Arrowhead

Arrowhead ski area used to be named King’s Arrow. Located near Claremont, NH, this resort has been operating off and on since the 1960’s. Currently, there is one Poma lift that services a wide bowl area. There’s also a small terrain park with small features as well as a dedicated tubing area. The vertical at the park has a total of 600 feet, but only 120 feet are currently lift serviced. There are nine runs available at Arrowhead, but other than the main slope and the terrain park, they are considered off-piste and are non-lift serviced. They include four intermediate runs and three expert trails in the non-serviced area.

Skiing at Arrowhead

Arrowhead is still a great little ski area, beloved by locals. If you’re planning to ski the hill, be aware that the best runs take some hiking to get to. Head up the right side of the ski hill along the old lift line path to get to the old peak. From there, ski right to get to the three expert runs. The Face trails start as a narrow winding tree lined cruiser with plenty of rollers and bumps. From there, Upper Face transitions into the wide and steep Lower Face. An alternate route down is Wheelock’s, a narrow run with a couple of extreme cutbacks that opens up into the main hill.

The longest run on the hill is found by heading left off the lift to the old Lion Tamer run. This wide lane takes a right, left, then a double twist before taking a sharp right onto a wide rolling trip downhill.

It’s a shame that Arrowhead has fallen on hard times. As a day-hill or even a weekend trip, Arrowhead was a lot of fun. Currently, it’s worth a trip if you’re willing to do the hiking necessary to access the better runs. For families with kids who are just learning to ski, this is an excellent place where they can learn without being distracted by crowds.

Après Ski at Arrowhead

Arrowhead offers group and individual lessons on slope with advance reservations recommended. Lessons at Arrowhead are very reasonable, at about $10 per person per lesson for groups and $15 for private lessons. Equipment rental is available onsite as well as other ski services such as waxing and sharpening.

The base lodge has a basic cafeteria that serves hot soups, beverages and basic grill items. It’s a nice place to relax and is also available to rent through the Arrowhead Recreation Club. For more formal dining or after-ski drinks, head into nearby Claremont. Ramunto’s is a local favorite with a large selection of microbrews and a great wood-fired pizza to boot. If you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth a visit.