Jackson, New Hampshire – We had to brave a snow storm to get here (which seems to be a requirement for everything we do this winter), but we had a super fun day of skiing at Black Mountain in Jackson, New Hampshire.
We chose Black Mountain because it is one of the independent resorts included in the IndyPass, which I purchased for the twins this year. The pass allows them to ski at resorts around the country (including 11 in New England) for two days each. This winter we have enjoyed outings to Pat’s Peak and Berkshire East, but we were ready for the higher peaks further north.
For our outing to Black Mountain, we rented a house in North Conway with two other families. The plan was to drive up on Friday so we would be ready to ski bright and early on Saturday. Just our luck, the forecast called for a snow storm on Friday (the third time this winter that our travel day coincided with a snow storm – read about the first time here and the second time here).
School was canceled, but we could not get an earlier start because of the blizzard conditions. Some members of our party were calling for a Saturday-morning departure. But I was against it, knowing it would cut into our ski time. (Also, the kids were going stir crazy in the house.) By early afternoon, the snow had let up and the streets were clear in Somerville. So we set off. Conditions got worse as we went north and it got dark. But it was worth it when we arrived at our cozy Vacasa house and cracked open a bottle of wine. And on Saturday morning, we awoke to blue skies and fresh snow!
Needless to say, ski conditions were ideal. We have never skied on this deep, fresh powder before, and it was a blast. For an added element of excitement, many trails were ungroomed.
Aside from the fantastic ski conditions, we loved Black Mountain for its old-school atmosphere and the narrow, wooded trails. It was quite the winter wonderland. True, some of the chairlifts are slow. But that was the only complaint I heard all day.
Furthermore, I spoke with other folks who had been to two other White Mountain resorts on Saturday morning but left due to long lift lines and full parking lots. I guess everyone wanted to take advantage of the fresh snow. Fortunately, we had no such problems at Black Mountain. The kids had a blast, and the adults likewise (except for the two that sustained injuries). And I think I have found my new favorite New England ski resort.
