Southern New Hampshire: which is better?

IBRAKEFORTBARS

So I was thinking about some of the mid-sized areas in the lower half of New Hampshire: Tenney, Ragged, Crotched, Gunstock, and Sunapee. I’m leaving out Loon and Waterville Valley as those are more destination resorts.

Which do you like or don’t like and why? Any area I missed?

IBRAKE

NewEnglandSkier13

Tenney and Crotched would be my two picks from the list. Crotched has fast lifts and a good variety of terrain, without being mobbed like many of the other areas. Tenney has a great vibe and very interesting terrain. Tenney also is tied with Sunapee for the most vertical drop of the areas listed.

bobbutts

I’d put Dartmouth at Pat’s and probably Whaleback in the list. They all have something going for them. Crotched for night skiing with a fast lift, Tenney for the throwback feel, Ragged for the good lift system and many marked glades, Sunapee for snowmaking and cruisers, Gunstock for views, Pat’s for kids programs and a rare for the area mogul trail, Dartmouth for uncrowded weekends, Whaleback for value and interesting terrain.

Cannonball

<blockquote class=“Quote” rel=“bobbutts”>I’d put Dartmouth at Pat’s and probably Whaleback in the list. They all have something going for them. Crotched for night skiing with a fast lift, Tenney for the throwback feel, Ragged for the good lift system and many marked glades, Sunapee for snowmaking and cruisers, Gunstock for views, Pat’s for kids programs and a rare for the area mogul trail, Dartmouth for uncrowded weekends, Whaleback for value and interesting terrain.</blockquote>

^^ This sums it up all really well.

The only thing I might contest in this thread is whether Tenney really qualifies as Southern NH.

tedede

For the weekend your best is Crotched. A “bad” lift line is 3 minutes.

Full disclosure: I am on their ski patrol.

NewEnglandSkier13

Tenney and Dartmouth aren’t really Southern NH though.

Remski

I would have to put Crotched and Pats Peak in the Southern 3rd of the state along with Granite Gorge and McIntyre. Dartmouth, Tenney, Gunstock, Sunapee, King Pine and Veterans Memorial to me are the central 3rd of the state.
So Tenney is my pick because there just isn’t anything like it in the region just great old fashion skiing terrain. Gunstock bores me after 3 hours, Sunapee is a great cruising Mt but way to crowded, Dartmouth another cruising beauty but I just don’t get there often enough, Veterans Memorial what a great 👍 little throwback skiing experience and King Pine well I’ve never ski there so no comment.

riverc0il

Tenney is definitely not SoNH. Ragged/Dartmouth maybe but I think of them more as central NH. Ragged could likely be considered central NH as well. I consider most of the Lakes Region central NH except the southern part of Lake Winni.

Any ways, let’s talk “south of the White Mountains”. Tenney wins for tame old school meandering groomers but is not great for anyone with a pulse. Whaleback wins for best small area with amazing terrain, Dartmouth wins for best overall on a mid-week powder day. Gunstock wins for the views. Pat’s wins for night skiing. Ragged wins for the glades (unless Whaleback has a lot of snow and their glades are open). Crotched wins for high speed groomer laps. Sunapee wins if you want to waste your money for expensive over crowded icy groomers. I haven’t skied Granite Gorge or McIntryre but they seem like local feeder areas.

Personally, I’d put the top three for South of the Whites in NH as Whaleback, Dartmouth, and Ragged. If I wanted to lap high speed groomers (I don’t), I would give the nod to Crotched.