New Hampshire skiing! There's no secret that New Hampshire is easily one of the best places for skiing in the East, if not in the entire nation. The state's resorts are recognized for their easy accessibility, well-maintained trails, and breathtaking natural beauty. Additionally, the high elevations and latitude usually help the ski areas start the season early with consistent snow cover and plenty of happy skiers. Add to this the prospect of staying at convenient and comfortable lodgings and you have all the elements for a terrific season opener!

We stay at the Mount Washington Valley Inn in North Conway. The rooms are all doubles with private bath, telephone, and TV. Each day starts with a hardy catered breakfast in the hotel's downstairs meeting Room. Later on, meet friends in the comfortable common room or take advantage of the indoor heated pool as well as a super Jacuzzi which will soothe those tired muscles after a hard day of ripping up the slopes. And just try to resist the lure of over 50 outlet stores all nearby.

For Saturday's dinner, we'll be "eatin' good in the neighborhood" at Applebee's, right next door. *For Sunday (which is not included in the price of this trip), you can choose from a long list of eateries ranging from simple fare, fun pub styles and fine dinning - all within a short walk or cab ride from the hotel.

For Cross Country Skiing...imagine a whole New England Village dedicated to nordic skiing, with a white steepled church, covered bridges, rivers with cascading waterfalls, wholesome eateries, charming country inns and a hundred miles of ski trails. This is Jackson, New Hampshire. We also visit another of New England's largest cross country ski resorts, Bretton Woods, with 96K of groomed and tracked trails, including scenic trails for traditional and skate skiers and snowshoers, and a full-service cross country center. The extensive trail network is anchored by the historic Mount Washington Hotel, a legendary four-season resort. Have an elegant lunch there or treat yourself to a meal with a view at the Top O' The Quad restaurant. This trip might offer the best 3 days of cross country skiing you can get all winter.

Downhill skiers and snowboarders will enjoy 3 full days to cover the slopes of both Bretton Woods and Attitash on this trip. Nestled in the granite of New Hampshire's White Mountains, facing the historic Mount Washington Hotel and the western slope of Mount Washington, is New Hampshire's largest ski area, Bretton Woods. In recent years there have been a number of improvements to provide skiers and riders with quicker access to many of their favorite trails. For the 2001/2002 ski season Bretton Woods introduced Rosebrook Canyon, the first phase of the Mount Stickney expansion completed in 2003. Thirty acres of expert glade skiing in the ravine between two mountains offers ten exciting runs through hardwood forests and stands of stately pine. Bretton Woods has maintained its reputation for superior snow quality thanks to an aggressive snowmaking and grooming approach, plus nearly 200 inches of annual snowfall.

No visit to the North Conway area would be complete without a stop at Attitash - Bear Peak interconnecting ski areas. A new high-speed super-quad puts you on two very nice expert trails and a long, winding intermediate that's more challenging than many diamonds at other areas. Attitash - Bear Peak has invested over 32 million dollars in the past 7 years and now offers over 280 acres of diverse terrain to satisfy any skier. With 12 lifts, including 3 quad chairs, we have more time on the slopes and less time in the lift line. It's a unique, Big Mountain experience with uncrowded slopes, short lift lines and home to the state's most powerful snowmaking system. Ski three full days.