New Hampshire, Usa · Epic
Mount Sunapee
232 acres, 66 runs near Newbury. Epic Pass access, Vermont-quality skiing close to Boston.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
6 Dec 2025
Closes
5 Apr 2026
Days open
120
Annual snow
8ft
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Mount Sunapee's summit reaches 2,743 feet, dropping roughly 1,509 vertical feet to a base at 1,234 feet across 66 runs spread over 232 acres near Newbury, New Hampshire. Terrain splits 46 per cent intermediate, 30 per cent beginner, 13 per cent expert and 11 per cent advanced, with average annual snowfall of roughly 99 inches. The resort carries Epic Pass affiliation. Five lifts, including three quad chairs and two triple chairs, serve the mountain alongside three surface lifts.
Mount Sunapee occupies a distinctive place among New Hampshire ski areas as a state park property operated under private lease, a structure that has shaped its development for decades. Its terrain and snowmaking quality have earned it a reputation for offering skiing that feels closer to Vermont's larger resorts despite its New Hampshire location.
Surveys for a tram on Mount Sunapee date to 1940, and in 1941 New Hampshire passed the Mount Sunapee Tramway Bill, envisioning a tram for both sightseeing and skiing. A chairlift to the present-day North Peak was built instead after the Second World War, and the 1948-49 season marks the official inauguration of the Mount Sunapee ski area, which then operated as a state-run resort alongside Cannon Mountain for the next 40 years.
On 1 July 1998, Tim and Diane Mueller, owners of Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont, acquired the first lease ever granted by New Hampshire to operate Mount Sunapee, with the upfront lease payments funding a total upgrade of state-owned Cannon Mountain. Vail Resorts announced its acquisition of Mount Sunapee, alongside Okemo and Colorado's Crested Butte, in June 2018, purchasing the Muellers' Triple Peaks company for roughly 74 million US dollars in a deal that closed that September. Adult daily tickets run from 89 to 139 US dollars.
1,509ft
Vertical
66
Runs
232 acres
Skiable
8ft
Annual snow
Epic
Pass
The Terrain
66 runs across 232 acres skiable
Mount Sunapee spreads 66 runs across 232 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 46%, with 20 beginner runs to find your feet and 16 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
66
runs
66 runs across 4 grades
Beginner20 runs · 30%
Intermediate30 runs · 46%
Advanced7 runs · 11%
Expert9 runs · 13%
Time it right
When to visit Mount Sunapee
The 2025-26 season at Mount Sunapee ran from 6 December 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly seventeen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 99 inches. Excellent snowmaking, a point of pride for the resort, supplements natural snowfall to maintain consistent, well-groomed conditions throughout the season.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Mount Sunapee's intermediate-and-beginner-weighted terrain. As an Epic Pass resort within the Vail Resorts network, Mount Sunapee draws substantial visitation from Epic Pass holders, supported by its roughly 90-minute drive from Boston, one of the more accessible major resorts for that metropolitan area.
The resort's reputation for Vermont-quality conditions within New Hampshire continues to draw visitors seeking a shorter drive without sacrificing terrain or grooming quality. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given the resort's varied terrain and family-friendly amenities. Weekend crowds draw heavily from the greater Boston region.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Vail Resorts' 2018 acquisition, Mount Sunapee has continued operating under its distinctive state park lease structure, a model dating to the Mueller family's landmark 1998 agreement. The resort's blend of state park setting and private operation remains central to its identity each season.
Season 2025 - 2026
6 Dec 2025
Opens
5 Apr 2026
Closes
120
Days open
8 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Mount Sunapee, and where to stay
Mount Sunapee sits within Mount Sunapee State Park near Newbury, New Hampshire, with a base elevation of 1,234 feet and a summit at 2,743 feet across a roughly 1,509-foot vertical drop over 232 acres. This setting places the resort within a well-established state park roughly 90 minutes from Boston.
Newbury and the broader Lake Sunapee region offer lodging, dining and additional lake-focused recreation within a short drive of the resort. The state park setting itself provides extensive additional outdoor recreation beyond the ski area's boundaries.
Interstate 89 provides convenient access to the resort from both the Boston metropolitan area and points further north in New Hampshire and Vermont. Winter driving conditions on the interstate can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled route is regularly maintained given its role as a major regional corridor. There is no direct public transport service to the mountain.
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, within a reasonable drive, is among the nearer airports with commercial service, making Mount Sunapee a genuinely convenient option for visitors flying into the region. This combination of accessible highway and air access supports the resort's popularity with the greater Boston market.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Mount Sunapee, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.
22 July 2026
South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena
South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.
22 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited
Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.
21 July 2026
La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts
La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.
21 July 2026
The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.
21 July 2026
Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.
21 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
19 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.
18 July 2026
Lift tickets
Epic4 pass options
Single-day passes
Adult 18–64
Adult Daily Ticket
US$89up to US$139 peak
Experience Mount Sunapee's family-friendly skiing just 90 minutes from Boston with 66 trails across 233 acres. This Epic Pass resort offers diverse terrain, dedicated learning areas, and beautiful lake views with warm, familiar New Hampshire hospitality.
Buy passYouth 13–17
Youth Daily Ticket
US$79up to US$119 peak
Youth lift tickets at Mount Sunapee provide access to family-friendly Epic Pass resort skiing with 66 trails and excellent learning terrain. Perfect for young skiers and riders just 90 minutes from Boston in beautiful New Hampshire lake country.
Buy passChild 6–12
Child Daily Ticket
US$69up to US$99 peak
Children's lift tickets at Mount Sunapee offer access to New Hampshire's premier family Epic Pass resort. With dedicated South Peak learning area separate from main mountain, Mount Sunapee provides the perfect environment for children to learn skiing.
Buy passSeason passes
Adult 13–99
Epic Pass
US$979up to US$1,079 peak
Mount Sunapee Epic Pass provides unlimited access to Mount Sunapee plus 40+ Epic resorts worldwide including Vail, Whistler, and European destinations. Includes 20% off food, lodging, lessons, and rentals at all Epic resorts.
Buy passMount Sunapee lift tickets & passes
The 2025 - 2026 season at Mount Sunapee closed on Apr 5, 2026. Check back for next season's opening date and ticket pricing.
Day passes start from US$69, with peak rates up to US$139.
Lift tickets FAQ
How much does a Mount Sunapee day pass cost?
Mount Sunapee day passes range from US$69 to US$139 depending on the date and advance booking.
Can I buy Mount Sunapee lift tickets online?
Yes, you can purchase tickets directly from the resort website or at the resort ticket office.
Are there discounts for multi-day passes?
Yes, multi-day packages typically offer significant savings compared to individual day passes. The per-day cost decreases with longer stays.
What is included with a Mount Sunapee lift ticket?
Full access to all lifts and trails at Mount Sunapee, including mountain safety and patrol services.
What is the difference between Mount Sunapee lift tickets and ski passes?
"Lift tickets" and "ski passes" refer to the same thing at Mount Sunapee - your access to the mountain's lifts and trails for your chosen duration.
When should I buy Mount Sunapee lift tickets for the best price?
Purchase tickets at least 7 days in advance for the best rates, and consider weekday visits for further savings over weekend rates.
Does Mount Sunapee offer group discounts on lift tickets?
Group discounts are typically available for parties of 10 or more. Contact Mount Sunapee directly for group booking information and rates.
How can I check current conditions before buying tickets?
Before purchasing, check the live snow report and mountain webcams to see current weather, snow conditions, and lift operations at Mount Sunapee.
More Mount Sunapee intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.