Ragged Mountain Resort
by Amy Patenaude
Outdoor/Ski Writer
December has been a fun month for skiers and snowboarders. We’ve had some good snowstorms and plenty of cold nights and even when Heat Miser showed up and delivered some liquid pre-snow weeks ago Cold Miser didn’t let him hang around. I am happy it is white outside.
Ragged Mountain in Danbury, NH has been open since the last weekend of November and has been blowing snow and grooming and opening more trails each week. Their website has information about the mountain and a good snow report. Their Slope Report includes snow conditions, weather, where they’re snowmaking, events and the status of every trail. I learned what was up before I arrived.
I booted up in the lodge and then I picked up my ticket, an RFID card, at the ticket office that is located between the two lodges. Buy lift tickets on-line (raggedmountainresort.com) and save some serious jingle. The resort uses RFID cards and there is a one time charge of five dollars for the card but from then on you can reload it and then just go straight to the lift.
I slid the card into the little pocket in the left forearm of my jacket but it will work fine to put it in any pocket on your left side.
I grabbed my skis and clicked into my bindings and skated over to the high-speed 6-Pack Summit Express chairlift line. I wasn’t first in line, actually no where near the front this time but that was okay the line moved quickly.
“Diddle Doo” the gate sang every time I entered; letting me know that the gate had read my card and had opened for me. The lift line attendants did a good job of organizing people through the gate to make sure that each chair was filled with six people.
The ride up was fast and on the summit I chose to go down Blueberry Patch first, the easiest way off the summit. The groomed granular snow felt good under my skis. I cruised down the trail and connected to Lower Ridge. I didn’t notice any wind on the lift but a gust blew up the hill and it felt like it actually slowed me down. It was breezy and cold as predicted but nothing near what some of the mountains further north were experiencing (Wildcat chose to close that day because of the wind).
There was a high school race being held on the lower part of the big wide trail Main Street. I thought about how unlucky a racer would be if on the course when one of the occasional gusts blew up the hill and slowed that racer’s speed. It happens.
I skied all the trails that were open on the main mountain. My favorite route was Upper Ridge and then slipping into the short but steep and narrow Upper Crewcut and popping back out onto Ridge and then taking Wild Side the rest of the way to the bottom. The good granular snow held up well all morning and it was fun making turns.
From Ragged’s slopes the mountain views can reach far north into the White Mountains but since it was cloudy to the north only nearby Mount Cardigan was in full view. I wasn’t disappointed, Cardigan and the surrounding tree covered foothills are a lovely New Hampshire landscape to behold. The Barnyard Triple chairlift and the Meadows carpet lift for beginners were open and people were out learning-how and others were just out skiing and snowboarding having a good time too.
The Waffle Cabin near the base of the 6-Pack Summit Express lift appeared to do a brisk business. Waffles are yummy but with all the Christmas cookies I have been eating I decided to skip it this time.
It was nearly lunch time when I called it a day. I made a lot of runs and my legs were ready to start resting. Back in the lodge I took off my boots and decided to check out the Stone Hearth Bar. It would have been less expensive to buy a hot chocolate in the cafeteria but I enjoyed the atmosphere and the bartender topped the cup off with a big serving of whipped cream.
Early season skiing has had a lot to offer and there will be more trails open for the Holiday period. And by the time you read this Spear Mountain will open!
Ragged Mountain will be hosting a New Year’s Eve Celebration with Long Trail Brewery, Dinner, Fireworks and entertainment for the kids.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
Have fun.
Amy Patenaude is an avid skier/outdoor enthusiast from Henniker, N.H. Readers are welcome to send comments or suggestions to her at: amy@weirs.com.
