
Pats Peak
115 acres, 28 runs near Henniker. Family-owned since 1963, night skiing, learn-to-ski focus.
Pats Peak's summit reaches 1,460 feet, dropping roughly 771 vertical feet to a base at 689 feet across 28 runs spread over 115 acres near Henniker, New Hampshire. Terrain splits 50 per cent beginner, 21 per cent intermediate, 18 per cent expert and 11 per cent advanced, with average annual snowfall of roughly 80 inches. The resort carries Indy Pass affiliation. Six lifts, including three double chairs and three triple chairs, serve the mountain alongside two surface lifts and three t-bars.
Pats Peak stands out among New England ski areas as one of the very few still owned by the family that founded it, a genuinely rare continuity in an industry increasingly dominated by large corporate operators. The resort's substantial beginner terrain and extensive night skiing reflect a deliberate, decades-long focus on learn-to-ski accessibility.
In 1962, four Patenaude brothers, Joe, David, Wayne and Stuart, tired of standing in lift lines elsewhere, decided to build their own ski mountain on land owned by their father, Merle Patenaude, on Craney Hill in Henniker. The brothers combined Yankee ingenuity with resources from their family's various businesses, hand-fashioning the resort's lodges from lumber cut on the mountain itself and hewn at the family sawmill, with beams reaching 30 feet in length. Pats Peak opened for skiing on 5 January 1963 after the brothers purchased the original 200-acre plot from their father.
The resort has remained continuously in Patenaude family hands since its 1963 opening, with three of the original four brothers eventually selling their shares to the fourth, keeping ownership consolidated within the family. Wayne Patenaude, one of the founding brothers, passed away in December 2025, marking the end of an era, though the resort remains in the family's hands. Adult daily tickets run from 65 to 85 US dollars.
Pats Peak is a compact hill at Henniker, New Hampshire, with 28 runs across 115 acres (47 hectares). The vertical is 770 ft (235 m), from a 690 ft (210 m) base to a 1,460 ft (445 m) summit. Half the terrain is beginner at 50%, with 21% intermediate, 11% advanced and 18% expert, a lopsided mix with a surprisingly steep end. Snowfall averages around 80 inches a year. Short runs and a large learning area make it a natural pick for first-timers and families, and the main mountain runs under lights at night.
Most trails are named after winds, including Cyclone, Hurricane, Twister, Tornado and Duster. Hurricane is one of the steeper runs in the region and counts as expert terrain. Beginners get the only novice run in New Hampshire that stays open both day and night. Terrain parks include Turbulence Park, with jumps, rails and boxes that change through the season, and Microburst Park for beginners. Pats Peak suits learners, families and night skiers, while strong skiers get a steep pitch or two but only a short vertical.
The 2025-26 season at Pats Peak ran from 13 December 2025 to 22 March 2026, a roughly fourteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 80 inches. Extensive night skiing extends the useful ski day considerably for visitors from the surrounding southern New Hampshire region throughout the season.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Pats Peak's beginner-weighted terrain. As an Indy Pass resort, Pats Peak draws some visiting skiers holding that multi-resort pass alongside its core southern New Hampshire visitor base drawn to the mountain's family-friendly, accessible character.
The resort's substantial night-skiing programme and award-winning learning terrain make it a particular favourite for beginners and families throughout the season. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given this deliberate focus on learn-to-ski accessibility. Weekend crowds draw heavily from the greater Concord and southern New Hampshire region.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations and night skiing is not confirmed in available resort information. Following the December 2025 death of founding brother Wayne Patenaude, Pats Peak remains in the Patenaude family's hands, continuing more than six decades of continuous family ownership dating to the resort's 1963 opening. This rare family continuity remains central to the resort's identity each season.
Pats Peak sits near Henniker, New Hampshire, on Craney Hill, with a base elevation of 689 feet and a summit at 1,460 feet across a roughly 771-foot vertical drop over 115 acres. This central New Hampshire setting places the resort within a genuinely rural, community-oriented part of the state.
Henniker, home to New England College, provides local lodging, dining and services within a short drive of the resort. Concord, New Hampshire's state capital, lies within a reasonable drive as well, providing a larger regional population base for the resort's visitor draw.
Local roads and New Hampshire State Route 114 connect Henniker to the resort, with Interstate 89 and Interstate 93 providing broader regional access from the Concord and Manchester areas. Winter driving conditions on regional roads can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled routes are regularly maintained given the resort's popularity with the southern New Hampshire market. 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 Pats Peak accessible for visitors flying into the region, though the resort's visitor base is overwhelmingly drawn from nearby communities rather than fly-in travellers.
Hotels and lodges near Pats Peak, powered by Stay22.

Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.

Less than four months out from the Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships, the man running the organising committee has stepped down. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter resigned as Swiss-Ski vice president and OC president after being indicted over a business dispute unrelated to skiing. He denies the allegations and faces court on October 27. Interim leaders are in place for the February 1-14 event.

Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.

Winter was meant to be winding down in Chile. Then Valle Nevado took 108 cm in 48 hours in early October, and the resort has pushed its closing date out to November 8 - its latest in 38 years of operation. That makes 143 days of skiing since opening day on June 19, with 690 cm banked for the season. Only part of the mountain is running while the storm settles, so check the mountain report before you plan a trip.

The Alps look a lot more like winter today, for a day or so. A cold front is moving west to east, dropping up to 35 cm on high glaciers and peaks, with snow levels falling to around 1,500-1,800 m at times. Don’t plan a trip around it: mid-elevation snow will be thin and wet, every area is closed bar a limited Sölden glacier opening tomorrow, and warmer weather returns by Monday.

Mammoth Mountain is first up in California, targeting Friday 13 November after a dusting of September snow. Heavenly and Northstar follow on 20 November, Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday 25 November and Sugar Bowl on 27 November, with Kirkwood on 4 December and June Mountain on 19 December. Plenty of smaller areas have no date yet. A super El Niño favours the Sierra, but a warmer storm track is the catch.

Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Winter Park are all chasing an October start, though none has a firm date yet. The first dated openers are Breckenridge and Copper on Friday 6 November, then Vail on 13 November, with most of the rest bunched around US Thanksgiving. Hesperus did not open at all last season. A super El Niño offers hope but no guarantee, and forecasters say the southern mountains have the better odds.

Dolomiti Superski is spending around €100 million across its 12 areas before winter. Kronplatz gets a new 10-passenger gondola with a middle station, 3 Zinnen gets Helmissimo, and Val di Fassa swaps a chairlift for a gondola above Col Valvacin. New water-storage basins and upgraded snowmaking follow, and construction has started on the San Martino to Passo Rolle link. A peak adult day pass is €89.
Opening day for the winter 2026 - 2027 season is scheduled for Dec 5, 2026 (subject to change). Lift tickets at Pats Peak typically go on sale well before the start of the ski season.
Day passes start from US$39, with peak rates up to US$85.
Experience Pats Peak's friendly family atmosphere in Henniker, New Hampshire with affordable skiing and night skiing options. This independently owned resort offers excellent value with diverse terrain, snow tubing, and the welcoming spirit of central New Hampshire.
Buy passYouth lift tickets at Pats Peak provide access to affordable family skiing in Henniker with night skiing and tubing options. Perfect for young skiers and riders enjoying central New Hampshire's most welcoming independent mountain resort.
Buy passPats Peak night skiing offers affordable evening mountain access in Henniker with excellent lighting and groomed terrain. Perfect for after-work skiing or extending your mountain day with night skiing and tubing under the lights.
Buy passPats Peak Powder Pass Club provides unlimited skiing, snowboarding, and tubing with numerous discounts and benefits. Experience the best value in central New Hampshire with season-long access to this friendly independent resort.
Buy passMore Pats Peak intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.