During a typical winter, Whaleback Mountain in Enfield will see around 100 inches of snow. This year, it only received 27 inches, according to John Hunt, the mountain’s executive director.
Whaleback hoped to stay open until March 17, but warm temperatures and heavy rain turned the slopes “soupy,” Hunt said, forcing the mountain to close its lifts this week, ahead of schedule. The early closure follows a late start to the season because the mountain struggled to keep its man-made snowpack intact during a warm December and January. It did not fully open until a week later than initially planned.
Lori Rowell, marketing director for Pat’s Peak in Henniker, said the mountain’s combination of snowmaking and strategic grooming technology will likely keep them open through the end of March, their typical closing time. “It is fun to see so many people come here and be surprised by how much snow we have, because they don't have it at their house,” she said.