If you are the type of skier or snowboarder who relishes wide, expansive trails, well groomed and neatly manicured, New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain is your ticket. Loon is a crisscrossing matrix of 61 trails on three peaks with 370 skiable acres, all of it meticulously cared for by an army of a snow staff. I am amazed on the ability of the Loon snow folk to to lay down such an extensive and well primped snow surface. How the snow crews do it is a mystery to me.  

Although not massively inundated by the staggering amount of snow that has pelted our region, the White Mountains of New Hampshire are having a banner year of deep white. But even when snow is scarce, Loon’s snowmaking is more than ample and wall to wall. In short, Loon is a cruiser’s delight.  

Sixty percent of the trails are rated Blue Intermediate. But the Advanced trails (20 percent) rated Black Diamond or Double Black Diamond, are manageable by most intermediate skiers, due to the width of the trails and the quality and diligence of the grooming crews.  

There is, however, at the South Peak, a trail that is not for the nervous ”“ “Ripsaw.” This little monster snakes its way through a couple of curious curves, up and down swelling undulations and has more than a few surprises that will test your resolve. It’s a Double Diamond roller coaster of a ride, but I recommend it.  

What I don’t recommend is “Triple Trouble.” The name says it all. While I was having lunch at the Blue Ox Cafe, my ski buddy and I ran into a veteran authority on all mountain matters. For 30 years he has been working at Loon through the many shifts of management and ownership. His favorite trail is “Triple Trouble” and he encouraged us to seek it out. He did include a warning to beware the center of the trail. However, my warning is beware the entire trail, top to bottom and side to side. Although this trail is rated with just a single Black Diamond, I found it the most challenging of all.  

What I really appreciate at Loon is the smartly designed Gondola at the Octagon Lodge. The Lodge doors open right into the Gondola pavillion which is nicely protected from the wind and weather. This is a very comfortable arrangement. The sealed cabin ride to the top is really appreciated on frigid days.  

Each Gondola cabin seats four, rather tightly. Although the accommodation is not spacious, it does seem to promote sociability, conversation and ski gossip.  

On weekends and vacation time, traffic can be heavy at the Gondola. If so, I spend most of my day at Camp Three. Located half way up the mountain, Camp Three sports its own comfy lodge and there is never a long line at the lift. You can loop run after run together with barely enough time to catch your breath. It’s a zippy ride up to higher altitudes. Camp Three offers more challenging terrain, some wide steeps (the Flume), and a concert of trails called the “Walking Boss” that tease their way in, out, and around the high elevation woods.  

For pure scenic splendor, seek out the Speakeasy trails. These two linked trails follow the perimeter of the dense forest the separates Loon Peak from South Peak. These trails are dramatic alpine glory and a real pleasure to behold. Tall pines line both sides of the serpentine trails as they wind their way through the woods. These two Speakeasy trails are by far my personal favorites.  

Apres Ski at Loon is a lively affair. Just upstairs at the Octagon Lodge you’ll find the colorful and laid back ambience of the Paul Bunyan Pub. It is an apres ski refuge of beer and relaxation. Behind the bar you’ll meet Kara. For 15 winters, Kara has been pouring mugs of the 26 beers that are always on tap. Local favorites include two different specialties from the nearby Woodstock Inn and Brewery, “Pig’s Ear” and “Foggy Goggle.” Another local favorite is Tuckerman’s IPA from North Conway.  

When Kara is not working, you can find her making tracks on her favorite trail, “Blue Ox”, a mid-mountain wonder of rolling hills that ends steps from her day job.

Kara’s favorite burger bistro is the Black Mountain Burger Company located in the middle of Main Street in Lincoln, a stone’s throw from the Mountain. It just opened this year and Kara had a hand in its development.  All the tables and the bar at Black Mountain Burger are actually enormous thick planks of local pine, harvested, sawn and milled at Kara’s family farm. These honey colored pine plinths give the bistro a very unique look. Additionally, 200 year old barn wood trims the walls. These ancient timbers were also derived from Kara’s farm.

If you wish to indulge your appetite for unique concoctions of burger and bun, the list at Black Mountain includes: Bison Burgers, Turkey Burgers, Veggie Burgers, Brie & Bacon Burgers, Rueben Burgers and the Triple Trouble Burger that comes with sweet banana peppers and bacon. It’s a burger paradise.  

I chose the less exotic Swiss Mushroom Burger on a pretzel roll bun. it was great way to end my ski day.  

The snow continues to pile up, so let’s enjoy it while it’s rich and deep.

For complete information on Loon visit the web at www.LoonMtn.com

— Greg Morell’s Snow Business column seeks to encourage folks to get out and enjoy the snow. He can be reached at [email protected].