Granite State Ski Areas Double As Summer Playgrounds In The Warmer Months.
Now that the snow is long gone from many ski area slopes, resorts are switching gears with summer activities opening this weekend for Memorial Day. While many continue to offer exciting attractions such as ziplining, mountain coasters, and mountain biking, kids as young as 5 and as old as 17 can participate in a variety of summer camps at New Hampshire’s ski areas too.
Bretton Woods in Carroll, N.H. offers one-day Teen Adventure Camps for ages 13 to 17, where participants can enjoy zipline Canopy Tours, rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, archery, orienteering, and fly fishing. This camp takes place on Fridays and Saturdays from June 29 through August 25, 2018 and costs $179 per child. This is a great option for families wanting to vacation at the Omni Mount Washington Resort that will keep the teens entertained while the adults enjoy activities such as golf and the immaculate spa.
Granite Gorge in Keene, N.H. debuted a day camp for kids ages 5 and up last summer, and is once again hosting eight weeks of fun. Held on Monday through Friday from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. with after-care options available as needed, parents need not worry about their kids during summer vacation. Activities include hiking, soccer, swimming and picnics at Otter Brook Lake Beach, arts and crafts, fishing, and more. Session 1 runs from June 18 through July 13, and Session 2 is from July 16 through August 10. One week costs $125, and the full summer is just $700.
Great Glen Trails in Gorham, N.H. works with the Appalachian Mountain Club each summer to offer Teen Wilderness Adventure Trips in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This year’s trips include a 5-Day WhiteWater Kayaking Adventure, a 7-Day Rocks and Rivers Adventure, two 7-Day Backpacking and Whitewater Kayaking Adventures, a 10-day Multisport Adventure with backpacking, kayaking, and rock climbing, and a Northern Forest Kayak Trip. Each trip has age requirements and are scheduled for a specific week between June 27 and August 18. Trip costs also vary, but start at $700.
New this summer, competitive high school Nordic skiers can also train once weekly at Great Glen Trails with Olympian Sue Wemyss during the Skiers Are Made In The Summer (SAMITS) pre-season program.
Camp Tohkomeupog, also known as Tohko, is a traditional overnight boys camp located on the premises of King Pine and Purity Spring Resort, with access to beautiful Purity Lake and other activities like tennis, archery, softball, sailing, and watersports. Boys who have completed second grade through tenth grade are welcome as campers, and there is also a counselor-in-training program for those who have completed tenth and 11th grade. Camp sessions run from June 24 through August 11, and parents have the option to send their kids for up to seven weeks, with rates starting at $2,795. Family Camp is also available from August 12 through 19.
Mount Sunapee Resort hosts its Kids Mountain Adventure Camp and Mountain Bike Camp during the summer. The Adventure Camp is a day camp for ages 5-12 that runs from June 25 through August 24. It can be reserved in one-day, 5-day, or 10-day segments that allow parents to choose the days that fit their schedules. Kids participate in activities like the Aerial Challenge Course, the rock climbing wall, hiking, fort building, mini golf, arts and crafts, and orienteering from 8:30 A.M. to 4 P.M. The cost starts at $50 for the one-day options and goes up to $440 for the ten-day option. Discounts are provided for Mount Sunapee Resort winter passholders.
The Mountain Bike Camp will be held from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. from July 9 through 13 and August 20 through 24 for ages 9-14, and aims to help kids master the trails on Mount Sunapee Resort. The cost for one week is $400 if the child does not need to rent a bike, and is $600 with a bike rental.
Ski New Hampshire is the statewide association representing 34 alpine and cross-country resorts in New Hampshire. For more information on ski areas, trail conditions, vacation planning, and updated winter events at Ski New Hampshire resorts, visit SkiNH.com. For statewide travel info, go to VisitNH.gov.
