The drive to Loon Mountain from South Central Vermont winds through the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire. On my trip there, with darkness upon us and snow falling – it was a peaceful journey. I welcomed our return journey to see the sights we were likely missing!
Ah, the Twin States of Vermont and New Hampshire! How different from one another and yet somewhat similar. I have skied in New Hampshire before – at Mount Sunapee and Attitash, but on this trip I was looking for an area about 2 hours away. I wanted to experience the ambiance of the mountain and the surrounding area so we made this trip a little more than a day outing.
Driving into town it was evident that Loon was built as a resort town catering to the snow sports consumer. The restaurant options, ski/ride shops, clothing and food stores all cater to the seasonal guest and were abundant. There are many condo communities off and on the mountain catering to the second home owner. The mountain also offers conference facilities – well needed as a supplement to the seasonal economic environment.
Our accommodation was a ski-in/ski-out location called the Mountain Club. This resort included covered parking and secure locker access for our equipment. Have you read my blogs in the past? HA! Check out Chamonix for my true feelings about secure access! But we settled our equipment into our secure home with no issues at all!
The next morning we geared up and explored Loon Mountain! With its peak at 3,050 feet above sea level and a vertical drop of 2,100 feet – the mountain caters to the intermediate skier/rider. The base sits at 950 feet above sea level and we were extremely impressed with the Gondola! The service at the peak when unloading is unprecedented. The staff is warm, welcome, helpful and friendly – and removes your equipment from the Gondola to help guests move quickly from the unloading area. They are eager to guide you around their mountain! Most importantly, the Lodge is warm and inviting and designed well for skiers to relax after their day on the mountain.
When booking your accommodation here, there are mountain and river options. While initially I wanted a mountain view – and we received a river view – ultimately it worked out for us. Have you ever heard an army of groomers during the night? That noise can DEFINITELY interfere with a good night’s sleep. We were VERY happy with the River View!
As for other amenities – well, the views were lovely and would have been more glorious had it not been for the inversion layer that day. Hard to blame Mother Nature’s challenges on Loon! At the Mountain Club, we visited the bar area which seemed to cater to family dining – and not as warm and inviting as a resort hotel bar could be. There was a fireplace – but somewhat small for the grand room where the bar resided. The dining room also seemed to have a cool ambiance, more suited to a conference center than ski resort, but the food we ordered was quite enjoyable.
No matter the weather, the views of the White Mountains all the way to Mount Washington were spectacular. Our trip back home was amazing – with photo opportunities at every turn! Loon Mountain is a great day or weekend mountain resort! Enjoy your visit!
Until next time – Cammy