
Ragged Mountain
250 acres, 57 runs near Danbury. Uncrowded slopes, affordable family skiing, now locally owned.
Ragged Mountain's summit reaches 2,251 feet, dropping 1,250 vertical feet to a base at 1,001 feet across 57 runs spread over 250 acres near Danbury, New Hampshire. Terrain splits 37 per cent advanced, 30 per cent beginner, 26 per cent intermediate and 7 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 97 inches. Five lifts, including one quad chair and one six-person chair, serve the mountain alongside one triple chair and two t-bars.
Ragged Mountain has weathered a genuinely turbulent operating history, including a bankruptcy and a period of closure, before emerging as a value-focused, community-oriented ski area under a succession of committed private owners. Its recent transition to local ownership after 60 years of operation reflects the resort's enduring appeal to skiers seeking uncrowded slopes at an accessible price.
Ragged Mountain Ski Area opened in 1965 with seven runs, a T-bar and a Hall double chair, though the site had been considered for skiing development as early as the 1930s. Amid limited natural snowfall and the absence of snowmaking equipment, the resort went bankrupt in 1974, was purchased by the state, and was then sold to private investors who operated it for roughly a decade before it, too, failed and the mountain closed.
Developers Al and Walter Endriunas purchased Ragged Mountain, reopening it in 1988, expanding the terrain onto adjacent Spear Mountain, and installing New Hampshire's first six-person chairlift. In November 2025, marking the resort's 60th year of operation, new local owners purchased Ragged Mountain for 6.4 million US dollars, pledging to preserve its character. Adult daily tickets run from 69 to 89 US dollars, with free access for children aged 5 and under and seniors aged 80 and over.
Ragged Mountain spreads 57 runs across 250 acres skiable of terrain. It leans advanced at 37%, with 17 beginner runs to find your feet and 25 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
The 2025-26 season at Ragged Mountain ran from 13 December 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly sixteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 97 inches. This season also marked a significant ownership transition, with new local owners purchasing the resort in November 2025 as it turned 60 years old.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Ragged's advanced-and-beginner-weighted terrain. As an independently operated resort without major multi-resort pass affiliation, Ragged draws a value-conscious, regional New Hampshire visitor base seeking uncrowded slopes at accessible pricing.
Free access for children aged 5 and under and seniors aged 80 and over reflects the resort's long-standing commitment to affordable, family-friendly skiing. School holiday periods bring increased family visitation given this generous pricing structure and the resort's varied terrain. Weekend crowds draw primarily from central New Hampshire given the resort's roughly 90-minute drive from Boston.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Following the November 2025 sale to new local owners, who have pledged to preserve the mountain's character after 60 years of operation, Ragged continues building on a history shaped by both hardship and resilience since its 1965 founding. This renewed local ownership remains a defining point of interest for the resort's community this season.
Ragged Mountain sits near Danbury, New Hampshire, with a base elevation of 1,001 feet and a summit at 2,251 feet across a 1,250-foot vertical drop over 250 acres spanning both Ragged Mountain and adjacent Spear Mountain. This central New Hampshire setting places the resort within a genuinely rural part of the state.
Danbury and the surrounding central New Hampshire communities offer modest local lodging and services within a short drive of the resort. New London and the broader Lake Sunapee region lie within a reasonable drive as well, providing additional visitor amenities.
Interstate 89 provides access to the broader region, with local roads connecting to the resort itself near Danbury. Winter driving conditions on regional roads can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled routes are regularly maintained. 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 Ragged accessible for visitors flying into the region, though the resort's visitor base is drawn predominantly from central New Hampshire and the greater Boston area by car.
Hotels and lodges near Ragged Mountain, powered by Stay22.

Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.

Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.

We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.

Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.

An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.

A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.

Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.

A hanging glacier above the Swiss village of Randa, just south of Zermatt, has been shedding large chunks of ice for weeks, with authorities warning more break-offs are likely. A danger zone has been closed off since June, though officials say the village's 479 residents aren't at risk. It's a familiar pattern for this glacier - it's done this before, in 1819, 1972 and 1973 - but a reminder of how closely Alpine authorities now watch terrain once considered stable.
The 2025 - 2026 season at Ragged Mountain closed on Apr 5, 2026. Check back for next season's opening date and ticket pricing.
Day passes start from US$59, with peak rates up to US$89.
Experience Ragged Mountain's mission of affordable skiing for all in Danbury, New Hampshire. This family-owned resort offers excellent value with diverse terrain, friendly atmosphere, and commitment to making skiing accessible to everyone regardless of budget.
Buy passYouth lift tickets at Ragged Mountain provide access to affordable family skiing in Danbury with the mission of making skiing accessible to all. Perfect for young skiers and riders enjoying New Hampshire's most budget-conscious resort.
Buy passChildren ages 5 and under ski free at Ragged Mountain! Supporting the mission of affordable skiing for all, young children receive complimentary access with one-time $5 RFID card fee. Season pass option available for $29.
Buy passSuper seniors ages 80 and older ski free at Ragged Mountain! Supporting the mission of affordable skiing for all, super seniors receive complimentary access with one-time $5 RFID card fee or $29 annual processing fee for season access.
Buy passRagged Mountain Mission Affordable season passes provide unlimited access to New Hampshire's most budget-conscious resort. Experience the mission of making skiing affordable for all with season-long access and reciprocal benefits at sister resorts.
Buy passMore Ragged Mountain intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.