Conditions Report
Report from Friday, January 10, 2025
Suppose you survey the attitudes of skiers across North America to see where the biggest areas of improvement lie for most ski areas. In that case, one can quickly identify a couple of things: access, affordability, and inclusion. These concepts, as simple as they are, are currently not being fulfilled by many of the even most well-known ski areas across the country, and people are concerned. I am one of those many skiers who share those concerns, but when I rolled up to Pats Peak this Friday, I came away with a great ski day that gave me a much more positive outlook on the future of what American ski culture can look like.
Quick Facts & History
- Date Opened: 1963
- Multi-Destination Pass: Indy Pass
- Number of Trails: 37
- Skiable Acres: 115 acres
- Vertical Drop: 770’
- Base Elevation: 690′
- Summit Elevation: 1,460′
- Average Annual Snowfall: 100″
- Terrain Breakdown:
- Beginner: 50%
- Intermediate: 21%
- Advanced: 12%
- Expert: 17%
- Number of Lifts: 11
- Night Skiing: yes
- Other Activities:
- Snow Tubing
Pats Peak isn’t a destination ski area, even by East Coast standards. As a Southern New Hampshire ski area, they don’t see much natural snowfall and are typically the only blip of white snow south of the White Mountains, which can be seen far out in the distance from the top of the resort. Pats Peak is well aware of this, and its heavy investment in snowmaking is evident in both its infrastructure and artificial snow quality. Fan guns dot every run, and ice (except on the F.I.S. Race Trail) was non-existent.
The day I visited Pats Peak for the first time was as good as it gets: bluebird skies with temperatures getting up to just below freezing, with 100% of the terrain open (except the glades). I got the opportunity to ski every run, with Twister being my favorite. I really enjoyed the Cascade Basin expansion that was put in place back in 2012, which added a second aspect/zone to the ski area, helping to beef up the size of the resort. The extra area gives skiers and riders, including beginners, a whole new area of terrain to explore and travel to. Since I was there for first tracks, an added bonus of Cascade Basin is that it does not open until 10 a.m., meaning if you time it correctly, you can get first tracks on the front side, followed by first tracks in Cascade Basin.
While almost all of Pats Peak’s terrain is groomed, I give them a lot of respect for leaving Hurricane, a large double black trail directly under the Hurrican Triple Chair, fully ungroomed. This one run may not be skied by most but serves as a great diversification of terrains on this small East Coast mountain.
Looking at Pats Peak from the perspective of suitable day trips from Boston, it is a great contender. While comparable in size to the closer ski area of Wachusett, MA, Pats Peak offers a different experience and atmosphere for skiers and riders who only want to drive an hour and a half from Boston.
An interesting part of my day came with the opportunity to bring my girlfriend’s dad skiing, who used to be a hardcore skier back in the day out in Colorado but has not skied since 1990. Without any gear and lack of familiarity with the current standards of skiing, witnessing the rental experience at Pats Peak made me appreciate the attention to detail that this mountain gives to everyone it serves.
The rental shop at Pats Peak occupies the entire lower level of one of its lodges and is designed to fit hundreds of skiers and riders each day. From moving everyone through the shop one way to different stations for each piece of equipment at a time, to the shortest magic carpet I’ve ever seen so brand new skiers and riders don’t have to walk up one flight of stairs carrying their ski boots and gear, this rental system is seamless and efficient. The added bonus of not having to then go somewhere else to purchase your lift ticket is also a no-brainer, and it made me wonder why more ski resorts don’t do the same. My girlfriend’s dad was set up and ready to go with rental skis and a lift ticket before I was with even my own gear.
My expectations of skiing Pats Peak on a weekday were that the mountain was going to be dead and I would not have to worry about lift lines—a reasonable expectation for spending a Friday at a ski area. Yet, while it was not crowded, it was busy, from the weekday seniors who joined us for first tracks, to the bus loads of school children who rolled up at 10 a.m., to the locals who got off work early and got some laps in the afternoon. The resort continued to come alive throughout the day and by the time we left, they were gearing up for the busiest part of the day: night skiing. When riding up with a local, he noted that today was less busy than he expected, which reinforced how effective Pats Peak is at serving a wide and local customer market.
Conditions
Photos
Overall, I came away with skiing at Pats Peak impressed not by the skiing itself, but rather the purpose it serves. Visiting this local ski area reminded me of the importance of ski areas that can cater to people of all backgrounds at all skill levels. It is great to see a resort like this thriving at a time when getting into skiing or snowboarding has never been more difficult.
For more information, check out Pats Peak’s website.
