How you can Plan a Journey to Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire

For hundreds of years, the rock formation referred to as “The Previous Man of the Mountain” was New Hampshire’s most well-known pure landmark. The face-shaped outcropping crumbled off its cliffside in 2003, however the mountain it was hooked up to stays one of many state’s most important. 

Cannon Mountain, apart from being the one-time house of the Previous Man, hosts an eponymous ski space that’s recognized for difficult riders from throughout the nation. 

“​​Cannon is famend within the ski neighborhood for being a formidable mountain,” says Jennifer Karnan, Cannon’s director of promoting and gross sales. “Now we have quite a lot of difficult terrain, and we’ve got quite a lot of assorted terrain.”

The ski space is New Hampshire’s highest at 4,080 toes, and its 287 skiable acres embody thigh-busting trails like DJ’s Tramline, which traces a complete carry line and is commonly known as one of many hardest runs within the East. 

However there are many mountains the place you will discover superior terrain. So, what actually units Cannon aside is its historical past.

The resort opened in 1933 underneath the stewardship of the state of New Hampshire and stays underneath state possession immediately. The mountain is situated in Franconia Notch State Park and is surrounded by the White Mountain Nationwide Forest, a protected land double whammy that insulates the world nearly fully from company growth. Cannon has no master-planned base village and no fancy slopeside bars. 

“That’s a part of what makes it particular,” Karnan says. “It’s acquired that authenticity that individuals search for.”

The one draw back of Cannon’s remoteness is that you just’ll need to journey a methods for off-mountain actions. Fortunately, although, the city of Littleton lies simply 13 miles north. It’s considered one of New Hampshire’s finest small cities, with a satisfying mixture of old-school allure (sure, there’s a lined bridge) and new-school facilities like stylish bars and eating places. 

Mix the complicated driving at Cannon with Littleton’s base camp bona fides, and also you’ve acquired considered one of New England’s finest ski journeys. 

When to Go 

Cannon usually opens in late November or early December and closes someday in mid-April. Just like the behemoth Mt. Washington just a few miles to the east, “Cannon is understood for having nearly its personal ecosystem,” Karnan notes — which means you possibly can’t essentially use circumstances elsewhere within the area to foretell what the climate shall be like on the mountain. Often, although, February has the deepest snow. 

March is the very best month for signature occasions like ’80s Day (leg heaters and neon inspired) and BodeFest, an adaptive snowboarding fundraiser hosted by native Olympian Bode Miller. 

Whereas the later months of the season are likely to have superior snowfall, notice that, beginning this 12 months, they are often dearer. Cannon launched peak and off-peak pricing within the 2024-2025 season, and most weekend dates from January by March are thought of “peak.” In case you plan a weekend go to, strive December, early January, or April to lock in off-peak charges. 

The place to Keep 

Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa: With no onsite lodging at Cannon, in a single day guests must do some driving — and the half-hour trek to the Mountain View Grand is well worth the miles. This historic grand lodge gives luxurious rooms and suites, high-end eating, and a top-floor spa with beautiful mountain views.

The Beal Home: Simply off of Littleton’s essential drag, The Beal Home describes itself as a “New England rooming home and restaurant.” The 2 rooms and 4 suites listed here are completely beautiful, however the true draw is the meals: Chef Adam Alderin’s hearty mountain delicacies is a number of the area’s finest.

Thayers Inn: Although the rooms listed here are comparatively easy, Thayers Inn is critical for its historical past. The lodge has been a staple of downtown Littleton since 1850 and has hosted 5 presidents, from Ulysses S. Grant to George H.W. Bush. 

The place to Eat 

Schilling Beer Co.: The favored Schilling Beer Co. opened in Littleton in 2013 and has since expanded to a buzzy downtown “campus” unfold throughout a number of buildings. Get pleasure from European-style lagers on the smooth retailer and taproom or wood-fired pizzas on the brewpub and kitchen — each supply views of the Ammonoosuc River.

Chang Thai Cafe: Because of Bangkok-born chef (and “Chopped” alumna) Emshika Alberini, Littleton has what few New England mountain cities can declare: a genuinely nice Thai restaurant. Chang Thai Cafe occupies a well-appointed downtown house good for warming up with curry and a cocktail after a protracted day on the slopes. 

Cafe 4080’: If easy, on-mountain eating is all you’re after, Cafe 4080’ will do the trick. This eatery on the summit of Cannon’s tramway gives cafeteria meals, grab-and-go choices, and, most notably, the highest-elevation beer faucets within the state of New Hampshire. 

The place to Apres Ski

Cannonball Pub: Positioned inside Cannon’s Peabody Base Lodge, the Cannonball Pub is the mountain’s major apres-ski spot. There’s nothing fancy right here, however there’s pleasant service, stay music on Saturdays, and loads of beers — all you want for a no-frills apres befitting a famously no-frills mountain. 

Peaks Pub: A number of miles west of Cannon on the Franconia Inn, Peaks Pub gives après festivities each Saturday. Come for hearth pub grub and weekly “faucet takeovers” by breweries from round New England.

Rek’-Lis Brewing Firm: Other than Schilling, Rek’-Lis is the buzziest brewery on this a part of the White Mountains. Its taproom within the little city of Bethlehem is a well-liked apres spot for the encircling ski resorts, particularly for the youthful, barely rowdier crowd.

Off-mountain Actions 

Given its small footprint and lack of company resort facilities, Cannon is an ideal ski space for individuals who wish to spend as a lot day without work the mountain as on it. The encircling area gives many non-skiing actions, which may be divided into two classes: indoor enjoyable and outside actions.

Littleton gives the right house base for guests eager to spend their off-slope time in civilization. The city has just lately change into referred to as a stylish haven for mountain-loving millennials, and also you’ll see that demographic represented at small companies just like the Loading Dock music venue and the house retailer Maison Bohème. However the historic neighborhood additionally gives old school delights — it’s the birthplace of the storybook character Pollyanna, and the downtown candy store Chutters has a 112-foot sweet counter believed to be the world’s longest. 

Lovers of outside recreation, in the meantime, are in luck: Franconia Notch State Park, which Cannon is part of, is likely one of the finest in New Hampshire. The terrain in and close to the park may be difficult in winter — severe ice climbers and winter hikers flock right here for the steep cliffs and technical ascents — however loads of native guides are prepared to assist much less skilled adventurers. All-level actions within the space vary from snowshoeing and fat-tire biking to charming horse-drawn sleigh rides.

How you can Trip 

Tickets: Grownup tickets begin at $99 for off-peak days and $114 for peak days, with reductions for seniors, army personnel, and (on Wednesdays solely) New Hampshire residents. Multi-day passes begin at $199 for 2 days of driving and $229 for 3 days, although the latter is obtainable solely on weekdays. 

The Tuckerbrook Household Space, constructed for households and rookies, additionally gives a standalone cross for guests who don’t plan to depart the bunny slopes. The cross costs start at $54 for adults and $34 for kids. 

Season passes start at $899 for adults in 2024-2025 (or barely much less for those who purchase them a number of months prematurely).

Cannon can also be a part of the Indy Cross, and for riders with plans to do a number of snowboarding in New Hampshire, there’s the White Mountain Superpass, providing entry to Cannon and three different resorts across the area.  

Leases: Cannon has onsite leases out there on the Peabody Base Lodge. Off-mountain rental choices are restricted, however Village Ski & Sport in Lincoln gives a wide selection 10 miles south of Cannon. 

In case you’re out there to purchase gear as a substitute of renting, don’t miss Lahout’s. This legendary clothes shop claims to be the oldest ski store in America, and its flagship location in Littleton occupies the identical house the Lahout household has operated in since opening their doorways in 1920. 

Snowboarding and Snowboarding Information 

Cannon has 98 trails in complete, of which 15 % are rated “simpler,” 52 % are “harder,” and 33 % are “most troublesome.” Observe, although, that lots of the superior trails don’t open till or except a substantial amount of snow falls — so, relying on whenever you go to, the out there runs might skew in favor of extra newbie terrain. 

The resort has 10 lifts, together with the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, which opened in 1938 and is North America’s first and oldest aerial tram. (And, as Cannon notes, on a transparent day, you possibly can see mountains in 4 states and all the way in which to Canada on the experience up.)

Programming 

The Cannon Snowsports Faculty gives snowboarding and snowboarding classes for learners of all ages. Impartial newbies can benefit from the Tuckerbrook Household Space, a newbie zone hooked up on to the bottom complicated. The mountain additionally gives adaptive sports activities applications, a few of which have scholarship funding out there.