I have many favorite things but I can say unequivocally that my favorite winter sport is skiing. I have been at it for 65 years. My most recent adventure was at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire, a few hours Northwest from Maine. 

Boyne Resorts operates Loon and our beloved Maine ski resorts, Sugarloaf and Sunday River, along with eight other ski resorts throughout the U.S. and is known as the “kings of snowmaking.”  They are so sure that you will love the conditions that they have a “Snow Guarantee.”  If you’re not satisfied you can return your ticket by 11 a.m. and receive a voucher for another day.

I hadn’t skied Loon for a while and the first thing that stood out was the customer service. The parking, even on a weekday, is a bit of a hike from either of the two base lodges, so we dropped all our gear at the drop-off spot near the gondola base lodge and were greeted by Loon staff that not only assisted with unloading the car but helped carry our gear to the lodge. 

Once inside there is a free “basket storage” for your gear bag when you are ready to head out. They also have overnight ski storage, $2 a night, so that you don’t have to drag all your equipment back to your accommodations just to repeat the process the next day.  Anything that makes my ski day less about moving all of my stuff and more about time on the mountain is a huge plus and Loon makes it happen.

Loon can’t control the weather though, if they did, it couldn’t have been any more perfect with temperatures in the upper 20’s and low 30’s. The snow was excellent, which is the norm at Loon. 

If you have never skied Loon you may want to give it a try. With 2,100 feet vertical drop, three mountains, 61 trails and eight tree skiing areas, Loon has something for everyone. There is also a large terrain park for boarders and skiers to enjoy. 

There are no wide-open boulevards and the layout of the trails make you ski the mountain. This is true alpine skiing. One thing to note — there is only one green trail (easiest) from the top, so if there are members of your party that gravitate to these trails be aware that it is limited. 

Another tip is to purchase your lift tickets online direct from Loon. Not only do you avoid waiting in line to get your tickets. but you save $48 dollars over the ticket window price if you buy a two-day ticket.

Slope-side lodging is available at the Mountain Club on Loon, or you can stay in nearby Lincoln, which has many choices for both accommodations and dining.

If you go and are planning to spend more than a day or two and want to try other winter sports, check out the Adventure Center at the resort. They also have lift serviced snow tubing for the whole family.

I hope you get a chance to try this iconic New England resort, you won’t be disappointed.

We have more winter left, so get out there and enjoy it.