Waterville Valley is on the verge of a new era

Story from New England Ski Journal

Waterville Valley is on the verge of a new era

You might have thought you stumbled into a good ol’ fashioned barn-raising if you were at Waterville Valley Resort in October, soaking in the peak foliage at this popular New Hampshire four-season destination. Dozens of ordinary folks were lined up on the mountain, wearing sturdy shoes and work gloves, but it wasn’t barn walls they were hoisting on this day.

Just look up after you board the resort’s new Tecumseh Express, a six-person detachable bubble chair, this winter and you’ll see what they were handling — 88,000 pounds of haul rope that needed to be spliced together. On board Tecumseh, you’ll also gain an appreciation for why Waterville Valley ranks consistently at or near the top of New England’s favorite family resorts. 

Developed in the heart of the White Mountains, along the eastern face of 4,003-foot Mount Tecumseh, Waterville Valley guests routinely are rewarded with stunning views of the Moat Mountain Range, the Sandwich Range and Mount Osceola. Mount Tripyramid, the Pemigewasset Wilderness and the Presidential Range are features of the vast, 360-degree landscape, along with views of the Pemigewasset River Valley, Squam Lake and the Lakes Region.

Waterville had been a popular summer destination long before Olympian Tom Corcoran first developed ski trails there in 1966. Easily accessible off I-93, only two hours from Boston, the resort currently features around 250 acres of skiable terrain, spread across a network of 62 trails and glades. With a summit elevation of 4,004 feet and a vertical drop of 2,020 feet, the varied terrain is suitable for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels. 

But what has Waterville Valley fans even more excited is the future. Waterville Valley Holdings, the private investment group headed by the Sununu family, which purchased the resort from Booth Creek Holdings in 2010, has big plans in the coming decade. Opening Tecumseh Express was one important step in that direction. 

Tecumseh Express replaces the 1988 White Peaks Express Quad, the main people-mover from the base area. It is capable of whisking 3,000 skiers per hour along more than a mile span that elevates nearly 1,600 vertical feet in only six minutes. The new six-person detachable bubble lift was installed in partnership with the international firm MND Ropeways. It is MND’s first chairlift installation in North America, though the company has previously supplied Waterville with snowmaking equipment, conveyor lifts and a T-bar.

The MND detachable, built in partnership with Bartholet of Switzerland, will feature 83 chairs with bubbles designed by the Porsche Design Studio. Each chair will include ergonomic seats and child protection features that are common in Europe. Waterville’s location and features were factored into the design to make the lift less susceptible to wind holds.

“Replacing our White Peaks lift is the most important project in our investment plan for the existing resort footprint and will continue our work to enhance the guest experience at Waterville Valley Resort,” Tim Smith, Waterville Valley’s president and general manager, said. “We’re thrilled to continue Waterville Valley’s development and look forward to fulfilling our team’s vision. This is just the first step in a long process, but it marks an exciting milestone toward progressing Waterville Valley into the future.”