SeniorsSkiing Guide: Ragged Mountain
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Ragged Has All The Features Seniors Love: Great Trails, Low Crowds, Modest Prices.
Ragged Mtn, Danbury, NH, has two peaks. Credit: Ragged Mtn.
Located less than two hours from Boston, Ragged Mountain in Danbury, NH offers skiers and boarders a wide variety of terrain from a perfect learning area for beginners to some challenging glades for the expert. It’s truly a family mountain as all trails lead back to the quintessential New England base area.
Ragged’s beginner terrain is ideal for learning. There are two carpet lifts serving very gentle terrain that provides a slope that will not threaten or frighten new skiers. From there they can progress to the Barnyard Triple serving a slope perfect for working on turns and building confidence. The whole beginner area is located off to the side of the main mountain, keeping it separate from the better, faster skiers coming off the summit.
Magic Carpet ride for beginners. Credit: Ragged Mtn.
Two high speed lifts serve the area’s two main peaks. A detachable, high speed six passenger chair, New Hampshire’s only sixpack, whisks skiers and riders to the summit of Ragged Mountain in about five minutes. A detachable quad takes about the same amount of time to reach the Spear Mountain summit. From the Ragged peak a variety of trails from easy green to black diamond wind their down. Skiers and riders are able to navigate from the summit to base on all green or all blue trails or a combination of the two. There are some shorter black diamonds on the upper mountain and a couple of top to bottom ones as well. Several steep glades connect Ragged summit to the trails on Spear. Spear Mountain has three main trails down with one called Cardigan being the easiest and longest way down. Flying Yankee is sometimes closed for racing but when open is a nice intermediate cruiser. Showboat, under the lift, is a steeper pitch and is great for what its name implies. There are half a dozen black glades on Spear, open only with natural snow but great fun when the cover is good. There are three terrain parks, including a small introductory one in the Barnyard learning area.
The area first opened in 1965 and being an older mountain, the trails are interesting and varied, from wide and open to narrow and twisting. Their grooming crew does an excellent job. Even in a challenging winter like this one all open trails have been in great shape.
The Learning Center offers the unique Bebe Wood Free Learn-to-Ski or Ride Program for beginners of all ages to be introduced to snow sports without risk to their wallet. This program – it really is free! – offers three two-hour lessons, with rental equipment and a lower mountain lift ticket for no charge. Following graduation from the program students can purchase discounted equipment and seasons passes. It’s named after long time Ragged employee Bebe Wood who worked there until she was in her nineties.
The attractive and well thought out base area is easy to navigate. There you’ll find the Elmwood Lodge, the Meetinghouse Lodge and the Guest Services building all designed with skiers in mind. The Elmwood Lodge, with its attached Red Barn, houses three restaurants. Birches features table service and an upscale menu of classic American cuisine and lovely mountain views of Ragged’s slopes. If you’re there to watch one of the races held on the Main Street trail and don’t want to stand outside, this is the spot to be. The Stone Hearth Bar, located in the Red Barn, serves up lunches and snacks as well as thirst quenching adult beverages including some new and delightful beers brewed at the Flying Goose in nearby New London. Check out the newest one—Rags to Riches. A huge stone fireplace and weekend entertainment complete the picture here. The Harvest Café is great for a quick lunch or snack with soups, sandwiches, items from the grill and more. There’s plenty of table space in the lodge and the bar’s stone fireplace extends to two floors and provides a cheerful spot to warm up.
The Meetinghouse Lodge houses the Learning Center, the rental shop and more gathering space for changing and picnic lunches.
Although a little off the beaten path, Ragged is accessible either via Interstate 89 or 93 followed by a 20- to 30-minute drive on lightly traveled secondary roads. While not the largest of mountains, its 1250’ of vertical, short lift lines and uncrowded trails reward skiers and riders with plenty of time on the hill in a relaxed atmosphere. It is well worth the trip!
Tickets And Passes
Lift Tickets: Seniors (65+-79) $62 Weekend/Holiday, $52 Midweek, $51 Four Hour Weekend/Holiday, $45 Four-Hour Midweek, 80+ Free
Season Passes: From $349-519, All ages. Purchase of a season pass provides access to four additional resorts: Jay Peak, Pats Peak, Ski Butternut, Whaleback
Click Here For Ragged Mountain Trail Map
Click Here For Ragged Mountain Web Cam
There’s the base lodge down there. Credit: Ragged Mtn.
