul Bunyan Room from 3-7 p.m. on December 26, and Loon’s very own New Years Eve Party in the Bunyan Room beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. Additional family activities available at Loon: bungee trampoline, ziplining, bounce house, face painting, balloon animals and a bonfire complete with hot chocolate.
- Gunstock Mountain Resort is hosting their own New Year’s Eve party on December 31 with a variety of family-friendly activities including face painting and a balloon artist. There will also be live music, s’mores by the fire ring and fireworks at midnight to kick off 2016.
- On Sunday, December 27, C-more and Santa are inviting guests to join them at Cranmore Mountain Resort for a pancake breakfast in Zip’s Pub from 8-10 a.m. Guests are also invited to ring in the New Year with C-more during their NYE Blast on December 31. This family-friendly event will include a DJ dance party beginning at 2 p.m. in Schneider Square, juggling, s’mores, a showing of “Frozen” for the kids and fireworks at the base of South Slope at 6:30 p.m.
- Cannon Mountain will host a Family Fun Night on Saturday, December 26. The evening will include fireworks and a torchlight parade, along with live music and promotions from 3-6 p.m. in the Cannonball Pub (ages 21+), a bouncy house, and a movie will be shown for kids in the Brookside Lodge from 4-5:30 p.m.
ENJOY NEW HAMPSHIRE’S OUTDOORS – WITH SNOW OR WITHOUT!
- Work off some of those holiday calories by attending a two-hour guided naturalist tour at Jackson Ski Touring on Saturday, December 26 and Sunday, December 27. Tours will depart at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and explore Jackson’s snowshoe trails. The cost is $15 per person.
- Meet Olympic Gold Medalists Hannah Kearney and Kris Freeman at Waterville Valley Resort on December 27 and 28. Kearney will be taking runs with guests in the morning and will be available until 1 p.m. for photos and autographs. Freeman will be hosting a Nordic Passholder party and waxing clinic on December 27. In addition, Waterville is holding a Bruce the Moose holiday bash on December 27 with cupcakes and a scavenger hunt for the kids. The resort, Recreation Department and White Mountain Athletic Club will also have plenty of activities available including fat bike rentals, indoor soccer, wall climbing, and fireworks over Corcoran Pond on December 28.
- Cranmore Mountain Resort has several mountain attractions in full operation including the Mountain Coaster, Giant Swing, Soaring Eagle Zipline, tubing, bungy trampoline, climbing wall, Spiderman Slide and their Aerial Adventure Ropes Course. Their first Cranapalooza après family signature event is scheduled for December 26 with a DJ dance party, live music, s’mores and face painting among the many planned activities. Family activities will also be available from 4-5 p.m., plus Cranmore Fitness will be open daily with a holiday line-up of classes, programs and tennis clinics.
- King Pine and Purity Spring Resort are offering rock climbing at the Tohko Dome, archery, guided mountain biking tours, tennis and campfires with plenty of s’mores.
- Enjoy the Aerial Challenge Course, Canopy Tour Zip Line, Big Air Gravity Jump and the mini golf course at Mount Sunapee Resort.
- Ragged Mountain is having a “Life’s a Beach” celebration through January 1 with specials and promotions. Any adult skiing or riding in a Hawaiian shirt or Santa suit will get a bounce back coupon good for a half price lift ticket later in the year. Lift tickets are available on Liftopia for $19 and free lessons are available by pre-registration.
- Bretton Woods is offering three-hour canopy tours throughout the winter, which descends over 3,000 feet in elevation and is ideal for nature lovers and thrill seekers alike. In addition, the resort is offering full calendar of daily activities including tubing, dog sled tours, carriage rides and more.
Many New Hampshire resorts expect to offer deals on lift tickets during the holiday season. As pricing announcements are made they will be posted on Ski NH’s website, www.SkiNH.com. Visitors looking for additional information on trail conditions, resort events and activities, and more should also visit the website.
Ski NH is the statewide association representing 33 alpine and cross country resorts in New Hampshire. For more information on ski areas, vacation planning, and updated winter events at Ski NH resorts, call Ski NH at 603.745.9396 or visit the Ski NH website at www.SkiNH.com. For statewide travel info, visit www.visitNH.gov.