As fall slowly passes, it is time to start thinking about winter fun. Hollis and Brookline are perfectly located right in the heart of some amazing ski locations. New England is a great place to ski, but what truly makes a great mountain?

There are lots of different qualities skiers look for in a good mountain. One of those key traits a resort has to have to in order to be classified as a great mountain is high quality snow. Favorable snow is light and fluffy, but the trails should also be well groomed. Skiers and snowboarders alike tend to prefer snow that  is not icy or super rough and bumpy.

A great mountain also has to have a multitude of terrains, or a diversity in the types of trails it offers. A mountain that has great terrain has excellent glades, exceptional general trails, and thrilling terrain parks. Another trait of a great mountain is if it has “good people,” said Connor Farwell ‘19, Good people would be defined as kind, not rude, aware, and cautious.

Another trait of a great mountain is the amount of snow they get. Something else that makes a mountain great is “If they have a good vertical drop [starting at the top],” said Steph Menard ‘19. According to The Spokesman-Review, Vertical drop is  “most vertical distance at a resort that can be achieved on commonly skied, lift-served, continuous fall-line runs.” Finally, one last trait a good mountain has to have is that it can’t be too expensive or crowded.  

Although New England has great places to ski, there are some states that have far better ski mountains than others.  For example the further north a mountain is in New England, the better the skiing according to Menard, alpine ski team member. She believes that Vermont has the best skiing “because of Stowe and Killington.”

The Boston Globe named Stowe the best mountain in New England for off-mountain pampering. Killington is good for beginners because it has a package for only $249 that includes a two-hour ski lesson, rental equipment, and a lift ticket for each day. When people finish the program, they will receive a new pair of Elan eRise skis and bindings, plus a discounted voucher for new boots and poles which makes Killington is great for first time skiers.

The Boston Globe also cites a series of traits that make up an excellent mountain and provides examples of such places.  Out of the 27 mountains mentioned in the article, 10 of them were in New Hampshire. Some of the mountains the Boston Globe reviewed were, Sunapee (adaptive), Cannon (Character), Waterville Valley (Family friendly), and Wildcat Mountain (Views).

Winter is approaching, but is still a couple months away. Here are some of the projected dates of opening for some mountains: Killington Ski Area

( November 7th), Wildcat (November 10th), and Sunday River (November 10th).