Tuesday, September 26, 2023, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
Mt. Whittier in 2014
The defunct Mt. Whittier ski area has been placed on the market, offering "potential for recreation, conservation and development." Located in West Ossipee, the 797 acre property is listed at $3.2 million. The communications tower is not included in the purchase.
John Kenney, brother of New Hampshire Executive Councilor Joe Kenney, established Whittier Communications in 1996, placing a tower atop the defunct ski area on Nickerson Mountain. On November 1, 2017, the 782 acre ski area tract was acquired from longtime owner Mario Chiaravelotti by Kenney's firm for $600,000. At the time, Kenney sought proposals for the property, including possibly reopening the gondola and establishing a mountain top restaurant.
Mt. Whittier Gondola in the 1960s
Located near the junction of Route 16 and Route 25 in West Ossipee, Mt. Whittier operated from the 1940s to the 1980s, becoming a major ski area when a 6,200 foot long by 1,300 foot vertical Mueller gondola was installed in 1963. Lacking snowmaking, the steep ski area closed multiple times due to bad winters.
Mt. Whittier Gondola Summit Terminal (2015)
Periodic winter activities have taken place on the property in the past two decades, including attempts at tubing and a terrain park as Mt. Madness in the early 2000s. While the gondola and multiple T-Bars remain partially standing on the property, the lift line below the ski area and Route 16 base terminal have different owners.
