THE END: Skiing Black Mountain (Day 46)

Skiing Black Mountain

Sunday, May 17th, 2026

Runs: 5

Distance: 3.49 miles

Elevation: 3,484 feet

Max Speed: 29.2 mph

Avg. Speed: 11.0 mph

Moving Time: 19 minutes, 4 seconds

Total Time: 1 hour, 32 minutes, 20 seconds

I got my three wake-up wraps and hash browns from the Gorham Dunkin and had a beautiful drive through Pinkham Notch, through Jackson, and then to Black Mountain. I was definitely up in my feelings about it being the last day of ski season, but I was excited to get a few more runs in, have glass of champagne, and listen to some live music! Parking was wildly easy with plenty of open spots. The runout was looking actually great! The parking lot was basically a river. I walked inside to get the $29 "I used both of my Indy days" deal and the cashier warned me that there's a rapidly growing dirt patch. I assured her I'm still looking forward to skiing and I had some practice with dirt yesterday at Jay. The vibes at the parking lot were immaculate and I was a little meleancholy that I was riding solo, but it was also nice to end with just-me. I got booted up with my leopard print shorts and scooted my way over to the double!

Snow Report

Sunday, May 17

Closing day is here.

After a record-breaking 7-month season, today marks the final day of skiing at Black Mountain. In 91 years, there has never been a season quite like this one. Black operated more days this winter than the previous two seasons combined, pushed closing day two full weeks beyond last year's record, and will finish tied as one of the final Indy Pass mountains spinning lifts in North America.

We will have a very white, full-width route from the Alpine Cabin spread across four trails, with 100% of open terrain groomed again this morning. By this afternoon, expect soft spring turns, sunshine, and rowdy bump lines everywhere. With temperatures approaching 70 degrees and both the Double and Triple spinning until 7 Pm, today is shaping up to be an all-time closing day.

70s Weekend rolls on with live music all day long. Matt Dolliver plays from 10 AM to 1 PM, Joe Agnello from 11:30 Am to 1:30 PM, Diana'as Bath Salts from 1:30 PM to 4 PM, and the Jonathan Sarty Band takes us all the way to the final chair at 7 PM.

The Alpine Cabin will be fully stocked for sunny champagne and fondue lounging, while the Base Lodge Buffet keeps rolling all day. Pizza, wings, drinks, spring skiing, costumes, and one final mountian party.

Shortly after lifts stop spinning, we'll raise a glass together for the second annual end-of-season champagne toast on the back deck. A proper send-off to a truly extraordinary winter.

Runs 1-4

Run 1: Summit Double - Chute - Jackson Standard

[0.65 miles; 3:56; 692 feet; 23.8 mph max; 9.9 mph avg]

Run 2: Summit Double - Chute - Jackson Standard

[0.74 miles; 4:01; 774 feet; 27.7 mph max; 11.1 mph avg]

Run 3: Summit Double - Chute - Jackson Standard

[0.72 miles; 3:42; 689 feet; 29.2 mph max; 11.7 mph avg]

Run 4: Summit Double - Chute - Jackson Standard

[0.64 miles; 2:57; 659 feet; 29.2 mph max; 13.0 mph avg]

The ride up the double was outrageously wonderful. Light breeze, abundant sun, conflicting music (the lift was blasting 70s music while the band on the back deck was blasting Dad Rock), and just wonderful vibes. Not a lift line in sight (I'll soon learn why). The unload was only a little dicey! I decdied I'll do what the plan was for Jay - get a run in, and then decide how many I want to do. The only open trails were Chute to Jackson Standard. Chute was actually wonderful! Big soft bumps and just enough pitch to get past the rapidly-melting flat part. There were some more dirt patches where the run made a left turn (a couple I almost sent right on over), and then I hit the patch. People were skiing over it, but I popped my skis off and walked down to the nearest muddy mogul.

The bottom half of the run was super fun! Just a few bumps and a long runout with a few bumps to get air over here and there. I figured it would only get worse, so I'd get a few more runs in in the meantime.

Back at the bottom, the lifty asked how it was, and I told him "it sucks, but it's 80 degrees in May!" Truly, the splashback from the slush felt kind of good! This time, I skied over the mud and it wasn't outrageouly horrible! My plan of attack was to aim for what slush was left and just straightaway it between, which kind of worked! I almost hit one massive, sharp rock, but everything else was good! My legs were slowly getting coated in mud.

Run #3 I thought was going to be my last before champagne, but I was actually getting kind of good at this mud skiing thing. I was definitely doing better than the snowboarders who were faceplanting in the mud left and right - I'll take it! I giggled everytime I went to turn and just sunk into slush. My Pit Vipers were basically coated in mud, too. This was one of those things that looks absolutely miserable, but once you get over it and commit it becomes fun as hell!

I landed on a goal of five runs. The sun was COOKING me (and I had no sunscreen oops) on the chair, and the snow was RAPIDLY melting. I had one more fun run down and after my fifth ride up, I parked  myself at the Alpine Cabin and got some champagne. The folks at the cabin were cheering on everyone who was getting off the lift, as it kept getting more and more sketchy! The bartender complimented me on knowing exactly what I wanted. I got a seat on the snow, faced the sun, and simply marinated. I eavesdropped on people's coversations and worked on my end-of-season video - it was a JOY. Once my champagne was done, it was finally time to head on down.

Run 5

Run 5: Summit Double - Alpine Cabin - Chute - Jackson Standard

[0.73 miles; 4:27; 673 feet; 27.5 mph max; 9.9 mph avg]

Time for my second to last run of the season, maybe skipping the last! I did get a little emotional - the usual: sad it's over, happy it happened, nostalgic for this season's memories, and mostly proud that I'm able to ski these absolute garbage conditions with a smile on my face! The bumps on Chute were wonderful, the flat part kept me moving fast, I knew which bumsp to get a little bit of air on, and then the mud patch... well, it was most of a mud field. My skis crossed, but I recovered! I turned on what used to be a slush pile, my skis crossed, and DOWN I WENT! Absolutely covered in mud! I didn't quit though! I got back up, made a turn, almost went down again, got a "nice!" from a woman hiking down, and then finished out my run strong!

Back at the car I hosed off with what water I had left from my Nalgene. I thought about calling it, but I was disgusting and kind of wanted to 1) dry myself off and 2) let my equipment dry off. I took my liners out of my boots, let them bake in the sun, and left my skis at my car to also bake in the sun. I took myself to the back deck to listen to the band, which was named "Diana's Bath Salts" - INCREDIBLE. They were a classic Dad cover band. I enjoyed the best tasting Sam Adams Summer Ale I ever had, chatted with a few people (notable one 2.5 year old who was making snow dinosaurs and attacking me with them), and then got a second beer when the final band went on. I enjoyed their music for a bit longer and eventually called it around 5:00pm. 

My pack-up was nice and easy and I finished up my season waving goodbye to Black Mountain. My drive home was wonderful and I only emotionally listened to Ski & Party 30ish times. I proudly did my grocery shopping at the Hannaford in Meredith on my way home, and was back in Boston just before 9pm. This was truly a PERFECT weekend, and I'm so grateful for it.

Map of Black Mountain (2025-2026)

Skiing Black Mountain (NH) (Day 35/Indy Day 27)

Skiing Black Mountain

Sunday, March 15th, 2026

Runs: 9

Distance: 7.31 miles

Elevation: 7,444 feet

Max Speed: 33.9 mph

Avg. Speed: 11.3 mph

Moving Time: 51 minutes, 8 seconds

Total Time: 6 hours, 49 minutes, 49 seconds

Back at Black! I will absolutely be staying at Whitney's Inn again, if anything for the sheer convenience (but also, it's SO cute!). We slowly got ready and made it into the lodge around 8:45am. Emma, Gen, and Sarah (and Emma's dog, Lola), were all there and getting ready! I got my Indy Pass for the day and we got Christien fully checked in for his lesson and rentals ($155 for a 3-hour lesson, rentals, and a full mountain lift ticket is a GOOD deal!). Ray landed soon after and we did the same for him, making sure their boots fit well and they had all they needed for the day! We dropped them off at their 9:30am lessons, took a billion photos, and then got on with our ski day!

 

Conditions

Sunday, March 15

It's a beautiful day on the mountain. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 38F today, setting up for comfortable conditions and great turns across the hill. Our crew groomed last night, laying down a smooth surface and setting things up nicely for today's skiing and riding.

Join us this afternoon for live music in the Base Lodge with Dan Aldrich from 1-4 PM. It's a great chance to warm up, grab a drink, and enjoy some music between laps. Don't miss our full sit-down dinner menu tonight - the perfect way to wrap up a great day on the mountain.

We recommend carpooling whenever possible, as we expect a good turnout today.

It's a great day to be here.

Runs 1-2

Run 1: Summit Double Chair - Upper Black Beauty - Black Beauty - Juniper

[1.23 mi; 5:35; 1,079 ft; 24.6 mph max; 13.2 mph avg]

Run 2: Summit Double Chair - Upper Maple Slalom - Chute - Jackson Standard

[0.85 mi; 3:03; 1,079 ft; 33.0 mph max; 16.6 mph avg]

Our first run was Gen, Sarah, Emma, and I, and it brought us up the double to gawk at how spectacular Mt. Washington was looking and then down Upper Black Beauty, which started off fine and quickly became death cookie hell - I skied half of it with my tips crossed after hitting one. Black Beauty proper was also... a mistake. The freeze and thaw had it as a rough-surfaced boilerplace, just unpleasant. Juniper, however, was lovely!

Run #2 was MUCH better, bringing us down Upper Maple Slalom to Chute to Jackson Standard, which was a win for the day! Gen sat this one out, needing to run inside for some chores. The trail were hard and fast, but the ones that were groomed overnight were actually in pretty good shape. We saw Ray and Christien at the bottom on the handle tow looking great! I was worried that Ray would get bored if the lesson stayed this beginner, though, becuase he really did a great job on his first day at Waterville and could definitely handle more than that.

Runs 3-4

Run 3: Summit Double Chair - Upper Maple Slalom - Alpine Cabin - East Bowl - Spruce - Black Beauty - Juniper

[0.93 mi; 7:36; 1,047 ft; 28.0 mph max; 7.4 mph avg]

Run 4: Summit Double Chair - Upper Maple Slalom - Alpine Cabin - East Bowl - Juniper

[0.92 mi; 5:31; 1,066 ft; 26.4 mph max; 10.0 mph avg]

Andrew and Linnea (and Gen, again) had officially joined the party for Run #3! They newlyweds were a few chairs ahead of us, so we all met at the top (where they ran into some high school classmates) for some family photos. We skied down Upper Maple Slalom to the Alpine Cabin for the first of MANY pit stops. The six of us each got a drink varying from alcohol to hot chocolate and officially started our day of silliness. We got a few (more) silly photos at the cabin before it got overcrowded, Emma and Linnea bought some face glitter, and we tee'd and hee'd the whole time! After a bit, Sarah and I both had to use the bathroom, so we skied down to finish our run. I planned to scope out the easiest way down for Ray and Christien for when they finished their lessons. Sarah and I did an OKAY job. Spruce was in great shape, but then we accidentally turned back onto Black Beauty and both screamed "NOOOOOO" as our entire bodies vibrated. Thankfully, we were able to quickly cut through to Juniper to save the day. At the bottom, we found Christien at the handle tow, seeming like he was having fun! He said Ray did age out of the beginner lesson, which made me feel relieved!

Sarah and I took care of our chores, I restocked my pocket drink, and we headed right back to the lift. I was putting my skis back on near the lift and I heard "what are you waiting for?" and it was Ray! Sarah CHARGED after him, which resulted in a very funny photo that looked like she was being raptured. I was a little surprised to see him getting on the double, but maybe they were going to tackle the comically steep mid station? Emma, Linnea, and Andrew also all joined us at this point, and Gen was up at the cabin holding down our table. 

Gen got photos of us on our way back up and we saw Ray looking Upper Black Beauty in the eyes with his teacher - not gonna lie I was a bit worried for him with those death cookies! The five of us skied back to the cabin for some more silliness until the boys' lessons wrapped up. A little before 12:30pm, Gen and I skied down to get some lunch and the kids! Ray wrapped up first (on the triple, one summit run was more than enough for him). He and Gen got lunch at the cafeteria and carefully brought it up to the cabin. Christien finished up a few minutes later off of the poma lift, so then he and I did the same!

Runs 5-7

Run 5: East Bowl Triple - Alpine Cabin - Sugarbush - Juniper

[1.07 mi; 9:32; 784 ft; 16.9 mph max; 6.7 mph avg]

Run 6: Platter Pull - Ninow

[0.23 mi; 1:31; 174 ft; 15.3 mph max; 9.2 mph avg]

Run 7: East Bowl Triple - Chute - Jackson Standard

[0.55 mi; 1:14; 692 ft; 33.9 mph max; 26.9 mph avg]

He did a great job on his first chair lift ride! I carried the poles and both bits of lunch (he bought lunch, I brought my leftovers from last night). He dismounted without a fall, and we were soon sitting up at the cabin for lunch and drinks! It was a super silly day and I was just having so much fun, and I was really glad Ray and Christien were able to join us for it!

We were revving up to get a magnum of champagne, but I encouraged Christien to get a run or two in beforehand just so he knew what to expect on the way down before throwing booze into his body. This was a good move! We left the cabin and followed Sugarbush, which was mellow but narrow. He did great! At the right turn after the Sugar Shack the trail became a bit more uneven with a few trees to dodge and a slightly steeper grade, which did send him into his first fall, but he recovered miracuously! It's fun watching him and Ray ski down together - Ray learned the way I learned - scared and slow. Christien, on the other hand (and apparently his teacher said this ), has a need for speed! His method was gaining speed (accidentally) and falling beautifully, which honeslty wasn't the worst! We made it onto Juniper and survived the final descent back to the lodge to do a quick pee. 

Naturally, I proposed we do a quick run on the poma before heading back up. It was Christien, Ray, Sarah, and I, and Ninow was excellent! Christien looked much more comfortable (and said he felt better on it). It's a shame there isn't a 5% easier way down from the cabin. We tee-hee'd all the way down and got back onto the Triple!

As a group, we set 2:30pm as the time we were going to get our champagne. The four of us got back up at 2:20, and we saw a text from Emma saying she just got on the double. Sarah and I looked at each other with a twinkle in our eyes and decided to do a quick bomber run down Jackson Standard, and it was a JOY. We made it back at 2:31pm, of course apologized for being late, and then it was time for Champagne!

Runs 8-9

Run 8: East Bowl Triple - Alpine Cabin - East Bowl - Spruce - Juniper

[0.73 mi; 7:36; 751 ft; 12.8 mph max; 5.9 mph avg]

Run 9: East Bowl Triple - Alpine Cabin - Sugarbush - Spruce - Juniper

[0.80 mi; 9:39; 768 ft; 16.8 mph max; 6.0 mph avg]

Sarah and I took the Triple up since there was no line and then Emma and I went in to get the bottle. $200 for a magnum of Veuve truly isn't the worst deal, as it would be even more if we were at a restaurant. We took silly photos with the giant bottle, did multiple rounds of cheers, and just had a wonderfully, silly time up with friends. Naturally, after a while I had to pee, so Christien, Ray, Gen, Sarah, and I did a nice run down East Bowl, Spruce, and Juniper. I chose East Bowl, which is a blue, because it's significantly wider than the other trails in the area, which I thought would be better for them to practice traversing and not gaining speed... I was wrong! I did feel bad, but it was in good intention! He also felt bad and encouraged us to keep going, but I was firm about not being the guy who skis off and reminded him that my friends and I are truly happy to ski greens all day - it's the fun part about skiing with friends! Quality of life improved once we were back on Spruce and Juniper, with a few more beautiful falls when the trail gained pitch. We did our chores down low, and got back on the Triple for another stop at the cabin around 3:30pm!

We all yapped and enjoyed each other's company for the last half hour of the day and finally remembered to take a full group noggin photo before skiing down just after lifts stopped at 4:00pm (patrol was giving us the eyes). We talked about meeting at the "BLACK" sign at the base for a group photo afterwards, but it would turn out that Christien and I would take too long, so we got one of just the two of us. The run down was a bit tumultuous, mostly for him - I had a great time! I could tell that he was getting frustrated with falling, which got a little worse when a patroller caught up to us during his sweep while we were trying to get his ski back on on a steeper spot [of the green run] (he was absolutely lovely and kind and equally gave Christien some points and just chit chatted with me). I did my best to offer a mix of support and tips and reassurance, and I might have done a halfway decent job, but all was good once we made it back down. 

We took a few photos just the two of us outside, and then made our way inside to meet the rest of the crew for chorus and yapping. We all decided to go to the Red Fox on the way home, which was just delightful! He apologized to me for being ornery (which is a word I had never heard before) and I promised that he was not coming off that way at all. I truly had such a wonderful day with him and my friends, and he wants to ski again! Probably not this season just because of work, timing, and spring, but he said he's definitely interested. A win!

Map of Black Mountain (2025-2026)

Skiing Black Mountain (NH) (Day 16/Indy Day 13)

Skiing Black Mountain (NH)

Saturday, January 31st

Runs: 17

Distance: 12.96 miles

Elevation: 13,503 feet

Max Speed: 30.7 mph

Avg. Speed: 12.2 mph

Moving Time: 1hour, 2 minutes, 58 seconds

Total Time: 6 hours, 47 minutes, 57 seconds

After the big snowstorm last weekend, Sarah and I decided it was time to make one of our pilgrimages up to our favorite little hill, Black Mountain! It was supposed to be a borderline perfect day and the mountain was going to be 100% open, including three new double-blacks that they were cutting the ribbons on at 11am (I was not sold on going to them, Sarah wanted to). We got to the mountain around 8:30 after a long drive up NH-16, got our Indy passes right away, enjoyed the newly reorganized lodge, and got to work on our chores! The ticket area was the same, but they moved the rental station down and there is now a proper gift shop where the old rental station used to be - it was nice! Sarah asked an employee where to leave our bags and she said "whereever you want - how it should be!" (we left them in the car since we had princess parking in the already small parking lot). We booted up and excitedly got right to work!

Snow Report & Daily Conditions

Saturday - January 31st

6AM - You can expect a near-perfect mid-winter bluebird day at Black Mountain. With almost zero wind and warming temps into the low 20s, it is going to be a downright heatwave compared to what we have been dealing with the past few weeks. We will be spinning the Summit Double, East Bowl Triple, Platter Pull, the Fluffy Cow Handle Tow, and the Historic J-Bar all day. 100% of terrain is open.

While the weather will be near perfect, the mountain is actually in perfect shape. Grooming has been out in force all week cleaning up from the mega storm, but there area still tons of fresh turns in very soft snow to be found. Most trails have had the fresh snow worked into perfect corduroy, and the winch cat has been busy on Roller Coaster and at the summit.

Make sure you are at the summit for our ribbon cutting at 11am, as we open our extreme hike-to trails: "Back Out," "Black Out," and "Champagne Problems" for the first time ever. We suggest a backpack to carry your skis or board to make the climb to the summit of Black Mountain, otherwise go old school and just sling them over your shoulder. Either way, this new extreme terrain is not to be missed. We will be taking a commorative group photo with the first group of skiers and riders to make the march to the summit.

We are bringing back the "Noon Groomer" today on Jackson Standard. Look for a full re-groom of the trail around noon. Rumor has it there will be free cookies shortly after.

The DJ Party at the Alpine Cabin will be in full force today. Rumor has it there will be Champagne sprayed. We have a full lineup of live music starting at 11am and going all the way to 9pm. The Base Lodge Kitchen starts with a yummy breakfast at 8am, powers through lunch, and serves a full dinner menu till 9. Our hot food and salad bar are back as well.

We are freeing up a bunch of additional parking spots today with our staff parking off-site, and this allows us to open a few more lift tickets for sale today. As always, please watch your speed coming through town, adn enver park on the state highway. Rumor has it the big chief is watching.

Thanks for being here.

Erik

Runs 1-3

Run 1: Summit Double Chair - Upper Black Beauty - Black Beauty - Juniper

[1.26 miles; 4:19; 1,129 feet; 28.8 mph max; 17.5 mph avg]

Run 2: Summit Double Chair - Upper Maple Slalom - Maple Chute - Upper Speedwell - Lower Speedwell - Valley View - Jubilee

[0.95 miles; 3:59; 1,129 feet; 27.8 mph max; 14.3 mph avg]

Run 3: Summit Double Chair - Upper Maple Slalom - Maple Chute - Sun Valley - Roller Coaster - Farmer A - Ninow

[0.83 miles; 4:05; 1,093 feet; 25.0 mph max; 11.8 mph avg]

There was virtually no line when we started skiing just after 9:00am and fresh corduroy was all around the mountain! We gasped at the unload area at how insane Mt. Washington looked in its dramatic blanket of white draped against a winter-blue sky - aboslutely stunning. The ravines were looking mighty fine, too. Our first run was down Upper Black Beauty to Black Beauty to Juniper, which was just excellent. I remember Upper Black Beauty getting a little dicey the past few times I'd been to Black Mountain, so it was nice to get it while it was good!

Run #2 followed the looker's left side of the mountain, which similarly in delightful shape. We hit a new trail for us, Roller Coaster, on Run #3, and the snow was the best there! Roller Coaster partially followed the double's lift line, and then an unnamed narrow steep bit dropped off and connected to Farmer A - it was fantastic and just a little challenging! We followed Farmer A to Ninow to wrap this one up.

Runs 4-8

Run 4: East Bowl Triple - Sugarbush - Juniper

[1.06 miles; 4:08; 804 feet; 26.6 mph max; 15.1 mph avg]

Run 5: Summit Double Chair - Upper Black Beauty - White Knuckle - Sugar Loop - Sugarbush - Sweet Dreams - Sugarbush - Juniper

[1.23 miles; 5:59; 1,093 feet; 21.5 mph max; 12.1 mph avg]

Run 6: East Bowl Triple - Chute - Unmarked Woods - Upper Jackson Standard - Runaway - Dire Gamble - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.70 miles; 5:35; 784 feet; 26.0 mph max; 7.0 mph avg]

Run 7: Summit Double Chair - Upper Maple Slalom - Maple Slalom Chute - Sun Valley - T2 - Valley View - Bob O Link - Valley View - Jubilee

[0.94 miles; 5:12; 1,093 feet; 25.0 mph max; 10.1 mph avg]

Run 8: Summit Double Chair Mid Station - Maple Slalom Chute - Sun Valley - Roller Coaster - Ninow

[0.76 miles; 3:38; 820 feet; 30.7 mph max; 12.2 mph avg]

Now that we got some groomers under our belts, we wanted to start exploring some of the glades and ungroomed runs. They groomed most of the mountain since the storm, but there were still some pockets left au naturale! I wasn't sure if I wanted to join Sarah on the new trails, so I proposed hitting the blue glades, then single black, and then double black just to size them up. Run #4 was over to the Sugar Glades, which either don't exist or were closed? It was unclear, but we ended up just skiing the lovely green run "Sugarbush" to Juniper. We also saw the "Sugar Shack," which is on the map, but it looks not yet open nor done being constructed.

Run #5 brought us back to the top and we followed the double-black run "White Knuckle," which was narrow and bumpy, but the steep spot was short. The most challenging part of the trail was just the conditions, which was hard pack bumps and ice. On the powder day, this trail would have been super fun! It was also good to know that a double black non-tree run at Black Mountain is 100% in my skill set. Afterwards, we hit Sugar Loop, Sugar Bush, and Sweet Dreams, with Sweet Dreams being a favorite.

Run #6 was back off of the Triple due to length of lines at the double (we got chair #69, which was fun), and we were looking for some woods over near the Jackson Standard. We found our way into a short, narrow single track that was apparently a set of unmarked woods and overall not too pleasant to ski. THEN we found the actual glades off of "Runaway." We dipped into Dire Gamble, which in good conditions would be 100% in my skillset and easier than many of the glades I've done at Jay, but this was 18" of powder on a nonexistent base, so most of the time in there was spent dodging rocks and logs. I popped out onto S-Turns for a moment, but decided to commit to the rest of the run. If they get another dumping, those woods would be fun!

We gave the woods one more shot on our seventh run. We got off at the top (gawked at Mt. Washington again) and went down Upper Maple Slalom to check out the Carter Notch Glades (double black). They were definitely steeper than anything I had done before, but I did think I could do it. Thankfully, Sarah simply did not want to do it. It was tracked out and looked a little "sendy" to get below the cliff band, so we side stepped out of there and continued on down towards the T2 glades (single black), which were more friendly. Little tracked out with a few rocks and logs to dodge, but otherwise fine. We both said we were food with woods for the day, and Sarah no longer felt compelled to go to the new runs. We did hit Bob O Link for the first time, which was a fun windy spit!

We got stuck on the double for about five minutes (plus lines were now about 10 minutes long) before skiing Run #8. Comically enough, we ended up being music nerds and trying to figure out what the solfege syllables were for "99 bottles of beer on the wall," and the SECOND we figured the full thing out the chair started moving again - it was pretty poetic, stupid, and incredible. We opted to get off at the mid-station since we had to pee, were hungry, and simply wanted to be off of the chair. We split up for this run since my lunch was in the car and Sarah was going straight to the lodge. We had a wonderful break, even eating in the sun outside!

Runs 9-11

Run 9: Summit Double Chair - Upper Black Beauty - Black Beauty - Galloping Goose - Juniper

[1.19 miles; 4:22; 1,086 feet; 24.9 mph max; 15.7 mph avg]

Run 10: Summit Double Chair - Upper Maple Slalom - East Bowl - Valley View - Galloping Goose - Runaway - S-Turns - Raceway

[0.93 miles; 4:01; 1,099 feet; 25.7 mph max; 13.0 mph avg]

Run 11: Summit Double Chair - Lostbo - Upper Black Beauty - Spruce - Cross Cut - Juniper - Goose Pitch - Juniper

[1.07 miles; 4:00; 1,063 feet; 25.9 mph max; 15.4 mph avg]

Runs 9-11 were our "lets cleanse our pallets post-lunch and enjoy some easier trails" runs. Run #9 brought us back up Upper Black Beauty, which was acting a little scrapey now and much busier, and then we meandered our way down to Galloping Goose, which became an instant favorite! It was just a touch steeper than the greens and was just a delightful cruiser with good snow! Run #10 brought us back to Runaway to hit S-Turns, which was ungroomed but in very nice condition. We finished out on some fun rollers on Raceway. Finally, #11 we went down the double-black Lostbo from the top, which was just descending a frozen man-made snow cliff... From there we went back down Upper Black Beauty, eventually landing on Goose Pitch, which was another fun one!

Runs 12-14

Run 12: Platter Pull - Jubilee - Kinda Flat

[0.23 miles; 2:00; 200 feet]

Run 13: J-Bar - Whitney's Hill

[0.16 miles, 1:37; 125 feet; 14.4 mph max; 6.0 mph avg]

Run 14: J-Bar - Eno's Trail

[0.20 miles; 1:30; 125 feet]

The next batch were some of my favorite. Sarah and I love hitting a beginner area/surface lift. Run #12 brought us to the Poma Lift and we used that to get over to the J-Bar via Jubilee and "Kinda Flat," which was more just a snowmobile trail for mountain ops, but it worked!

We rode the historic J-Bar, which was super cute and followed Whitney's Hill, which had some untouched powder! It felt super silly to ski untouched powder almost a week after it fell off of a J-Bar on a green slope, but we giggled the whole way down!

We rode the J-Bar a second time to get back to the double via Eno's Trail, which was a bit longer than Whitney's and plenty of fun.

Runs 15-16

Run 15: Summit Double Chair Mid-Station - Maple Slalom Chute - Sun Valley - Roller Coaster - Farmer A - Ninow

[0.70 miles; 4:29; 804 feet; 22.1 mph max; 9.4 mph avg]

Run 16: Summit Double Chair - Upper Maple Slalom

[0.20 miles; 1:00; 252 feet; 24.0 mph max; 10.0 mph avg]

We had planned to take the double to the top, ski partway down, and enjoy a drink at the Alpine Cabin (where the resident DJ, Erik, who is also the GM and owner of the Indy Pass, was doing a set of wild EDM music), but I managed to pop my goggle lenses off and they fell into my lap, then onto the chair, then onto my boot, then onto my skis, and then to the ground. The girls behind us shouted "DO YOU KNOW YOU DROPPED YOUR LENS?!"... yes... yes I knew. We got off at the mid-station, borderline cackling, and skied down Roller Coaster to get them, including the steepest pitch that had a child fully splayed out unmoving on it (the dad was right there staring at the child...). We eventually got the goggles, though! It was a VERY silly sun and Sarah had a BLAST watching me ski with the lens-less goggles on.

Run #16 was redemption! We rode to the top, waved to George, and skied down Upper Maple Slalom to the Alpine Cabin, which was absolutely alive with music and good vibes!

Run 17

Run 17: Alpine Cabin - Chute - Valley View - Maple Slalom - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.55 miles, 3:50; 804 feet; 29.5 mph max; 13.0 mph avg]

I got a hard iced tea and Sarah got a hot cider with rum. We sat outside and enjoyed our drinks and the music and the wonderful weather (it was sunny and barely over 15 degrees). It was a perfect day! We both agreed that the problem with coming to Black Mountain on a day with good conditions is that you have to choose whether you want to ski or hang at the Alpine Cabin! When conditions are horrible, it's so much easier to spend a good chunk of the day at the cabin, but we didn't want to stop skiing! Tragic! We wrapped up around 3:45 and skied down in an attempt to beat the 4:00pm crowd. 

We changed at the lodge, bought new matching hoodies (the gift shop lady was an absolute delight) and made our way to the Applebees in North Conway for a quick and easy dinner (I was feeling sleepy and didn't want to be so far away late in the day with low energy). We had a long drive back, but it was so worth it! I was excited to get home because a new character, Christien, was coming over and we'd be spending tomorrow up in the Whites for his first visit!

Map of Black Mountain (2025-2026)

Skiing Black Mountain (NH)

Skiing Black Mountain (NH)

Saturday, May 3rd, 2025

Runs: 6

Distance: 4.10 miles

Elevation: 4,750 feet

Max Speed: 27.0 mph

Avg. Speed: 13.7 mph

Moving Time: 32 minutes, 56 seconds

Total Time: 3 hours, 54 minutes, 47 seconds

Oh man, it was officially time for the silliest ski day of the season! Black Mountain was having their closing day/90th birthday party, and Emma and I were READY. We went to a friend's wedding the night before and woke up to our 6:00am alarms to get up to the mountain in time for some breakfast and Veuve Cliquot mimosas. The ticket line was usually slow, and Emma only had her telemark setup since her alpine gear was up at Jay Peak!

Today's Report at Black Mountain - May 3rd 2025

Today is truly a historic day - we're the only ski area still open in New Hampshire, and for the first time ever, Black Mountain is skiing/riding in May! With highs in the upper 60s and the rain expected to hold off, it's the perfect setup for an incredible day of spring skiing and celebration of New Hampshire's oldest ski area.

Get ready for non-stop fun all day long:

- $9 Lift Tickets from 10am - 7:30pm

- Breakfast Buffet 9:30am -11am

- DJ Apres Party from 1pm - 7pm

- Jump Session from 4pm - 6pm

- Fireworks at dusk

- Outdoor Grill & Bar serving up food and drinks all day

- Bouncy House for the kids

- Live Music throughout the day

- Giveaways for the first 1,000 guests at the Alpine Cabin

Not skiing? No problem - foot traffic tickets are available so you can ride the lift up to the Alpine Cabin and join the celebration with fondue, champagne, and mountain views!

Cap it all off tonight with an unforgettable live band performance and a spectacular fireworks display lighting up the mountain sky.

Today is one for the history books - you don't want to miss it. Come ski, celebrate, and be a part of Black Mountain's incredible story!

They actually started spinning the double chair a half hour early than expected at 9:30am. We got on line around 10:20am and soon were on our way up for our first run of the day!

Run 1

Run 1: Summit Double - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.65 mi; 7:07; 750 ft; 24.5 mph max; 5.9 mph avg]

It was so much fun having Emma on telemark skis, because she was STRESSED. She was asking me how tough the trail was, and asked that we get off at the mid station so she could warm up. The unloading ramp was ROUGH. Choppy, slushy, icy, and steep. We scooted into the Alpine Cabin to get our free t-shirts (I might have taken two...), and then it was time to head down! We followed Chute, which was narrow and scratchy to Jackson Standard, which had a slushy, flat beginning. My legs were NOT ready for spring skiing at this point in the day, but adrenaline soon kicked in. Emma was having a BAD time. She pizza'd right down Chute and attempted a few tele turns, but quickly bailed.

We made it to the steep section of Jackson Standard - I had a fantastic time on my descent, Emma... not so much. She took her time and I got some photos. I waited at the bottom while someone gave her a "woo!" and "free the heel!" - the same person then skied up to me and said "do you know what telemark means in Finnish? It means waiting" and "half a binding, half a brain!" I love 1) how ready he was for these quotes and 2) how he played for both teams, complimenting Emma to her face and insulting her to mine. Eventually, she did make it down and IMMEDAITELY decided she would rent an alpine setup.

Runs 2-3

Run 2: Summit Double - Upper Maple Slalom - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.85 mi; 4:20; 1,000 ft; 27.0 mph max; 10.8 mph avg]

Run 3: Summit Double - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.65 mi; 5:30; 750 ft; 26.5 mph max; 7.1 mph avg]

She did have to wait in the long line to get her rental stuff situated. I did a few laps to the car and we had our first wardrobe change of the day. Emma changed from her "grandma bumps" shirt to a Hawaiian shirt, and I changed from my "even Jesus said Jesus when he saw me ski" hoodie to a Hawaiian shirt. The rental guys were great - she ended up doing her forms online and once she introduced herself he said "okay you're fine just tell me what you need." We were back on the double a little before noon for our second lap, which was all the way to the tippy top! There was a patroller waiting at the top chair warning us to do a sharp turn, but we got flustered because our feet weren't touching the ground due to the low snow. Emma ended up pizza-ing me right off the snow bank! So silly. The women after us also crashed. 

Upper Maple Slalom was just like Chute but steeper and truly not great to ski on - we were glad we did it, though! We got a cloudy view to the presidentials and soon were back at the mid-station area. The rest of our run was fine, and Emma was just thrilled to skiing normally.

We got right back in line, past the "Adventure Skiing" and "Better vibes at the Cabin" signs, and went back up. The lift lines were long but vibes were EXCELLENT. Everyone there had one goal: to have fun, and it was sweet. We saw rain was coming in, so we decided we'd get a drink at the cabin and ski down once it started to rain. Vibes at the cabin were also excellent. The DJ music was playing, people were dancing, and everyone was just enjoying the silly day. The sun had disappeared, but it was okay. Emma and I bopped around, enjoying our drinks, and once the inevitable rain hit, we skied on down. Jackson Standard was starting to get just a little bumpy. Personally, I did a horrible job skiing on the little bumps this lap - I'm SHOCKED I didn't fall. 

Runs 4-6

Run 4: Summit Double - Upper Maple Slalom - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.65 mi; 3:17; 750 ft; 25.4 mph max; 11.2 mph avg]

Run 5: Summit Double - Upper Maple Slalom - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.65 mi; 4:06; 750 ft; 21.5 mph max; 8.3 mph avg]

Run 6: Summit Double - Upper Maple Slalom - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.65 mi; 3:28; 750 ft; 25.7 mph max; 11.2 mph avg]

Now is when the silliness really began. Emma and I decided that once it started to rain, we'd ski down and change into our Ski Patrol Banquet clothes (which was 80s Prom themed). We committed. I did an easy quick change into my frilly tux shirt and tacky crushed velvet jacket while Emma shimmied into her beaded dress with shoulder pads. We looked RIDICULOUS, and got many comments. Again, the vibes were EXELLENT, so it was actually super fun! We rode the chair up looking insane and got a subsequent run in, looking INSANE. We took a turns getting photos of each other skiing in the formalwear, which might have become a new tradition. I convinced Emma to get a drink after Run #5 back at the cabin before our two more skip the last to round out the day. At the cabin, the DJ now had a live saxophone player! They brought up a new batch of shirts, and people were just having a blast. Patrol set up a jump off of Maple Slalom Chute (wild), and we made MANY friends at the cabin. My favorites were the women who kept calling us the prom king and queen!

We sat down in the sun chairs to enjoy the clouds, chatted with a few randoms, and once the rain began again, we started our final journey down. We were officially at carnage o'clock, where there were MANY people skiing down, and only some had skied spring bumps before (I will say, this time, I felt like I held my own!). The women who we met at the cabin screamed "PROM KING AND QUEEN" at us as they went by, and we finished strong. This was FUN skiing, and I repeatedly thanked Emma for teaching me how to ski, and thanked myself for pushing myself this season so I could handle these conditions!

Our apres involved staying in-character in the main cabin, where I had two (2) beers (I don't drink beer, so this was in fact a big deal) and we listened to some live music while we giggled about the day. Our final wardrobe change was on the way out - Emma put on her "Skiing Makes Me Horny" shirt while I had my "Where the hell is West Glover?" shirt. We wore these to the gas station just off of NH-16 south - the one with the GOOD cookies. Afterwards, it was time for a LONG drive home. 

God, I LOVE Black Mountain. Gen, Sarah, Emma, and I all agree that next season we have our sights set on this mountain for a big storm day, because it's just so much fun! I am glad to have visited three times this season, and I'm excited to see what they continue to do in the future!

Map of Black Mountain (NH)

Skiing Black Mountain (NH)

Skiing Black Mountain (NH)

Saturday, March 8th, 2025

Runs: 15

Distance: 11.66 miles

Elevation: 11,587 feet

Max Speed: 30.7 mph

Avg. Speed: 12.2 mph

Moving Time: 58 minutes, 47 seconds

Total Time: 4 hours, 58 minutes, 47 seconds

I had a super easy drive from the Black Mountain Ski Trail to the Black Mountain Ski Area. It continued to flurry on-and-off, and somehow Sarah and I timed our drives so we landed within 2 minutes of each other and getting to park right next to each other! We first went inside to take care of our chores - passes and potty - and then got booted up in the car. The parking lot barely had any cars, and it was looking to be a great day! The snow report sounded promising - they said great conditions, advertised most trails to be open, and there was a DJ Party at the Alpine Cabin from 1-6pm!

Today's Report at Black Mountain

We are OPEN! All trails and lifts are operating today with great conditions. We expect to have normal operations all day and no wind holds. It's currently lightly snowing, mixed with occasional sunshine, making for a perfect day on the slopes. 

Since we missed FNL last night, we're extra excited to kick off our first-ever DJ Party at the ALpine Cabin from 1-6pm! Then, don't miss our Saturday Sunset Ski Event - enjoy late lift rides until 4:15pm while we groom a fresh trail just for you. Ski or ride under the sunset, starting at 5pm. Lift access is included with all pass types, including day and uphill passes. Not a pass holder? No problem! You can ride on the lift for just $10 with a single-ride ticket.

Runs 1-3

Run 1: Summit Double - Upper Black Beauty - Black Beauty - Beauty Loop - Black Beauty - Juniper

[1.16 mi; 5:19; 1,076 ft; 23.1 mph avg; 12.6 mph max]

Run 2: East Bowl Triple - East Bowl - Juniper - Spruce - Juniper - Goose Pitch - Juniper

[0.79 mi; 3:40; 781 ft; 21.1 mph avg; 12.2 mph max]

Run 3: Platter Pull Surface Lift - Ninow - Davis

[0.26 mi; 1:11; 220 ft; 20.3 mph max; 12.3 mph avg]

Once we were booted up we headed right to the Summit Double, which had no line. It was warmed than expected, and we only felt any wind at the very top of the double. Sadly, there were no views from the top, but that was okay! The Maple Slalom was closed for snowmaking, which was surprising, so we followed Upper Black Beauty off the top, which was in... okay condition. Hopefully it would soften as the day went on. Black beauty proper was skiing better, and then we followed Beauty Loop, which was the kind of frozen corduroy that shakes your whole body. The bottom stretch of the run - Black Beauty to Juniper - was MUCH better!

We hit the East Bowl Triple next. Sadly, Jackson Standard was also closed for snowmaking, along with a few of its connector trails. I understood why there were doing this, and impressed they were still making snow in March, but bummed it was happening on a Saturday! We followed East Bowl to Juniper to Spruce to Juniper, which all skied well. Only hurdle was dodging people, which I remember from last time. We decided to get adventerous and follow Goose Pitch from Juniper, which was... unpleasant. Frozen thin cover. 

Run #3 was also lift #3 - we hit Ninow and Davis from the Platter Pull Surface Lift, which actually skied the best of any trail so far! 

Runs 4-7

Run 4: East Bowl Triple - East Bowl - Galloping Goose - Juniper

[0.84 mi; 4:52; 797 ft; 22.0 mph max; 10.1 mph avg]

Run 5: Summit Double - Maple Chute - Upper Speedwell - Lower Speedwell - Jubilee

[0.76 mi; 3:41; 810 ft; 27.4 mph max; 12.4 mph avg]

Run 6: Summit Double - Maple Chute - Sun Valley - Valley View - Big Dipper - Davis

[0.77 mi; 3:45; 827 ft; 28.1 mph max; 12.3 mph avg]

Run 7: Summit Double - Maple Chute - Upper Speedwell - Lower Speedwell - Jubilee

[0.73 mi; 3:00; 823 ft; 30.7 mph max; 14.5 mph avg]

We continued onto the East Bowl Triple. We noticed that Black Mountain was functioning similarly to Magic and Jay in terms of what defines an "open" trail, which we respected. Basically, if there was at least a single line of connecting snow, it was open (minus snowmaking, though). Run #4 followed East Bowl and then down Gallopping Goose, which wasn't bumpy... more of a lumpy frozen run down to Juniper.

Our next three runs werre of the mid-station of the Summit Double. We made the sharp left turn down the comically steep and long exit ramp to the Maple Chute, which skied super nicely. Run #5 went down Upper and Lower Speedwell, which were both a little icy, but overall skied nicely, and Jubilee was in great shape. 

#6 was down Sun Valley to Valley View, both of which were hard and fast, and then we went down Big Dipper and Davis. Big Dipper was simialr to my last visit - with the headwall being a glacier, but Davis was delightful! Sarah was getting a little tired of the double chair, which kept stopping and bouncing. We did a repeat of the Speedwells for #7 before a quick potty break and heading up for lunch!

Runs 8-10

Run 8: East Bowl Triple - East Bowl - Juniper

[0.79 mi; 4:17; 846 ft; 27.2 mph max; 11.1 mph avg]

Run 9: East Bowl Triple - East Bowl - Black Beauty - Juniper

[0.79 mi; 3:13; 804 ft; 25.6 mph max; 14.8 mph avg]

Run 10: Platter Pull Surface Lift - Jubilee

[0.24 mi; 1:11; 220 ft; 20.3 mph max; 12.3 mph avg]

We took the East Bowl Triple up for what was my favorite ski day lunch of all time. We went to the Alpine Cabin and I said "I keep seeing signs for champagne and fondue?" She said "excellent choice!" While not cheap, it also wasn't as expensive as I had thought. The fondue was $20, which is actually reasonable for a lift-served eatery, and the 375mL bottle of Veuve Cliquot was $60, which retails for $40, so I was thrilled (a full bottle was $120). With tip, lunch was $50/each. We got a table outside and enjoyed our lunch which was so fun and silly! Music was playing outside the cabin, which was super fun. Only qualm for us was the snowmaking guns, which were right next to the cabin and super loud, but hey, gotta do what you gotta do! We chilled for a bit after lunch, just enjoying the sights and sounds. We watched the DJ get set up, and decided we'd ski some more before coming back to enjoy his music and some warm beverages. 

After lunch, we did an easy run down Juniper, which was the most fun run of the day, mostly just because we now had a glass of wine in our systems. We did a quick bathroom break and then did another lap down Black Beauty and Juniper - we only did part of Black Beauty becuase it was still pretty frozen. We were hoping for some more sun to soften things up, but we accepted that we wouldn't be getting that. 

Run #10 was another lap on the Platter Pull Surface Lift for fun, and we went left this time down Jubilee.

Runs 11-14

Run 11: Summit Double - Upper Black Beauty - Black Beauty - Spruce - Juniper

[1.21 mi; 5:07; 1,129 ft; 25.1 mph max; 7.7 mph avg]

Run 12: Summit Double - Maple Chute - Sun Valley - Valley View - Big Dipper - Davis - Outback

[0.81 mi; 3:55; 830 ft; 23.1 mph max; 12.4 mph avg]

Run 13: East Bowl Triple - Maple Chute - Upper Speedwell - Lower Speedwell - Davis

[0.73 mi; 3:17; 814 ft; 22.5 mph max; 11.8 mph avg]

Run 14: East Bowl Triple - East Bowl - Sugarbush - Sugar Loop - Sugarbush - Juniper

[0.95 mi; 4:57; 764 ft; 20.1 mph max; 10.8 mph avg]

We got two more runs off of the Summit Double - Sarah was such a trooper! Some of the bounces were intense, in fairness. Run #11 was back to the tippy top and down the Black Beauties, which were in rough shape, especially the stretch of Upper Black Beauty after turning a corner. We basically picked an edge and rode it down, only turning for the novelty of it. Sarah joked that she would turn just to look at some different trees. The lower half was in better shape, thankfully, and then we made it down. 

Back to the mid-station for Run #12, we followed Maple Chute to Big Dipper again. We noticed from the Triple there were a few pretty trails that were really only accessible via some of the gnarlier "open" trails, but we were able to cut over from Davis to Outback, which was... fine. Just more ice skating!

At this point, we were all done with the double chair and went back to the Triple for one more run on the left side of the map, back to the Speedwells, which I think were my favorites of the day. While icy, they still skied decently. In reflection, I also have over 20 days without doing anything to my edges, which was not helping my cause. 

We were getting ready for hot chocolate o'clock, so we called three more skip the last with a BIG break in between. Run #14 was up the Triple, where we saw three snowboarders duck the rope and suffer the consequences. Snowboarder #1 fell immedaitely on the headwall of Jackson Standard, slid off the groomed run, hit an iceberg, and FLEW through the air. Snowboarder #2 fell on his butt and slid all the way down, slowly rotating as he slid. Somehow Snowboarder #3 survived and watched his friends. Thankfully all three were fine, and we hope they got yelled at! We went down Sugarbush and Sugar Loop, which were THIN cover. There was a large family exploring some of the blues and glades off this side, which was an interesting choice. Not great skiing, but fun to see a new terrain pod. After this run we went in for another potty break, added a layer, and then it was time to head up!

Run 15

Run 15: East Bowl Triple - East Bowl - Juniper

[0.83 mi; 2:50; 846 ft; 29.1 mph max; 16.4 mph avg]

Back up the Triple, we stopped back at the Alpine Cabin, which was busy now! Inside, there was a hefty line for drinks, and the deck was pretty packed, but there were seats available. Sarah got a hot cider and I got a hot chocolate (with my own Baileys added). The DJ's theme was essentailly "Prom is 2012," which was EXCELLENT. The general manager went around refilling people's champagne and mingled, and at one point he got a little crazy and did the thing rich people do where they put their thumb over the champagne bottle and shake it. The vibes here were EXCELLENT. A few normal people took a chair ride up too to join in on the fun. Sarah and I stayed for a little over an hour, eventually getting a second round of hot drinks (this time she got hot chocolate and I got the hot cider with a shot of rum). It was DEVINE. A little after 4pm we made the call to ski down, even though the DJ went until 6pm and they were permitting folks to ski at the end!

Our final was down East Bowl and Juniper and was lovely. I will say, though, going from a loud DJ and snowguns to only hearing the sounds of your skis is a JARRING transition!

We wrapped up at our cars and met Sarah's parents at the Wildcat Inn (we got some AMAZING ravioli!). After we parted ways, I drove to the Lakes Region to meet Emma, Snowboard Emma, and Elizabeth at the Twin Barns Brewery for a drink and then we all went to Fun Spot (which was a WILD experience). We spent the night at Snowboard Emma's parents' lake house and Ragged Mountain was on the list for tomorrow!

Map of Black Mountain (2024-2025)

Black Mountain via Black Mountain Ski Trail (White Mountain National Forest)

Black Mountain via Black Mountain Ski Trail (White Mountain National Forest)

Hike Type: Lollipop Loop

Distance: 3.77 miles

Elevation: 1,512 feet

Time: 2 hours, 19 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes moving)
Hiking Challenges: 52 With a View

The Hike

First silly early drive up to the Whites of 2025! Sarah and I planned/hoped to hike Carter Dome (finally) on this day, but the comical forecasts said otherwise. High of 0 degrees, wind 60-80 mph with gusts of over 100, and the usually wooded Carter Dome's summit had a snowpack of ~8 feet, which created a half mile stretch of fully exposed hiking, which we were not about to do. We talked about it a lot, and agreed we're both fully capable of 1) hiking in extreme conditions and 2) communicating needs, but we simply wouldn't have had much fun! We pivoted plans to skiing Black Mountain in Jackson, NH, which would be an EXCELLENT choice. I still wanted to get a hike in, so we drove seperate and I hiked up the Black Mountain Ski Trail (not linked to the ski area) before we met for some shredding. I was up at 2:50am and out the door just after 3am. It was a dark, sleepy drive, but I had fun playing with my automatic cruise control with automatic steering (SAFELY). I chrisened the bathroom at the Circle K in Ossipee and yet again at the porta potty at the scenic view off of Route 16 in Noth Conway. I was delighted at how not freezing it was! Temps at this point were in the low 20s and wind wasn't insane.

Once in Jackson, it started to snow! I made it to the parking area, which was large and plowed, at 6:25am. It was 22 degrees out with some wind, but nothing as insane as I expected. I was a little anxious about the day since the ski area lost power last night and they hadn't updated their snow report yet... We'll see! I had some leftover pizza for breakfast, and got to work!

[6:35am: Start of Hike]

[6:40am: Black Mountain Ski Trail]

The first stretch of the hike was along a driveway and then soon turned right into the woods at a trail sign. I put my Kahtoolas on, removed my puff, and started up the ski trail. The trail was wide and easy to follow. I think legally is blazed with blue diamonds, but I did not see any. It was snowing like a beautiful snowglobe. I took off my fleece and followed someone's postholes from I assume the warm day we had a couple of days ago. The post holes continued over some hidden stream crossings, where the hiker plunged into the running water underneath all three times.

There were many twigs and branches down from the wind, and then I reached an actual stream crossing at 0.3 miles, which was no problem. I was much warmer than I thought I'd be, which was a delightful surprise. I hit a recent blowdown at 0.5 miles, and thought about how this would actually be a fun trail to ski down in nicer conditions. 

As pre usual, the climb up the ski trail was moderate to steep and pretty relentless, and I was doing a poor job at not sweating. I crossed a few more hidden strems that were easy for me, not for the post-holer. I was getting even more impressed with PH, as I began to call them, as the snow now was over a foot deep and EVERY post hole was also over a foot deep. I guess I admire their perseverance. 

Higher up, the wind was stronger, but never enough to bring down my body temperature. There were a few SPOOKY gusts of wind that caused me to pause and watch for widowmakers, though. The snow was also softer up top, so I put on my new MSR Lightning Ascents at 0.9 miles! I only postholed once up until this point, and it was when I stepped off the trail bed, but I also wanted to practice using them. It took me a minute to figure out the bindings, but it soon made sense and I was back! I did feel a little bit like a newborn deer who was learning how to walk, but I soon got the hang of it.

[7:20am - Enters Black Mountain Cabin Forest Protection Area]

I started playing with the televators once I entered the Forest Protection Area, where the trail steepened. I liked the televators a lot, except for brief stretches where the trail would mellow out - then it just felt like I was wearing insane high heels. I only tripped twice, so far, though!

[7:34am - Black Mountain Cabin]

I continued over, through, and around a few more blowdowns, all of which were recent (they were on top of the post-holes), and eventually I made it to the cabin! Snow was deep around the cabin, and sadly it was locked (which I expected, but still hoped I could go inside...). The cabin was in a nice clearing. There was a shed next to it and a privy on the left. I didn't stay long since I was sweaty - I wanted to finish my uphill for the day before taking a break, so off I went!

"Black Mountain Cabin" from https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recarea/?recid=74799

Constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC), this cabin is located on the west side of Black Mountain, set on what was once pasture land just below the summit with an outstanding view of Mount Washington. The cabin is accessed by the Black Mountain Ski Trail, a 1.4 mile trail with moderate grades used by hikers and skiers.

        The cabin is rustic with the only amenities being eight wooden bunks and a common room with benches and a wood stove. The capacity is eight people with no outside camping or fires permitted within one quarter mile of the cabin. A composting toilet is a short distance from the cabin. Please remove everything that you bring with you, including usable items.

There weren't any recent tracks up to the main summit, but it was no problem with snowshoes and a can-do attitude! There was one steep spot, but besides that it was pretty straight-forward. It was windier up here, but I saw the sun through the trees and eventually felt the warm rays on my skin which brought me back to life! 

[7:49am - Black Mountain Summit Spur]

[7:52am - Black Mountain Summit]

The summit spur begins at the height of land of the trail and is basically a "choose your own adventure" through some gladed woods to the top (I'm sure there's a more defined footpath when there's no snow). I put my fleece on at the beginning for the last few feet, and I was greeted at the top by a lovely lack of views, which was expected. I could see a neighboring peak briefly, but between trees, clouds, and snow squalls, it was pretty viewless. I briefly paused for some water and realized I lost the sock I had over my Nalgene - sad!

[7:54am - East Pasture Trail]

[7:56am - Leaves Black Mountain Cabin Forest Protection Area]

Back at the start of the summit spur, I turned left onto the East Pasture Trail, which was significantly less-traveled than the Black Mountain Ski Trail. Snow was also less-consolidated, but fine with snowshoes. There were some deep post-holes, again, but they didn't mess me up at all. The sun felt amazing, too.

[7:59am - Black Mountain Cut Off]

[8:01am - Enters Black Mountain Cabin Forest Protection Area]

Now on the even less-traveled Black Mountain Cut Off, I meandered through an old trough in a really beautiful, dense forest. I reentered the Forest Protection Area, crossed some glades, and noticed some MASSIVE moose prints! I passed a massive blowdown that required some off-trail navigation through 2' of unconsolidated snow, and made it back on the trail in a stunning area.

There were no blazes on this stretch which made it a little tricky to follow, but overall it was straight-forward and VERY pretty. The trail was littered with branches, twigs, and MANY baby pinecones. 

[8:14am - Water Spur]

[8:16am - Black Mountain Cabin]

I noticed the spur to the water source was broken out, so I decided to check it out, and it seemed to lead to another gladed section, I'm guessing for the backcountry skiers. Back at the cabin, I checked the time and decided I'd ski my hot chocolate break to get to the ski area earlier (also I was too lazy to put on more layers or change out of my sweaty shirt). I put my mittens back on, and started the grand return!

[8:18am - Black Mountain Ski Trail]

Back on the ski trail, the descent went well. I was mostly used to the snowshoes at this point, but I noticed my right foot kept getting angled-outward. I adjusted the bindings a bit and I think I solved the problem? Not sure. I did notice that I left a piece of packaging on my left shoe, which was very silly. 

[8:28am - Leaves Forest Protection Area]

I left the Forest Protection Area for the last time and continued my trip down. I struggled a bit with stepping over blowdowns in snowshoes, but I eventually figured it out... I think. It started to flurry again once I was down low, and nearly sent myself into the running stream by stepping on snowshoes onto each other before attempting a leap of faith... I landed in a push-up position staring right into the water - a solid save on my part!

After that flirt with death, I was starting to get hungry for some more leftover pizza, passed a large wild turkey feather (thank you, Seek app!), shuffled past somoeone's home, and made it back to the driveway!

[8:53am - End of Black Mountain Ski Trail]

[8:55am - End of Hike]

I took off my snowshoes at the end of the ski trail and walked the driveway back to the car, where it was time for some pizza and a 10-minute drive to the ski area! I don't love getting up super early, but I do love starting my ski days with a nice, quiet hike. Plus, the weather wasn't bad at all! Not syaing we should have hiked Carter Dome, but this mountain, which is half the size of Carter Dome, was perfect!

Step-by-Step

- Start hike by turning left onto driveway.

- At trail sign, turn left onto Black Mountain Ski Trail.

- At Black Mountain Cabin, continue uphill on left.

- At terminus, turn left onto summit spur.

- Return to trail jct., turn left onto East Pasture Trail.

- At jct., turn right onto Black Mountain Cutoff.

- At Black Mountain Cabin, turn left onto Black Mountain Ski Trail.

- Return to Car

"Black Mountain Ski Trail" from White Mountain Guide, 31st Ed. (2022)

Melloon Rd. to Cabin: 1.3 mi; 1200 ft; 1:15 

Melloon Rd. to Summit: 1.6 mi; 1500 ft; 1:35

WMNF This trail, intermittently marked with blue diamonds, leads to Black Mtn. Cabin and a nearby knob (2,757 ft.) on the ridge of Black Mtn. that provides restricted views of Carter Notch and the Baldfaces. To reach the trailhead, follow Carter Notch Rd. for 3.7 mi. from the jct. of NH 16A and NH 16B by Wentworth Inn in Jackson and then turn right onto Melloon Rd. at the jct. with the WMNF trail sign. Follow gravel Melloon Rd. across Wildcat River and then bear left uphill, passing Wildcat Valley Trail (X-C ski) on the right. Continue to a parking area don the left, 0.3 mi. from Carter Notch Rd., just before a private driveway with a chain gate. The road is plowed to this point in winter. Black Mtn. Cabin is kept locked, and reservations for its use must be made at recreation.gov or 877-444-6777. A spring (unreliable) is located near the cabin, and the trail crosses several small streams (also unreliable).

        Black Mtn. Ski Trail ascends the gravel driveway and turns right onto an old woods road (sign) just before reaching a brown house. The trail crosses several small brooks, enters WMNF, swings right, and angles southeast up the western slope of Black Mtn., ascending moderately at first and then more steeply. At 1.3 mi., the trail reaches Black Mtn. Cabin, with a view northwest toward Mt. Washington. The direct route to the restricted viewpoint on the nearby knob of Black Mtn. follows the main trail left (northeast), ascending steadily for 0.3 mi. to a spur path (sign: “Summit”) that leads 80 yd. left to an outlook.

        To make a scenic loop back to the cabin (only 0.3 mi. Longer than the direct route, with a 50-ft ascent), follow a connector to East Pasture Trail (X-C ski), which leads east downhill from the viewpoint spur path jct., for 0.1 mi. (The connector continues down another 0.15 mi. to meet East Pasture Trail.) Turn right (south) here onto 0.5-mi. Black Mtn. Cutoff and ascend briefly, crossing the ridge crest in a beautiful softwood forest. From here, swing right (northwest) and descend (rev. 200 ft.), emerging just to the south of the cabin on a path that leads left to a nearby spring (unreliable).

Photo Album

Skiing Black Mountain (NH)

Skiing Black Mountain (NH)

Sunday, January 19th, 2025

Runs: 7

Distance: 5.15 miles

Elevation: 5,325 feet

Max Speed: 19.4 mph

Avg. Speed: 9.4 mph

Moving Time: 32 minutes, 26 seconds

Total Time: 3 hours, 16 minutes, 19 seconds

We were up at 6:00am and Emma officially decided to not make the voyage with us - both her brakes and brake lines were overdue for a changing and she didn't feel comfortable driving through the whites with the possibility of breaking down. Gen and I talked about it at Jay, and we would definitely support her regardless of her decision, but we were definitely bummed. Our drive was nice and easy, first through mostly back roads of Vermont and eventually onto some highways. This was my car's first time driving through Crawford and Pinkham notches, which was exciting! We drove straight to the mountain, which had a small and mostly-full parking lot. We made our way into the lodge to scope things out. Lots of memoribilia was hanging by the bathrooms which was cool, and the upstairs lodge is a beautiful open room with a bar and cafeteria in another room. Downstairs is where rentals and ticketing happens, and that was a bit of a mess. Apparently they recently switched over to using RFID cards instead of wicket tickets, so it seemed they were figuring out those kinks on the busiest weekend of the year... We went back to the car to boot up and then got in line, which took 20-30 minutes. Once we were loaded up, we put on our skis and headed up to the East Bowl Triple for some skiing!

Snow Report & Daily Conditions:

Today's Report at Black Mountain - January 19th

We woke up to a stunning 3 inches of fresh snow overnight, setting the stage for what promises to be one of the best days of the season. Our team immediately sprang into action, grooming the slopes during the snowfall so you can find a combination of resh corduroy and untouched trails all over the mountain. The conditions are exceptional, and with the addition of new terrain - Lo Road, Valley View, Big Dipper, and Jackson Standard - there's more room than ever for incredible skiing and riding. The mountain buzzes with energy as we offer the best conditions in the valley. From the crisp, smooth runs to the newly opened areas, every turn feels fresh and exhilerating.

Today's schedule is packed with amazing activities to complement the perfect skiing conditions. Enjoy live music from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. by Ryan St. onge, followed by a fantastic set from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. by The Majestic Loonbirds. While you're taking a break between runs, consider heading to the Alpine Cabin for a delightful midday treat: indulge in some warm fondue and champange or cozy up with a comforting cup of hot cocoa while soaking in the mountain views. 

Given the promise of excellent snow and a busy day ahead, we recommend arriving early. Purchase your passes online to save time at the lifts and maximize your day on the mountain. With the fresh snow, newly groomed terrain, diverse runs, and vibrant music scene, today at Black Mountain is shaping up to be truly special.

Come experience it for yourself - it's better at Black!

Run 1: East Bowl Triple - East Bowl - Galloping Goose - Spruce - Black Beauty - Lower Black Beauty

[0.69 mi; 4:19; 758 ft; 17.2 mph max; 9.7 mph avg]

The East Bowl Triple was a slow, beautiful ride, well within the trees. I could immediately sence a different vibe at this place compared to Jay, and I really liked it. It just felt calmer and more "local," if that makes sense. The trails below were narrower and looked just lovely. We could see the Jackson Standard Trail to the right that had an impressive man-made snow base, and then we finally made it to the top and hopped up when disaster struck! Gen's skis weren't fully locked into her bindings, and no matter what we did we couldn't get it to fully lock. We eventually got it to mostly stay in place and slowly made it down the easiest way, which had fantastic snow, but was very busy. At the bottom, we FaceTimed Emma, who had the same suspicions as we did - too much snow buildup, but we couldn't tell where. Gen decided to sit out the next run and go into the rental shop and see what they had to say about it, so I headed over to the Summit Double.

Run 2: Summit Double - Upper Black Beauty - Galloping Goose - Spruce - Black Beauty - Lower Black Beauty

[1.11 mi; 5:21; 1,015 ft; 17.6 mph max; 12.4 mph avg]

The Summit Double was a very old-feeling chair that has a mid-station at the same spot the Triple, but continues up another few hundred feet. It was a slow, long ride, but a beautiful one! The top had a fantastic view toward Mt. Washington, the southern presidential range, and the Montalban Ridge. I followed Upper Black Beauty down which had reasonable grades but was very narrow and required some careful dodging of uphillers (and there were A LOT of them!). Then I continued onto the same easiest route down without a problem - although the snow was starting to get a little bumpy at certain spots. I do feel like I'm less terrified of not-steep bumps now, which is good!

Run 3: East Bowl Triple - Chute - Upper Jackson Standard - Lower Jackson Standard

[0.66 mi; 4:35; 751 ft; 19.2 mph max; 8.6 mph avg]

I met Gen back at the triple - she said the rental shop isn't allowed to look at any personal equipment, but the guy did say it seems her bindings are set a little too wide so the smallest bit of snow could mess that up. Standing inside for all the snow to melt solved the problem! She wanted to try the Jackson Standard trail (her first on-purpose black!), so I happily obliged. I personally loved this trail, just steep enough at the steepest part. I got a fun time-lapse of Gen wiggling her way down, too. 

Run 4: Platter Pull Surface Lift - Jubilee

[0.26 mi; 1:55; 213 ft; 14.7 mph max; 8.2 mph avg]

To mix things up, Black Mountain also has a Poma/Platter lift, so Gen and I decided we'd give it a try since we'd never used one before (and it seemed less daunting than the High Country T-Bar at Waterville. Mounting the platter was nice and easy, but the ride was rough. My thighs were ACTIVATED trying to keep my legs close together to hold the disc in place. The voyage was fun and beautiful, though. There was even a little dip in the terrain. The gates overhead made you feel like you were on a carnival ridge, which was fun. We followed Jubilee down from here, which was nice and easy. Afterwards, we took a snack break at the car. It was delightfully warm out (a whopping 33 degrees!) - it made me wish I had a fun drink for the parking lot. We were ready for a freezing cold day, so this was a welcomed treat. 

Run 5: Summit Double - Upper Black Beauty - Galloping Goose - Spruce - Black Beauty - Lower Black Beauty

[1.07 mi; 6:49; 1,030 ft; 17.3 mph max; 9.4 mph avg]

After our snack (I was now working my way through my second pizza - I might always need a pizza on ski days from now on...) we headed back to the double so Gen could see the view. Upper Black Beauty was a bit crustier this time, but not too bad. I really appreciated how different the skiing was at this mountain versus Jay - it made me use my brain and body in different ways, which was challenging and fun! The rest of the run was nice and easy, minus the insane amount of people again (also acknowledging this is likely the busiest weekend the mounatin will have).

Run 6: East Bowl Triple - Maple Slalom Chute - Upper Speedwell - Lower Speedwell - Quick Way - Twilight

[0.65 mi; 4:19; 768 ft; 19.4 mph max; 8.9 mph avg]

After, we headed over back to the Triple to discover some trails we hadn't skied on yet. We skated uphill a bit past the Alpine Lodge and onto the Maple Slalom Chute, followed by Upper and Lower Speedwell (a black and a blue, respectively), which were tight and fun and only a little icy. We then turned onto Quick Way and then followed the DELIGHTFUL green run "Twilight" back.

Run 7: Summit Double - Maple Slalom Chute - Valley View - Big Dipper - Quick Way - Twilight

[0.71 mi; 5:05; 791 ft; 18.4 mph max; 8.3 mph avg]

Our final run for the day was going to be mostly the same, but slightly different. We took the double up and got off at the mid-station, turning sharply left before getting to the Alpine Lodge to join the Maple Slalom Chute. From there, we followed Valley View, which was icier and narrower than other trails. After Valley View, Gen followed a spur to Lower Speedwell and I, feeling foolishly brave, turned onto Big Dipper, which was agian, icier than before! The headwall on Big Dipper was short but very steep and had no grip. I definitely lost control for a moment but powered through and made it down. We wrapped up our run with Quick Way and Twilight and skied most of the way to the car. 

After, we changed and planned to get an apres beverage in the lodge, but it was super croweded and we were both hungry, so we headed back to the car (after buying sweatshirts, of course) and drove into Jackson for late lunch/early dinner at the Wildcat Inn and Tavern, which was just lovely. After, we drove up to the Quality Inn in Gorham, showered, got Oreo McFlurries at McDonalds, and watched a bunch of cable TV before heading to bed. Our drive back the next morning was nice and easy, minus Gen's car battery being dead, but truly, that was a perfect way to end the weekend that baptised my new car!

Map of Black Mountain (2024-2025)