Holidays Draw Crowds to NH Ski Areas With Honors to Kuster, Bradley
A highlight of the holiday week at Gunstock Mountain Resort was the Dec. 26 season premier of the Hot Shot trail with its new snowmaking capabilities. Click here for a high-resolution images.
Conway, NH - Skier visitation at New Hampshire alpine ski resorts was up an estimated 13% over the previous year during Christmas week, according to Ski New Hampshire, the state’s trade association representing over 30 alpine and cross-country areas.
“A combination of natural snowfall, aggressive snowmaking efforts, and ideal temperatures for skiing resulted in solid visitation numbers for the week that included the Christmas holiday,” said Jessyca Keeler, president of Ski NH. “The storm that dropped up to eight inches of fresh snow two days before Christmas was a bonus, and with help from ski area groomers, trail conditions were in great shape.”
Gunstock Mountain Resort President and General Manager Robert Drake reported revenue was up 20 percent and visitation was up 25 percent compared to last year. King Pine and Purity Spring Resort also reported record-breaking business during Christmas week, and Jackson XC noted it was the best Christmas week they’d had over the last three years. The Saturday after Christmas resulted in a revenue record for Bretton Woods, according to General Manager Chris Ellms, and Becca Deschenes, Marketing Director for Cranmore Mountain Resort, shared that the same day was their busiest day overall in three years.
The rain on Monday, December 30 did slow business at ski resorts for a few days and closed a few Nordic and alpine areas; however, overall the second holiday week (the week ending January 5 that included New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day) was up 2% for alpine areas compared to last year. Many ski areas were able to rebound from the rain and enjoy a decent week overall, especially those with New Year’s events, Ski NH’s Keeler said. “Our ski areas are resilient. Constant investments in energy-efficient snowmaking equipment that makes more snow in a shorter amount of time combined with tried and true trail maintenance and grooming practices have been key for ski areas to adapt and bounce back quickly from unseasonable weather events.”
These positive results for the holiday period come after a 2024-25 season that got off to a slow start due to warm temperatures and low water levels that hampered snowmaking efforts. Keeler noted that the industry nonetheless kicked off the season with a lot of enthusiasm at the Ski 603 Winter Kickoff in early December at McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester that welcomed both Governor Sununu and Governor-elect Ayotte, and where retiring US Congresswoman Annie Kuster and NH Senator Jeb Bradley were honored for their support of New Hampshire’s ski industry.
Retiring US Congresswoman Annie Kuster was honored earlier for her contribution to New Hampshire's ski industry. Click here for a high-resolution image.
Keeler shared that during her time in office, Kuster "eagerly translated the many and diverse needs of the ski industry—attentive public land managers, workforce visas, progress on climate change, good forest management, among others—to her House colleagues to ensure that the ski industry had what it needed to be successful."
Bruce Berke of Sheehan Phinney Capitol Group recognized retiring Senate President Jeb Bradley on behalf of Ski New Hampshire. Click here for a high-resolution image.
Bruce Berke of Sheehan Phinney Capitol Group recognized retiring Senate President Jeb Bradley on behalf of Ski New Hampshire, sharing that key legislation never passed into law without first going through Bradley, including tourism and ski resort-related legislation. "Whether it was a proposal to tax lift tickets, or address landowner liability, water/snowmaking rights, minimum wage increases, 2-hour minimum show-up pay, or permitting compensation through ticket value, Senator Bradley brought common sense to every discussion."
Ski NH is the statewide association representing 30+ alpine and cross-country resorts in New Hampshire. For more information on ski areas, trail conditions, vacation planning, and events at Ski NH resorts, visit SkiNH.com. For statewide travel info, go to VisitNH.gov.
