This is not a story about ski resorts. It’s about ski areas. The distinction is important. Today’s mega-resorts have every amenity imaginable. On the down side, they also tend to have ticket prices to match, and you’ll find plenty of company in the lift lines. What the big resorts don’t offer is the ability to pull at our heartstrings the way smaller and sometimes more rough-cut ski areas can. These places are tethered like a rope tow to our past, when there was something special about bundling up against the elements and embracing the challenge of tackling the season’s persnickety offerings.

Nostalgia rules my winter compass. I want my daughters to have memories similar to mine—except for the lace-up ski boots and bear-trap bindings. Thanks to improvements in grooming and snowmaking technology, smaller ski areas like the following six in New England (there are many more throughout the region) can produce splendid conditions while retaining the magic of yesteryear. They won’t be the first to open in late fall or the last to close in late spring, and you won’t hear any “highest, steepest, longest” claims, but what they may lack in bells and whistles they more than make up for in character. You’ll also find outstanding customer service; shorter lift lines; family fun, with trails for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers; and a few extra bucks in your pocket at the end of the day, and that generally adds up to more smiles per outing.

Shawnee Peak
Bridgton, Maine

With brand marketing all the rage, Shawnee Peak will never reclaim its original name. That’s a shame. Pleasant Mountain was the ideal sobriquet for this delightful-yet-challenging area just a snowball’s throw from New Hampshire. The hill returned to local ownership in 1994. For longtime fans who’ve developed a sense of ownership in Pleasant Mountain over seven decades, Shawnee Peak—so named in 1988—has carved an ideal niche between huge resorts and local rope tows.

“Shawnee Peak has allowed three generations of my family to enjoy skiing together,” says Kathy Bertagna. “From my 72-year-old father to my 7-year-old daughter, Shawnee is great skiing for all of us.” Snow lovers headed to this part of Maine have other options, including the sprawling Sunday River resort just to the north. Yet skiers keep coming back to Shawnee Peak, and for good reason. The Summit Chalet views of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range in New Hampshire are unequaled. The trails run on the steep side, but are well groomed. Carving big, alpine turns is a blast. Upper and Lower Appalachian, fast-cruising trails that hug the hill’s east edge, are recognized as among the best in New England. Glade skiing in Sherwood Forest is another favorite. Shawnee also boasts one of New England’s largest night-skiing facilities, with top-to-bottom lights on 19 of the area’s 40 trails (afternoon grooming ensures good conditions).

Elevation: 1,900 feet
Vertical: 1,350 feet
Info: 207-647-8444
www.shawneepeak.com
TRAIL BREAKDOWN: 25% beginner, 45% intermediate,
30% advanced

Ragged Mountain
Danbury, New Hampshire

Some of my earliest and fondest memories of strapping on the boards have their origins at this rustic area in the southern reaches of the Granite State. Started by a group of friends in 1963, Ragged Mountain Resort is synonymous with old-time New England skiing.
Be sure to leave any pretensions in the parking lot; Ragged draws a core following of locals, and they don’t take kindly to folks putting on airs. Instead, you’ll find a warm, inviting atmosphere as genuine as a Yankee farmer, plus some wonderful ski terrain. Two brothers—Al and Walter Endriumas—revived Ragged after buying it in the mid-1980s. With plenty of undeveloped terrain and an ample water supply for snowmaking, they began expanding. Today, Ragged has 55 trails, with 95 percent snowmaking coverage. Add a solid grooming crew (which has mastered the art of knowing when to leave well enough alone), and Ragged offers a superb day on the slopes. There’s no night skiing, but it’s a small price to pay for authenticity. With around 220 acres to roam (including glade terrain), you’ll surely get your fill before sundown.

Elevation: 2,250 feet
Vertical: 1,250 feet
Info: 603-768-3600
www.raggedmountainresort.com
TRAIL BREAKDOWN: 30% beginner, 40% intermediate, 30% advanced

Suicide Six
South Pomfret, Vermont

A few miles outside the quintessential Green Mountain enclave of Woodstock is a ski hill teeming with history and charm, but not skiers, thankfully. Suicide Six isn’t the most inviting moniker, but don’t let that dissuade you. According to legend—and area manager Chuck Vanderstreet—the name was born when founder Bunny Bertram and some buddies were scouting local hills in the 1930s, looking to build a new ski run. At the top of Hill No. 6, the group peered down the slope, and one of Bertram’s friends remarked, “It would be suicide to ski down that.” Naturally, that’s where Bertram carved his new ski area in 1937, and the name stuck.

By today’s standards, Suicide Six isn’t all that intimidating, though there are a few precipitous pitches, including an aptly named run called The Face (which I inadvertently steered my 9-year-old down last winter, much to her consternation and my embarrassment). However, most of the 23 trails, covering more than 100 acres, are very user-friendly, especially for youngsters, thanks to state-of-the art grooming and solid snowmaking. The lodge, which features large indoor and outdoor fireplaces, is one of the most comfortable in New England. That’s not surprising, considering that Suicide Six is now owned by the Woodstock Foundation, Inc., whose Woodstock Inn is the region’s most elegant hotel.

Elevation: 1,200 feet
Vertical: 650 feet
Info: 802-457-6661
www.woodstockinn.com
TRAIL BREAKDOWN: 30% beginner, 40% intermediate, 30% advanced

The Balsams
Dixville Notch, New Hampshire

In this land of moose and midnight presidential-primary voting, close by Quebec, is a grand resort wedged into the granite walls of Dixville Notch called The Balsams. It is a special place, a time capsule preserved from another era more than 100 years earlier.

Like Suicide Six, the Balsams Wilderness Ski Area is removed from the resort proper, but benefits from the financial infusion that corporate ownership can sometimes bring. The 16 trails, covering roughly 90 acres, are serviced by four lifts, and put a premium on skill. For entertainment value, some of the more difficult black diamond runs—including the teeth-chattering Metallak—go right under the main lifts. Be sure to sample the terrific tree-skiing area, Wilderness Glades. Back at the resort, there’s an air of yesteryear, when civility ruled the day; yes, men still wear jackets to dinner.

Elevation: 2,760 feet
Vertical: 1,006 feet
Info: 603-255-3400
www.thebalsams.com
TRAIL BREAKDOWN: 30% beginner, 45% intermediate, 25% advanced

Big Rock
Mars Hill, Maine

Few motorists familiar with the legendary Route 1—which runs the entire length of the Eastern Seaboard—have ventured this far north, above Vacationland’s Baxter State Park and Mount Katahdin. But on this ribbon of two-lane along the edge of New Brunswick, Canada, you’ll find a series of small towns, with names like Madawaska, Caribou and Presque Isle, that have a poignant, Edward Hopper quality (sadly, the result of a declining economy) offset by the resiliency of those who live here. These are a proud and inviting people, and that feeling translates to this intimate little ski area in Mars Hill.

Rescued by the Maine Winter Sports Center (MWSC) in 2000, Big Rock today offers a ski experience to match its heritage. Five lifts service 28 trails and glades, and snowmaking covers 65 percent of the hill, complementing an average annual snowfall of some 160 inches. Half the runs are also lit for night skiing, or you can sample the dedicated snowshoe trails. The MWSC has certainly made its mark on Maine’s Aroostook County: Farther north, in Presque Isle, is the impish Quoggy Joe ski area, and a world-class cross-country facility—the 10th Mountain Ski Club—at the northern terminus of Route 1 in Fort Kent.

Elevation: 1,641 feet
Vertical: 980 feet
Info: 207-425-6711
www.bigrockmaine.com
TRAIL BREAKDOWN: 20% beginner, 60% intermediate, 20% advanced

Wachusett Mountain
Princeton, Massachusetts

Wachusett, an Algonquin Indian word meaning “Great Hill,” translates to “Great Escape” for Boston skiers. Just 50 miles west of Beantown, this family-run resort is one of the most accessible and versatile in the Northeast. It’s also located within the Wachusett Mountain State Reservation, home to the only known Old Growth Forest east of the Connecticut River, where some of the trees are more than 350 years old. The Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps cut the first ski trails on Wachusett Mountain in the 1930s, and the site was selected with care. On the clearest days, the panoramic, 360-degree vistas from the summit even include the Boston skyline.

Each of the 22 trails has its own personality, from the expert 10th Mountain Trail (a nice tribute to the Army’s famed 10th Mountain Division) to the wide and quick Conifer Connection and the even-tempered Ralph’s Run. With exceptional snowmaking and groomers, conditions are super day and night (skiing is available on 18 trails after the sun disappears). Unfortunately, Wachusett can get crowded, so try to plan your visit to avoid peak “rush hour” days on weekends and holidays.

Elevation: 2,006 feet
Vertical: 1,000 feet
Info: 978-464-2300
www.wachusett.com
TRAIL BREAKDOWN: 30% beginner, 40% intermediate, 30% advanced

A Dozen More

New England doesn’t have a monopoly on terrific, smaller ski areas. Here are 12 other favorites, from coast to coast.—B.OC.

Windham Mountain
Windham, NY
800-754-9463
www.windhammountain.com

Blue Mountain
Palmerton, PA
610-826-7700
www.skibluemt.com

Wisp Resort
McHenry, MD
301-387-4911
www.wispresort.com

Appalachian Ski Mountain
Blowing Rock, NC
828-295-7828
www.appskimtn.com

Boyne Mountain Resort
Boyne Falls, MI
231-549-6000
www.boyne.com

Moonlight Basin
Big Sky, MT
406-993-6000
www.moonlightbasin.com

Ski Cooper
Leadville, CO
800-707-6114
www.skicooper.com

Sunlight Mountain Resort
Glenwood Springs, CO
970-945-7491
www.sunlightmtn.com

Wolf Creek Ski Area
Pagosa Springs, CO
970-264-5639
www.wolfcreekski.com

Brighton Resort
Brighton, UT
801-532-4731
www.brightonresort.com

Ski Santa Fe
Santa Fe, NM
505-982-4429
www.skisantafe.com

Mt. Bachelor
Bend, OR
541-382-1709
www.mtbachelor.com

Family Matters
The hardest part about getting away with the family (besides just finding the time)? Planning your trip. Here’s a site that can help: www.familyskitrips.com, where you’ll find resort listings, reviews, packages and more!