Snowmaking is a Matter of Survival for Southern NH Ski Areas
Christmas vacation week is a major revenue source for many NH ski areas. But as December 2023 drew to a close with plenty of rain and little to no natural snowfall, the only ski areas able to open for vacationers were those with ample snowmaking capacity. As winters warm, the ability to invest in snowmaking is becoming a significant determinant of ski area viability.
Veterans Memorial Recreation Area, Franklin, NH Vertical Drop: 230 ft
Veterans Memorial, or ‘The Vets’ to locals, is a community ski hill run by the Franklin Outing Club since 1961. This hand-painted trail map from 2010 hangs in the base lodge.
The Vets has a hand-me-down T-bar from Mount Sunapee, where Franklin Outing President Club Timothy Morrill says it was first used in the 1940s.
Franklin Outing Club President Timothy Morrill, whose father and grandfather were also involved with the ski hill, poses in front of two second-hand snowmaking guns the club purchased with county funding in 2023.
Whaleback Mountain, Enfield, NH Vertical Drop: 700 ft
The December 18th rainstorm washed away much of Whaleback Mountain’s snow cover.
Executive Director Jon Hunt discusses his mountain’s snowmaking operations while a machine moves snow in the background. In 2023, the mountain received government funding to double their snowmaking capacity.
After the storm, only some remnants of man-made snow remained on the race trail.
Pats Peak Ski Area, Henniker, NH Vertical Drop: 770 ft
General Manager Kris Blomback turns off one of Pats Peak’s 610 snow guns.
While other southern ski areas were struggling to open after the December rains, Pats Peak had the majority of its trails available to skiers.
Snow ‘lances’ blow man-made snow onto the Downdraft trail at Pats Peak, days after a December 18th rainstorm. General Manager Kris Blomback said he was able to fully cover the trail with snow in 12 hours after the storm.