Before we get into the article, we would like to note that there are not any current plans to reopen these ski areas.
Alpine Ridge Ski Area - Gilford, NH
Closed: 1980s due to financial reasons
Alpine Ridge may have been doomed to fail from the start as it was literally right next to Gunstock which is still going strong today. The current area is abandoned and as of right now Gunstock is looking to use the Alpine Ridge area as a part of their master plan expansion as of 2021.
Chances Alpine Ridge comes back as an independent ski area: 0%
Chances Alpine Ridge becomes a part of Gunstock Ski Area: 60%
Balsams Wilderness Ski Area – Dixville Notch, NH
Closed: 2011 after new ownership took over
Balsams Wilderness has a history of being able to defy the odds for so long after being in a bad location without dated equipment, but they were able to get by until new ownership took over. Balsams Wilderness may need a lot more to make it an operational ski area now, but it certainly can be done with a lot of motivation. The hotel is currently there and Dixville Notch is the first town that votes in the presidential election so there is a way to market the ski area. There is also an attempt to try and operate a ski area right now even after one failed in 2015.
Chances Balsams Wilderness returns: 50%
Birchwood – Londonderry, NH
Closed: 1980s due to financial reasons after a fire and snowmaking equipment being stolen
Birchwood served as a small local ski area for a couple of decades, but the end was ugly. The lodge burnt to the ground and snowmaking equipment was stolen so it was hard to operate. Right now Parrish Hills real estate is on the grounds of the trails.
Chances Birchwood returns: 0%
Brickyard Mountain Ski Area – Weirs Beach, NH
Closed: 1980s due to poor attendance
Brickyard started out as a way to get business in the winter around Lake Winnipesaukee after strong summers and boomed for a few years so much that they had to limit lift ticket sales. Brickyard eventually fell after poor attendance and Meredith Bay real estate development was started on the base of the land.
Chances Brickyard returns: 1%
Brookline Ski Area – Brookline, NH
Closed: 1894 due to financial reasons
Brookline Ski Area never really got a lot of recognition or attendance, but it did go through a few name changes. It had a lot of struggles as it was behind on property taxes and snowmaking equipment was burned but was eventually replaced. It is now the Andres Institute of Art.
Chances Brookline returns: 0%
Cog Railway Ski Trams – Mount Washington, NH
Closed: 2006 due to Bretton Woods being sold
The Cog Ski Trams were an amazing idea as people already ski Tuckerman’s Ravine on Mount Washington and can still ski down the Cog Railway in more of a backcountry ski style rather than a grooming and snowmaking style. Theoretically snowmaking could still be used at the bottom early in the year and everything is still there so they could reboot the operation.
Chances Cog Railway Ski Trams return: 80% (It already has in a way)
Copple Crown Ski Area – Wolfeboro, NH
Closed: 1970s due to financial reasons
Copple Crown took some time to get started but had some quick early success that included hosting a state championship, but it could not keep up with its growth and eventually shut down. The current land is held by a housing association but the T Bar still stands.
Chances Copple Crown returns: 5%
Crotched Mountain East – Francestown, NH
Closed: 1990 due to bankruptcy
Crotched East once formed one of the biggest mountains in New Hampshire at the time as it included the current Crotched Mountain ski area but it was not able to keep up financially and eventually fell into bankruptcy. It currently sits abandoned with little to remember the ski area by.
Chances Crotched Mountain East returns: 2.5%
Gateway Hills Snowpark – Nashua, NH
Closed: 2018 due to lack of snow
Gateway Hills is the newest and most recently closed ski area in New Hampshire that was only a carpet on a small hill operation. There were talks of it reopening but the snow did not allow for it.
Chances Gateway Hills returns: 60%
The Highlands – Northfield, NH
Closed: 1995 due to it being in disrepair and being up for auction
The Highlands was a family-based skiing operation back in its prime but while being put on the auction block it fell off and into disrepair. Today it serves as the Highland Bike Park but there could still be some potential for some skiing in the future as there is a skiing background and mountain biking operation can somewhat be like a skiing operation.
Chances The Highlands returns: 30%
King Ridge – New London, NH
Closed: 1995 due to bankruptcy
King Ridge was a major attraction for skiers when it first started but large investments came at times where there was little snow which would eventually lead to bankruptcy. Both chairlifts were sold and nowadays the trails are open for hiking and backcountry skiing.
Chances King Ridge returns: 31%
Monteau Ski Area – Haverhill, NH
Closed: 1990 due to bankruptcy
Monteau Ski Area was a small operation for the locals what lasted just 16 seasons and fell victim to the bad winters which would eventually lead to bankruptcy. Currently there is a trail that is kept for sledding and the chairlift has been removed but theoretically this could return as a rope tow only operation.
Chances Monteau returns: 40%
Moose Mountain – Brookfield, NH
Closed: 1980s due to ownership changes
Moose Mountain had a good start but eventually a mix of bad snowfall along with the lodge burning down led to changes in ownership which led to the eventual shutdown of the ski area. Currently in the summer there is a disc golf course and there was a brief tubing place there before it shutdown.
Chances Moose Mountain returns: 5%
Snow Hill at Eastman – Grantham, NH
Closed: 1999 due to poor attendance
Snow Hill was a smaller operation that was private but also allowed the public to buy tickets. The poor attendance and the fact that the residents did not use the ski area led to its shutdown and today the chairlift has been removed and there is a no trespassing sign around the trails.
Chances Snow Hill returns: 0%
Snow’s Mountain – Waterville Valley, NH
Closed: 2017 due to competition with Waterville Valley
Snow’s Mountain served primarily as overflow for the current Waterville Valley and had night skiing but was there since the start of skiing in Waterville Valley. Today the trails are still cut and the chairlift serves mountain biking and scenic views and there is always the chance that it could return for a day like it did in 2017.
Chances Snow’s Mountain returns: 65%
Temple Mountain Ski Area – Temple, NH
Closed: 2001 due to ownership changes
Temple has a long history lasting past World War II but mistakes such as choosing to not buy snowmaking equipment proved costly for the ski area. Debt began to mount before shutting down and Peak Resorts almost brought Temple back before going with Crotched. Lifts were sold and the base lodge was demolished as the land was developed into Temple Mountain State Reservation.
Chances Temple Mountain returns: 1%
Thorn Mountain – Jackson, NH
Closed: 1957 after the chairlifts were deemed unsafe
Thorn Mountain closed after a few very bad winters and the chairlifts were unsafe while they also faced competition from the nearby Wildcat. Thorn was redeveloped as a village and has home on the property right now.
Chances Thorn Mountain returns: 0%
Tyrol Ski Area – Jackson, NH
Closed: 1981 due to financial reasons
Tyrol was a medium sized ski area that never really got going as they were surrounded by competition by Black Mountain, Cranmore, and Attitash. Financial reasons were why the ski area closed but in 1988 the owner Walter Prebble III was arrested for importing 12.5 tons of marijuana so there is no real chance of Tyrol reopening.
Chances Tyrol returns: 3%
Mount Whittier – Ossipee, NH
Closed: 1985 due to financial reasons
Mount Whittier grew quickly and expanded quickly but fell victim to bad winters and had debt grow. Mount Whittier still has the chairlift tree line cut but nothing else remains. Whittier was recently put on the market after a failed return that never really got started.
Chances Mount Whittier returns: 45%
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