Global Ski Report: Top Trails in NH, Cross-Country Deals, and More

More Trails at Three Top New Hampshire Areas

Venerable Cranmore Mountain in North Conway (tel. 800/786-6754; www.cranmore.com) has cut four new trails to bring its total to 50. Two new intermediate runs are Tommy's Trail off East Slope and Roundabout off Snowtrain. Oompah Flats is a new connector between Artist Falls and South Slope. Gibson Chutes is a new gladed area off Gibson. Equally venerable Cannon Mountain (tel. 603/823-8800; www.cannonmt.com) has cut six new glades and one all-new trail. One of the glades and the new trail are in the Tuckerbrook Family Area, which now has 14 runs. The five other glades are on the upper mountain. Four are black diamonds, and one is an intermediate glade. At Loon Mountain (tel. 603/745-8111, 800/229-5666; www.loonmtn.com), two new trails total 14 acres. The resort also has replaced the handle tow on the Sarsparilla slope with a more beginner-friendly moving carpet.

Wisconsin Resort Floats Great Family Deals

Granite Peak (tel. 715/845-2846; www.skigranitepeak.com) near Wausau, Wisconsin, was founded as Rib Mountain. This old ski area with a new name has renovated and restored its historic chalet. The new upstairs lounge area provides views of the slopes. Additional indoor and outdoor seating includes a greatly expanded patio with a friendly firepit. Because it's Wisconsin, brats are a specialty. And because its guests are thrifty Midwesterners, Granite Peak discounts online lift ticket purchases and value-prices itsd monthly Family Festival Weekends (Jan. 9-11, Feb.6-8, and Mar. 13-15) . The package includes two nights' lodging, two days of lift tickets (one child to age 12 per adult), free ski or snowboard rentals, a free horsedrawn sleighride, and family entertainment, including Saturday night fireworks.

Twin Michigan Areas' '08-09 Improvements

Shanty Creek Resorts (tel. 800/678-4111; www.shantycreek.com) in Bellaire, Mich., composed of Summit Mountain and Schuss Mountain, invested $10 million to renovate the old Summit Village Hotel and transform it into the Lakeview Hotel & Conference Center with upscale "lake house" design in public spaces and guests rooms. Summit Mountain's 12 slopes, closed last season during the hotel renovation, have reopened. Greenway, the most popular slope, was widened and expanded. Schuss Mountain relocated and enlarged both its halfpipe and its tubing park.

East Meets West

Season passholders and Value Card holders from Hunter Mountain, N.Y. (tel. 800-486-8376; www.huntermtn.com) get discounted lift tickets and 20 percent off lodging at Telluride, Colo., this season. Passholders at Le Massif, Que. (tel. 877/536-2774 or 418/632-5876; www.lemassif.com/en/) get an even better deal when they head west. By presenting their Le Massif season passes, they can ski or ride free at Red Mountain, B.C. To "train" for Red's big-mountain terrain, skiers and riders can play in Le Massif's 26 new acres of un-groomed, off-piste terrain.

Heavenly Adds New Trails and Regrades a Classic Old One

Last season, Heavenly, Calif.,/Nev. (tel. 775/586-7000; www.skiheavenly.com) installed two new lifts, the Olympic Express and the Heavenly Flyer, and this season, skiers and riders will find terrain enhancements to match. Skyline Trail, the super-scenic, 10,000-foot high traverse connecting the California side to the Nevada side, has been regraded with a gentle and consistent 10-percent downhill pitch. Now, skiers won't have to pole, and snowboarders won't have to hike. Three new trails debut on the California side -- two in Ski Ways and another in Powderbowl Woods. Tree islands are far enough apart to leave room for snowcats, making these new runs gladed but still groomable.

Heated Gondola Cabin Seats Keep Riders' Fannies Warm

This ski season in Europe started early with deep snow and cold temperatures. Passengers on the year-old, eight-seat Fimbahn gondola in Ischgl, Austria (tel. +43 (0) 50990 100; www.ischgl.com/en/) therefore really appreciate each cabin's heated seats.