These locations offer big fun for beginners and experts alike.
I’m a sucker for small ski areas. I grew up in Minneapolis, where a lot of the areas seem to have sprung up from a cornfield. When I moved out east, the mountains were bigger, but some of the best skiing was on the smaller hills. After hours and hours of gates and drills and then standing slopeside while my six kids have done gates and drills, I’m pretty sure that I qualify as a small area fanatic. I’m particularly fond of New England with its history, accessibility, and hometown feel. People don’t ski here to be seen; they ski here to ski. Small ski areas have the added advantage of fewer crowds and less expensive lift tickets, making them much more affordable for a family.
Here are 4 of KidTripster’s favorite small ski areas in New England.
1. Suicide Six
South Pomfret near Woodstock, Vermont
Just a few miles from Woodstock, Vermont, Suicide Six was the site of the first rope tow in America, installed by Bunny Bertram on Hill No. 6 in 1936. Bertram joked that it would be suicide to ski straight down the steep pitch, and the name stuck. But don’t let the unfriendly name fool you. The terrain is evenly divided between green, blue, and black diamond slopes. From easy cruisers to glades to showing off on The Face, there really is something for everyone in the family.
What to do on the slopes?
Suicide Six is small. It only has about 650 feet of vertical, compared to over 2,000 feet at Stowe and over 3000 feet at Killington. But unless you’ve been working out, it’s hard to experience all that vertical in one day. And with one main lift, you don’t have to worry about the kids getting lost on the mountain.
KidTripster Tip: The weather in New England is famous for its variability. One day, it’s below zero; the next, it’s raining; the next, it’s sunny and pleasant. Check the weather report and bring appropriate clothing.
We skied on a cold day early in the season. The cruisers on the hill were enough to get warmed up, and the short lift and even shorter lift lines meant that the cold temperatures didn’t really get to us. We could build up a head of steam and keep moving. The easier slopes were relaxing: not too crowded, not too intense. Weekday cost: Youth (5 and under) $10; Youth (6 to 14) $25; Adult $30; weekend and holiday rates are about twice that.
The ski school does offer private lessons; call ahead for reservations.
What to do besides skiing?
Woodstock Inn and Resort runs a full Nordic center with cross-country and snowshoe trails.
Woodstock itself is a charming Vermont village. There’s seasonal attractions like the Wassail Parade around Christmas. There’s good shopping here, too. Check out William Winand Chocolatier in town or Simon Pearce Glassworks, just down the road for glass-blowing demonstrations and a restaurant above a waterfall.
South of Woodstock, the Kedron Valley Stable offers sleigh rides. The rides last about an hour and can accommodate up to eight people in a sleigh or surrey. Cost: $125-$200, depending on the number of passengers.
Located in nearby Quechee, the Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center has a huge indoor wall and climbable ceiling for the more adventurous. My kids and I have spent many rainy afternoons on the pitches here, which really do cater to smaller folks, as well as more experienced climbers. Just don’t get so caught up in the climbing that you get too sore to ski the next day! Cost: Youth (5 and under) $6; Youth (6 to 12) $12; Adult $15; rates include all gear.
Where to stay?
Suicide Six is owned by Woodstock Inn and Resort, which has a number of ski-and-stay packages. However, the Inn is not a budget-oriented accommodation. The ski package for two adults and two kids goes for about $600/night and includes room, breakfast, lift tickets, and resort amenities, like a pool, spa, and luxury rooms with real fireplaces.
There are a number of more reasonably-priced alternatives nearby. The Shire and The Braeside both offer decent rooms at competitive prices. Renting through a website like Airbnb is another possibility. Be advised that there are no slopeside rental condos or houses, but this is a small area only about ten minutes from town.
Where to eat?
The base lodge offers very good cafeteria food. There’s also a sit-down restaurant. I found the Three Cheese Soup to be outstanding; it’s the same soup that I remember from skiing here 35 years ago. And the brownie sundae is a perfect extravagance after a hard day on the slopes, along with six different taps that feature local brews.
Speaking of local breweries, Long Trail Ale has its headquarters about 15 minutes away in Bridgewater Corners. The pub and restaurant are styled like a Hofbrau Haus in Munich. If you’re looking for more elegant dining, Woodstock has plenty of award-winning restaurants from Asian-fusion to tapas to fine American fare. You really can’t go wrong.
Getting there
Woodstock is a 1-1/2-hour drive from Manchester and Burlington and 2-1/2 hours from Boston. If you’re renting, do yourself a favor and get a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Doug Tengdin is father to six and resident of the Upper Connecticut Valley. He’s been skiing at Suicide Six since 1979.
2. Dartmouth Skiway
Lyme near Hanover, New Hampshire
Dartmouth Skiway is Dartmouth College’s own mountain. It’s where the Dartmouth Ski Team trains and competes, and it was my home ski hill back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Most of the trails are easy cruisers, although there are a few expert slopes. The ski team’s slalom training area runs alongside the quad chair, and it’s fun to watch them bash down the poles as you head up for your next run. The lodge is cozy, the food is good, and the slopes are inviting. What’s not to like?
Lift tickets are quite reasonable. Weekday/weekend cost: Youth $26/$33; Teens $29/38; Adults $31/$48. On Mondays and Tuesdays, all lift passes are $20.
The ski school is designed around private lessons. Cost: $75 for a one-hour private lesson; $99 for a lesson, rental, and lift ticket.
What to do on the slopes?
The area spans both sides of Lyme-Dorchester Road, so it has about 850 feet of vertical on two mountains. One side, Winslow Ledge, is serviced by a quad. It’s also where the beginner area with its two magic carpets is situated. The other side, Holt’s Ledge, has an ancient double chair. It’s really ancient; it’s the same chairlift that I used for training in my younger days.
We skied on a snowy day when only the Winslow side was open. This often seems to be the case, which is too bad. I know small areas need to economize, but most of the more interesting terrain is on the Holt’s Ledge side. It would be prudent to call ahead to see which side is open. If you’re lucky or it’s a holiday, both sides will be.
What to do besides skiing?
Dartmouth College is 20 minutes from Skiway in Hanover. The Hopkins Center for the Arts has something going almost every night from classical string quartets to dance troupes to puppet shows. The box office is open one hour before every show.
Hanover itself is a quiet, New England town with shopping, restaurants, and coffee shops. Dirk Cowboy Cafe has the largest selection of exotic coffees that I’ve ever seen. My favorite is the Yemeni Mocha Matari, but that’s too bitter for most people.
Where to eat?
The Skiway has decent food, and it’s never very crowded. My kids love the long sugar stix, a kind of cinnamon-sugar doughnut, and I like to get a large hot chocolate. The chili here is always good, too.
My favorite family place in Hanover is Molly’s Restaurant and Bar. It always has good food, good-sized portions, and blissful deserts. It also has a wood-fired pizza oven and seating that allows you to see your pizzas being made, which is always good fun. And if you have special dietary needs, Molly’s serves gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and vegan options.
For fine dining and live music, head to Canoe Club in downtown Hanover.
Where to stay?
Lyme has two small inns: Dowd’s Country Inn and The Lyme Inn. Both are classic New England inns with attached dining rooms. The prices at both places are reasonable, and the rooms are charming with lots of light, four-poster beds, and fireplaces; suites are available as well. Both are pet-friendly.
Hanover has several larger and pricier hotels, both in town and just outside: Hanover Inn, Six South Street Hotel, and Residence Inn. Whether you stay in Hanover or Lyme, be sure to book your stay well in advance. Some weekends – Winter Carnival and hockey tournament weekends, especially – can get quite crowded.
Getting there
Hanover and Lyme are about a 1-1/2-hour drive from Manchester and 2-1/2-hour drive from Boston. If you’re planning on skiing during “mud” season (late winter/early spring), you’ll want a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Doug Tengdin is father to six and resident of the Upper Connecticut Valley.
3. Whaleback
Enfield, New Hampshire
Whaleback isn’t your typical ski area. It’s run by an educational foundation. Because of that, it’s not high-tech, high-glam, high-priced skiing. Instead it’s family-friendly snow sports delivered in a sustainable way. Whaleback has the best glade skiing anywhere south of Jay Peak. And the day tickets are the most affordable I’ve seen. Cost: Midweek $25; Youth $35; Adult $45; the last two hours of any day and the first 3-1/2 hours on Sunday mornings are just $20.
What to do on the slopes?
Whaleback is a small area with a lot of charm. It has one double chairlift, one rope tow, and one short magic carpet. The chairlift goes straight up the face which has about 700 feet of vertical. The main run, Spout, goes around the side of the hill; it’s an intermediate trail with good terrain and good snowmaking. There are plenty of easy runs that go around the Whale’s Tail. And The Face is a nice place to show off under the lift, when there’s enough snow.
And that’s the rub. Since Whaleback is run as a nonprofit and doesn’t have a big corporate parent to absorb operating losses, it has to scrimp somewhere. This year, it was on snowmaking. I kept waiting to have some good storms in order to enjoy the great terrain that I’ve experienced over the years, but we never got quite enough.
KidTripster Tip: If Whaleback doesn’t have enough snow when you visit, head to Mount Sunapee. It offers a bigger mountain experience only 30 minutes away.
What to do besides skiing?
Whaleback is close to Hanover. See previous page on the Dartmouth Skiway for attractions.
Where to eat?
In nearby Lebanon, you’ll find a lot of family-friendly restaurants. Three Tomatoes Wood Fired Trattoria is one of my favorites. Salt Hill offers pub fare. Lui Lui is a good Italian restaurant. And Gusano’s has the best chips and salsa of any Mexican eatery in the area. All are reasonably priced and popular with locals.
Where to stay?
Just 15 minutes away in White River Junction, Hampton Inn is very inexpensive.
Getting there
Whaleback is located a 1/2-hour drive from Hanover, 1-1/2 drive from Burlington, and 2-hour drive from Boston.
Doug Tengdin is father to six and resident of the Upper Connecticut Valley.
4. Bolton Valley
Richmond near Waterbury, Vermont
Bolton Valley advertises itself as “Vermont Naturally” and that moniker appropriately describes this small ski resort. Bolton is a no-frills, ski playground for families who want to spend quality time on the slopes. It maintains that small mountain feel despite a 3,100-foot summit and 300 acres of skiable terrain. Its beauty lies in its simplicity. Although cell phone service is available on the mountain and wireless capability is available at The Inn at Bolton Valley, it’s a place that begs one to leave the phone in the bag and put the laptop in sleep mode. Fun isn’t manufactured at Bolton but rather occurs naturally through quality skiing and family togetherness.
The mountain is a skier’s paradise, offering 71 trails of varying levels of skill. It also offers significant back-country skiing for those who have the skill and courage to brave the terrain. With the highest base elevation in Vermont and its valley location, Bolton receives an average of 300+ inches of snow annually. Despite its incredible ski conditions, Bolton is affordable and hasn’t succombed to the corporate ski culture that is so prevalent today. It’s big skiing with a small mountain atmosphere. Those who know about it probably would rather keep it a secret.
What to do on the slopes?
What can’t you do on the slopes of Bolton Valley? The mountain has three interconnected peaks, serving skiers of all skill levels with 34% of its trails marked as easy, 38% marked as intermediate, and 28% marked as most difficult. Bolton also offers night skiing which is rare in Vermont. In addition, it has three terrain parks and plenty of glade skiing. The Vista Peak (directly accessed from Base Lodge) offers an assortment of greens and blues and includes several challenging steeps and glade trails. Cobrass is a local favorite that allows skiers to either wind down the mountain or jump onto the Cobrass or Devil’s Playground Woods. The Timberline Peak (accessed from the Timberline Lodge down the road) offers a similar combination with a higher concentration of black diamonds. Note that you can crossover from peak to peak without getting in the car.
The Wilderness Peak (accessed from Base Lodge) offers a combination of green, blue, and black trails, as well, but relies on mother nature to cover its terrain. It’s also the access point for back-country terrain. Unfortunately, it was closed during our visit due to high winds and frigid temperatures.
Bolton’s peaks are serviced via double and quad lifts. If you are looking for heated chairs, bubble lifts or gondolas, you won’t find them at Bolton. But you won’t find lift lines either!
KidTripster Tip: Dress appropriately and only ski the steeps and glade trails if you have the ability handle it. Without high-speed lifts or gondolas, the ride to the peak can take 12 to 15 minutes. It can be cold on a blustery, New England winter’s day.
Weekday cost: Youth (6 and under) Free; Youth $49; Adult $59. Weekend cost: Youth (6 and under) Free; Youth $59; Adult $69. Night skiing (4:00-10:00 p.m.) cost: $20. The ski school does offer private lessons; call ahead for reservations. Rentals also are available.
What to do besides skiing?
The Bolton Valley Nordic Center is located adjacent to The Inn at Bolton Valley with miles of cross-country and snowshoe trails. In addition, the Nordic Center has a heated pool, hot tub, and sauna. It’s not the Ritz-Carlton, but it is a nice way to relax after a hard day of skiing. (Note: the center is not connected to the hotel.) The lounge area has several couches, pool table, foosball table, and a selection of board games. It advertises tennis courts and a fitness center, but that area is in need of significant repair, and the equipment was quite dated; I wouldn’t go there expecting to get 45 minutes on the elliptical. In addition, the hotel offers yoga classes. Although not staged in a fancy yoga studio, my wife took the class and said that it was phenomenal.
Where to stay?
The Inn at Bolton Valley sits right at the foot of the Vista Quad and Base Lodge. While the hotel is dated, the rooms are well-sized (we had 5 in our room with one child on a rollaway cot), and the convenience can’t be beat; we walked to the quad from our back slider. In addition, we could walk to the convenience store/deli and the James Moore Tavern without exiting the hotel. During peak season, rates start at $150/night; a two-bedroom suite runs around $330/night.
Bolton also offers one- to three-bedroom condos which are farther from the main lodge. Although you may save a few bucks, they tend not to have WiFi access or cable television, and you’re rather disconnected from Base Lodge.
There are a number of additional options in nearby in Waterbury, including a number of chain-type hotels.
Where to eat?
Base Lodge offers decent cafeteria food; however, I’d head to Fireside Flatbread for pizza or to the Timberline Lodge’s South of Solitude which serves tacos and burritos.
James Moore Tavern is your quintessential New England après ski bar and eatery. The food is local, and the scene is lively with music and patrons with their ski boots still on.
About 15 minutes from Bolton, Waterbury is a quaint, Vermont town with several quality eating establishments including the Prohibition Pig (upscale pub food with a great selection of craft beers), Hen of the Wood (farm-to-table American cuisine) and The Blue Stone (gourmet pizza).
Any trip to Waterbury usually includes a visit to the birthplace of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. You can learn the story of how the venture started and its commitment to social causes, and most importantly, taste test old and new flavors.
Getting there
Bolton Valley is located about a 3-hour drive from Hartford or Boston and about a 5-hour drive from New York City.
Bill Claffey is a proud father of three boys, who all race for the Catamount Ski Team in Hillsdale, New York. He lives in Colchester, Connecticut, and loves taking his family on spontaneous outdoor adventures.
This writer received a complimentary lift tickets for the purpose of this review. However, all opinions expressed are solely his own.
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