| Whaleback | |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Enfield, New Hampshire |
| Vertical | 700 ft (210 m) |
| Top elevation | 1,800 ft (550 m) |
| Base elevation | 1,100 ft (340 m) |
| Skiable area | 85 acres (34 ha) |
| Runs | 30 |
| Longest run | 1 mi (1.6 km) |
| Terrain parks | 2 |
| Snowfall | 110 inches (280 cm) |
| Snowmaking | Yes |
| Night skiing | Yes |
| Web site | http://www.whaleback.com/ |
Whaleback is a ski area located in Enfield, New Hampshire.
The Whaleback ski area was started in the 1970s, and operated continuously until 2001 when then-owner Timothy Herbert closed it.[1] On 8 December 2004, Herbert sold Whaleback to Evan Dybvig, a former freestyle skier for the US Ski Team.[1] The area is also jointly owned by Dylan Goodspeed and Frank Sparrow, both of whom have a skateboarding background, though Goodspeed is also the manager of on-mountain operations at Whaleback.[2] In preparation for its reopening, $1 million was spent in renovating the area, which opened for the 2005-2006 ski season.[3][4] Dybvig intended for the ski area to diversify its offerings into the freestyle sports market, including constructing an indoor sports facility.[1] During the area's first two seasons, poor weather hurt it financially, leading to a program announced in August 2006 where individuals could pay to either place a plaque on or paint one of the chair's on Whaleback's chair lift.[5][4] The ski area currently employs between five and nine employees, and has a revenue of between $500,000 and $1 million per year.[6]
Whaleback has 30 trails, spread over 85 acres (34 ha) of skiable terrain.[7] 28% of the trails are rated as easy, 39% are intermediate and the remainder are advanced.[7] The longest trail is 1 mi (1.6 km) long.[7] There are two terrain parks, and 80% of the terrain has snowmaking installed on it.[8][7] There are three lifts: a double chair, a magic carpet and a rope tow.[8] The mountain's base elevation is at 1,100 ft (340 m), and the summit is at 1,800 ft (550 m), for a vertical drop of 700 ft (210 m).[7] Whaleback has an average annual snowfall of 110 inches (280 cm).[7]
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