IPOS: Cannon Mountain

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Nestled right in New Hampshire’s majestic White Mountains, Cannon is hard to miss when you’re driving through the nearby village of Franconia. As one of the highest ski area summits in the state at 4080', it dramatically dominates the horizon. Its ski trails, which look like white ribbons among the trees, weave all throughout the mountain and are famous for their steepness. We arrive at the resort just as it’s opening. The sun is shining bright in the sky, and there’s not a cloud in sight. Having been traveling in the New England area for almost two weeks now, our team was giddy at the thought of some warm bluebird conditions. However, as we quickly learned on our chairlift ride up to the summit, being chilled to the bone is all part of the Cannon ski experience.

When I step off the chairlift, I enter into a world plucked straight from a snow globe. Nothing is spared from rime ice. The trees—coated in layers of rime—bend and bow into unusual shapes. From a distance, they look like abstract snow sculptures. There’s ice on the lift, railing, and ski patrol building. Even the coin-operated binoculars are caked in it, so much so that you can hardly see what is underneath it anymore. Despite the biting cold, it’s stunningly beautiful. We leave our skis by the ski patrol building and wander up a path through the trees, stomping through the snow. Eventually, the trees part and reveal a lookout tower. We scramble up the icy steps and pop up above the trees for a captivating view. Lafayette Mountain and Franconia Notch loom directly across from us. Unlike other resorts that have divvied up the surrounding land for real estate and luxury resorts, this view will stay the same. Cannon is actually part of the Franconia Notch State Park and is owned by the state of New Hampshire.

Laying perfect arcs on Cannon's perfect hardpack. | Katie Lozancich.

After sightseeing, we wander back and jump into our skis. Cannon is often described as being an “expert skier’s” mountain, which isn’t a complete exaggeration. It has the most vertical drop of any ski area in New Hampshire, 2,330 feet to exact. Pair that steep grade with sleet and rime ice, and you’ll find yourself feeling puckered pretty quickly. The only option is to learn how to use your edges properly, which is why Cannon has produced some of the finest ski racers in the world. Skiing legend Bode Miller grew up skiing and racing on Cannon’s slopes, and you certainly don’t become the most successful male American alpine ski racer of all time on perfectly manicured corduroy. 

As we move down the slope, skiers sway from edge to edge while whizzing past us. When their edges slice through the snow the sun catches its spray, and its trails behind them like contrails following a plane. On the ride back up the Cannonball quad, I watch two teens trying to outdo each other on Cannon’s main exhibition trail profile. They lay trenches as they arc swooping GS turns, dragging their hip as they lean it over. Looking back at our wide powder skis that we brought from out West, I start to feel like someone who showed up to a casual party wearing a tuxedo. Mental note: next time bring the skinny skis. Cannon, however, consists of more than just steep trails meant for racing. We take a few laps on the friendly and winding Vista Way, mostly for its breathtaking views of the surrounding White Mountains. On the next lap we switch it up and take Tramway to sneak a peek at the iconic Cannon aerial tram. Due to COVID-19 concerns, it’s not running. Instead, the tram is docked like a bright yellow canary perched up in its nest.

While it wasn't running during our visit, Cannon's iconic Tram is a sight to see. | Katie Lozancich photo.

The tram—like many parts of Cannon—represent key milestones for the sport of skiing. Cannon Mountain is woven into the history of the sport, with notable firsts like the first passenger tramway in North America and the first professional ski patrol. There’s also the Taft Slalom Trail, which was North America’s first ever ski racing trail. Cannon Mountain helped put skiing on the map not just in New England, but the country as a whole. We learn more about this rich history later in the day when we drop by the New England Ski Museum. It’s right at the base of the Cannon Aerial tram and is a treasure trove of ski relics. Their main exhibit From the First Tracks to the Fall Line: eight thousand years of skiing explores skiing from its surprising prehistoric roots to the many developments that have shaped it into what it is today. Sprinkled all throughout the space are noteworthy relics, like original Burton snurfers or ski posters from the ‘40s. 

favorite part about the day, however, was seeing Bode Miller’s Olympic medals up close. The woman running the front desk surprised us by unlocking the box and grabbing his gold medal from the 2010 Vancouver games. Extending it out towards she asked with a smile, “Do you want to hold it?” Dumbfounded, I nod yes in response, and she plops the medal into my hand. It’s almost bigger than my palm, and the gold sheen glistens under the fluorescent lighting. The whole film crew and I are a little starstruck looking at it. Between the medals and seeing icons like Cannon Aerial Tram, it makes you appreciate all the little bits of history sprinkled throughout here.

Hardware on display at the New England Ski Museum. | Katie Lozancich photo. 

The next morning we arrive early at the resort to film first light. The weather has deteriorated from yesterday’s bluebird day to gray skies and wind gusts up to 30 mph on the summit. For us, it’s a heinous day, but for the Cannon locals, it’s just a normal day of skiing. They’re still loading up the chairlift like it’s no big deal. Back in the lodge, we fumble with numb fingers to get our ski boots on. Our film equipment is sprawled about on two tables which catch the attention of a woman passing by. “Are you filming here?” she asks dropping her r’s with her thick New Hampshire accent. “Yes,” I reply. By this point, she’s noticed the hand and foot warmers in our hands and the extra thick down jackets that we’re wearing and realized that we’re not New Englanders. With a big smile, she teases, “Good luck because it’s f***ing cold out there,” and walks outside with a laugh. I watch her meander to the ski rack, grab her skis, and hop on the lift like it’s no big deal. In my opinion, these people are the best part about Cannon. They’re tough as nails. If you’re able to put up with all the BS that comes from bitterly cold weather and icy conditions, and still be excited to ski lap after lap? Now that’s something special. Not only will you learn to appreciate the little things from skiing, but when the conditions actually line up for a good day. Yeah, you’re going to find those turns even more rewarding. 

Learn more about Cannon Mountain

Watch TGR's full film In Pursuit of Soul on TGRtv now