Mother nature has been stingy so far this season with natural snow. Fortunately, she’s delivered enough cold nights that the snowmakers are working their magic, turning slopes white.
Still, if there’s one gift all resorts here in the northeast want for Christmas it’s natural snow. Snow on their slopes is good but snow in the cities where many skiers live is even better. A couple of inches of snow on the ground in Boston, Portland, Hartford, and New York City is free publicity, worth far more than any social media marketing campaign.
Of course the resorts will settle for snow in the hills or perfect weather for snowmaking . . . as long as it comes just in time for Christmas!
If you want to have a really Merry Christmas this year, why not spend it on the slopes? Some hills are closed on Christmas Day, but many are open, and are often as uncrowded as you’ll ever see them. So if you can break your family free of your old Christmas traditions, try skiing or riding on Christmas Day. Who knows, it may start a whole new holiday tradition for you!
Who’s Open On Christmas Day for 2015?
Note that operating hours will sometimes vary. So will prices. While some of the larger areas will charge full holiday rates (best way to save: look for on-line deals and pre-buy your tickets), others will charge less if they don’t have all their terrain open. And Christmas Day weather can still be iffy, so check before you go . . .
Ski Areas Open On Christmas Day in Connecticut
Powder Ridge in Middlefield, CT: open weather permitting, hours to be determined
Ski Sundown in Canton Center, CT: 6pm – 10pm.
Woodbury Ski Area in Hotchkissville, CT: open weather permitting, hours to be determined
Ski Areas Open On Christmas Day in Maine
Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley, ME: 8:30am – 3:50pm
Sunday River in Newry, ME: 8am – 8pm.
Ski Areas Open On Christmas Day in Massachusetts
Ski Butternut in Great Barrington, MA: 10:30am -4pm
Catamount in South Egremont, MA: 8:30 am – 4pm
Jiminy Peak in Hancock, MA: 9:30am – 10pm
Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, MA: 4pm – 10 pm
Ski Areas Open On Christmas Day in New Hampshire
Attitash in Bartlett, NH: 9am – 3:30pm
Bretton Woods in Bretton Woods, NH: 10am – 4pm, (Lift tickets only $30, Merry Christmas!!)
Cranmore Mountain in North Conway, NH: 9am-4pm
Crotched Mountain in Bennington, NH: 1pm – 5pm
Loon Mountain in Lincoln, NH: 9am – 4pm
Ragged Mountain in Danbury, NH: 8:30am – 4pm
Mount Sunapee in Newbury, NH:
Waterville Valley in Waterville Valley, NH: 8am – 4 pm
Ski Areas Open On Christmas Day in New York
Belleayre Mountain in Highmount, NY: 9am – 4pm
Gore Mountain in North Creek, NY: 8:30am-4pm
Hunter Mountain in Hunter, NY: 9am – 4pm
Whiteface in Wilmington, NY: 8:30am – 4pm
Windham Mountain in Windham, NY: 9am – 4pm
Ski Areas Open On Christmas Day in Vermont
Bolton Valley in Bolton, VT: 9am – 4pm
Bromley Mountain in Peru, VT: 9am – 4pm. (Tickets: $25 if you wear a Santa suit!)
Jay Peak in Jay, VT: 9am – 4pm
Killington in Killington, VT: 8am – 4pm
Mad River Glen in Fayston, VT: 12pm – 4pm (natural snow conditions permitting)
Magic Mountain in Londonderry, VT: 8am – 4pm
Mount Snow in West Dover, VT: 8am – 3:30pm
Okemo Mountain in Ludlow, VT: 9am-4pm
Pico Mountain in Rutland, VT: 8:30am – 4pm
Q Burke Mountain in East Burke, VT: 9am – 4pm
Quechee Club in Quechee, VT: 12pm – 4pm
Smugglers’ Notch in Jeffersonville, VT: 8:30am – 4pm
Stowe Mountain in Stowe, VT: 8am – 4pm
Stratton Mountain in Stratton, VT: 9am – 4pm
Sugarbush in Warren, VT: 9am – 4pm
Suicide Six in South Pomfret, VT: 1pm – 4pm
Ski Areas Open On Christmas Day in Quebec
LeMassif in Petite Riviere Saint Francois, Quebec: 8:30am to 3:15pm
Mont Sainte Anne in Beaupre, QC: 8:30am – 4pm,
Stoneham in Stoneham, QC: 10am-4pm
Mont Orford in Orford, QC: 8:30am – 6:30pm
Bromont in Bromont, QC: 9:30am – 9pm
Owl’s Head in Mansonville, QC: 8:30am-4pm
Mont Sutton in Sutton, QC: 9am – 4 pm
Christmas to New Year’s
While Christmas Day is usually quiet, the days after Christmas are a different matter . . . Every area that can be open is open, the kids are off for the holidays, parents are trying to use up vacation days before the end of the year, and everyone in the world (it seems) can’t resist the lure of sliding on snow—especially if Santa brought new clothes and gear . . .
Christmas Week Picks
Trying to find good, uncrowded skiing during a holiday week is challenging.
In Maine, try Mount Abram in Locke Mills, and Black Mountain Of Maine in Rumford. Both of these areas hide in the shadow of Sunday River.
In New Hampshire try King Pine in Madison, Black Mountain in Jackson, Dartmouth Skiway in Lyme Center, and Whaleback Mountain in Enfield, N.H. Go early in the morning before the kids are awake for the best snow . . .
In Vermont, Magic Mountain in Londonderry, Middlebury Snow Bowl in Hancock, Quechee Club in Quechee and Suicide Six in South Pomfret are all likely candidates for a less-crowded holiday snow getaway.
Every Massachusetts area with snow is gonna rock and roll Christmas week, but Berkshire East in Charlemont seems to get bypassed by a lot of skiers and riders headed north on I-91.
The post Guaranteed White Christmas 2015: Northeast Ski Areas Open On Christmas Day appeared first on EasternSlopes.com.
Related posts:
Weekend Getaways: Northeast Ski Areas In Summer, 2011
Have A Merry Christmas 2010 On Snow
Resort Snapshot: Sunapee, Christmas Eve, 2010