This is a great mountain with hacks trying to run a ski area on it. They barely hide their incompetence when confronted with the truth. On March 11, 2026 when I write this review they had one lift and barely two runs open from the midstation. The slopes that were half open were half covered with snow. This is when all of their competitors had ample snow and had almost all their slopes open (not glades but that's always hit or miss). When we asked for a refund the manager smirked and made comments about their policies and basically blamed us for not reading the report from the day before. So when Cannon gives you dangerous conditions and one twentieth of the area open they say too bad and that's our policy lump it. Incredible. The state of NH that runs this mountain is running it like the Motor Vehicle Registry. This was the second time I was there and absolutely the last. Such a shame. They couldn't even acquire Mittersill correctly. Cannon is the worst ski experience I have had in my life and the people who run it make it even worse and that's difficult to do but they aced it! If I was the NH governor I would fire everyone who was working at Cannon today based on total incompetence. read more

I have driven by here 100 times always saying "man I'd love to ski there." Although I came early season, I know this place would be an absolute blast mid season. Looks like there is plenty of places to dip into the woods as well as many windy groomers to get your early morning laps on. read more

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My first time on ski's was at Cannon. I have great memories of that day. As we were staying close by and I want my daughter to start much younger than I did (plus they had much better prices for kids lessons than Loon) we took the kids here. We called and signed the kids up that morning. We were a little late as the GPS took us a little off course and it snowed that morning so people were moving a little lower on the road not to mention the traffic jam getting into Cannon! We got in, got the kids signed in and let them go. Both kids (6 & 8) were taking snowboarding lessons. My daughter (8) ended up being the only kid in her age group to choose a snowboard so she had a private lesson at a group rate! Overall both kids loved it wanting to stay longer than their half day session. WIN! The lodge was small- completely full to capacity. Not enough room to store people's ski bags. Not enough bathrooms. We ended up going into the tavern. Before the kitchen opened we had some drinks and then dove into some French onion soup on a cold snowy day. It was ok. As it was a 3 day weekend there was a time limit on the table. 2 Hrs if I remember correctly. We went over that but our waitress allowed us to order lunch for the kids right before our time was up so as soon as the kids got out of class they had lunch on the table. Pretty simple for them- chicken fingers and fries. Overall another good experience at Cannon. It's a little out of the way but a nice mountain. read more

Cannon Mountain Ski Area - Ski school check in - Ski Resorts Near Me - Franconia, New Hampshire

Went on a spring hike via the Lonesome Lake/Hi-Cannon trail to the summit and what a great workout. The view of the lake was absolutely beautiful and the 360 degree views on the summit were amazing! The trails still had snow on them so crampons around the May time frame is still highly recommended. A great 4000 footer to embark for a slighter longer day trip. read more

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It would get 5-starsexcept for the fact that in the past 40 years I've skiied and riden there (I now snowboard), the top is completely socked in during January and most of February. Not fun and dangerous when you cannot see the terrain. I've never been able to find any answer to that phenomenon. Other than that, the Mountain is challenging, never ever crowded, and reasonably priced. Local Lodging is also reasonably priced. Ahh, and dress warmly!! read more

Cannon Mountain Ski Area - Ski Resorts Near Me - Franconia, New Hampshire

Were here on Sunday of MLK weekend 2019. A few lift lines and the tram was not running at open, due to high winds, this caused major back ups at the lifts that were open. Much to the credit of staff, they kept the lines moving quickly, maximizing the chair's capacity. They also kept safety in mind when they stopped the Cannonball lift and reduced 4 ppl per to 3ppl due to the wind picking up again. The mountain itself was very windy, and the times I have gone it usually is. Make no mistake about it, this is not a Mtn for beginners. There is a smaller family area, that may cater to that crowd, but to me there are better alternatives. Even with over a foot of snow the night before, it can be skied off in spots, but the powder was great, and there are many glade alternatives. I may not be a bad skier, but I ALAWAYS feel challenged here, which is a good thing read more

Cannon Mountain Ski Area - Ski Resorts Near Me - Franconia, New Hampshire

NO matter the conditions here, I become a better rider every time. I hate to say it, but most of the other NH ski areas are just plain boring. I always feel challenged here. The views are OUTSTANDING of Franconia Ridge. When the woods are in, this has the most advanced riding I've ever experienced - steep and tight - YIKES - watch the bleep-show as you pass by the other skiers/riders trying to edge down...... The newer snowmaking is really great!!! Sure, some of it is my tax dollars "at work" but I'd rather have tax dollars spent on a ski area than most other stuff, honestly!!!! The vibe is old-school, and, honestly, some of the best/older skiers/riders you will ever see are here, and, they don't always have the newest equipment. I got a season's pass for the first time last year, continued this year, and will next.... CANNON IS MINE... hahaha read more

Cannon Mountain Ski Area - excellent riding at cannon! - Ski Resorts Near Me - Franconia, New Hampshire

February 2020 I attended a charity event for people helping people. I won a silent auction for lift tickets for cannon mountain which I was very excited for. Unfortunately COVID happened and my husband and I were unable to ski the mountain early in the year. We had decided to ski this December as our tickets were printed valid for 2019/2020. After Numerous calls and voicemails we learned that Cannon would not honor our tickets. We learned that they had extended certain tickets due to COVID but charity raffles tickets were not included. Clearly they do not hold their word for charity! We are very disappointed and will not ski here in the future read more

AMAZING - Recent changes in equipment have given this mountain the most INCREDIBLE skiing experience North of Boston. Nice children's section, day care and the most incredible ski experience you and your family will ever have. Minimal lift lines and a large selection of terrain to experience. You couldn't do it all in one day. Love the Mountain - Love the après ski Affordable and easy to get to. read more

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Very reasonably priced ($48) half day tickets that start selling at 11:45AM. There are plenty of breathtaking views of the White Mountains if you are willing to take the lift all the way up to the summit. The beginner area is pretty good. It wasn't a bunny slope.. it was a MINI slope! You take a short lift ride to ride the easy short trails. It was a great area to warm up before hitting the regular lifts. The only concern I have are the unmarked merges of trails. There wasn't a whole of people today so it wasn't really an issue. I just didn't realize I merged till after the fact which made it kind of uneasy since it raised the probability of causing an accident. It would've been freakingly painful if there was an accident today on loose granular conditions. Their chili is definitely one of the better recipes of all the mountains I've been to. Chili and Boarding goes hand in hand! read more

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Love everything about this mountain. Been skiing here for just under five years recently pulled the trigger on my first season pass. I was very disappointed with how we were treated when a friend had an equipment failure at the summit. We went to ski patrol thinking they would be understanding and wanting to help being that getting down with the equipment failure could be dangerous. Instead we got looks like we had no reason for being there. After a few seconds of staring one of the five or six people sitting on a couch stood up to help. Luckily they were able to adjust the binding enough for my friend to get down. Instructing us at the end that this is "not really their job" to fix equipment in a condescending tone. I figured the safety of their riders would be their first concern but they were clearly more worried about their hangout session. I understand that building is not intended for the public but we didn't feel comfortable riding down with the condition of his binding. read more

This is my favorite ski area in New Hampshire. It's the place I skied my first black diamond- Avalanche - oh sooo many many years ago. So it has a special place in my heart. Not as many people. Friendly staff. Challenging skiing. This is not the place for wimps. It's a ski area for real people. People who ski since they like skiing. Not because the beautiful people go there. Not because they bought a slope side condo so they can brag to their coworkers. Not because they like the snow bunny scene in the lodge. read more

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I'm a visitor to town, who happened to catch the tail end of this year's ski season. Traveled here with family, and found the place to be great for my kids. Runs towards the bottom were mostly blue with a few greens, which was a little tough for my younger one, but still enjoyable. Conditions were varied towards the top of the mountain where several were way too icy and handsome surprise drop offs that weren't marked or indicated. Still, the wide trails were fun and the cordial guests also made for pleasant lift rides and conversations. read more

Cannon Mountain Ski Area - View of Echo Lake from one of the runs to Zoomer Lift - Ski Resorts Near Me - Franconia, New Hampshire

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Plenty of terrain for all level of skiers. Breath taking views. Easy to get to right off the highway and plenty of free parking. read more

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I took the aerial tramway with my son on 8/8/15. We went on a beautiful, clear morning. The tram operator - Don - said we could see about 80 miles at the top. Don delightfully narrated the 7 minute trip to the top with facts, figures, and locations. There is a tram every 15 minutes. Once at the top, you can hike, eat in the restaurant, take in all the views, and enjoy the quiet. It was about 20 degrees cooler at the top, so grab a sweatshirt. I would recommend going early in the day. As we were leaving with about 12 people in the tram, a VERY full one was going up the mountain. The price is very reasonable. read more

Cannon Mountain Ski Area - A beautiful view from the tram. - Ski Resorts Near Me - Franconia, New Hampshire

Ski rental shop was very inefficient (only had one register open) and slow. The cashier at the rental shop was helping a customer who asked 10-15 questions, so I made a comment to speed things up and get them to move quicker. In a derisive tone, The cashier (Ashli) told me I was rude and impatient on twice (once while before and once during her helping me). I was very offended by the comments she made and think it was totally unprofessional. I will not be coming back to this mountain, and will not be telling people to come back here either. read more

I felt lucky to have come here when the conditions were favorable. Actually if I came here a day earlier, it was closed due to high winds! So this review might not be a great sample since this is the only time I've been here but am confident that I can come here again and have great conditions again. Besides, with the non-winter that the northeast had this year, if conditions are this good, I'm pretty confident in a normal winter that Cannon can get only better! Now for the review. This is definitely not a beginner mountain who is just learning to edge either on skis or board. But if you know how to carve and dig your edges in, this mountain is one of the best. Conditions near the top were not powdery but I won't say it was icey either...it was just the right amount of snow cover and grip that one can carve across the wide steep trails. When the summit has only blue squares and black diamonds coming down, you must respect it. But if you do, you will be repaid handsomely. Few memorable trails: Upper Cannon to Middle Cannon is a blast. Feels like you're in a water slide swinging high up left and right banks as it goes down. One of the best trails I've ever ridden. Also one of the most scenic. Avalanche. One of the scariest trails I've been on while being one of the best trails I've been on. It is steep, wide and a carver's dream. Remember to have enough speed to make it to the flat trail if you're going to the tram. Blue Turnpike leading to Green Turnpike. I totally underestimated how fast one can go on this trail. It is very deceiving since it looks flat but the undulating mini hills make this a very fun and fast (scary) trail. Did I mention it has a 70 person tram? Yeah. Very cool views. To describe Cannon, it is sophisticated, curvy and smooth. It has bad days and good days. If you're lucky enough to be on it on the good days, it is bliss and beautiful. If you disrespect it, it will bite you back and take revenge on you. Either way you will never forget it. I guess I might be describing any girl out there ;) read more

What can I say? This is my home Mountain where all of my ski family comes every weekend. Great skiing! Great music! Great food and drink! Great events! read more

Cannon Mountain Ski Area - View from the top looking down to Franconia - Ski Resorts Near Me - Franconia, New Hampshire

Cannon has some challenging terrain and that "ye ole mountain" feel. You're not surprised when you see some oldy-pants fly by you on their straight-ass skis that are taller than they are. I have had a lot of fun at this mountain - but I would DEFINITELY save this for a spring skiing trip (March at least). It can be frigid, and the snow gets blown off the front trails on a regular basis. Prices are reasonable, lodge is small but serviceable, and it's not usually that crowded. They have a tram, too! read more

I must first preface this review based on the fact that I am comparing it to other second tier destinations which I consider to be in it's class (Waterville Valley, Gunstock, Wildcat, Attitash etc). Cannon Mountain can be one of the most fun mountains to ski if the conditions are right. It is definitely one of the better values in terms of quantity and quality of the terrain. Even on it's busiest day Cannon is much less busier than Loon. The folks in the ski shop are super nice and helpful. I had a pair of new boots that I had not yet fitted to my skis. The pro shop fitted them in less than 5 minutes and didn't charge me anything for it. Thank you for not ripping me off. If the temperature is below 10-15 degrees or the wind is whipping more than 20-25 mph, you are better off staying home or going somewhere with more protection as Cannon Mountain is one of the least forgiving mountains in NH when it comes to extreme weather. The top of the mountain is very exposed to winds and if it's really cold out you will not be happy. Areas where Cannon needs to improve: snow making, and snow reporting accuracy. I was just there Super Bowl Sunday and there was way too much exposed rocks, twigs and ice from poor snow making coverage. I know this mountain is state run, but if they would crank it up a little more I would come here more often. read more

I am reviewing the adventure park wich is the summer activities We started out with the Aerial Adventures. This is basically ziplining and an obstacle course through the trees. It was so much fun and a challenge. We brought our 8 year old and and he had a blast. We only did through the green courses because the 8 year old could only do those. They also have a few rides a Mountain Coaster wich you operate the speed of we had fun on this. Next we went on the swing ride. It's a thrill ride it brings you way up and then drops you and swings you back and forth for a while. I don't do good with backward things so this wasn't my favorite part of the day. They also had summer tubing which was basically a big fun slide but with tubes. The kid liked it though. He wanted to keep racing down them Lastly we got some drinks at the cafeteria type place. We got 2 gatorades and a water and it was about $10.00 it doesn't loose a star for this though because i expected high prices. Over all a great place and I highly reccomend it read more

I know a lot of people that won't ski this mountain. They're scared of it. It's icy. It's steep. It's windy and cold, more so than other mountains. But if the snow is good, Cannon is the place to be. The trails are challenging. Either you are on the steep side (to the left off the lift) which is ridiculously steep. Or the more mellow side (to the right) which is challenging in its own right. The trails over there are twisty, turny and narrow. Way fun if you are on skiboards or snowblades. I'm a blader so I really like bendy, twisty trails over the steep ones. Hubby is a skier and likes the steep trails sometimes. It's great to get it all in one place. Cannon is not the best mountain for beginners. It's not a big family mountain either. The people that go to Cannon tend to be good, experienced skiers. read more

Snow-Decent mountain the "secret" peak is better though when there is some real snow up there. Hike-Short, fun and your lazy friends can take the tram up to meet you at the top without hiking. Finished the 48 NH 4000 ft's on this peak. yeeearrh :) read more

I took the ski lift during the summer to get a view of the mountain. This view was pretty decent but would have loved to actually be here around winter. Overall, I can't complain since it's nice to get a quick trip up and back down. If you want something higher, then take the trip up to Mount Washington observatory. read more

One of the best ski areas on the East. No Lines Steep Face Cheap for East Coast Solid Skiing Two Hours from Boston Also, Cannonball Pub kills it - the Bloody Mary is bomb. Go light on Horseradish and its just what the doctor ordered. read more

I'm a snow sports newbie and I had my first snowboarding experience here. They have a nice first timer package, which includes a Tuckerbrook (family area, several beginner trails there; they have a more advanced area as well) lift ticket, equipment rental and group lesson. I got this package on my first day. The instructor was okay. He gave us about a five minute explanation and then we were off down the hill. He did give us a lot of other pointers as we went, but it's really hard to put so much together when it's your first time. So I spent most of my time feeling like I was doing it all wrong and acquiring bruises. I took the next day off, and then came back the following day and decided to do the lesson package again (it's slightly cheaper than the individual purchases anyway). I just felt like I hadn't really learned anything, although I knew snowboarding wasn't something you can pick up in one day. The second lesson was FANTASTIC. Our instructor, Claude, was super laidback and nice. He pointed out things that the first instructor missed, like my boots not being nearly tight enough. He had us work our way up incrementally from strapping one foot in and just gliding down a very gentle slope, practicing heel/toe turns, and then strapping both feet in and going down a beginner slope. He was very good at explaining what to do in detail. By the end of that lesson I felt more confidant and wasn't falling nearly as much. The weather on the days we went was quite nice - however, both instructors noted that the mountain was usually colder and windier. The rental staff were friendly and happy to adjust/exchange equipment as needed. I didn't have to wait very long to get my equipment or adjust my board, although both times there weren't a lot of people getting equipment rentals other than my companions. Both days the beginner slopes weren't too crowded. Although there was a decent amount of people I didn't feel like I was being overrun - even though I took quite a few tumbles. Both lessons were virtually private lessons - there was only one other person each time. Overall it was a good experience but I can't rate it too high since that first instructor wasn't so great. read more

I gave 2 stars only giving them the benefit of the doubt because of the poor conditions. I skied a few days before the new year. They claimed that nearly half the mountain was open but their definition of open was not what I expected. I don't think I made one good run all day. The trails that were groomed had been over-skied and were nothing but a sheet of ice. The trails that had not been groomed were either giant moguls or extremely thin cover. I say extremely thin because we were avoiding rocks and the snow was brown from all the dirt that had been dug up. It was clear that they prematurely opened some runs to increase their trail count. Overall I was expecting a larger mountain. The lift lines weren't bad in the afternoon. We waited for over 15 minutes but that was only once. The aerial tram was cool. It was slow but neat to try once. I would not return and pay a full price ticket. There are many other ski resorts in the area, and I'd even rather pay a few dollars more to a place that has better conditions and is a little larger. I would like to try their mittersill backcountry slopes, they were not open this time. read more

Cannon Mountain messes with my mind. The first time I went I decried I would never return, the trails were just too bumpy after being skied out all day and in between the bumps were patches of ice. Not fun. I went again last year, it was snowing while we were there, and the conditions were great. I thought maybe my first visit was just a fluke and I was glad to give it another chance. I also felt cool because Bode Miller had just won a bunch of stuff in the Olympics and that was his home mountain. But then, alas, this year, we headed up to Cannon for a day trip and even though it was snowing, almost every single trail was a giant mogul/ ice patch. Are they too steep that the powder just gets shoved around? Do they suck at grooming? Is it too windy? What is going on? Also, the trail connecting the lift from the base to the lift to the top gets so skied out by mid day you might as well slide down on your butt, it's icy enough. So yes, it's cheaper than other mountains and closer than other large mountains, but I'm not sure I want to pay anymore money to them just so I can ski moguls and ice again. If you want to go, just keep a close eye on the conditions and be ready to practice your mogul skills. read more

This might not be the best mountain for beginners, as the selection of "green" trails were slim, but they have awesome terrain park features for beginners or those who otherwise haven't tried rails or jumps. We made a whole day out of it and had a great time. read more

Cannon Mountain Ski Area - Ski Resorts Near Me - Franconia, New Hampshire

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Cannon is a nice place to be. It lacks some of the amenities that the private resorts offer (like some decent snowmaking - sigh!) but it is a wonderfully rustic place that does not get to crowded. There are a lot of trail (assuming they have enough snow - see above) with most of them suitable for advanced beginners and better. A nice treat is that they offer a few lifts for free, so you can see and try out if you like to get into skiing. One note of warning to beginners, though: As soon as you feel a little comfortable on skis, Cannon will not offer you a lot. The are only a few easy trails, and many of the intermediate trails can get quite icy, so beware. The kids program is nice, especially since the children/instructor ratio seems to be quite low. read more

There is a huge jump from the green trails to the blue trails (easy to medium). The blue trails were very steep and icey. If you're looking for a mountain with blue/green trails I would suggest a different one. read more

This past Saturday was my first experience skiing Cannon, and I was absolutely impressed. To be honest, up until this weekend I had always stuck with the tried and true mountains of Vermont, never even thinking about what New Hampshire had to offer (much to my chagrin). The accessibility was phenomenal, with an easy and scenic ride 2.5 hours from Boston up I-93. Once you are off the highway the road leads you directly to the mountain with very convenient parking (no shuttle buses to get to the base while lugging all your stuff awkwardly). Interestingly enough you can see the trails on the mountain (quite close up might I add) from the highway as you approach the exit. The ticket prices can not be beat! At $66 for an all day (peak) adult ticket, it only goes down from there. They have mid-week, powder day, and other random deals going on all season long. Cannon also offers a discount for all College students, at $50 for a full day, and $40 for a half day, I really can't see why any college student would choose another mountain (there's definitely enough money left over for those collegiate "extracurricular activities" after a day on the slopes). For the mountain experience, the terrain was quite challenging. As an intermediate skier I was frequently surprised by the approaching slopes and thrilled when I made it to the end safely. Some of the blue trails seemed to resemble the diamonds of other mountains. With this being said, it definitely forced me to improve my skiing and I would not recommend the full mountain for those trying to learn, or who are not completely confident on ski's. The ride from top to bottom was a good length, and the variety of trails was great. Towards the end of the day, the trails became a little bit icy, but were not skied off as it had been snowing all day. The lift lines were fast, and even non-existent at times, and all the lift attendants were rocking out to great music. Come lunch time, there is nothing better than chili in a bread bowl, and Cannon certainly delivered there. Food was reasonably priced, relatively speaking since lodge food prices always very steep, and a there was a decent variety. All the staff was friendly and helpful. Coconut M&M's at the register made my day too! The lodge did lack any sort of lockers for storage, but since the furthest parking lot is about a 2 minute walk away this wasn't terribly inconvenient. All in all definitely go to Cannon if you love to ski and want to challenge yourself! read more

In my opinion this is the best skiing in the east and I have been all over New England. This is where people who actually ski come not the "Facebook Skiers" who come and take 2 runs post a picture on facebook and sit in the lodge for the rest of day. Not for beginners. read more

Yes, definitely stay away. Go to Loon. Let the rest of us deal with the fantastic views, geniune people, "the Cannon Effect," the incredible backcountry, the lack of lines, and the expert terrain. In all seriousness, though, Cannon is an expert's mountain, so seriously, don't go there if you're a little bitch. Its cold and windy and often icy too. Perfect for the rest of us. read more

Pretty cool mountain if you ask me. Has decent terrain, mostly intermediate, a stellar tram, awesome views of the White Mountains and Echo Lake, and is one of the cheapest decent ski areas in the US. read more

From the diverse terrain to the breathtaking views to the affordable deals to the friendly staff (especially the friendly staff!), Cannon is a premier ski mountain in the east. I'm a ski addict that visits a lot of different mountains and can confidently say that Cannon ranks as my top mountain in NH. read more

Nice curvy runs when it is not icy! Cannon is definity a challenge! It would be nice to add more easy features in the little terrain park.

Best mountain in NH. The trails are really challenging and there are many different types of terrain, so you don't get bored. Beware, this mountain is definitely not for beginners. Even the beginner trails are kinda tricky, because they are usually really icy. In fact, the entire mountain is usually ice, especially towards the end of the day. It's extremely cold (well, it is a mountain) but it's way colder than, let's say, Waterville or Loon, so be prepared. I definitely recommend Cannon to intermediate/advanced skiiers and boarders. It's my favorite by far. read more

Simply the best, friendliest, old, cold, great mountain. When snow is good, best in the east, when sun is out, best views, when it is icy and cold, hang on! Are you a complainer? Better stay away. read more

Great place to ski! The tram is awesome as well. Prices reasonable as well. The lodge has numerous picnic size tables so you can bring your own cooler. There is also a food line to buy food to eat at those tables. The restaurant/bar has a great selection of food and drinks; kids menu and board games for the kids to play while you eat. The ski school was great as well. Enrolled my 3 year old in the tykes program for 3 days and he loved it! He learned so much in those 3 days. Recommend for sure! read more