 Driving up scenic NH 49 from Campton to Waterville Valley, you get the impression of entering a private mountain world. As the mountains rise ever more steeply on both sides of the road and the land becomes wilder, you can"t help feel that you"re being drawn deep into the heart of the White Mountains. With the first glimpse of snow-covered trails near the top of Mt. Tecumseh, you know you"re going to have a good visit. The built-up portion of the resort and the town of Waterville Valley (yes, there"s a real town nestled in the valley) comprise some 42,000 acres, of which 41,300 are part of the White Mountain National Forest and undeveloped. This enhances the perception that you"re in your own Shangri-la, even though you"re only a couple hours away from Boston. Gaze out from the top of the mountain and you"ll see little in the way of civilization except for what lies at your feet. Turn your skis or board down one of the many well-groomed intermediate trails and you"ll forget even that. For Waterville Valley prides itself on providing a wide choice of terrain aimed at the blue square heart of the skiing and riding public. With few exceptions this philosophy carries over to the black diamond terrain, too. The mountain"s topography complements the mission by maintaining the pitch of trails almost all the way back to the bottom of the lifts. Tippecanoe, And Tyler Too, White Caps and Old Tecumseh offer fine cruising; while Sel"s Choice and Utter Abandon continue the same but at a higher level of challenge. Beginners have their own area, served by the Lower Meadows Double. They can also ride the Quadzilla High Speed Quad which serves the wide-open slopes of the Valley area. In addition to Valley Run, there are three confidence-building low intermediate trails in this section, and an intermediate mogul field on the Rock Island trail. The steepest terrain may be found off the Sunnyside Triple. Ciao, Gema, True Grit and Lower Bobby"s (the latter usually bumped-up) provide the toughest tests on the mountain, along with a couple of glades. There"s a big � pipe in Exhibition Park and freestyle terrain is given generous room all over the mountain. A tubing hill is also available. All the lodging is located down valley and a short ride from the lifts (there"s a free shuttle service if you want to leave your car) and choices range from the Town Square Condominiums to the all-suite Golden Eagle Lodge. The Village of Waterville Valley has at its heart Town Square, a gathering place for apr�s-ski fun. Overlooking Corcoran"s Pond, Town Square offers up a wide selection of shops (apparel to chocolate) and dining (family to gourmet) and serves as the Valley"s focal point. The ice skating arena is here and horse-drawn sleigh rides are available. It"s the hub of nightly entertainment, too. But don"t forget one of the Valley"s prime assets, namely its location in the heart of a National Forest. Waterville Valley Nordic Center maintains more than 75 km of trails for classic, skate, and snowshoe, and provides access, for the qualified, to thousands of acres of backcountry terrain. On a sunny spring day you"ll find most people stick to the intermediate trails on the north side of the mountain. That"s just fine because more often than not you"ll find Ciao, Gema, True Grit and Lower Bobby"s in great shape and nearly all to yourself.
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Ski Report
New Hampshire
