Bretton Woods

Just across from the Mount Washington Hotel sits the Bretton Woods Mountain Resort, a ski area located in the town it is named after. The New Hampshire winter venue is part of the White Mountains range next to the White Mountain National Forest.

Those looking to drive to the mountain resort will find it off of US Route 302. Interstate 93 runs to the west and offers long-distance drivers quick access to the region. Anyone wanting to fly into the area should note that the closest airfield will be New Hampshire's Manchester Boston Regional Airport (1.75 hours away) or Maine's Portland International Jetport (2.0 hours by car).

Award-Winning Winter Activities

The Bretton Woods ski resort was voted number one for grooming, service, snow, and weather (in the East) by SKI Magazine readers in 2014, with other awards received for dining, lifts, lodging, and overall ski resort from readers of other publications. Much of that has to do with amenities, like accommodations in places such as the Omni Mount Washington Hotel. Travelers have several package deals that also bring extra value to skiing and riding here.

There is plenty to dine on, from grilled foods to five-star meals. Several shops offer gear or mementos for adults and kids, and conveniences shopping is available. The Bretton Woods ski resort offers unique experiences in fitness, body & bath, nail care, skin care, massage, and spa for those wanting a bit of pampering off the slopes.

Other non-traditional ski resort experiences include year-round zip lines, indoor climbing walls, and scenic gondola rides. A tubing hill (no lift, so riders must walk it), snowshoeing, and cross country skiing are available for those not interested in alpine skiing. The Nordic trail system at the Bretton Woods ski area offers 45 trails of various skill ratings that stretch over 62 miles across the resort area and the White Mountain National Forest.

White Mountain Alpine Adventure

The Bretton Woods Ski Resort has a base elevation of 1,600 feet and a 3,100-foot summit. A 1,500-foot vertical drop provides guests with the momentum and potentials they need to bomb or carve the slopes. Average annual snowfall amounts at the venue reach over 200 inches. Over 90-percent of the trails on the mountain have snowmaking capabilities, providing consistent conditions across the terrain. The equipment helps the ski season go from approximately from early November through mid-April.

Bretton Woods offers skiers and riders 464 alpine acres of maintained runs. There are almost 100 trails on the slopes of three peaks. Nearly half of the terrain is either black diamond for advanced skill levels (over 30-percent) or double diamond for expert exploration (15-percent). A quarter of the runs are green rating for newbies, and the remaining terrain on Bretton Woods is rated blue for skiers and riders with some experience.

The Bretton Woods Ski Resort uses 10 lifts to move guests around the slopes, and about 1 in 10 trails has lights that make night skiing here possible.