Northeast skiers and snowboarders might view summer as the offseason. But that’s not how resorts see it.
While your ski gear is in a closet collecting dust, many of your favorite resorts are still bustling with activity, with people hard at work under the hot summer sun trying to make the places you ski and ride even better.
From lift upgrades and snowmaking improvements to new terrain and expanded amenities, here’s what’s new at Northeast ski resorts this winter.
MAINE
Black Mountain of Maine
Maine’s Black Mountain made a significant investment in snowmaking during the offseason. They’ve completed a brand-new Snowmaking Pump House and installing new high-capacity pumps, adding to the 20 new snow guns that went in last summer.
Black Mountain also renovated their Competition Center, creating an additional guest space for those looking for a quieter place to relax when the main lodge gets busy. The space now includes new basement restrooms, adding more convenience and comfort for guests.
Sugarloaf
Sugarloaf‘s Mountain Operations team spent the summer opening up and improving access to natural terrain across the mountain, with trail and brush-cutting work spanning from Brackett to West Mountain. On West Mountain, Cutter is a new blue-square trail and the 10th of 12 new trails included in the West Mountain Expansion. The trail has been regraded this summer and will give skiers and riders another opportunity to experience West Mountain’s natural terrain.
The team is also putting significant effort into glade maintenance, working across 171 acres of glades this year. That work helped bring much of Sugarloaf’s backside terrain and the Burnt Mountain sidecountry back to life, opening up more natural, challenging terrain.
Sugarloaf also spent the offseason reimagining how beginners experience the resort. They’ve relocated the learning terrain area from Birch’s to The Landing, creating a dedicated beginner environment farther up the mountain. Two surface lifts have been installed on The Landing to support beginner skiers and riders and allow for more laps as they build confidence.
Sugarloaf officials said this season is intentionally being treated as a pilot and proof of concept—a chance to test the new setup, gather real-world feedback and evaluate how it works for guests before making larger, permanent infrastructure investments.
With the learning terrain moving to The Landing, The Birch’s will become Sugarloaf’s new snow tubing area. Located right next to the Base Area, The Birch’s is an easy-to-access spot for families looking to add something different to their day on the mountain. The tubing hill will be serviced by the Moose-calator, so guests can get back to the top without the uphill climb. The addition gives families and non-skiers another way to get outside and enjoy a winter day at Sugarloaf.
A new IGLU is planned for Bullwinkle’s, pending final liquor licensing, bringing a new après experience to one of the mountain’s established gathering spots.
Guests will be able to ski directly to the IGLU or ride the Bucksaw Express to reach it, meaning non-skiers and riders can enjoy the experience, too. Located at the top of Bucksaw alongside Sugarloaf’s newest family-friendly terrain, the IGLU will give guests a new place to warm up, grab a drink and hang out between laps—and should be one of the highlights of the season.
A new restaurant, Coast, is also coming to Sugarloaf Village. The concept is coming to the mountain from Boothbay Harbor, Maine, bringing a coastal Maine influence to the heart of the mountains. The restaurant will add another dining option to the Village and continue to build out the après and dining scene that is an important part of the Sugarloaf experience.
Sunday River
Sunday River will debut the new SMI Panther Fan Gun this season. Sunday River is one of just four resorts in the country testing it out.
Also, the Iglu will be back at the base of the Jordan 8, rebuilt from snow and ice every winter, so it’s never quite the same twice. On Saturday evenings, ride the PistenBully Cabin Cat over from Sliders at the Jordan Hotel to an indoor ice bar and a fire outside.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Attitash
During the offseason, Attitash’s snowmaking system underwent upgrades to improve early-season conditions. These upgrades included the installation of more than 50 new HKD snowguns, new snowmaking pipes on the Saco Trail, and additional upgrades to the pump house.
Also new this year, Attitash is introducing a new beginner-friendly glade trail, Grandma’s Glade, named after the resort’s beloved Grandma’s House in Attitash’s beginner area.
Adding to Attitash’s food and beverage offerings, a Waffle Cabin is being added to the Attitash Base Area. The Slopeside Station food truck will be moving to the base of Bear Peak.
Bretton Woods
During the offseason, Bretton Woods made investments in snowmaking and grooming, a reimagined terrain park, and new ways to experience the mountain.
One of Bretton Woods’ signature trails is getting a major snowmaking upgrade. Expanded snowmaking on Upper Express will allow crews to cover the trail more efficiently, capitalize on shorter weather windows and deliver more consistent conditions throughout the winter.
Meanwhile, Bretton Woods’ terrain park is getting a new home on Fabyan’s Express, with an expanded collection of features and a greater emphasis on progression. The redesigned park will create a more approachable experience for skiers and riders building their skills while still offering features for experienced park users. The move also opens additional space for race training and events.
Crotched Mountain
Crotched Mountain is unveiling Base Lodge improvements and a redesigned pub this season.
The staircase to the second floor of the lodge has been replaced and updated. The Onset Pub has been redesigned, shifting to a new footprint within the Base Lodge.
Also, a new dining option featuring made-to-order noodle bowls, savory broths, and customizable ingredients, will give guests a warm and satisfying way to refuel between runs.
Gunstock
Gunstock invested $4.5 million in improvements during the offseason. Roughly $1.4 million was devoted to snowmaking systems, just over $2 million for chairlifts, and an additional $1.1 million for various equipment and facility upgrades and maintenance.
Efforts to refurbish several key components of the Panorama lift, which provides summit access to guests, began immediately following Gunstock’s closing day on April 4. The high-speed detachable quad received a new drive, chair-spacing system, and an all-new control system. It also received new lift structures installed at the base and summit to house the upgraded control system and lift attendants.
Additional lift improvements included a new haul rope for the Tiger chair, as well as new grips on the Pistol chair and the completion of Pistol’s gearbox rebuild.
Gunstock’s snowmaking system also received major upgrades in the offseason, most notably the installation of 5,000 feet of new pipe and the isolation of Gunstock’s lower and upper mountain snowmaking systems.
Other noteworthy investments include a new Prinoth Bison X winch cat, an additional contactless RFID lift access gate at the base of the Panorama chair, and the continued widening of the Derringer trail to ensure smoother and safer traffic flow onto the Smith trail.
Pat’s Peak
Pat’s Peak made one of the largest investments the resort has ever made in snowmaking during the offseason. The centerpiece is a new 21-million-gallon snowmaking reservoir, along with significant upgrades to pumping capacity and electrical infrastructure. These improvements will nearly double the resort’s snowmaking capacity, allowing more than 200 snowguns to operate simultaneously.
Additional improvements include a complete overhaul of the Bluster Carpet Lift, with a new belt and drive system, increasing uphill capacity by nearly 30 percent and improving reliability.
Also, a new Prinoth Bison snowcat joins the Pat’s grooming fleet to help maintain great snow conditions throughout the winter, and an expanded and regraded unloading area at the Hurricane Quad provides easier access to the west side and Cascade Basin trails.
Mount Sunapee
This offseason, Mount Sunapee invested in guest experience and infrastructure improvements, including a new staircase outside Sunapee Lodge, snowmaking system enhancements, and a main haul rope splice on the Sunapee Express to support reliable operations this winter.
Waterville Valley
Waterville Valley doesn’t have much new for the coming ski season, because they said they’ve been focused on something big coming to the resort next spring: A new outdoor adventure zone. The zone will feature an 18-hole mini golf course, maze, aerial adventure course, indoor tyke area, and a new Adventure & Nordic Center.
Off slope, Waterville is expanding its après offerings, opening up two new businesses in the Town Square: an entertainment lounge called The Loft, and a new bowling alley and arcade.
Wildcat Mountain
Wildcat added more than 50 snowguns during the summer. They also replaced snowmaking pipes across the mountain, bring back snowmaking to the Cap Nap Trail.
The Wildcat Pub has a new bar top and updated carpeting throughout the base lodge. The resort also added a new Waffle Cabin to the base area.
VERMONT
Bolton Valley
Bolton Valley celebrates its 60th year this season. During the offseason, they added new snow guns to their snowmaking fleet. They’ve also added a Waffle Cabin at the top of their Mid Mountain Lift.
Burke Mountain
Burke continues to invest in its snowmaking infrastructure during the offseason, with expanded snowmaking on Warren’s Way, McCargs, Little Dipper and on Lower Willoughby.
Burke’s dedicated learning area has been re-graded to create a more accessible beginner experience, with progressive zones designed to help skiers and riders build skills at their own pace. The entrance to the Magic Carpet lift has also been lowered for easier access. Additionally, the iconic J-Bar has been completely rebuilt and will continue to provide dedicated lift access to Burke’s learning area.
Work continues throughout the resort to address deferred maintenance and improve guest facilities. The Mid Burke Lodge and Bear Den Pub have undergone a full renovation and restoration includes new flooring, roof and windows.
Additional work includes new stairs that have been installed connecting the Burke Mountain Hotel to Mid Burke Lodge, making it easier for hotel guests to access the mountain’s base-area amenities. Repairs to Sherburne Lodge, new insulation and HVAC system upgrades at the Burke Mountain Hotel, and a fresh coat of paint for the Sherburne Lift have also been completed.
Killington
Killington made several infrastructure improvements heading into this winter. First, their newest lift is on track to open in late November, as construction on the new Snowdon Quad is almost complete.
Killington continued to invest in snowmaking, as major pipeline projects were completed at the base of Bear Mountain, the top of Skye Peak, on Upper Wildfire, and on Conclusion, the latter two of which will regain snowmaking capacities for the first time in about a decade. They also installed two new snowmaking fan guns on Lower Skyeburst and on Mouse Trap, both located at junctions on the mountain where abundant snow coverage is critical.
They also purchased new grooming tractors, new resort vehicles, and new AI-powered checkout technology in the food courts, which will be used this winter at our Snowshed Lodge and Peak Lodge.
Mad River Glen
The biggest development at Mad River Glen in the past river was the addition of 1,100 acres of land last February. Mad River Glen currently has no plans to expand the ski area boundary or develop the land; the purchase ensures the long-term protection of the ski area and surrounding land.
New this season, the rental shop at Mad River Glen has a brand-new edge tuning device from Wintersteiger that will significantly improve tuning capabilities.
Okemo
Okemo made one of the largest snowmaking investments in its history, upgrading key infrastructure to improve snowmaking efficiency across the resort’s 600 acres while significantly reducing energy use and emissions. The project will allow snowmaking at warmer temperatures, creating more opportunities to make snow, expand terrain faster, recover more quickly from weather events, and provide more consistent conditions throughout the season.
Key improvements include more than 700 new snow guns, electric compressor technology, pump station upgrades, and enhancements to the Summit Valve House. Together, these upgrades are expected to eliminate approximately 250,000 gallons of diesel fuel use annually while increasing snowmaking capacity and efficiency.
Smuggler’s Notch
Smuggler’s Notch celebrates its 70th year this season, which will feature major mountain improvements and expanded activities.
The resort made significant upgrades to their snowmaking infrastructure, including 100 new, more efficient snow guns strategically placed across all three mountains. The improvements focus on high-traffic terrain and key trail connections, helping crews build coverage faster and open more terrain sooner.
They’ve also upgraded pipelines and pumps and added a new trail connection between Black Snake and Upper Rumrunner on Sterling Mountain, improving skier traffic flow and snowmaking efficiency.
Smuggs refreshed menus across their dining locations with a greater focus on locally-sourced products. New partnerships with Vermont businesses, including Lot 6 Brewing and Smugglers’ Notch Distillery, bring hometown spirits and brews into the resort’s bars and restaurants, including a unique lager brewed just for their taps on the resort.
Additionally, permanent lighting was installed on their tubing hill, allowing them to offer nighttime glow tubing five nights a week this winter.
Stratton Mountain
Stratton invested $8 million in capital expenditures ahead of this season. Stratton purchased two new Prinoth Bison X-Stage 5 snowcats to add to their grooming fleet for the upcoming winter season. This type of machine is outfitted with an increased range of motion on its front blade and rear tiller to handle steeper angles required to effectively build and maintain terrain parks and competition venues. In addition to this investment, the resort is replacing the cable on one of their winch snowcats, a specialized snowcat equipped with a powerful hydraulic winch and a long steel cable used to anchor and pull the machine up extremely steep ski slopes.
Also this year, Stratton’s team performed significant maintenance on pipes, motors, pumps, hydrants and valves which will improve the overall performance and efficiency of the snowmaking system.
Mid Mountain Lodge will have a fresh look featuring the Patio Pub, a new walk-up outdoor bar, refreshed polycarbonate wind panels surrounding the outdoor space, and upgraded radiant flooring alongside several additional improvements and renovations to both the interior and exterior of the lodge such as new furniture and refreshed back-of-house kitchen appliances.
The Main Base Lodge has also received new doorway floor pans and new flooring in the entrance and market areas.
Guests who have purchased the premium Black Bear Pass will have access to an elevated guest experience at a new designated lounge, the Edelweiss Room, located above the Guest Services building in the Main Base Area. The space will offer slopeside access, a full restaurant and bar, wood-burning fireplace, and magnificent views of the mountain action from its new floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor deck.
In tandem with the construction of the Edelweiss Room is the installation of a new ADA-compliant elevator, servicing each floor of the Main Base Lodge.
Additional improvements include all new chairlift pads on Shooting Star, four new Polaris snowmobiles for the Snowmobile Tour fleet, and a variety of new weightlifting and cardio machines at the Stratton Training and Fitness Center including a stair stepper climb mill, treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, rowing machines, and a SkiErg cross country ski trainer.
MASSACHUSETTS
Berkshire East
This season, Berkshire East has expanded beginner terrain and enhanced snowmaking capabilities.
A new learning area and magic carpet lift will make it easier for beginners to build confidence and progress beyond the Bobcat learning area, creating a smoother transition to more challenging terrain.
Berkshire East continues to invest in snowmaking efficiency, upgrading and retrofitting existing snowguns to expand capacity, improve performance, and maximize snowmaking opportunities throughout the season. Berkshire East was awarded more than $30,000 in energy-efficient HKD snowguns through the Herman K. Dupré Sustainable Snowmaking Grant program, recognizing the resort’s commitment to sustainable operations and energy efficiency.
Catamount Mountain
Catamount, on the border of New York and Massachusetts, will unveil two new single-black-diamond glades this winter to expand the resort’s tree skiing terrain. One new glade will be adjacent to the Birch Glades. The second glade is being developed off the lower section of Fisher’s Fluke.
Catamount has also reconfigured the parking lot to accommodate more vehicles, improve traffic flow, and create more convenient pedestrian pathways.
The Fat Cat will return to its original name, Fall Line Tavern, featuring an updated menu and more enjoyable dining experience. Also, they’ve reconfigured the Campfire Bar in the Catamount Lodge to introduce dedicated full-service seating, creating a more comfortable and convenient experience for guests looking to relax and enjoy après-ski.
Wachusett Mountain
Wachusett will debut new snowmaking and grooming capabilities this season. Two brand-new Prinoth Bison Snow Cats will keep the slopes freshly groomed, while a new Piston Bully 400 Winch-Cat will help groom the steep sections of Smith Walton and Tenth Mountain.
Five brand new SMI Polecat Fan Snow guns will help create better quality snow in warmer snowmaking windows. The resort also added 1,200 feet of replaced snowmaking pipe at the top of Minuteman express.
CONNECTICUT
Powder Ridge
Connecticut’s Powder Ridge will debut an expanded jib park and learning area for beginners. They’ve already been making plenty of snow and plan to be open on Black Friday.
NEW YORK
Hunter Mountain
This season, Hunter Mountain‘s iconic Main Lodge bar has been transformed into Corduroy’s, a reimagined indoor & outdoor après-ski experience.
Corduroy’s reimagines Hunter Mountain’s iconic Main Lodge bar, blending a refreshed guest experience with the character and traditions that have long made it a popular gathering place. It features a new 360-degree bar designed to create a more vibrant après atmosphere with additional space for guests to gather, relax, and enjoy mountain views. More than 100 additional seats throughout the space help improve comfort and guest flow. And the expanded beverage menu features local favorites, including Hudson Whiskey, alongside non-alcoholic options.
