North Woodstock, NH – Skiers and riders have just begun gearing up for the 2015-16 season, but New Hampshire resorts have been getting ready since last spring. Throughout the Granite State, mountains have been adding equipment, upgrading their facilities and improving their overall resort experience in anticipation of another big winter.

Here’s a brief roundup from across the state:

Abenaki

• For its 80^th birthday, Abenaki is getting a whole new lodge, replacing the old lodge that was built in 1940.

Black Mountain

• Addition of a new intermediate glade, which has been a favorite off-map destination for skiers and riders for years.
• Improvements to summit chair and snowmaking equipment.

Bretton Woods

• New Competition Center for junior aspiring racers.
• Addition of 15 new HKD SV 10 snowmaking tower guns along the Cascade trail.

Cannon Mountain

• The $4 million Mittersill enhancement project is in Phase II, with new snowmaking installed on Baron’s Run and planned for Skyline and Ridge Run.  The Taft Training Slope is newly cut and 13 trails and glades have been officially named.
• New Prinoth Bison Winch Cat added for grooming the steeps.
• High output and energy efficiency upgrades on over 100 snowmaking guns throughout the mountain.
• Scheduled to host the 2016 US Telemark Championships.

Cranmore Mountain Resort

• For 2016 the weekly event, Cranapalooza, will receive a whole new format. Visitors on Saturday nights will find a DJ in Schneider Square, outdoor games and activities, tubing racing, s’mores, fire dancers, magicians and clowns on select nights.
• Additional new snow guns added to fleet.

Granite Gorge Ski Area

• A new alpine trail and new glade were cut.
• Additional snow guns added to fleet.

Great Glen Trails

• Numerous trail improvements throughout the trail network.
• Free XC ski waxing clinics will be available every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. throughout the season.

Gunstock Mountain Resort

• $1.2 million in investments to the resorts’ summer and winter operations this year
• Addition of 100% high efficiency and low energy snowmaking system with new Impulse, Focus and Super Pole Cat snowmaking technology.
• Invested $250,000 in food service upgrades with a new food court in the base lodge, increased capacity in the PK Pub and a new food experience in the Stockade Lodge.

Jackson XC

• New trailhead on Valley Cross Road improving access to the Wave (Jackson XC’s international race course), snowshoeing and recreation trails.
• New events including the Cross Cat Touring Challenge with Wildcat Mountain on February 28, the Baxter Brewing Co. Packed Powder series (Winter Triathlon) January 9, and NENSA Women’s Day on January 24.

King Pine & Purity Spring Resort

• Greatly expanded opportunities for learning.
• Private lessons featuring video analysis of students’ skiing by certified instructors.
• Ski with a Race Coach Adult clinic program.
• Women’s Tuesday Afternoon program. Meet others in a relaxed, women-only setting.
• Private and group lessons for kids as young as 3 are now offered.

Loon Mountain

• Loon has assumed management of TV-22, and this winter will broadcast the latest in weather, snow conditions and upcoming events as well as original content and a new morning show.
• As of 2015 Loon has become a member of the M.A.X Pass, a pass that includes five days of skiing or riding at each of 22 mountains in North America.
• Improved snowmaking includes additional KLIK hydrants, meaning more terrain earlier in the season.
• Renovated Camp III lodge at the base of North Peak and major expansion of Loon Mountain Sports retail facilities.
• Two Tesla charging stations and one EV charging station installed in the Children’s Center parking lot for drivers of Teslas or other electric vehicles.

Mount Sunapee

• Invested more than $600,000 towards resort improvements for the year.
• Added $100,000-worth of new rental equipment.
• Purchase of new, energy-efficient snow guns.
• The Spruce Lodge Café will be totally refurbished.

Pats Peak

• Over $1 million in capital improvements for the 2015-16 season
• Addition of a new PistenBully Park Pro Snowcat, the latest tool in specialized, cutting edge grooming technology in the park.
• All new rental equipment includes skis, twin-tip skis, snowboards, boots, poles and helmets.
• Eight new high-efficiency Snow Machines, Inc. snowmaking guns and 10 HKD new low energy snowmaking towers.

Pine Hill XC

• Addition of a 2km “Most Difficult” trail.
• New 2015 Arctic Cat grooming machine.
• Children 10 and under can now use the Pine Hill XC trail system for free any time.

Ragged Mountain Resort

• The first phase of Ragged’s ski-in/ski-out development is nearing completion, with the 1-3 bedroom Cardigan Cabins planned to be available for the 2015-16 season.
• New glade on Spear Mountain has been cut, which adds five more skiable acres between Spear Mountain and Barnyard Lift.

Waterville

• Sugar Shack Glades have been thinned and will feature a new natural terrain park. Addition of the Fun Run, a series of man-made and terrain based obstacles for skiers and riders of all levels to navigate through as they make their way down Valley Run. Introduction of a new banked slalom course on High Ground.
• Improved rental fleet with the recent purchase of all new Burton snowboards and bindings.
• Purchased 10 new top-of-the-line, energy efficient HKD SV10 snow guns. Expanded grooming fleet with the purchase of a new Prinoth BR350 Snow Groomer.

Whaleback

• Increased number of lights by more than 50% for night skiing.
• Trail widening and improvements to Dorsal, Rib Cage and the terrain park.
• Snowmaking improvements with enhancements to snowmaking infrastructure and upgraded snowmaking guns.

Windblown

• Completion of the rentable Adirondack-style East Glade Shelter, which is wood stove-heated and can sleep 15.
• New Arctic Cat snowmobile for low snow grooming and trail touch up.