Gunstock Mountain Resort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gunstock Mountain Resort |
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Aerial view of Gunstock Mountain Resort in 2007
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| Location | Gilford, New Hampshire, USA |
| Nearest city | Laconia, New Hampshire |
| Coordinates | 43°32′29″N 71°22′03″W / 43.54139°N 71.36750°W |
| Vertical | 1,400 feet (430 m) |
| Top elevation | 2,267 feet (691 m) |
| Base elevation | 867 feet (264 m) |
| Runs | 55 12% Novice 61% Intermediate 27% Expert |
| Longest run | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) |
| Lift system | 1 HSQ, 2 Quads, 2 Triples, 2 Surface |
| Terrain parks | Yes |
| Snowmaking | 90% |
| Night skiing | 24 trails 6 lifts |
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N.H. State Register of Historic Places
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| Designated: | January 30, 2012 |
Gunstock Mountain Resort is a fun outdoor place located on Gunstock Mountain in Gilford, New Hampshire. It was first called Belknap Mountain Recreation Area. This resort was built a long time ago in 1937. It is owned by Belknap County.
At Gunstock, you can enjoy many activities. In winter, people love skiing, cross-country skiing, snow tubing, and snowshoeing. There's even a ski jumping area! In warmer months, you can go hiking and swimming.
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History of Gunstock Mountain
Gunstock Mountain Resort was originally known as Belknap Mountain Recreation Area. It was built by the Works Progress Administration. This was a special government program during the Great Depression. The program helped many people find jobs and build important public projects.
Hundreds of workers helped create the recreation area. This project really helped the local economy. Gunstock was special because it had the first chairlift in the eastern United States. The first ski jump competition happened in February 1937.
The first chairlift at Gunstock was on Mount Rowe. This area was later replaced when two new chairlifts were built to the top of Gunstock Mountain. You can still see some of the old trails today.
Naming the Trails
Many of the trails at Gunstock are named after guns or gun parts. This is a fun way to keep with the "gun" theme of the mountain's name. Some examples are Pistol, Musket, Flintlock, Ramrod, and Trigger.
Mountain Improvements Over Time
In the 1980s, Gunstock added many new chairlifts. These included the Tiger Triple, the Summit Triple, and the Ramrod Quad. These new lifts made it easier for people to get up the mountain.
In the summer of 2003, the Summit Triple Chairlift was moved. A brand-new, super-fast chairlift called Panorama was built in its place. This new lift was the first of its kind in the world! It cut the ride to the top of the mountain in half, making it only a six-minute trip.
In 2009, Gunstock spent $4 million to make the mountain even better. The goal was to make it more friendly for families and easier for beginners. A new quad chairlift was added for learners. Four new trails were built, and some existing trails were made longer and wider. The mountain also improved its snow-making system by 66%. This means they can make more snow to cover the trails!
More improvements were made to the Pistol complex side of the mountain. Two trails got new snow-making machines. The Blundersmoke Terrain Park also received new snow guns. The Side Arm trail was made much wider. A new glades trail, called "Parallax Glades," was cut between two other trails. Glades are trails through trees.
In the summer of 2016, Gunstock added an exciting new ride. It was an alpine coaster, which is like a roller coaster that goes down the mountain. This coaster is open in both summer and winter, adding more fun for visitors.
Night Skiing Fun
Gunstock offers night skiing on its lower mountain slopes. This means you can ski under the lights after the sun goes down! The super-fast Panorama quad and the trails at the very top of the mountain are not lit up at night.
Snow tubing is also available on certain nights. It's a great way to slide down the hill on a big tube.
