First of all, buy your lift ticket online ahead of time. It'll save you time and money as compared to buying the ticket at the mountain itself. The mountain isn't anything special, but for a small mountain (and close enough to Boston for me) it's worth it. Cheap lift tickets warrant the trip. I went with a good buddy of mine who rented a board, so I got to experience that as well. The computers went down while we were there, but since we had done pretty much everything else ahead of time on the Wachusett website (highly recommended) we moved through pretty quickly. It was spring skiing on the mountain, so the snow conditions were pretty thin and wimpy, but the Wachusett guys kept the groomers going a few times, which made the freshly done trails nearly perfect. The only problem was that 4 or 5 runs later, they were back to being patchy and uneven. read more

Today was their Octokerfest. To the man that wouldn't allow me in as a hiker to use the bathroom to wash my hands without purchasing a ticket, this review is for you. Not allowing someone to wash their visibly soiled hands in the middle of a pandemic seems well irrational and frankly disgusting. Here are the CDCs recommendations on hand sanitizer in case you don't know that says .... www.cdc.gov/handwashing/hand-sanitizer-use.html "Hand santizier shouldn't be used on visibly soiled hands". Wow. Can't believe that have 18 months of being in a pandemic, someone won't let me wash my hands. You would think that would be a good thing? read more

Decided to stop by after 5 years... please re-read my previous review. NOTHING has changed. The lift prices are still OUTRAGEOUS. The skiing is still BEYOND CRAP. Ice. Closed trails. BARE SPOTS. (Great for your brand new skis to hit a bare spot, right?) And $70 for a lift ticket?! I mean, COME ON! It makes me wonder about all those recent glowing reviews of this HOLE... hmmm... I wonder... O_o And their brandy new commercial saying how Wachusett can compete with dare I say... Wildcat? Attitash? Loon? Tsk tsk tsk... Wachusett... is management on brain altering medication? Has Mrs. C been visiting the local marijuana dispensary again? Seriously, skiers, for the love of GOD... skip this 'wanna be' ski area, and just HEAD NORTH TO THE REAL SKIING... I cannot say it any plainer... GO NORTH. read more

Pretty disappointed with my most recent experience at Wachusett strictly due to the gift shop experience I had. The store manager decided to close early "because he's not gonna pay people to stand around and do nothing." Mind you it's only 8:30 pm and he decided to close just because he didn't feel like being there anymore. When I asked if my young cousin could run in and grab a shirt the manager was snarky in response claiming that he was the store manager and there was absolutely no way we could get in. Couple of other rude employees, overall this experience put a pretty bad taste in my mouth. Hire some people who understand customer service and then I'll be back. read more

Excuse my French, but this is the worst f-ing shithole I have ever been to in my entire life. They can't groom for shit and are extremely lazy. The mountain is a sheet of ice. No social distancing, ridiculously long lines and no one keeps masks on properly. And did I mention how much of a rip-off it is? 60 dollars for 3 hours of crap. Never coming here again. read more

I first came here in 1988 or 1989. I've been here nine times this year and I'm not done. It's an hour from Boston, and it's a class act, a well run, solid operation. Small but diverse trail selection. Perfect family mountain, unlikely here in southern New England. For a small mountain, there are so many bases covered here. They are open until 10pm! The snowmaking system was just expanded and is really impressive. The ski school is big and thorough. The parking and tickets and rentals are well organized. The cafeteria is full of delicious surprises. Heck, there are six places to eat here! The two biggest cons are that at times--Fridays before mid-February, especially--that the place is overrun with teens. This could be a big pro for you. Wachusett has kept generations of kids off the street and too tired to cause real trouble. And the weather is what it is in New England, especially this far south, so the conditions are "adapt to everything." It can be different every day. You will find one of the owners, Carolyn Stimpson (also an owner of Polar Beverages) here quite a bit. She helped me with a rental when I forgot my board. She chatted with me one day about how my needs were met as I had a beer at one of the two bars. She directs traffic in the parking lot! This is the level of commitment and involvement at Wachusett. read more

Wachusett has gone price crazy. They've divided the day into 4 sections and charge you $62 per section. I want to ski from 10:00-4:00 and it'll cost $124! Go over the border to NH the next nearest mts like Pat's Peak and its $69 for the whole day (for better conditions and more trails.) I'm tired of companies using Covid excuse for a money grab. Wachusetts has permanently lost my family's business. read more

Horrible and lies!!! Called to asked if being a full time graduate student classified as a student discount rate and was told yes. When we showed up with transcript in hand was told it is just for undergrads! This places lies to their customers. Will not be returning here. read more

I do like Wachusett Ski Area for many reasons. First is the convenience to Boston metro area less than an hours drive from the Metrowest area. Then they have 100% snow making, give them some cold weather and they are making snow! One of the first slopes opened any where in Southern NE. Easy to get around once at the ski area, get your tix and your just about ready to ski! The slopes are well groomed all facilities are very well maintained. Well staffed, everyone is willing to help. The beers at the bar, whoa! Great selection. The food is good pub food, I've paid more for less at local pubs in my podunk town. The trails are decent for Massachusetts, similar to the Mtn in the Poconos except better because they can manage more people faster, better snow, and get there on a week day and the place is yours! Good snow, family friendly, weekdays are the best, fast lifts, lots of parking, clean, great night skiing, good beer, price is not to brutal but, they take good care of the business. Try it! read more

I would never recommend this ski place.... and I have never even skied there. It merely based off the staff. Wachusett sponcered an event in Boston, and the event was marketed as if you come, you will get a freee lift ticket. The ticket was for early season or late season. The mountain was not opened early season and they refused to honor the lift ticket on their last weekend they were opened. Customer service representative Becky, told me to go to the marketing dept since she would not honor my voucher. Isnt that customer services job? To deal with the customers? Audra and Tom from Marketing decided to ignore my numerous attempts to get in touch with both of them. BAIT AND SWITCH.... perhaps we should contact the news station about this issue. read more

On weekends they now sell shifts of tickets , maybe in the name of Covid. I got there today and had to turn around. No thanks.

Boo to Wachusett who wouldn't let me go skiing on my birthday after I drove 2 hrs. The scenario goes like this: I have the day off. I have new boots and skis that I want to try out before going to a large resort. I decided to go Wachusetts because it is closer and isn't as bad as Nashoba. I battle all the idiots on Rt. 2 to Wachusett. As I pull up to the gate I am told, "Dude, it's too full come back at 4." Well, I would have loved to come back at 4 but I couldn't figure out how to waste 3 hours in Princeton. For my efforts I am given a $5 coupon. Nice. When I have skied at Wachusett the conditions were icy and generally poor. Also, my fiance was bundled (by bundled I mean crashed into and had her head run over) last year by some Asian skiers who spoke no English and couldn't seem to wrap their heads around the coefficient of snow. Unless you live near there, spend your 2 hrs driving north or just resign yourself to going to Big Blue. read more

I've been skiing for 25 years and have hit pretty much every slope in New England, and have made several trips out West (which almost ruined me for skiing anywhere back here). I also live 6 minutes away from this mountain. So, I'm not sure which hat I want to put on as I write this review. The location works for me, so I have a bronze pass, which allows day skiing M-F, and any night. Since I'm still a working stiff I can almost never take advantage of day skiing. I hate night skiing, given a choice, I'd never do it. But I get over here 1-2 times a week after work during the peak season anyway, it's better than not skiing and way better than sitting home watching teevee. The pass is relatively inexpensive, especially if you buy early and can hook up with a GPS group. We try to wait until about 6:30 to get over. Before that you have to deal with bus loads of kids. And by 8 the lines aren't too bad. The terrain is limited, but it's good enough to keep the legs in shape. The main attraction, and the main problem, as many others have already pointed out, is the easy access. It gets crowded, and worse, crowded with obnoxious EMass brats. Someone mad a comparison to Nashoba. There is none at all. Wachusett is a small mountain. Nashoba is a big hill. A good skier can go top-to-bottom on Wachusetts longest run in about 3 or 4 minutes. Even a beginner can go top-to-bottom at Nashoba in about 15 seconds. I also see someone here complaining about not getting their season pass. To that I call b.s. If it didn't arrive in the mail, well, go to the Mountain prepared to ski, stopping at the Guest Services Desk and they print you a new one. You just sat by the mail box the entire winter? Please. Why is someone from NY even buying a season pass to this mountain? Where was I? Right. There is a decent pub for a pint after skiing, called the Black Diamond. The food used to be decent, but I haven't tried it in 2 seasons. The same folks own the Wachusett Inn and renamed that restaurant to the Black Diamond as well. The food at the Inn stinks. If it's now the same food at both places then you can safely skip it. Head over to the Olde Mill instead, on 2A about 1 mile after you pass over the top of Rt 2. To sum up, if you want a taste of the skiing experience then go for it, but chose your time wisely. And if you live nearby, it's a no-brainer. For everyone else you could do alot better up in VT and NH. read more

I've probably been to this mountain 50 times in total and I'll without a doubt be back this season. It's fairly small and yes sometimes the lines for the main lift can be long. But, it's big enough to be worth the drive from Boston and I've always felt like they have some decent variety in the terrain for the size. Also they have night skiing!! read more

As a tiny mountain with mostly artificial snow, this is basically the Snooki of ski mountains. It's basically one run carved up into several trails with a beginner area towards the bottom. Even if skiing the same run three times in a row doesn't bore you, skiing it six times in a row probably will. And it won't even be lunch yet. I guess the appeal of this place is that it's close. About 90 minutes from Boston. But 30 more minutes will take you to vastly better mountains in New Hampshire. I guess the other appeal of this place is the beginner programs. But it's much closer and cheaper to head to Blue Hills. read more

I'm a little lazy in giving Wachusett five stars because it's my lazy ski destination. I end up here more often than not because a 50-minute drive is so much more attractive than a two-hour drive to New Hampshire. But, that's their angle, isn't it? "Mountain skiing minutes away." It's true. Wachusett feels more like big mountain skiing than several New Hampshire "resorts" I've been to. They have all the amenities: spacious, comfortable lodge with multiple dining options; 20+ trails and three base lifts; snowmaking and grooming; night skiing and riding; lessons; quality rentals; and a fantastic mountainside gear shop (I seriously love the staff in here). Conditions are guaranteed and prices are reasonable for what is offered. I've also never had a problem parking; even if I end up in the lower lot, the shuttle service is frequent and convenient. They do sell VIP parking in the upper lot if you arrive before noon -- something I might consider when I know it's going to be a really busy day. That's the one downside here: weekends can get unbelievably crowded in the middle of the season when conditions are great. Everyone thinks the same thing, but it's the price you pay for a short drive. The trails here rate a level below the bigger northern New England resorts -- so a blue trail at Wachusett will feel more like a green trail at a bigger mountain like Sunday River or Bretton Woods. Same with the blacks. There are only two "official" green trails here, and they are the bunny hill, but this is one of the longest bunny hills I've encountered, so it's great for beginners to maximize their time. The lower part of the hill is also serviced by a magic carpet, so you don't even have to conquer the lift to enjoy the terrain. My favorite trail here is probably Conifer Connection since it is summit to base, consistently wide and varied terrain. It suits all abilities. Right next door though, 10th Mountain is a nice beginner black diamond trail. Follow it almost all the way to the base and stop in Bullock's Lodge to warm up by the wood stoves with hot apple cider and donuts (this was my motivation for attacking that trail!). Smith Walton is often groomed into moguls, so beware, but if the snow is good, it is such a fun ride. If you're in the area, definitely give Wachusett a try. It's worth it for an easy day of skiing. read more

Best day ever! My family of adult children skied and snowboarded at Wachusett yesterday and it was an amazing day! The conditions were great, the weather was beautiful, and the lines for lifts were short! Just as important, the staff was super friendly and fun, the lift attendees were upbeat and energetic, waving or saying hello. We grabbed lunch at the base of the mountain and the food was very good and priced right, especially the Philly cheesesteaks and the ahi tuna nachos....oh and we appreciated the many choices of beer, seltzers and more! PLUS, the service was A+! If you're looking for a great day of skiing and snowboarding, get to Wachusett Mountain! read more

Their night skiing policy is extremely frustrating. I came here around 3pm the other day for some afternoon and night skiing, hoping to catch a few daytime runs, only to find out that they close the entire mountain between 3:30-4pm, a period exclusive to 'Golden Season Pass Holders', and will refuse to sell a ticket for this time. This left me with nothing to do but sit around for the hour between ~3-4pm. A very disappointing experience for the trek to get here. read more

Considering we usually ride the big resorts in VT & NH, I was quite impressed with Wachusett after snowboarding there yesterday. Granted, we had just had a Northeaster and there were 10in of fresh powder on the slopes. It was also pre-season so the place was not packed and there was absolutely no wait for the chair. Giving it 4 stars because it is a very small mountain that would not be very interesting after a few hours for advanced skiers. Being intermediate at best, it was great for us, we only did half day tix, and ended up saving a lot of $ on gas, tix, etc. The pros: - VERY close to Boston - GREAT terrain for beginner/advanced - VERY well groomed - GREAT selection of packages - full day, half day, night, lower mountain, etc. - not that it matters much to me, but great food and drink selection, even some healthy choices, quite impressive. Cons: - A LOT of kids (family friendly resort, you get it) - not trying to be mean but a lot of Asians who know nothing about winter sports, sportsmanship, or basic safety rules - could get VERY crowded in high season so I would recommend going there after the kids are gone (afternoon) or on school days I will definitely return there for another half day after another Northeaster. After reading a few reviews that gear gets stolen, it makes sense why they have so many check in areas for gear and locks. read more

Its all about the little things. Wachusett does them all, within reason, to optimize your customer experience. Lets get this straight: Wa is little mountain in the middle of Mass, an hour outside Boston. It's not in the Appalachian range, its not really a rural ski haven, its not surrounded by secluded mountains and valleys and lakes (though it does have some nice views of Boston and Mt. Monadnock). It only has 1000 vertical feet of ski, ~20 trails, and max single black diamond steepness. So that's what its working with. But the resort does all the little things to make your ski experience the best it can be on this particular mountain. TWO ski lifts are DETACHABLE QUADS, maximizing your ski run time to lift time ratio. (and another quad for the long, gentle bunny hill). Its got glades on the edges, moguls on the steep part right under the lift to the top, and snowmaking and grooming you can depend on late into spring. The lodges and amenities are top notch. they may be the best I've seen at any ski resort in the east. wooden SUN CHAIRS outside, with a gentle sloping back, are everywhere outside the lodge and at the ski-in-ski-out Bullock Lodge (which has WOODSTOVES and housemade APPLE CIDER). The main lodge has a cafeteria with an assorted menu (including a STIR FRY station), and outside there is a WAFFLE CABIN and a BBQ hut. Lunch food isn't marked up like at other mountains, with very affordable $5 sandwiches. And all the refreshments are from POLAR BEVERAGES, a company local to Worcester (half hour south), so no Coke, no Pepsi, but you can get cola, root beer, orange dry, any flavor seltzer, cane sugar glass bottle soda, and just about any other flavor you like. The bar has several local WACHUSETT BREWERY beer varieties, and you can take your beer outside with you. This is a minor miracle, as the land this ski resort is on is owned by Wachusett Mountain State Reservation, and drinking is prohibited on all state park land. It must be special permitting for the ski resort. Keep in mind, there is a one time park pass fee of $5, so if you want to use freestyle park features, you have to pay (lame). It can get very crowded on deep winter weekends and nights when the snow is good, as it is so close to Boston. Also, there are a lot of snowboarders here (beware ski-snobs). The mountain is small but you can spend all day exploring the trails. Customer service and amenities are top notch. It's so convenient when other mountains aren't. Thanks a bunch, Wa. read more

Hit up night skiing, that is where it is at. Shorter lines, closer parking, and a little cheaper than during the day. You just have to deal with a grip of teenagers. The boy and I are learning how to snowboard this year. Wachusett is close, cheaper than most, and pretty big for being only a 45 minute drive. The greens are great for beginners and there are some really fun blues. Not up to the black diamonds yet, but there are some. There is also a pretty awesome looking park for the kids who like to do flips and sh$t. Food is standard mountain fare, but a little cheaper and Polar drinks are everywhere (I had no idea Polar was even from MA). Also! They have sensored everything in the bathroom and use pond water to flush the toilets, go green!! read more

This is for the food shack at the bottom of the lifts. Great friendly service and went out of their way to give my friend and I both free beers just for a slightly longer wait than should be. Nice to see exceptional service and just kind workers nowadays. Thank you! read more

The service was terrible. We wanted some help with our cancellation, and spoke to the service desk. The clerk pretended to go into to the back office and speak to the manager, but did not. Also, the clerk thought it was funny that we found 30F cold, when it was actually 20F and very windy. Perhaps, this is a good time to learn to treat your customers better read more

Really nice mountain for the kids. Ours are 5 and 7. They have an impressive and fast ski rental process. Nice snow and grooming, and the lifts are fast and well organized. Most importantly, Wachusett has clearly made an investment in their staff. The mountain is well-staffed with helpful and friendly people. By far the best place to ski in eastern Massachusetts. read more

Not covid safe! Absolutely packed. Rental area was not at all spread out benches were close together. Lines were 20 minutes long and I went on a Wednesday. So packed we had to park in a second lot and take a shuttle? We are in a pandemic??? Great trails so that is the only reason I gave it two instead of one but not worth the time, health risk, or money. I was there for four hours and went down the mountain 5 times absolutely insane. read more

Positive: Close by for MA residents, Cheap, Bar, Night skiing Negative: Too crowded, OK slopes (nothing interesting) If you don't want to spend too much money and get to hit the slopes, this is the resort for you. However, if you are looking to rent a place (getaway place) for a weekend for a nice ski experience, I suggest other resorts. read more

For a fairly newbie snowboarder I am happy with the trails at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area. For starters the lodge area is big, open, plenty of seating. There are several food options inside, including a bar area (score). The trails are pretty well groomed. Some of the people in on the slopes need to learn some etiquette and have respect but you get that everywhere you go so I am not shocked. One thing I will say is beware of your board being stolen. I noticed this past week 3 people complaining about their boards being stolen at the same time, at the service desk. Overall for newbies it is a great place to learn and practice. I am investing in an annual pass soon :) read more

I learned to ski here, so this mountain will always be special. If you are an adult wanting to learn, they have a fantastic learn to ski/snowboard package. I got 3 lessons for $199 and it included a rest of the season rental pass. It's a steal if you add up the price of a lift ticket by itself then rentals and instruction. My first lesson was awesome. Our instructor, Jamie, couldn't of been better. My group progressed quickly and I was able to go down their longer green chairlift train right after. The next couple lessons on following visits were still informative. Sometimes I was ahead of the game, other times learned new things. Lesson times on weekends were easy, a couple in the morning and afternoon to choose from. The snow has always been great there, lifts are decent, I believe a couple high speed quads are newer. My favorite trail, the Ralph's Run is a nice first blue to try out and offers scenic tree skiing. We'll be coming here for the convenience for more seasons. The outlets food are not bad either. The bar has 2 floors with pretty good food. Even the cafeteria offers sushi and gourmet selections. If you go later in the day the shuttle bus is a breeze so don't stress parking and walking far in the main lot. It's not NH guys, but for what it is, its extremely organized and they know what they are doing. read more

Full price tickets for half day... Understand with COVID but midday on a Wednesday was extremely crowded. No management of lift lines except one and the lines were crazy. It's a great place for my son to learn but so expensive for what you get. read more

Got a silver season pass last season and was going around three times a week. Usually night time during the week from around 7 or 7:30 to 10. For $300 the money was worth it. It's close, can go up after work get some runs in and have a couple drinks in the bar. Weekends are kind of horrible but that is to be expected. read more

Tough to beat the convenience for a quick trip from RI. Kids have been here dozens of times and never tire of it. Some reasonably challenging terrain when there is enough natural snow. When there's not much natural snow, like right now, the snowmaking is good enough for more than half the mountain to be open. Regarding the prior review that said there was not good wifi in the lodge, I have been hanging in the lodge all afternoon and have had a good, stable connection with more than adequate speed for a public wifi. Maybe it's better in some spots than others, but I found it to be great near the Starbucks. read more

This review is just of the service the team provides at Wachusett. I had purchased a COW card for my dad to go skiing for the first time, as a gift for Christmas. I had even put the message "Don't bread a leg" on it. And what happens? He breaks his leg (ankle), a month before Christmas! So I contact the customer service and Rachel responded with fully understanding and refunded the card back to me. I was totally expecting the standard, "Sorry Charlie" attitude some big businesses can have. So I was blown away at the kind service and understanding. This is a place that treats customers like real people! Thank you!! Now, hopefully Dad stays healthy and we can try this again next year! To be continued... read more

I haven't been to Wachusett in many many years. I learned how to ski here when I was 11 and even learned how to snowboard when I was 14 at this mountain. There's a certain level of nostalgia for me to come here! And guess what?! They were open on Christmas! Granted it was man-made snow, since we haven't had any yet this year, and there were only a handful of trails open, but I had a grand time. They didn't charge me the full price for a lift ticket (due to the above fact) and service at the booth/rental hut was fast and friendly. On a regular day, Wachusett isn't the most versatile or challenging mountain in New England, but it's close to most who live in RI/MA/CT and it's a great mountain for families, leisure skiing/boarding and learning. Overall, Night skiing was a blast, with a trip to the Waffle Cabin for waffles and cocoa/cider mixed in between. read more

So, Wachusett Mountain is good. not great, not horrible. If you were an avid pot smoker, Wachusett is the stuff you'd find circulating the high school. It's easy to get (to), it's quick, relatively cheap, it's enough to take the edge off. I've been going since the start of the season, and have not had any major issues. I did almost have a brief run-in with a chair lift but that was because of a newb. I'd recommend getting there for first chair, or for night skiing. There are a lot of 'kids' so be prepared to be surrounded by teenie boppers. Other than that, enjoy the hour drive, get some hours in on the slopes and ditch the teenie boppers at the bar, cause that's only 21+. read more

We had our daughters wedding reception here and it was awesome! Beautiful scenery, excellent food and accommodations! Well done Mt. Wachusett! read more

This review is about the ski shop. Never been treated so poorly in my entire skiing career or by any salesman. Watch out for the older gentleman that fits boots. He told us that the store wasn't a shoe store and that if we were not going to spend a certain amount of money he was not going to help us. They also charge $35 to try on boots! I have spent thousands of dollars in this shop. Never again. When I confronted this sales person he said "whatever' and walked away. I sent a letter to the mountain but of course no response. read more

I love this place. So close, only an hour and 15 minutes from our house. Just enough skiing for 6 hours. The cabin in the woods is fabulous to warm up and have some hot apple cider. read more

Wachusett isn't bad for a small lil' mountain. It's crowded, so you have to get here early. Most places on the east are icy after 2pm, especially if you are riding the green trails. So I mean...what else do you expect when riding a mountain with 30 trails for eleventy-billion people?? At least there are fun parks to play on. Plus the pro-shop staff is really good here, especially if you want to demo a new board or talk about what boards are good for ya. This is where I go to teach people who have never been riding before. The bunny slope has a nice magic carpet, so real beginners can get used to riding before they have to conquer a lift. I also think the cafeteria style food here is better than alot of ski areas. They have fresh made sandwiches to choose from, and sushi rolls, both made right in front of you. read more

I went here for night riding with my boyfriend a few weekends back, just before Christmas. I was excited because it's a relatively small mountain with a decent number of trails for beginners (like me!). I was pretty bummed when I got there to find that the majority of skiers and riders were middle school kids who'd been dropped off for the night by their parents. This made for some obnoxious companions on the slops and ski lifts. Definitely lacked the family-oriented vibe of other places I've been to. Much more commercial and touristy, which makes sense due to its proximity to Boston and the scarcity of decent mountains in MA for winter sports. Overall, though, the slopes were decent (despite some 40+ degree weather that day) and the lifts were quick. They had an awesome cabin halfway down the mountain, accessible from Intermediate trails. The place served hot apple cider, apple cider donuts, apple soda, and pastries, while blasting country music over the speakers. This is the reason why my review has been bumped from 3 stars to 4. Loved the little shack, thought it was a cute idea to have a place to stop and chill on the mountain itself. I probably wouldn't go back here, but it's good to know that there's a decent place close by for last minute riding. read more

Hmm, skiing is an expensive activity, and coupled with what seemed to be an overabundance of people for an early-Sunday run, I'm not sure how I feel about Wachusett. The lower lift operates extremely slowly, to the point where we had to leave after waiting 20 minutes without moving. However, the staff are friendly and effective in the equipment area if you are renting, so it is quick to rent and quick to return. You do have to take a shuttle from the parking area to the base of the mountain but this is a non-issue unless there is a question of accessibility for people who use mobility aids. Excellent snow base & good (adults) area in the lodge if you need a bit of respite from the children. Best plan is to arrange to spend as much of a day here as possible and pony up for the helmet because brain injuries are no fun! read more