Mt. Whittier

Category: Abandoned Ski Areas

User Rating

**February 2012**
Trails: Really quite grown in now. A few trails near the main T-bar slope through the trees do look somewhat skiable still though.
Lifts: The big news here is that the gondola liftline appears to have been re-cleared for a power line right of way. Looks like the new poles run directly parallel to the old gondola, presumably for the cell phone/radio tower at the top. I couldn't imagine what else they'd go through all that trouble clearing/installing new lines for.
Facilities: Same. Aside from the poles, nothing new installed, nothing new removed.
Accessibility: Well, with the new power lines installed, there is a clear, straight shot up to the summit, and they did also do some general clearing around the gondola skier's loading station. Still no idea about land ownership though...

**August/December 2008, April 2010**
Trails: Growth on trails continues to making the forest more uniform sadly.
Lifts: Explore the "skier's loading station" of the gondola more extensively, to try and figure out just how exactly the detachable system on this gondola worked. Looks to have been some kind of split rail system where attendants would push gondola's back on the line after they were detached, similar to Wildcat's old gondola. During the December trip, we ran into two locals who thought we were stealing the tin roof off of the skier loading station! Apparently there's been a problem with that lately.
Facilities: Lots of other random crap floating around the skier's loading station. Some of it related to the ski area, but mostly just discarded junk.
Accessibility: Various trails and paths lead to this area from Newman Drew Road. During the December trip, we asked the locals we ran into if they knew who owned the land, but they had no clue.

**June 2008**
Trails: Same as previous visit, new growth on trails seems to be accelerating.
Lifts: Explored the gondola summit of the ski area via an ATV/ski/logging trail that leads to the summit from Gilman Valley Road. The old gondi barn still stands in decent shape, but appears to have been subject to quite a bit of anti-Massachusetts but pro Phish and Dropkick Murphy's vandalism.
Facilities: We found an old truck in the woods behind this building, which we assume may have been a work truck for the ski area?
Accessibility: As mentioned, the summit of the ski area was accessed via a logging/atv/ski trail that began on Gilman Valley Road. Unsure who owns it though...

**Summer 2002**
Trails: Still pretty distinguishable, but they're steadily growing in.
Lifts: Pretty much all still stand in some fashion. Whittier Slope T-bar still stands, albeit in VERY rough shape. The skeletons of the former Fannie Hill beginner ropetows stand as well. I also briefly explored the area by the "skier's loading station" of the gondola but didn't stick around too long to really explore anything.
Facilities: Much of the area around the route 25 base area is now gated off. The sad remains of a waterslide and bumper boats near the Fanny Hill T-bar are rapidly decomposing into oblivion. The base lodge looks almost like it'd been cut in half, and was posted. Strange looking plastic alpine slide ride detritus was located by the skier's loading station for the gondola as well. Strange "Mt. Madness" signs around the main base area indicate there is some kind of outdoor recreational activity going on there...
Accessibility: Chain-link fencing surrounds much of the base area indicates that that area is private property. Accessibility to other parts of the ski area is unknown.

**Pre-2002**
Trails: Still distinguishable with younger trees and saplings taking over the trails.
Lifts: The former Mt. Whittier gondola passed over route 16, and still stands strongly and proudly to this day (the gondolas have all been taken off, of course). One of the towers even stands in a McDonald's parking lot that took over the base area!
Facilities: The former base area for the gondola has been converted into a very nice looking gift shop called "Tramway Artisans." Several old restored gondola carriages sit on the lawn outside of the building.
Accessibility: I have been driving past Mt. Whittier on the way to North Conway with my family for as long as I can remember, and because it's such an "in your face" area, with the gondola crossing route 16 and all, it's probably the one ski area more than any other that kick started my fascination with abandoned ski areas.