Bretton Woods, NH
Description of the Mountain/ WINTER INFORMATION:
The largest ski area in New Hampshire, Bretton Woods boasts some of the best conditions and weather in the region. One hundred and two Alpine trails and glades and a 100-kilometer Nordic trail network make for endless fun for beginners and experts alike. Award-winning snow, service, and family programs, complemented by some of the most breathtaking scenery in the East, make this a truly unique, world-class winter destination. Enjoy a wide array of other activities off the slopes, including the year-round Canopy Tour – a high flying adventure with 10 zip lines, sky bridges, and rappels – plus new indoor climbing wall, dog sledding, snowshoeing, tubing, ice skating, and more winter fun. And because it is part of the Omni Mount Washington Resort, you can ski free at Bretton Woods when you stay at the renowned Mount Washington Hotel or cozy Bretton Arms Inn with the resort’s Stay Here, Ski Free offer – a great winter getaway at a true New England value.
SUMMER INFORMATION:
Bretton Woods offers outdoor fun and adventure at the Bretton Woods Adventure Center, including free scenic lift rides this summer. Enjoy a safe and relaxing ride on the Bethlehem Express Quad chairlift, and savor breathtaking views of Mount Washington and the entire Presidential Range. At the top, enjoy lunch and libations outside on the deck or inside Latitude 44 restaurant.
The year-round Bretton Woods Canopy Tour is a guided 3-hour adventure through platforms connected by nine zip-lines, two sky bridges and three rappels, descending a total of 1,000 feet. The Williwaw Racing Zip is the final leg of the Canopy Tour and is also available for individual zip rides allowing two participants to race each other right into the base area. The Bretton Woods Adventure Center is also home to the West Wall Climb, a guided climb on the south facing cliffs of Mount Oscar, as well as the indoor Slopeside Climbing Wall, a year-round climbing experience located in the Bretton Woods Base Lodge. Other activities include lift-serviced mountain-biking, Diggler mountain scooter rentals and disc golf.
Bretton Woods is part of the Omni Mount Washington Resort, which offers 27 holes of championship golf, including the recently restored Donald Ross-designed 18-hole Mount Washington Course, tennis on red clay courts, fly-fishing, biking, horseback riding, carriage rides, hiking and daily historic tours. For a more relaxing experience, be sure to visit the resort’s 25,000 square foot full-service Spa.
History:
Facing the historic Mount Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods is New Hampshire’s largest ski area. 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 the Bretton Woods ski area is a little more recent. The newest major ski area in New England, Bretton Woods’ high base elevation and wind-protected exposure results in unique conditions for the region. Designed by Sno Engineering, the Mount Washington Development Company opened the area on Mount Rosebrook for the 1973-74 season with 7 intermediate ski trails and one beginner slope, along with a cross country ski trail network. The Mount Washington Hotel and associated property was acquired by Bretton Woods Corporation in 1975 and The Bretton Woods Ski Touring Center was expanded. In 1978, the Bretton Woods Ski Area began offering night skiing.
In 1983, the ski area completed construction of Fabyan’s Express triple chair, opening the summit of Mount Rosebrook to skiers and in 1989, the area opened the first detachable quad chairlift in the state.
Due to the economic slump in 1990, control of the Mount Washington Hotel was acquired by the FDIC, which invested $1 million in restoration. In 1991, MWH Preservation Limited Partnership purchased the Hotel at auction for $3.15 million. Managing partners, all New Hampshire natives, included the Bedor and Presby families (owners of the Mount Washington Cog Railway) and the Clement and Eames families.
In September of 1997, the Hotel purchased the Bretton Woods Ski Area and in 1999, the Mount Washington Hotel opened for its first year-round season on Thanksgiving Day. In late 1999, West Mountain opened adjacent to the Bretton Woods Ski Area with snow making, new trails and a quad chair lift. The Zephyr, a new high-speed quad lift replaced the Mount Oscar double chair at Bretton Woods and the first phase of a three-phase base lodge expansion project was completed.
In 2003, the Mount Rosebrook Summit Express high-speed detachable quad opened to the summit of Mount Rosemont and twelve new trails were added, bringing the total trail count to 88. The second phase of the base lodge expansion project was completed, featuring an efficient and expanded rental area, Slopeside Restaurant & Pub, a general store and the new resort-run TreeTop Sports alpine shop.
In 2005, for the third consecutive year, Bretton Woods broke the record for the longest New Hampshire ski season – 183 days from November 10, 2004 to May 11, 2005.
Mount Washington Resort was purchased by Celebration Associates of Hot Springs, Virginia in 2006 and long-term plans were developed to bring to life the vision of Mount Washington Resort as the premier destination resort in New England. Plans included the construction of a convention center and full service spa at The Mount Washington Hotel, restoration of the Resorts two golf courses, a pedestrian village at the base of the ski area, and long-term community development of homes and home sites. The first project, a new 7,600 square foot Kids' Alpine Club, was constructed at Bretton Woods and opened in time for Christmas.
In 2010-2011, 30 acres of gladed terrain was opened on Mt. Stickney. For 2012-2013, a new Doppelmayr T-Bar was announced, serving the glade area. In addition, enhancements were to be made to the terrain and a 600 square foot warming cabin was to be built at the top of the new lift.
URL: www.brettonwoods.com
Address: 99 Ski Area Road, Bretton Woods, NH 03575
Phone number: General Information: (603) 278-3320 | Snow Phone: (603) 278-3333 | Groups: 603-278-8970 | Fax: 603-278-8838 | Email: info@mountwashingtonresort.com
Dates of Season: Early November to Mid April *
*weather dependent
FACTS:
Trails & Terrain:
Terrain: 464 acres
Snowmaking: 92% of trails
Lifts: 10, including a Rosebrook Summit Express high-speed detachable quad chair, a Zephyr high-speed detachable quad chair, Bethlehem Express high-speed detachable quad chair, a West Mountain Express high-speed detachable quad chair, Learning Center quad chair, Fabyan’s Express triple chair, B-Lift double chair, Telegraph T-Bar, Red Carpet and Wonder Carpet
Terrain Difficulty: Beginner 29%, Intermediate 39% and 32% Advanced
102 Trails on 3 peaks forming a complete winter playground with chutes, bumps, bowls, steeps, glades and plenty of wide open cruising terrain
Longest Run: 10,560 feet
Exposure: North/Northeast
Uphill Lift Capacity: 14,000 skiers per hour
Terrain Parks: Four freestyle terrain parks to keep all skiers and riders entertained, from the Toy Box for beginners, The Midway designed for all abilities with medium sized jumps and a wide variety of sliding surfaces, the Wild West consisting of log trails, a log rainbow rail and other “natural” elements and Coos Caper, designed for experienced skiers and riders, with table tops, step down jumps, step up jumps and snow boxes providing a fluid series of leaps and bounds.
Snowfall:
Average Snowfall: 200+ inches annually
Elevation:
Summit Elevation: 3,100 feet/945 meters
Base Elevation: 1,600 feet/488 meters
Vertical Drop: 1,500 feet/457 meters
HOW TO GET THERE:
Planes:
The nearest major airports are the Manchester Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in Manchester, NH (approx. 1 hour 45 min.); Portland International Jetport (PWM) in Portland, ME (approx. 2 hours) and Logan International Airport (BOS) in Boston, MA (approx. 2.5 hours).
The Mount Washington Regional Airport is located in nearby Whitefield, NH (approx. 15 min.).
Automobiles:
If you are using your GPS, use the following address(es) to bring you right to the door:
The Spa (located in the Omni Mount Washington Hotel): 310 Mount Washington Hotel Road, Bretton Woods, NH 03575 (44.257447,-71.439464)
The Lodge: 2653 Route 302, Bretton Woods, NH 03575 (44.25422,-71.450579)
The Townhomes (check-in): 12 Crawford Ridge Road, Bretton Woods, NH 03575 (44.261535,-71.457918)
Bretton Woods (alpine area, canopy tour): 99 Ski Area Road, Bretton Woods, NH 03575 (44.259318,-71.460536)
Bretton Woods Nordic Center/Golf Club: 210 Mount Washington Hotel Road, Bretton Woods, NH 03575 (44.254435,-71.439035)
NOTE: If you are having difficulty entering the town of "Bretton Woods" into your GPS unit, please try "Carroll," as Bretton Woods is a village of the town of Carroll, NH.
From Boston, MA and Manchester, NH
Take I-93 North through Franconia Notch to Exit 35, Route 3N.
Take Route 3N to Twin Mountain, NH.
Follow Route 302E to Bretton Woods, NH.
From NH Seacoast/Portsmouth, NH
From I-95 or Route 101 or Route 4: exit onto Route 16N/Spaulding Turnpike to North Conway/Glen, NH.
Follow Route 302W to Bretton Woods, NH.
From Portland, ME
Take Route 302W to Bretton Woods, NH.
From New York, NY and Hartford, CT
Take I-95 North to I-91 North.
Take I-91 North to I-93 South, Exit 40.
Follow Route 302E to Bretton Woods, NH.
From Montreal, Quebec
Take Auto Route 10E to Auto Route 55S.
Take Auto Route to I-91 South.
Take I-91 South to I-93 South, Exit 40.
Follow Route 302E to Bretton Woods, NH.
Estimated Driving Times
Boston, MA 2 1/2 hours, 160 miles
New York City 5 3/4 hours, 350 miles
Portland, ME 2 hours, 95 miles
Montreal 3 hours, 185 miles
Hartford, CT 4 hours, 240 miles