If anyone can do it, maybe it’s Les Otten.  The ski industry icon has pulled off plenty of improbable feats over the course of his career, but perhaps none is as ambitious as his latest venture; attempting to re-build The Balsams Resort and transform it into the largest ski area in all of New England, […] The post Basecamp podcast: Les Otten talks reviving The Balsams in New Hampshire appeared first on New England Ski Journal ..read more

Granite Backcountry Alliance (GBA), a nonprofit organization developing backcountry skiing terrain in New Hampshire and western Maine, will host its seventh annual Wild Corn Backcountry Shindig this weekend at King Pine Ski Area in Madison, N.H. Wild Corn is a mountain takeover of King Pine where the lifts shut down and guests have uphill access to enjoy human-powered skiing all weekend […] The post This weekend’s Wild Corn Shindig kicks off stretch of spring events appeared first on New England Ski Journal ..read more

Take a look around the lift line nowadays and you can’t help but wonder if you’ve stumbled into a branding convention, a competition of sorts to see which outerwear company’s strategically displayed logo stands most prominently — not to mention, self-importantly — against the rest.  We all recognize the big players because everywhere we turn, […] The post Terracea is aiming to be New Hampshire’s next fashion icon  appeared first on New England Ski Journal ..read more

Spring reminds us that it’s OK to just “be” sometimes.  It is the season when there’s less of a rush for first tracks or a decent parking spot. We get to sleep in mornings while the slopes thaw out from their overnight freeze, awaiting bright, bluebird skies with temperatures warm enough to ski in a […] The post 10 great spots to soak up the sun this spring at a mountain near you  appeared first on New England Ski Journal ..read more

Few things compare to the joy of being out on a snow-covered mountain when the sun is shining and the temperatures climb above freezing, often into the 40s, 50s and 60s. Spring skiing expands the mountain experience simply by enticing people to spend more time outside, rather than making frequent stops in the lodge. The […] The post 5 things to remember in order to make the most of your spring skiing days appeared first on New England Ski Journal ..read more

U.S. Ski and Snowboard will bring the freestyle national championship back to Waterville Valley in New Hampshire this weekend (March 25-26) for the first time since 2019 with moguls and dual moguls competitions. It is the first year of a two-year deal that was announced in October by the federation. Both disciplines are judged on […] The post Waterville Valley plays host to national moguls championships this weekend appeared first on New England Ski Journal ..read more

Not so long ago, it was a rather bleak winter for local ski areas that rely on natural snow. Snowmaking assured there would be skiing over February school break — a pivotal financial period for the ski industry — but backcountry skiers and those who prefer a more natural terrain, were left thirsting.  “We were […] The post Basecamp podcast: The soul of Vermont’s Magic Mountain appeared first on New England Ski Journal ..read more

RANGELEY, Maine — As you get closer to Rangeley, via northward way of Route 17, long past Fryeburg and Bethel, the trip turns into its own metaphor. For the potholes and frost heaves on this remote stretch of road, located in the backwoods of Maine, present some rocky stretches, much like nearby Saddleback Mountain has […] The post A Rangeley reunion after a lengthy separation from Saddleback appeared first on New England Ski Journal ..read more

A quick preview of the next two weeks of welcome winter weather swung through New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Valley toward the end of February school break. A few inches of snow had fallen, and my kids and I ventured over to King Pine Ski Area for a few hours of playing around in the powder.  […] The post Welcome to Winter, Part II: The season we deserve appeared first on New England Ski Journal ..read more

Two days before her 28th birthday, Mikaela Shiffrin became the greatest World Cup skier of all time. Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark was 32 when he won his 86th career race on the circuit, a record that stood for 34 years. Now that Shiffrin has 87 wins — with a four-year head-start on Stenmark — it’s […] The post Mikaela Shiffrin sits alone on World Cup throne appeared first on New England Ski Journal ..read more