Gunstock Mountain, a NH Ski Secret
Family winter fun: skiing, boarding and tubing in New Hampshire
The Lakes Region is close to Boston and a perfect choice for skiing and riding on the family-friendly slopes of Gilford's Gunstock Mountain Resort.
Proximity is enough reason to bring skiers to Gunstock Mountain. A straight shot up Interstate 93 from Connecticut and Massachusetts to the heart of New England’s best snow country gets you there from most places in one to two hours. A family-oriented resort, it has some of the finest ski instruction in the east for all skill levels and an easy atmosphere that lends itself to the comfortable feeling of belonging.
For those who have always wanted to try skiing, or have a child ready to learn the sport, the Magic Mountain program packages lifts, lessons and equipment for a bargain price. Group lessons (separated by age) and private lessons are available and the instructors here are not only skilled but patient and eager as well. The Mountain Adventure and Mountain Excitement programs offer more advanced packages.
A Magic Carpet on the gentlset of hills gets the new skier past the initial jitters, then the Gunshy Double chair lift brings them to three beautiful trails where they can practice their new turns. The Pistol Triple Chair, on the other side of the resort, also has a nice run that beginners like, called Upper and Lower Sidearm.
When the skis begin to feel comfortable go over to the Ramrod Quad and get off to the left. Look for Smith, Phelps and Ricochet, three intermediate trails but all broad and non-life threatening. These three trails are great places to hone skiing skills with lots of room for traversing and slopes that will not take your breath away.
It won’t take much to graduate to the Intermediate slopes and there are some great ones here. For a long run take the Panorama Quad to the summit and follow Flintlock-The Flats (you’ll want to have some speed up to get through here) and Stonebar. Ricochet, Phelps and Smith, served by the Ramrod Quad, are also enjoyable slopes to practice your stuff.
The Panorama High Speed Quad can also take you to Intermediate runs on Recoil, Gunpowder, Shotgun and Gunsmoke, as well as Musket and Pistol off the Pistol Triple; these can be some of the best runs because they are often less used than some of the others.
Experts will want to get to the Tiger Triple, to the right of the Ramrod Quad. Upper and Lower Cannonball, Slingshot and especially Tiger can be really exciting experiences and Flintlock Extension, Cannonball, Red Hat and Trigger offer some nice challenges and, surprisingly, are less populated than other slopes. Or, from the Panorama lift, try Hot Shot, a trail that charges down a ravine, or the Recoil trails.
Tuesdays through Saturdays the mountain extends its hours with night skiing, a chance to stretch the skiing experience without extending the vacation. Gunstock doesn’t offer any lodgings of its own but does have connections with a number of hotels and inns in the area. Gilford is in the heart of a major New Hampshire four-season vacation area and is well served by fine dining and lodging options.
To get to Gunstock Mountain take exit 20 of I 93 and follow Route 11 and Route 11A -- the route is well marked to Gunstock.
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