What I love about Boston is that it is a vibrant city that’s easy to escape. Located in proximity to a lot of the different landscapes found in the Northeast, Boston is a hub for a variety of outdoor enthusiasts. For skiers and snowboarders, winter means it’s time to hit the slopes!
What We'll Cover
When I moved to Boston a few years back I had trouble finding a quick and comprehensive guide to skiing in New England. There are many sources for general information but there’s not one article that outlines all the info in one place. Until now.
In this article, I outline the best ski resorts within a 3-hour drive of Boston. Included are mountain statistics; links to snow reports, trail maps and directions from Google maps; lift ticket prices and specials for the 2010-2011 ski season. This is your one stop guide to a ski trip departing from Boston!
Boston Ski Resorts Index
Use the navigation below to jump to a certain ski area or scroll down to browse the resorts by state.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Cannon Mountain
Loon Mountain
Bretton Woods
Crotched Mountain
Black Mountain
Mount Sunnappee
Pats Peak
Ragged Mountain
MAINE
Shawnee Peak
MASSACHUSETTS
Wachusett
VERMONT
Killington
Okemo
Boston Ski Resort Information by State
Browse New England ski resorts within 3 hours of Boston by state. Follow the links for more information about the resorts.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Cannon Mountain
Cannon Mountain is one of the beasts of the Northeast. At 4,080 feet, it claims the highest ski area summit in New Hampshire. It’s also home to the longest vertical drop in the state at 2,180 feet. Once upon a time a young Bode Miller, born and raised in nearby Franconia, sharpened his edges on the slopes of Canon Mountain before growing up to become a gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic skier. Other quick facts: 72 trails and glades and 264 ski-able acres in total, including an expansive backcountry ski area (Mittersill Backcountry Area).
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and Directions from Boston
Back to ski area index
Loon Mountain
Loon Mountain may be the most popular ski destination for Bostonians. With a vertical drop of 2,100 feet and 352 acres of ski area to choose from, there’s enough for everyone. It’s no a surprise that Loon is so popular; the resort has overseen dramatic expansions over the past several years and recently invested another $1.2 million to improve it’s snow making system for the 2010-2011 season. Other quick facts: Loon has a total of 56 trails and summit elevation is at 3,050 feet.
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and Directions from Boston
Back to ski area index
Bretton Woods
Located in the heart of the valley of Mount Washington, the highest point in the Northeast, Bretton Woods offers a scenic getaway rivaled by few. It’s also home to a whopping 464 skiable acres of terrain and 102 trails and glades, making it a worthy destination for first timers and hardcore skiers and snowboarders. Other quick facts: Summit elevation is at 3,100 feet and vertical drop is 1500 feet.
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and Directions from Boston
Lift Ticket Prices
Back to ski area index
Mount Sunapee
Although not located in the White Mountains, Mount Sunapee is probably the best Boston-area mountain to ski for those looking to maximize their time on the slopes and cut down on gas expenses and driving. With a summit elevation of 2,743 feet, a vertical drop of 1,510 feet and 220 acres of ski area, Mount Sunapee is a great quick getaway that’s only two hours from Boston.
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and Directions from Boston
Lift Tickets Prices
Back to ski area index
Pats Peak
Ninety acres of of skiable terrain; a summit elevation of 1400 feet; a vertical drop of 710 feet. If the mountain statistics don’t give you a clue of what kind of ski resorts this is, I will. This is not a place for ski junkies to find their next double black diamond fix. It’s a family and beginner oriented place. It’s the kind of mountain where a tyke can try the slopes for the first time, maybe from the very top, as mom and dad look on and savor the memories without the worry of some punk flying down the mountain at 80 miles an hour and coming within several inches of leveling their little one.
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and directions from Boston
Lift Ticket Prices
Back to ski area index
Ragged Mountain
Another well-maintained mid-size mountain in New Hampshire is Ragged Mountain. It has a vertical peak of 2,250 feet, a vertical drop of 1,250 feet, and a respectable 45 trails and 220 acres of ski area. It’s a perfect place for the intermediate skier, offering a variety of blue square slopes, multiple black diamonds and even a few double black diamonds for those feeling adventurous.
More information
Area website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and directions from Boston
Lift Ticket Prices
Back to ski area index
Crotched Mountain
At 75 acres, Crotched Mountain is a relatively small ski area under two hours away from Boston. Crotched peaks at 2,066 feet and it’s vertical drop is 875 feet. If you’re a college student, there’s no place like Crotched for Friday night skiing and shenanigans. I’m talking concerts, bonfires and open slopes from 5pm to 3am. It’s like totally chicks, dude.
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and directions from Boston
Lift Ticket Prices
Back to ski area index
Black Mountain
Contrary to it’s name, Black Mountain is located in the heart of the White Mountains. Think spectacular panoramas. This 143-acre ski area is perfect for those looking for excellent views and slopes of ranging difficulty without the massive crowds that some of the other ski areas in the White Mountains attract. Other quick facts: A summit elevation of 2,350 feet and a vertical drop of 1,100 feet.
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Teport
Map and directions from Boston
Lift Ticket Prices
Back to ski area index
MAINE
Shawnee Peak
At 1,900 feet, Shawnee Peak in Maine may not be the highest mountain on this list, but with a vertical drop of 1,350 feet and 245 acres of terrain it’s well worth a visit. With an array of black diamonds and blue squares, it’s a perfect spot 2.5 hours away from Boston for intermediate skiers. Expect shorter lines and don’t miss Monday’s $13 Night skiing!
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and directions from Boston
Lift Ticket Prices
Back to ski area index
MASSACHUSETTS
Wachusett
Located in central Massachusetts, Wachusett Mountain boasts a surprising vertical drop of 1000 feet and a summit elevation of 2006 feet. It is also the closest ski area to Boston at 1.5 hours away and thus receives a fair amount of traffic from Bostonians. Wachusett is fairly small – 118 acres of terrain – and has a limited selection of trails to choose from.
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and directions from Boston
Lift ticket prices
Back to ski area index
VERMONT
Killington
If the name alone doesn’t send shivers through you, the mountain statistics will: 752 acres of ski terrain; a 3,050 foot vertical drop; a summit elevation of 4,241 feet. It is one of the largest ski resorts on the East Coast, making Killington a true beast of the Northeast. Excellent views and 140 different trails attract their fare share of crowds – 17,000 daily visitors, by some estimates.
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and directions from Boston
Lift ticket prices
Back to ski area index
Okemo
Okemo is another popular behemoth in Vermont. It offers 632 acres of ski terrain, of which 605 acres are covered by snow making; a vertical drop of 2,200 feet; and a summit elevation of 3,344 feet. Okemo was also rated the top ski resort for families in the US by Parents Magazine in 2009.
More information
Area Website
Trail Map
Snow Report
Map and directions from Boston
Lift Ticket Pieces
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