Press Kit

Good news from Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce – November 9, 2017

Contact:  Marti Mayne, 207-846-6331, PR@mtwashingtonvalley.org

LOOK WHAT’S NEW AT SKI RESORTS IN MT WASHINGTON VALLEY, NH FOR 2017-18 SEASON

North Conway, NH – The lifts may not all run over the summer, but Mt Washington Valley’s seven ski resorts have been busy getting ready for the upcoming ski season.  With everything from new programs to expanded snowmaking and new facilities, skiers and snowboarders can look forward to a fabulous ski season. Snow guns are cranking as temps allow, and that means the 2017-18 ski season is in gear for the 2017-18 season.

Here’s a look at what’s new for the 2017-18 ski season in Mt Washington Valley, NH.

At Attitash Mountain Resort:

• Attitash has purchased two brand new groomers for this season, including a winch cat to groom steeper terrain.  That’s Attitash’s second winch cat to insure more reliable grooming on the steeps.
• Attitash is adding two new retail locations. One will be an accessory shop in the Adventure Center, and the other will be a full shop in the Bear Peak Lodge.
• Attitash has installed over 3 miles of pipe including new snowmaking low-e tower guns (65 total) across much of Attitash Peak.  
• Attitash will unveil a new Learn To Ski Program called the Peak Discovery Learn To Program.  For $99 the new Learn to Ski program will include 3-days of rentals, lift tickets, and lessons.  Guests can take lessons at any of the Peak Northeast properties.  Upon graduation new skiers can also upgrade for an additional 3 visits for another $99. 
• Attitash After Dark is a new, 3-part concert series featuring Boston based bands hosted in Ptarmigans in the Attitash Base Lodge.  The event will be for adults 21+ with no cover charge, to be held on Saturday, January 13, Saturday, February 17, and Saturday, March 17.  There will be firework shows to kick off each night.
• “Between the replaced snowmaking pipe and addition of new low-e guns top-to-bottom, we expect to see significant increases in efficiency, allowing us to open terrain more quickly, as long as we have the temps from Mother Nature,” said General Manager, John D. Lowell.

At Black Mountain:

• Black Mountain will add a backcountry skiing and snowboarding program to their facility in partnership with Ski the Whites for the 2017-18 ski season. Backcountry-specific skiing and snowboarding lessons and rentals will be offered from the Black Mountain base lodge.
• Trail maintenance was completed this fall in partnership with the Granite Backcountry Alliance to prune and manicure the glades.
• New high-efficiency snow guns will be added to the Black Mountain snowmaking fleet to strengthen snowmaking capabilities and provide a better snow surface throughout the season.

At Bretton Woods at Omni Mount Washington Resort

• A new Warming Cabin located on the Porcupine Lane trail in the Ammonoosuc Nordic Trail System will open for the 2017-18 season. The 12x16-foot log cabin has room for a dozen Nordic skiers or snowshoers in nearly 200-square feet of interior space arrayed with couches and heated by a small gas stove. There is a covered porch outside with views of the snow-covered Presidential Mountain Range and attendants on call to serve steaming drinks and snacks during select periods.
• This ski season, guests can immerse themselves with the Stay Here, Ski Free Package. Starting at $279/double occupancy with availability Sunday – Thursday through the 2017-18 season at Omni Mount Washington Resort, Omni Bretton Arms Inn and The Lodge & Townhomes at Bretton Woods, the package includes accommodations and two complimentary ski lift tickets, per room, per night (two tickets per night, per bedroom at The Townhomes). Meal options are also available for an additional charge.
• From a press release distributed by Omni Mount Washington Resort, “Readers of SKI Magazine recently hailed Bretton Woods as No. 1 in the East for Grooming and No. 2 in the East for Snow – the fifth time the destination has been ranked among the magazine’s top two in the region for both over the past five years. The magazine’s readers didn’t stop there, ranking Bretton Woods in the region’s Top 5 for Lifts (No. 1 in New Hampshire); Top 5 for Kid Friendly; Top 10 for Service; and Top 10 for Lodging (No. 1 in New Hampshire).”

At Cranmore Mountain Resort:

• Cranmore’s new Kearsarge Brook Amenities Building is being built in two phases, including a four-season outdoor pool for Kearsarge Brook residents and a future tubing park base lodge. The new facility is located at the base of Cranmore’s tubing park, next to Cranmore Fitness. The first phase will include the new outdoor, resident pool with a viewing area and changing rooms. The projected completion date for the first portion of the building is December 2017. The Pool Facility will be reserved for Kearsarge Brook owners on weekends and vacation periods, with a limited number of midweek membership options available to Cranmore Fitness Members.
• With construction progressing at Kearsarge Brook Condominiums over the past summer, residents moved into homes in Building One in October, 2017. A first floor, slopeside model unit is now open daily for tours. Units in Building One are still available for purchase. For more information on Kearsarge Brook Condominiums at Cranmore, visit KearsargeBrookNH.com or call the sales office at 603-356-1111.
• Cranmore’s unload zone at the resort’s entrance was renovated over the 2017 summer. The newly expanded area includes new paving, drop off parking, sidewalks, decorative and improved lighting, plus landscaping.
• Cranmore will offer night skiing until 8:00pm on Saturday nights, plus daily during holiday periods. Night skiing will be available from the South Quad and will allow access to the North Slope, South Slope, the Alley, Snow Train and Outta Luck. With the newly expanded night skiing hours, Zip’s Pub and Grill will extend its hours too, serving later into the evening.
• Cranmore added 86 new high-efficiency snow guns to the mountain inventory, which were developed by Cranmore owners, Brian and Tyler Fairbank. The guns are called the LPX-Y Gen 3, or “Sledgehammer guns.” These snow guns will use 90 percent of water pumping capacity (a typical snow gun would utilize about 50 percent or less). This technology uses 50 percent less air, which means less electricity, is used, and overall, two times the amount of snow is made. Over the past summer, crews upgraded Cranmore’s on-mountain piping system, to improve water capacity, which will also allow for more snowmaking, faster and earlier in the season. Weather permitting, snowmaking at Cranmore will begin in early to mid-November.
• From a press release distributed by Cranmore Mountain Resort, “With over $10 million dollars in improvements since 2009, Cranmore has begun the next chapter of their $50 million base area redevelopment plan, Kearsarge Brook Condominiums at Cranmore.”

At King Pine Ski Area

• To maintain its snowmaking infrastructure, King Pine spent close to a $100,000 installing 5,000 feet of new larger diameter snowmaking pipe to replace older pipe. The entire length of older 3" pipe along Pokey Pine was replaced with new 4" pipe.
• King Pine is also spending close to $200,000 to acquire 45 additional new HKD Snowmaker high efficiency, low energy tower and ground guns. In addition, King Pine sent four of its fan guns to Snow Machines Inc. (SMI) to be upgraded and refurbished to the most up-to-date snowmaking efficiency specifications.
• King Pine has been working to maintain and improve its existing tree skiing areas and develop more within its resort boundary area.
• King Pine and Purity Spring Resort are spending more than $80,000 to improve networking and customer cellular service and Wi-Fi by installing fiber-optic cable throughout the resort, owned by the Hoyt family.

At Shawnee Peak:

• More snow guns have been ordered, which brings the ski area closer to their goal of a gun for every hydrant to assure for quicker opening and resurfacing.
• The upper pump house pumps have been taken out to be refurbished. This means that all the Shawnee Peak snowmaking pumps have been upgraded within the last two summers.
• For the younger families and beginners, Shawnee Peak is installing a second conveyor lift out front, which will be operated on busy weekends and holidays. 
• The East Lodge parking lot entrance is brand new, as is the East Lodge deck, including a new coat of paint on the building
• The Shawnee Peak House is being refreshed with a new exterior color and interior repairs.
• The Main base lodge courtyard and wall have been repaired and replaced.
• Blizzards Pub has new carpeting.
• The women’s bathroom beside the cafeteria has a new entrance with more privacy.

At Wildcat Mountain

• Wildcat totally replaced the main deck and the balcony off the back of the base lodge over the summer.
• Wildcat also installed a totally new pipeline and snowmaking equipment along the Cheetah trail, a popular trail that had a very old snowmaking pipe that needed upgrading.  That line will now be fully operational.  
• Wildcat is celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year and there’s a big party planned for January 25 - 28 at both Wildcat and Attitash Resorts.  Lift tickets for those dates will start at $9 online. More details on the Wildcat 60th to come.  
• “Continuing to maintain and upgrade our snowmaking infrastructure remains to be a top priority for Peak Resorts. By adding new pipe, hydrants and valves, we are allowing our snowmaking team to move efficiently from trail to trail.  We’re also very excited to be updating infrastructure on our base lodge including the new deck, which guests will enjoy in the winter and summer months alike.  This provides us with opportunities to host everything from live music and après parties to summer weddings,” said General Manager, Brian Heon.

To learn more about skiing in Mt Washington Valley, including snow reports issued each Thursday for all 13 ski resorts and XC Centers, visit www.SkiMWV.com.  Sign up to receive the “About the Snow” newsletters offering the scoop each week on snow conditions, deals and specials, nightlife in the Valley and much more.  Simply click here, complete the information, and be sure to check that you wish to receive the About the Snow newsletter.

To learn more about planning a winter getaway to Mt Washington Valley, visit www.MtWashintonValley.org or call 1-800-367-3364 (800-DO-SEE-NH). For complete information on visiting New Hampshire, go to www.VisitNH.gov.