Make The Most Of More Winter In New Hampshire’s Grand North

LANCASTER, NH - New Hampshire offers the quintessential New England winter experience, but as snow begins to disappear in the southern regions, New Hampshire’s Grand North remains a winter wonderland. Day trippers and extended vacationers can enjoy the full winter experience into April, including skiing, snowmobiling, fat biking, spa visits and comfort food – because winter lasts longer in the Grand North.

“Whether your winter joy comes from zipping along secluded snowmobile trails or being pampered fireside while your loved ones tackle the cold, the winter season kindles a certain excitement in all of us,” said Katelyn While, NH Grand Marketing Manager. “In New Hampshire’s Grand North, that feeling doesn’t leave when the calendar turns to March. Winter lasts longer in New Hampshire’s Grand North, and we still have so much to offer this season.”

Destination Deals

Skiers and snowboarders have much to look forward to at Bretton Woods Resort for the remainder of winter:

• 2-4-1 Wednesdays – Two adults ski or ride tickets for the price of one during non-holiday periods.
• $25 Powder & Pasta – Ski or ride from 4-8pm and enjoy a pasta dinner Friday and Saturday nights through March 10.
• Next-Day Upgrade – During non-holiday periods, upgrade a Sunday through Thursday daily lift ticket by 4pm to ski the next day for $55.

For visitors unsure if a chairlift is the right place to start, there are a number of volunteer-run rope tows that provide a stepping stone to bigger slopes, and without breaking the bank. Mount Prospect in Lancaster is open on weekends and suggested donations to ski are less than $10. Mount Eustis in Littleton accepts donations of any amount and operates depending on weather. Visitors should check online schedules for operating hours at both locations before visiting.

Tall Timber Lodge and Lopstick Cabins in Pittsburg are one-stop shops for adventure, dining and relaxation for snowmobilers both local and from afar. There are a variety of packages for families and groups:

• Tall Timber Lodge: The “Warm & Comfy Spa” package includes room accommodations, meals, and spa credits mid-week in March.
• Tall Timber Lodge: The “Snowmobile Escape” package includes room accommodations, meals and snowmobile rentals mid-week in March.
• Lopstick Cabins: The “Ride and Stay Snowmobile Experience” offers discounted pricing for cabin and snowmobile rentals mid-week in March.

For visitors seeking a side of adventure with their scenery, Great Glen Trails Outdoors Center at the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road offers a number of guided tours. Through the remainder of the season visitors can take advantage of a “2-For-1 Mondays & Fridays” deal and enjoy trail passes and rentals for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, Mt. Washington SnowCoach tours - where a van with four tracks instead of wheels transports visitors up the mountain for incredible views – and even the Total Trails Ticket.

The End Of February Vacation

Kids look forward to February Vacation Week year-round, and so do destinations throughout New Hampshire’s Grand North. Many destinations have prepared a number of itineraries to entertain the kids, while parents enjoy the perks of a school-free week as well.

Send the kids to Mountaineering Club at the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in Whitefield; the club keeps kids entertained in the early evening while parents can enjoy the resort’s fine dining, spa and entertainment options. There is a full calendar of events to choose from during vacation week through the remainder of winter.

In addition to its current deals, Bretton Woods organized a February Fun Break schedule incorporating activities for kids, parents and the whole family both on the mountain and back at the Omni Mount Washington Resort. The fun-filled activities include ping pong, yoga, and flag football during the day, and stargazing lectures, movies and games in the evening.

The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) Joe Dodge Lodge at Pinkham Notch and the Highland Center at Crawford Notch both have unique activities and programs during February vacation. Each day, visitors can take a walk through the Notches, participate in a ski tour or outdoor skill session at Great Glen Trails, and enjoy trivia or a fireside social hour.

Maple Sugaring Season

March is Maple Month in New Hampshire; sugar makers take advantage of the warmer days and cooler evenings that trigger sap to run in the maple orchards, collecting that sap to make the maple syrup New Hampshire is famous for around the world.

Many of the region’s sugar houses welcome guests to witness the maple sugaring process firsthand during Maple Month. The Rocks Estate in Bethlehem offers a full maple experience complete with horse-drawn wagon rides, history lessons, self-tapping and delicious maple samples.

Other local favorites have been recognized regionally and nationally as top maple sugar destinations. Fuller’s Sugarhouse in Lancaster, a family-operated business since 1972, has been recognized in Gourmet Magazine’s “Top Ten” list, as “Best Maple Syrup in the World” by the North American Maple Syrup Council, and featured in Rachel Ray’s EveryDay Magazine for having one of the top mail-order treats in the country.

Known as a favorite of life-long customers, Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill provides visitors with an authentic New Hampshire pancake house experience. The restaurant offers made-from-scratch, classic or unique-recipe pancakes topped with New Hampshire’s best maple syrup. Visitors can also get a souvenir for the road from its country store full of sweet treats, apparel and locally-made gifts.

Can’t-Miss Events

There is something happening every day in New Hampshire’s Grand North and, as a participant or a spectator, there are a number of can’t-miss events through the end of winter:

• March 4, 11, 18 and 25 – Sunday Guided Nordic Tours allow Nordic skiers to discover new views of the winter wonderland at the Bretton Woods Nordic Center.
• March 7 and 14 – AMC International Dinner Adventure Series returns for school vacation week with an immersion into French culture and food on February 28;Chinese cuisine and customs on March 7; and cultural inspiration from Poland on March 14. These events are held at the AMC Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.
• March 2-3 – 26th Annual SnoDeo is one of the Northeast’s premier snowmobile events drawing an average of 6,000 snowmobile enthusiasts from all over New England and Southern Quebec.
• March 3 and 31 - Alpenglow Snowshoe Tours enable guests to take in the breathtaking beauty of Alpenglow painted across the Presidential Range with these Saturday evening guided snow tours from the Bretton Woods Nordic Center.
• March 4 – Ski, Shoe & Fatbike to the Clouds is North America’s toughest 10K with cross country skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking; racers will have the Mt. Washington Auto Road to themselves for this challenging adventure.
• March 9-11 – Great North Woods Sled Dog Challenge is a three-day, multi-location stage race in Pittsburg, Colebrook and Stewartstown. Teams and mushers will race between 18-to-30 miles each day, and local eateries, pubs, shops and lodging will welcome participants and spectators to their communities to celebrate and rest overnight between stages.
• March 17 - Saint Patrick’s Day, celebrate the luck of the Irish in the Grand North.
  • Get a two-day lift ticket for $117 at Bretton Woods Resort.
  • Enjoy a traditional dinner and live Irish Music at AMC’s Highland Center.
• March 24-25 – New Hampshire Maple Producers Association’s 23rd Annual Maple Weekend sees sugar makers opening their doors to demonstrate the craft of maple sugaring; visitors are welcomed for pancake breakfasts, petting farms, and complimentary samples of fresh syrup, maple candies and confections.
• March 31 – Break out the beach attire and hit the slopes for $30 at Bretton Woods Resort’s Beach Party.
• April 16 – Celebrate Patriot’s Day and the last day of the 2017-2018 ski and snowboard season at Bretton Woods Resort with $17.76 lift tickets. Guests will also receive a voucher for the 2018-2019 season.

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Submitted by Grace Ames; image via NHGrand.com.