Mountains to Ski
Simon Pierpont
For The Clock
Plymouth State University is well known for many reasons. It is one of the oldest universities in the state of New Hampshire, known for the beautiful scenery that surrounds campus and, almost more importantly, the abundance of ski areas that encompass Plymouth. For many students here at Plymouth State, their favorite season is winter because the snow, which New Hampshire gets a lot of, allows them to participate in their favorite pass-time: skiing or snowboarding.
Plymouth is very unique because students are lucky enough to have three beautiful ski areas within a half hour drive from campus. These resorts are Loon Mountain Ski Resort, Waterville Valley Resort, and Cannon Mountain Ski Area. All three are great places to ski or ride in the winter, but each resort differs from the next.
CLOCK PHOTO/ JACK ROBERTS
Loon, the largest of the three areas, houses 370 acres of skiable terrain and a peak elevation of 3,064 feet. It is also the most costly of the three resorts, but sometimes spending more money on a ticket or pass is worth it as Loon is one of the favorites among Plymouth State students. Dylan Morey, a sophomore at Plymouth State, said “My favorite part about Loon is the park. They always seem to take extra time preparing and shaping their features which makes for a much more enjoyable run.” Loon is also known for being part of the New England Pass system that allows the owner of the pass to ski at eight resorts in New England for a set price.
Waterville Valley is the second largest of the three surrounding areas with 220 skiable acres and 4,004 feet at its peak. It is a little gem tucked off the beaten path in the town of Waterville Valley. This resort has a lot of opportunity for glade skiing. Last year Waterville Valley was the winning resort in PSU’s contest to determine which resort students would get a discount at. Last season a ticket at Waterville Valley was just $7 for any PSU student who showed their ID. This year the vote has not yet been cast for which resort will have a discounted ticket.
Lastly, Cannon is the smallest of the three housing 165 acres of skiing and a peak elevation of 4,080 feet. This resort is a great resort to go to on powder days because there always seems to be more untracked snow at Cannon than the other two. Cannon sits just 35 minutes away in Franconia, right off of Interstate 93.
Plymouth State is a gold mine in the heart of the White Mountains that is nirvana for ski and snowboard enthusiasts in New Hampshire.