New Years Eve Skiing

Skiing down Bob-A-Link
Sun setting on 2010

Picking up speed on the slopes!

Taking the double up for another run.

Keepin' it steady!

A beautiful sunset after a lovely day at Black Mountain

Fresh powder tracks after our blizzard this week!

Getting some awesome turns in the snow storm!

Moose at Triple Chair Today!

Moose on the loose at Black Mountain! Looks like even the moose are getting excited for the ski season!

Come for a horseback ride and maybe you will be able to catch a glimpse....

Members of the WMHA meet at Black for a ride

The WMHA is a group of local horse enthusiasts living in & around The Mount Washington Valley area of NH and Western ME. They meet on the 2nd Monday of each month to provide support, share resources, host events, & educate our horse community. For more information regarding this great organization visit http://wmha.epictern.com/

Pot of gold on Black Mountain?

Well... the pot of gold has yet to be found but we do consider ourselves pretty lucky to witness sitings like this double rainbow on a pretty regular basis here on Black Mountain . So for those of you who only make the trek up this way when the mountain is white....we're here to tell you there are many more colors than just white, to explore at Black!

Yesterday on Black Mountain.....

Okay, so if this keeps up we may have to consider summer skiing!

Kidding of course, but we did think those of you picking flowers from your gardens might get a kick out of what it looked like in Jackson on April 28th. Granted, by noon it was half gone, but it didn't change the fact that we woke up to nearly a foot of snow yesterday morning. Quite the sense of humor Mother Nature!

Despite these random snow events, Spring has sprung early here just like the rest of New England and the pastures are growing at a rapid speed. Which, of course means that horseback riding is just around the corner, so be sure to stay tuned because from here on out, I will be blogging about horses and summer fun...and snow will officially be taking the back seat until next Fall!

Snow Anyone??????

Today, it's pretty hard to believe that temps climbed to 80 degrees back in mid March! This photo, taken earlier this morning at the base of Black, does remind us why we love New England...it's never boring!

RED PARKA REGATTA TODAY!!!

Red Parka Regatta Today!!! No lift service but lifts are NOT needed for a great time today! 55 degrees, sunshine and most definitely comedy on tap for this event! The grill will be hot, the Harpoon cold and the laughs many! Open on Saturday with $25 all day lift tickets!!! See you on the mountain!

WAIT...THIS JUST IN....BLACK IS BACK OPEN!!!!

Okay....I know what you're thinking....'I know they are all crazy up at Black but this crazy? Well, the answer is yes, we are! We all united and decided that Black Mountain was not going out with a whimper... it's just not who we are! So....this is the FINAL FINAL answer...coming straight from the top... we WILL be open this weekend. Bring your skis, bring your boards, bring your best party attitude...but whatever you do -just bring it! Due to the chilly temps we still won't be doing the pond slide but we will be going out Black Mountain style... rippin it up!!! So we will see you on the mountain for the real last hoorah!!!!!

WE THANK ALL OF YOU FOR A GREAT SEASON!

We are sorry to have to report that after tomorrow's Regatta, Black Mountain will be closed for the season. Unfortunately, this does mean that our beloved Pond Skimming Event will not take place on Saturday. We thank you all for a great season and look forward to next winter!!!

SUN, SNOW AND SIXTY........

The three main ingredients for the perfect Deck party are all Teed up for tomorrow! Not to mention WFNX Live, Harpoon Brewery, Games, Contests, Prizes, a Fun Run Race to benefit our Black Mountain Race Team, Live music with Brendan Princi, a BBQ, Ice cold beverages.......all you need to bring is your sun screen! Oh -and don't forget -Grand prize for the most creative Spring attire spotted on the mountain (but also don't forget..... this is a family place!!!)

IT MIGHT BE WET, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY WHITE!!!!

It is now 3:15pm, we've picked up 5 inches at the summit and it's still coming down hard with no signs of stopping. Granted, it's wet snow and today probably wasn't the most desirable day to spend on the mountain, but the good news is....we not only escaped the damaging heavy rain, the accummulation has now been added to our already strong base, which will help sustain us through the next 2 weeks. The next 2 weekends are absolutely jam packed with some of the very best events of the season....so don't miss out on the fun!

FOR THOSE WONDERING ABOUT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS....

The same conversation came up over and over again as we served up burgers and ice cold Coronas on the deck this afternoon... 'we can't believe the weather, it's raining at home!' It seems the weather reports were not in our favor and unfortunately, many of you may have stayed at home today becuase of it. The good news? It's only one day lost, so if your stuck at home in the rain right now....why not get in your car because there is still time to salvage tomorrow! Snow is predicted overnight and into tomorrow and Ride and Ski New England will be here hosting an awesome apres party with tons of prizes and the music by our favorite Jeff Conley....see you on soon! Photo: Special thanks to The Murphy and Chapin families, (Black Mountain regular favorites), for posing for the blog photo. Incidentally, they were chanting 'we love Black Mountain' as I shot the picture!

The First Annual Red Parka Pub Junior Regatta took place on Black Mountain yesterday and was a smashing hit! There were two requirements to compete in the regatta; 1) the snow craft had to be hand made by its team and 2) the craft and its team needed to cross the start and finish line. Finish time was not a factor. Prizes were awarded to six teams in the following categories: Most Imaginative. Best Costume and Best Theme. The winning teams and participants were as follows:
Goldilocks and the Black Mountain Bears –Arianna Bauer
Black Mountain Bobsled Team (aka Black Mountain Race Team) –Matt Synnot, Cole Bradley, Finn Bradle, Will Glasson, Laura Hoy, Connor Hoy, Madeline Pettengill.
Luck of The Irish-Lily Vitale, Lauren Murray, Nick Murray, Matthew Murray
Freckle Express-Finn Van Rossum, Oliver Dirienzo, Jimmi McCarthy
Gilligans Island-Mae Van Rosssum, Liam Van Rossum, Cassie Doucette, Kyle Blakely, Emily Davis
Team USA Skull Force-Clemson McAuliffe, Griffin McAuliffe

Other events going on yesterday at Black included a deck party with a hot grill and cold beverages, live music with musician Sam Chase out of Boston, an Apres’ kids party and snow cat rides. Black Mountain is enjoying spectacular spring conditions thanks to the significant snow fall last week And has fantastic events planned every weekend for the remainder of the season, including deck parties, great live music, pond skimming and so much more. For details visit us on visit blackmt.com.

The White Mountains Are Back !

Now this is more like it! Suddenly, we are knee deep in powder and it just keeps on coming! Another 4-5 inches of fluff accummulated last night and more is in the forecast. Last weeks dumping was high in moisture content, which settled like cement and became the ideal base to carry us through the rest of the season. Due to our elevation, Black was among the fortunate when much of the Valley received only rain. Guests admitted that they remained skeptical of our snow reports almost until they pulled into the parking lot, as their entire ride north remained unsightly brown all the way into Jackson Village. It was only as they crested Black Mountain Road did they see for themselves that Black was once again totally white!!!!

POWDER DAY!!!!!

THE POWDER DAY WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR IS HERE -CANCEL WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING AND GET TO THE MOUNTAIN FAST. 2 FT AT THE SUMMIT IN THE PAST 2 DAYS, ANOTHER 7 INCHES LAST NIGHT, IT'S STILL COMING DOWN AND PREDICTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY

FINALLY.... OUR TURN!

Better late than never they say, and we'll definitely take late! It began snowing Tuesday evening and never stopped until about one hour ago (Thursday). It was a heavy snow, so it's more difficult to measure excaclty, but we can safely report 10 inches at the base and 15 at the summit. The result? The East Pasture is pretty much wide open, including everyone's favorite cruisers, Sugarbush and Black Beauty! And though weather predictions still seem unclear, there is snow in the forecast straight into early next week. So get on up here and enjoy some fresh turns!

EMERGENCY SNOW DANCE ON BLACK MOUNTAIN

After watching yet another snow pattern slip by us, we decided to take matters into our own hands! Black Mountains' snow goddess arrived on the scene yesterday afternoon to perform an emergency snow dance. The Snow Goddess, (AKA Carlene Sullivan, of symmetree yoga) believes that baring skin to the powerful snow god, Ular, is the key to bringing him our way, since, after all, he is a God of the Snow, and does not see skin very often. Although Carlene was the only one brave enough to bare her skin, she had many 'snow hopefuls' participate in the dance....and now, all we can do is wait.

But until then, we are very pleased with the response we are receiving from our customers this week. Of course we would all LOVE more snow but our top priority is happy customers and that is what we've had. Our snowmaking crews have a stockpile of inventory from the past 2 months and now our grooming crews are working their magic with placement, keeping the trails we have open in beautiful condition day after day. In addition, our southern exposure is keeping everything soft and easy to carve up. Customer reviews such as this one received yesterday tell the story.....
'Thank you Black for a fabulous day on the slopes. My husband, daughter and I really enjoyed it. Definitely coming back soon. Job well done with the snow on such a tough winter season. Two thumbs up. :)'
In addition to great conditions on the mountain our customers are enjoying all kinds of fun events this week, such as trivia contests, scavenger hunts, movie nights for the kids, date nights for mom and dad...and our biggest hit this week -rides in our Snow Cats!'

Things Aren't Always As They Seem....

...Which is excactly the case with the snow conditions on Black Mountain. I mean sure, we're not buried in it like the folks down south...but all things relative, we are certainly far better off! I don't know about you, but I'd still prefer to be on Black Mountain enjoying a stock pile of man made snow than in the city shoveling out a stock pile of natural! Hands down! Now, I realize the media has made it seem as if the flowers are practically sprouting up here in New Hamphire, but I'm here to tell you, it's just not so. And I can appreciate that you need to see it to believe it...so here it is. This photo, taken just hours ago, is one of countless, montstrous piles our snowmaking crew crafted over the past 2 months. And now our grooming crew is artfully distributing them where needed, offering our skiers and riders excellent conditions all over the mountain. Quite honestly, I have heard more compliments on our condititions this season, than ever! Now, we won't go as far as to say that we would'nt love to be reporting the 6 plus feet DC is to date, but we will be happy with what we have... great ski and ride conditions with a jam packed calendar of events served on the side (see this coming weeks schedule below). And we hope that you will too....so dig yourself out of the city and come enjoy the White Mountains!

BLACK MOUNTAIN DEAL OF THE WEEK

Learn to ski or Ride Sale Monday - Friday this week. If you've been meaning to learn to ski or ride and keep putting it off...this week is your big chance. Just $54.00 will get you an all day lift ticket, rental equipment and a 90 minute lesson...any day next week! That's right! As if our Learn to ski package wasn't already amazingly priced! At Black Mountain we do Everything we can to welcome new comers to our beloved sport! And we know that talk is cheap so we make sure to show you the money...that you save that is!!! Call today for reservations. 383-4490 ext 216.

Black's 75th Birthday Bash!

Last evening was a resounding success when more than 200 people showed up to honor Black Mountain's 75th birthday. Festivities began at 7pm in the baselodge with delicous food and a walk down memory lane, featuring photos and memorabilia dating back to the 30's. Ian Scully of Culture Films did a brief documentary on the impact Black Mountain has had on skiing in our country, followed by a torchlight parade performed by the staff, under the light of a full moon. After birthday cake was served, the incredible 14 piece swingband ,The Swingtones, dazzled the crowd and kept them on their toes until late into the night. A great time was had by all as Black Mountain made its permanent mark on history and forged ahead toward its centennial. Other happenings at the mountain over the weekend included the Jackson invitational snow sculpting event, consisting of 13 teams of sulptors sculpting their snow art over a 3 day period. Final Judging is scheduled for this afternoon. This popular annual event is put on by the Jackson chamber of commerce and heavily attended by locals and travleers alike.

LOOK! BLACK MOUNTAIN IS STILLL SNOW-WHITE!

...Wondering about our conditions after Monday's unseasonable weather? Well have no feear, the snow's still here. For a real look at the hill this morning, take a look at some pics taken from inside one of our groomers:

For skiers and riders considering a trip to the mountain during the next few days, these early-morning pictures should provide a good view of conditions here at Black Mountain. We are still making snow and our talented team of groomers and snowmakers is working hard to provide a great experience for every one. Current conditions are allowing for top to bottom skiing.

This morning we have two lifts running serving all types of terrain. The sun is shining with an expected high of 32 degrees. Our average base depth is eight to 30 inches, and we have 18 trails open, including two summit trails.

WHO IS JIMMY DEL RAY????

Trivia question of the week.....show up at our ticket counter Tuesday - Friday this week with the answer to this question and receive $5.00 off your full price lift ticket (adults $24.00, juniors $15.)

EARLY MORNING RIDE IN THE CAT

An early morning ride in the cat with our Grooming Guru Billy Connolly. The fast moving clouds created a sky of changing colors that almost felt like you were watching a movie!

TRIVIA DEAL OF THE WEEK AT BLACK MOUNTAIN

Name this trail and ski for FREE. Limited to first 10 people.

Just so everyone gets a fair chance please only one guess per day and One free ticket per person.

RIDE AND SKI NEW ENGLAND WEEKEND TOUR TODAY

Join us for the Apres ski party of the season beginning at 3pm today in the Lostbo Pub. Over $2,000 in prizes to include a pair of K2 skis, goggles, helmets, Naukabout Gear, overnight stays and tons more! Music by Jeff Conley Band Harpoon specials and great times!!!! See you here.

SUNRISE AT BLACK MOUNTAIN

It almost looked like the sky was on fire this morning when the sun came up over the mountains. This photo of the double heads was taken from the west side of Black Mountain.

BLACK MOUNTAIN RACE TEAM

Members of the Black Mountain Ski Team raced at the season's first Giant Slalom at King Pine on Sunday. 'They all skied very well! It was a great first race to get some of them acclimated to racing and psyched up for the next GS at Cranmore, January 17th'. says Black Mountain race coach Brant McAleer. Pictured left to right are:Conor Hoy, Madeline Pettengill, Laura Hoy, Will Synnott, Brant McAleer (Coach)

BLUE MOON TRIVIA WINNER

Our New Years Day Blue Moon Trivia question offered a free lift ticket to the person with the correct answer. The question was:

What do Black Mountain and the Blue Moon have in common?

The answer was:

Blue and Moon are the names of two Black Mountain horses (pictured here).

Though we had a lot of excellent guesses, nobody came up with the correct answer. (Which means we all need to get to know our beloved horses a bit better!)

We did however, vote for the best non correct answer, which was sent in by Margaret Cook. She said 'Black Mountain and the Blue Moon are both a rare and beautiful experience'. Much thanks to Margaret for the wonderful compliment and to all who participated. Stay tuned for more fun opportunities to win free stuff at Black Mountain