Ski Small and Ski Better in The Upper Valley

For the wintry portion of the last 28 years, Higgerson Team has been dedicated to skiing in the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire. Phyllis and I raised two ski racers, and that 12-year adventure took us to almost every big ski area in the region. But we’ll never forget our roots. Our kids learned to ski at Saskadena Six, did 7 years with Ford Sayer at the Dartmouth Skiway, and trained at Storrs Hill with the Hanover High School ski team. The big hills may boast more vertical and fancier lifts, but for many people like us, the local vibe is what it’s all about.

 

Ski Quechee: South facing, boasting the high-speed “Quadzilla” chair and located in the heart of the Upper Valley, Ski Quechee has been promoting the snow sports stoke for skiers and riders, both young and old, for more than 50 years. Owned and managed by the Quechee Club in Quechee, Vermont, the hill has always been open to the public for skiing and riding, and the welcoming Quechee community vibe is immediately established when you jump on the horse-drawn sleigh that transports you from lodge to lift. Ski Quechee features 13 trails, snowmaking and a terrain park, a cozy lodge with great hot chocolate and is an amazing place to learn how to ski or ride.

Friday – Sunday | 9 AM to 4 PM
3268 Quechee Main Street, Quechee, VT 05059
(802) 295-9356

 

Saskadena Six: Nothing could ring truer than the hill’s new slogan, ‘The Name Has Changed. The Mountain You Love Hasn’t.’ The Standing Mountain in the picturesque hamlet of South Pomfret, Vermont has been sending skiers (and now riders) down a gravity fueled thrill ride since 1936 when ski pioneer Wallace “Bunny” Bertram moved the area’s first rope tow from Gilbert’s Hill in Woodstock to what was then known as ‘hill six’ in South Pomfret. Need more lore? The following year, the longest consecutively running alpine ski race in the country and a rite of passage for Eastern ski racers, celebrated its inaugural year and the FISK trophy race was born. The Face, Pomfret Plunge and Backscratcher all still provide a challenge. And if you’re a snowboarder, don’t worry; Saskadena Six hosted the first National Snow Surfing Championship in 1982. We were there. How’s that for old school?

Wednesday – Sunday | 9 AM – 4 PM
Open Daily During Peak Periods & Holiday Weeks
247 Stage Road, South Pomfret, VT 05067
(802) 457-6661

 

Dartmouth Skiway: Big Green, Worden’s Schuss, Winter Carnival. Since 1956, this hidden gem in the tiny notch between Holt’s and Winslow’s Ledges in Lyme, New Hampshire has made it their top priority to remind their mountain family that skiing is just pure fun. “The Skiway’s” laid-back attitude, affordable pricing, and longstanding legacy means a classic, unpretentious New England skiing experience; 104 skiable acres, two lifts and two carpets with snowmaking capacity over 60 acres make the hill a great bet for good conditions. From the Ford Sayre youth ski team to the 100+ Olympians that have carved the slopes, from the ‘magic carpet’ beginner area to the awesome McLane Family Lodge, memorable days are made in this mountainous corner of the Upper Valley.

Monday – Sunday | 9 AM – 4 PM
39 Grafton Turnpike Road, Lyme Center, NH 03769
(603) 646-7669

 

Whaleback Mountain: ‘Ski it to believe it!’ is the slogan at the little local mountain that could and for the 2024 season, Whaleback Mountain is celebrating its 10th year as a nonprofit. Located off I-89 (you’ve seen the lights!) in Enfield, New Hampshire, the local vibe here is focused on the mission to maintain an affordable, accessible, and fun winter sports destination that welcomes everyone. Family-friendly affordable skiing and riding remains a top priority, as do programs such as after-school groups, lessons, adult race leagues, and hosting area clubs. The mid-week lift tickets costs $35 and the hill participates in the Indy Pass Collective. Live music every Friday night in the lodge also helps build a fun community vibe here.

Monday | Closed
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday | 1 PM- 7 PM
Friday | 12 PM – 8 PM
Saturday and Sunday | 9  AM – 4  PM
160 Whaleback Mountain Road, Enfield, NH 03748
(603) 448-5500

 

Storrs Hill: One of the birthplaces of U.S. Nordic Ski Jumping, Storrs Hill continues a proud tradition started by the Lebanon Outing Club in 1925 when the first ski jump, known as ‘The Scrape’ was constructed by Erling Heistad. With a vertical drop of 300 feet, 10 acres of night skiing since 1939, a legendary Poma lift (you know, with the Frisbee in the middle), 7 trails, a Terrain Park and the 50 Meter ‘Heistad Hill,’ Storrs Hill Recreation Area in Lebanon, New Hampshire is the second not-for-profit Upper Valley community ski hill on our list. If you had been around in 2004 you would have caught U.S. Ski Team member and all-time greatest alpine skier in history, Mikaela Schiffrin, running slalom gates during practice. Steeped in tradition? None more so. In 2022, the Lake Placid NY Olympic Regional Development Authority donated landing mats for 25- and 50-meter jumps enabling year-round jumping at Storrs. So the tradition continues.

Friday | 5 PM – 9 PM
Saturday | 11 AM – 9 PM
Sunday | 11 AM – 6 PM
Alpine Race and Nordic Jumping training ongoing
60 Spring Street, Lebanon, NH 03766
(603) 448-4409

We’ve been full-time residents here for 28 years, and Rick, whose parents have had homes in Barnard, South Pomfret, East Thetford and now Quechee, grew up here in the summers. And we still love living here! The lifestyle is incomparable. If you’re curious about Upper Valley real estate and you’d like to take a look at homes for sale in Hanover, Lyme, Norwich, Woodstock, or any of the other great small towns that complete the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire, contact us. Additionally, you can view Higgerson and Company’s current listings here.