Winter is upon the River Rival Region, and though the current temperature has locals coming and going in T-shirts, the mere thought of cutting through a powdery trail along a mountain's steep backside is reason enough for many locals to wake up, load their families gear and drive to the nearest skiing destination.
So what makes a good skiing experience? Hot food? A solid bar? Or maybe just good old customer service? Though they are welcome, chances are great that food, drink and hospitality are not at the top of a skier's or snowboarder's make-or-break list.
What matters most to any and all self-serving winter sportsmen are the conditions and circumstances: the type of snow (powder or packed), the day's temperature, trail difficulty, the density of people on the slopes and the amount of snow already on the ground and still to arrive.
Some of the better mountains require a lengthy voyage in the family minivan, but when the day is done, your leg muscles are spent and your cheeks are a rose-colored hue, you know you made the right decision.
Jay Peak Resort in Jay, Vt., is perhaps one of the finer examples of when you should decide to throw gas prices to the wind and set sail.
With 2,153 vertical feet, and an annual snowfall average of 300 inches, Jay Peak's twin peaks of 76 trails and six lifts is exactly what good skiing and snowboarding is all about.
What differentiates Jay Peak from the rest is the mountain's geographical positioning that enables it to receive an extra padding of New England's softest snow. Jay Peak is most notorious for its glades — all 100-plus acres.
Just minutes from the Canadian border, the lure of Jay Peak's European atmosphere and architecture, as well as its 385 skiable acres, make this mountain one of New England's best.
Another sure-fire mountain is the Killington Resort located in Killington, Vt. With the highest vertical drop in New England at 3,050 feet, Killington is a veritable skiers' and snowboarders' playground.
Looming over the rest of New England, with the exception of Mount Washington, the resort's summit of 4,215 feet assures great vantage points and far-reaching views.
The resort is home to 30 lifts, including 12 quads and three gondolas that lead to 200 trails, has snow-making, grooming, a terrain park and 1,215 skiable acres (87 miles of trails) — 143 of those being glades.
Just recently celebrating its 50th birthday, Killington, which averages nearly 250 inches of snowfall per season, introduced its newest gondola, the Skye Peak Express, and has spent $8.4 million upgrading the facilities.
Owning the same name as the city in which it's located, New Hampshire's Bretton Woods is another family-friendly mountain that features a nice variety of challenges. With 101 trails equaling out to 11 miles, this resort is high on the customer-satisfaction scale. Bretton Woods maintains nine lifts, has a 1,500-vertical foot drop, and is home to 734 skiable acres.
Wind is a non-factor at Bretton Woods as it has only affected lift operation eight out of the 4,449 days the resort has been operating.
In addition to the terrain park, the resort offers snow-making, grooming, night skiing and a plethora of nice restaurants including the Top O'Quad Restaurant that offers a Latin-style menu. However, very few of the resort's black diamond trails are currently open.
Another prime mountain in New Hampshire is Cannon Mountain in Franconia. Cannon owns New Hampshire's steepest vertical drop with a total of 2,146 feet, and harbors 55 trails that combine into 163 skiable acres. The mountain has nine lifts including a 70-person aerial tramway, a terrain park and grooming. Though it can be an absolutely frigid mountain, Cannon offers some exciting trails while giving skiers and snowboarders a view of Franconia Notch.
Located in Newry, Maine, Sunday River is one of the largest resorts. The resort, which averages 155 inches of snowfall annually, is home to eight separate peaks and has a vertical drop of 2,340 feet. With snow-making on 92 percent of the trails that features 72 miles of piping, constant layers of fresh snow are guaranteed.
Sunday River owns 18 lifts, including nine quads that will carry all willing skiers and snowboarders to 121 different trails, totaling 663 skiable acres and its terrain park.
New England ski resorts
Resort: Bretton Woods
Location: Bretton Woods, N.H.
Distance from Newburyport: 150 miles
Base depth: 20-50 inches
Trails open: 71
Resort: Cannon Mountain
Location: Franconia, N.H.
Distance from Newburyport: 130 miles
Base depth: 15-30 inches
Trails open: 32
Resort: Jay Peak Resort
Location: Jay, Vt.
Distance from Newburyport: 222 miles
Base depth: 12-36 inches
Trails open: 36
Resort: Killington Ski Resort
Location: Killington, Vt.
Distance from Newburyport: 153 miles
Base depth: 36-48 inches
Trails open: 92
Resort: Sunday River Ski Resort
Location: Newry, Maine
Distance from Newburyport: 140 miles
Base depth: 44-52 inches
Trails open: 103
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