Brownsville, VT

Ever see a Norman Rockwell painting come to life? The base of Ascutney thrives after dark with a tubing hill and frozen pond where folks ice skate to music flowing from outdoor speakers. Ascutney claims to be the East's tallest monadnock (freestanding mountain) at 2,520 feet, with 1,800 feet of ...

Bartlett, NH

With a stirring view of Mount Washington (at 6,288 feet, it's the tallest peak in the Northeast) and located within a stone's throw of North Conway, Attitash Bear Peak is worth the trip. Attitash Mountain has 1,750 vertical feet, while Bear Peak boasts 1,450 feet of vertical rise and is swaddled ...

Bolton, VT

Though it sounds impossible, Vermonters have been able to keep the 5,000-acre stretch of pristine wilderness that includes Bolton Valley largely to themselves. The resort is the kind of place that hosts local high school ski-team practices, league races composed of corporate types from ...

Peru, VT

We used to call it Big Bromley. But now, moderately sized, Bromley presents a low-key alternative to Vermont's mega-resorts. It's also south-facing (the only one in New England), which can mean more sun in January and soft snow in late season.

East Burke, VT

Though less renowned than its big rivals, Stowe and Killington to the south, Burke has been in the downhill ski business for more than 40 years. The mountain is a throwback to simpler times. It has only six lifts to service 50 trails, but the point is, if you don't have crowds you don't need ...

Franconia, NH

Canon is state-owned and retains a noncommercial feel. It also presents some serious steeps and deep challenges—both groomed and ungroomed—especially the five signature trails seen from the highway approach. Intermediate skiers and riders are not left out, however. If you like getting ...

Jay, VT

This mountain is for skiers and riders who believe there isn't any good skiing east of the Continental Divide. There is, and it's at Jay Peak. Jay receives an average annual snowfall of 376 inches, rivaling many Western ski resorts, and the reason for this is a phenomenon known as "orographic ...

Fayston, VT

Mad River Glen: Ski it if you can. While most ski resorts would view this intimidating tagline as a marketing disaster, the owners of Mad River Glen wear it like a badge of honor. That’s because Mad River Glen isn’t like most Vermont ski resorts. For starters, it’s owned ...

West Dover, VT

Mount Snow was once the province of bizarre innovation and the nonstop partying weekend. Today, it sprawls over more than 630 acres and 135 trails, and remains one of the "happening" eastern resorts on weekends. These days the "with it" clientele is snowboarding teens and mogul mashing Gen-Xers. ...

Newbury, NH

Sunapee is the state's largest mountain, and the skiing can be moderately challenging. A $475,000 capital program brought changes in the 2011-12 season such as a new glade trail, expanded snowmaking coverage, and the addition of a Burton Learn to Ride Center.

The resort boasts 66 trails, 11 lifts, and 230 acres of terrain.