New Hampshire’s Ski Resorts in the 1970s: A Vintage Look at Winter Adventures

If you know anything about New Hampshire, you know it's a ski lover’s paradise. In fact, the Granite State ranks 5th in the country for the most ski resorts, boasting 26 spots for shredding powder every winter. The beloved town of North Conway recently got even bigger bragging rights when the USA Today Readers Poll ranked them as the #1 Ski Town in the North America.

Visitors from all over the world flock to the White Mountains to hit the slopes, and while lift ticket prices today can make your wallet cry, there was a time when a day pass cost just $14.

A vintage video surfaced, showcasing a family’s ski vacations in the ‘70s, and it’s a total time machine. The footage, filmed at Cranmore, Attitash, Wildcat, Waterville Valley, and Crotched Mountain, captures the classic New Hampshire ski experience—long before high-speed lifts and heated gondolas were a thing. While these resorts have seen plenty of upgrades over the years, you’ll likely still recognize the mountain landscapes that skiers and boarders continue to love today.

If you grew up in the ‘70s or ‘80s, you know how massive video cameras used to be. The fact that someone hauled one of those behemoths around five different ski resorts is impressive. Talk about dedication! And for those who grew up in North Conway, this footage is a nostalgic trip—especially seeing the legendary Cranmore skimobiles in action (check out 8:36 in the video). These quirky alternatives to traditional chairlifts were a rite of passage for many first-time skiers.

A big shoutout to the Bellas Family, wherever you are, for capturing and sharing this slice of New Hampshire ski history. Watching it feels like stepping into a skiers dreamland from decades past.