I don’t remember learning how to ski. My parents had me on skis in a pint-sized snowsuit just as soon as I mastered walking. So abandoning my skis for a snowboard at the age of 15 was a major change. But I loved snowboarding and never looked back.
Then, inexplicably, on a beautiful Sunday in March, I somehow found myself driving into New Hampshire with Sam, my boyfriend and favorite snowboarding companion, on our way to go skiing at Waterville Valley Resort . I was a little nervous at the thought of putting on skis again, but knew I couldn’t be more nervous than Sam, who was going to try skiing for the first time ever.
My anticipation grew as we wound our way alongside the Mad River into the vast White Mountain National Forest, and up to Waterville Valley. The parking area was abuzz, a testament to the mountain’s popularity, but we had no problem finding a parking space and making our way to the Sport Thoma ski shop where we met Bobby Foster, the mountain’s director of operations, who told us a little about the mountain and resort area.
The mountain was first opened in 1966 by Olympic skier Tom Corcoran, and has changed ownership a couple times since. Throughout the years, it’s hosted World Cup alpine races and, apparently, was a favorite destination of the Kennedy clan. Another political family, the Sununus, purchased the resort before the 2010/11 season began and are investing some local TLC into the mountain’s operation. But it’s not just the 25 new snowmaking guns or renovated bathrooms that show how much love is being invested. Where it’s really evident is in the people.
Bobby introduced us to our instructors, Lisa and Clarence, who took us around to get our rentals. Sam and I were impressed by the genuinely friendly folks we met on the way—from Mike in rentals who told us about the variety of equipment available to Joe, the tall Austrian man who helped us properly fit our boots. (“No pant cuffs in the boot. Make sure your heel is all the way to the back.”) Everyone was helpful and made the rental process as simple as possible. Before we knew it, we were headed to the bunny slope with skis tossed (very carefully!) over our shoulders.
These weren’t the long, straight skis I remembered from my early years, but shaped skis, no taller than my shoulders. Now, I know Sam and I look youthful, but surely they realized we are full-grown adults! Lisa and Clarence explained the rationale behind the 124cm skis I was using. Ski technology and the way skiing is taught nowadays has changed for the better. With a shorter, shapelier ski, beginners can make easier turns and become comfortable with equipment that might otherwise feel pretty awkward.
Furthermore, we weren’t just given the skis and pushed off the top of a bunny slope. Lisa and Clarence introduced us to the most fundamental techniques before we even put the skis on. We learned that good skiers rotate their legs in their hip sockets and minimize upper body movement, and that weight is evenly distributed in the middle of the foot to use the whole edge of the ski. After practicing this for a bit, we were finally ready put our skis on.
Clarence and Lisa are both snowboarders as well as skiers, so they adjusted our ski lesson to use snowboarding concepts we already understood. Lisa, who is the assistant snowsports director and head of the ski school, explained that all lessons are customized this way whenever possible. Instructors adjust to the students’ comfort levels, so whether you’re just starting like Sam, or want to brush up on techniques like me, the ski school at Waterville can accommodate you.
For me, clicking into skis again felt comfortable, like coming home. It seemed like I’d never “gone over to the dark side.” But the best part of my day wasn’t going on to nail the half-pipe or conquer one of the bumped-up black diamonds (although that would have been very cool!). The best of my day was discovering what a joy it is to be with someone else as they learn to ski. The excitement someone else feels when they connect those first two turns and burst into a proud grin is infectious. Clarence and Lisa seemed to feel the same way I did as we watched Sam weave back and forth across the bunny slope, proving himself to be a natural skier.
We spent another half hour on some tougher green slopes (lessons typically last an hour and 45 minutes) before we said goodbye to Clarence and Lisa, and took a well-deserved break. There are two restaurants at the base and another lodge halfway up the mountain. We opted for Buckets, Bones and Brews at the base, where we sat on the deck to enjoy the perfect weather and watch skiers and riders come down the mountain.
After refueling, we headed up the White Peak Express Quad to see the rest of the mountain. Although we stuck to the blue trails, the mountain offers a variety of terrain. There are plenty of wide, sweeping slopes, but also enough narrow, tree-lined trails to keep diehard New England skiers happy. Every trail felt different. There are also plenty of tougher blues interspersed with black diamonds, particularly at the top of the mountain, which Sam and I decided to leave for another day.
The snow quality was consistent and held up well despite the sun, with only minimal icy patches. A few trails were left ungroomed, but most of what we skied was groomed. The bottom of the mountain really softened up as the sun continued shining in the afternoon, and made turning easy. Wearing only a shell, I was reminded of how pleasant spring skiing is.
Waterville has 12 lifts and more than 50 trails. We didn’t come close to skiing the entire mountain. Ideally, we would have stay in Waterville for a week or so, not just a day. Spring lift tickets are only $25 Monday through Friday, and they are currently offering one of the best lesson packages I’ve ever heard of—only $35 for their Learn to Ski & Ride Special!. To snag a good deal on Tuesdays, keep up with Waterville’s Twitter page, as they base the day’s ticket price on the predicted temperature posted there. Friday, April 1 will be the best day, though. Tickets will only be one dollar. (That’s $1. No joking!)
Should visitors somehow tire of skiing, the White Mountains also offer cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking. The town center close to the mountain’s base has a variety of lodging accommodations, restaurants, shops, a spa and even a hockey rink!
If we can’t make it back before the ski season ends, Sam and I definitely plan to make a trip up this summer. There’s camping, mountain biking and all sorts of activities for families. In fact, Waterville is the perfect place for my family from Tennessee to visit to see what the Northeast is all about. New Hampshire’s White Mountains would provide a wonderful break from Tennessee’s notoriously humid summers. It’s also an easy, quick getaway for Boston-area residents like Sam and me. At just under three hours, the drive lands you in a different world. Winter at Waterville (on skis!) was wonderful; and summer fun, here we come!