- Details
- Written by: Jim Walker
- Last Updated: 20 Dec 2013
Facing the historic Mt Washington Hotel and the western slope of Mt Washington itself, Bretton Woods consists of the two interlinked peaks of Mt Rosebrook and West Mountain making it New Hampshire's largest ski area. Easily accessible from both East and West, Bretton Woods also has its own range accommodation linked to the ski area by a complimentary shuttle service. Including the amenities at the Mt Washington hotel as well as the Bretton Woods sports club, there is a huge array of activities available ranging from the 100km network of cross-country/snowshoe trails through to night skiing on Fridays and Saturdays. It's a mountain experience where classic New England skiing is complemented by state of the art snowmaking and grooming and an abundance of glades which offer some challenging tree-skiing. The name Bretton Woods is steeped in history. In 1772, a six-square-mile tract of land was granted to Sir Thomas Wentworth and 82 others by Royal Governor John Wentworth. It was named Bretton Woods in honor of the Wentworth family estate, Bretton Hall, in England. Sixty years ago, the name Bretton Woods made its way into history books as the site of the 1944 International Monetary Conference. As a result of the accords signed at Bretton Woods, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund were established; providing a system of international exchange and post-war recovery throughout western Europe. However the downhill ski lifts and the opening of Bretton Woods ski area is a little more recent. As recently as 1983 The Bretton Woods Ski Area completed construction of Fabyan's Express triple chair, opening the summit of Mount Rosebrook to skiers and six years later the area opened the first detachable quad chairlift in the state.
Popular family ski centre with loyal following. Lovely long tree-lined trails with excellent lift infrastructure and a first-rate base lodge with integral ski shop. Separate nursery ski area, well organised ski rental facilities and car parking. Friendly staff. Night skiing on four trails served by two lifts on Friday, Saturday and holiday period evenings. Added West Mountain area for 1999 - 2000 season with new quad chair and expanded on Mount Stickney for 2001 to make the resort one of the largest ski areas in New Hampshire.
Mountain
Overlooking Mount Washington, Bretton Woods has grown rapidly in size in recent years. Once recognized as a strong novice area, the resort has doubled in size to include more wide open cruising terrain and plenty of black diamond glades within the total of more than 100 trails. With the recent addition of a fourth high speed quad lift, Bretton Woods is the largest ski area with the most high speed chair lifts in New Hampshire. Breeton Woods boasts lovely long tree-lined trails with excellent lift infrastructure and a first-rate base lodge with integral ski shop, well organised ski rental facilities and car parking. The ski area added West Mountain area for the 1999 - 2000 season with new quad chair and plans to expand further on Mount Stickney. The area was further expanded in the 2004-5 season when a dozen new trails and glades were added These include McIntire's Ride, one of several new runs diverging from the Rosebrook Summit, is a winding black-diamond trail that starts with a spectacular view toward Crawford Notch. Other new trails like Snake refer to the physical attributes of a winding, classic New England ski trail. Panorama is a trail that offers spectacular vistas toward Crawford Notch. Mr. Moose, one of the newer glades in Rosebrook Canyon, was named for the daily visits from an antlered friend to trail workers in the summer. Bode's Run is named after a more contemporary figure, Bode Miller, a native of New Hampshire. Bode Miller was consulted on the design of his namesake trail. "It's on the steeper side of the mountain with great lift access," says Miller. "We did a little excavating … moved some stuff around a little bit. I think it's an awesome run. It will be for more advanced skiers, but there's a lot to it. When you get off the lift, it's pretty steep right away … it kind of rolls a bit and then there's a moderate pitch over a couple rolls … then it breaks over a bit and then goes over a really steep section - it's got a real serious pitch to it. The trail turns and flattens out just a bit and comes into a much wider area with a couple tree islands in the middle and then there's a little cliff drop in the middle of that. It kind of rolls over a couple of more moderate breakovers with decent pitch, down into a narrower section before it meets up with Diamond Ridge and the bottom of the lift." First timers remain a high priority at Bretton Woods however, despite the expansion of intermediate and expert terrain. Novices can can sign up for the Bretton Woods Red Carpet Learn-to-Ski Program and start their day with a fun and easy introduction to the sport of skiing or snowboarding under the personalized tutelage of professional instructors in a separate nursery ski area. This program includes ski or board rental, a group lesson and unlimited and complimentary access to the Learning Center Quad. Another new option appeared for the first time for the 2004-5. The season the steam powered Mount Washington Cog Railway began winter operations for the first time in 135 years. In addition to the spectacular scenery to enjoy, snowsports enthusiasts will have an opportunity to carve their way down the western slope of Mount Washington to the Marshfield Station by way of a groomed swath of snow running parallel to the trestle. Described as a "unique skiing and riding experience in the world," by railway officials, the single groomed trail, with snowmaking, is about one mile long and offers 1,100 vertical feet of skiing. A discounted ticket is available to guests in Mount Washington and Bretton Woods property or a combined ticket including both ski areas and a complimentary shuttle service between the two. Another big strength of Bretton Woods is its cross country ski programme. There are 100 kilometers of groomed trails for classical and skate skiers. Facilities include a full-service Nordic Center including ski school, retail shop, cross country ski and snowshoe rentals. The Nordic Café offers soups, sandwiches, snacks and beverages for skiers on the go.
Families
Families have plenty to do at Bretton Woods and there are care facilities for all ages of childhood. The Babes In The Woods Nursery entertains young children with indoors games, storytelling, arts and crafts. The program includes lunch and snacks. For older children The Hobbit Ski School and Burton Kids' Learn To Ride Center are conveniently located in the Family Center next to the Bretton Woods base lodge. Children are placed in groups based on age and ability. The full-day program includes supervision, two lessons, rental equipment, lift ticket and lunch. The half-day and two-hour lesson options do not include lunch. Classes in the Hobbits Ski Program are available from ages four to twelves, or in the Kids' Learn To Ride Center Snowboard Program for ages six to twelve. The Hobbits Ski and Snowplay Program is another option for children aged three to five. This is a fun introduction to skiing and snowplay. The full-day program includes nursery supervision, two one-hour group lessons, rental equipment and lunch. "Team Bode" is slated to be one of the most popular programs at Bretton Woods. Named for World Champion Skier and Bretton Woods' Director of Skiing Bode Miller, this recreational ski program for kids six -twelve will help improve skiing skills and allow exploration of all mountain terrain at New Hampshire's largest skiing playground.
Eating Out
There's a good choice of dining on the slopes and in the surrounding resort. The Top o' Quad Restaurant near the summit of the ski area, at the top of the Bethlehem Express high-speed quad, offers a seasonal lunch menu and great views of the surrounding mountains. Along with the Slopeside Restaurant and Pub and the Fireside Bar; Lucy Crawford's Food Court in the Bretton Woods Base Lodge provides hot, hearty fare quickly for skiers and riders on the go. Lucy's serves breakfast and lunch seasonally and offers snacks during night skiing. Off the slopes The Bretton Arms Country Inn Dining Room and Parlor Lounge serves breakfast and dinner to gourmet standard in a warm, hospitable setting. The Parlor Lounge is a cozy gathering place lit by flickering firelight, perfect for relaxing before or after dinner. Fabyan's Station Restaurant and Lounge was the stop for those atrriving by train in the good old days and venturing into magnificent Crawford Notch. The railroad station, restored and converted to a restaurant, is located across Rte. 302 from the Bretton Woods alpine ski area, less than a mile from The Mount Washington Hotel. Darby's Restaurant is located at The Lodge at Bretton Woods on Rte. 302 across from The Mount Washington Hotel, Darby's offers pizza and subs seasonally for dinner in a 1950s diner setting and has outstanding views of the mountains and the Hotel. In The Mount Washington Hotel itself Stickney's Restaurant and Lounge on the patio level serves lunch and dinner. The Dining Room at Hotel provides high calibre formal dining. Orchestra accompaniment is offered seasonally. Gentlemen are required to wear jackets in the evening; women and children should dress appropriately. Reservations are required.
Apres
The newly designed Slopeside restaurant and pub in the new Bretton Woods Base Lodge, has a classic post-and-beam setting and the pub is a popular gathering place for aprés-ski parties. Another new addition to the Slopeside level of the base lodge is the Fireside Bar which features local beer microbrews, panini sandwiches and Starbucks coffee in a relaxing atmosphere next to a large stone fireplace. Its open weekends and holiday weeks. Festivities continue into the night in the Mount Washington Hotel with live music in an authentic Prohibition-era speakeasy - the Cave.
Boarding
The entire mountain is open to snowboarding. The 500-foot Accelerator Halfpipe and terrain park are open for snowboarding and skiing. Riders will also enjoy bumps, jumps, bowls, and glades on West Mountain and in the Rosebrook Canyon area.
