Wide fairways of abundant March snow await the skier and boarder venturing out to New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley. Due to the fabulous February snow totals, spring skiing at this resort promises to be a cruiser’s delight with some notable economy specials. On Saint Patrick’s Day, ski for just $17 with special lodging deals. On April Fools Day, April 1, ski for just $1, one single American dollar. Add to this, the regular special, Temperature Tuesdays. On any Tuesday, lifts tickets are the same price as the temperature with a minimum of $10, even if the temps are sub zero. April snow at Waterville is destined to be deep and soft.  

At the gateway to the White Mountains, Waterville Valley has an even 50 trails and miles of acreage right within the National Forest conservation territory. Trail variety is not the Mountain’s forte, as virtually all the roads down the hill are wide cruisers. This is a grand mountain for snowboarders as there are no flats ”“ it’s all downhill. Elizabeth Klein, normally found in the Marketing Office, is a snowboarder. Her favorite mountain time is cruising the BONEYARD, a single Black Diamond. I tried it, it was a bit of a challenge, but after the first moguls, the BONEYARD is a lot less scary than its name.

It is difficult for me to comment on the quality of the scenic view from the peak, as on the day of my visit the snow was blowing, the clouds were dense and the wind was strong. Due to the wide open terrain the wind on this mountain can be an issue.  

Most of the terrain is serviced by to high seed quads, but In extreme wind conditions the speed slows for safety.  

The Mountain Village is extensive and the base lodge features two enormous  interior fireplaces, each with fireside benches on all four sides.  During lunch the ski boots come off and it’s toe warming time and a chance to show off those colorful ski socks you got at Christmas.    

If you come  to Waterville during the Saint Patrick’s Day LUCK OF THE IRISH special and spend the night at one of the Mountain’s condos, each condo gets a bonus voucher for $25. Not a pot of gold, but a nice perk to spend on food or rentals. The condo fee for a family of four is $117.  

For an extended weekend, nearby ski resorts within a short driving distance from Waterville include Loon, Cannon, and Bretton Woods.  It’s a very ski friendly section of the White Mountains with many apres ski bistros and Burrito bars to choose from devoted to  after skiing celebrating.  The Woodstock Inn and Brewery and Lincoln’s Common Man Inn are two of my favorites.  For a real dining treat visit the Wild Coyote Grill, right in the Mountain Village,  and feast on their March special: Buffalo Meatloaf wrapped in bacon with a tomato glaze, garnished with  creamed corn and mashed potato, call 603-236-4919 for reservations.

On the day of my visit, Waterville Valley was hosting a three day Special Olympics. It featured over 300 Special Athletes competing in snowshoe events, skiing, snowboarding and cross country skiing.  

For complete info and reservations for Waterville Valley call 800-go-valley or on the web at www.waterville.com. For complete info on skiing this section of the White Mountains go to www.skiNH.comor call 800-887-5464.

— Greg Morell’s Snow Business Column seeks to encourage winter adventure, you can reach him at [email protected]

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Photo credit: Stephen Bryan