Last Winter's Cold And Snow Was Good For Business At NH Ski Areas And Tubing Hills

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH

March 2 skiing at Mt. Cranmore in North Conway. PAULA TRACY photo

CONWAY, NH — Ski areas across New Hampshire notched the fourth best ski season in the past two decades this past winter thanks to a classic cold winter with lots of snow and few thaws or rain events.

Particularly strong were the numbers for those who visited snow tubing hills at alpine areas.

Alpine skier visits increased by 5 percent year-over-year, according to member statistics compiled by Ski New Hampshire, the statewide association representing more than 30 alpine and cross-country ski areas.

Alpine ski area members collectively recorded 2,283,539 skier visits during the 2025/26 season. Better seasons include the winters of 2010/11, 2000/01, and 2007/08.

For many who do ski, the past winter allowed for more potential good condition days than in the past and likely more visits. The weather was particularly cooperative, members said.

“Early-season snowfall and consistently favorable snowmaking temperatures in the Northeast during peak snowmaking periods allowed New Hampshire ski areas to establish a deep, resilient base of snow that supported exceptional conditions throughout the winter,” said Jessyca Keeler, president of Ski NH.

“Combined with the continued investments our members have made in snowmaking, grooming, lifts, and guest amenities, these advantages helped drive the increased skier visits we observed in the Granite State last winter,” she said.

Members of the industry gathered for its Annual Conference & Trade Show Monday and Tuesday at Bretton Woods.

While cross-country ski area reporting remains incomplete, preliminary data from areas with consistent reporting between seasons suggests a mixed picture, according to Keeler.

Some Nordic centers experienced significant increases in visitation, while others saw comparable declines, she said.

Snow tubing operations across the state enjoyed an especially strong winter.

Ellen Chandler at Jackson Ski Touring Foundations said visits this winter were at or about the 10-year average for the Nordic area, "but best in the past five years," she said. Revenue was up, however, she said.

Ski NH members who have tubing hills reported a combined 125,314 tubing visits, representing a 21 percent increase over the previous season.

Nearly half of the ski areas reporting tubing data posted year-over-year gains exceeding 30 percent.

The 2025/26 season also ranks as the second-best tubing season on record since Ski NH began tracking tubing visits during the 1997/98 season.

“These outstanding tubing numbers highlight the growing popularity of winter recreation beyond traditional skiing and snowboarding,” Keeler added. “Tubing continues to be an accessible and memorable way for families and first-time visitors to experience winter in New Hampshire.”

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.