Gunstock Mountain Resort, originally known as Belknap Mountain Recreation Area, is an outdoor recreation complex located on

Gunstock Mountain Gunstock Mountain is the second highest peak in the Belknap Mountains of central New Hampshire with an elevation greater than 2240 feet (683 m). It is located north of Belknap Mountain, the highest point in the range. It is home to the Gunsto ...

in Gilford,

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

. Constructed by the

Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...

, it was completed in 1937 and is owned by Belknap County. Activities include

alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National Pa ...

and

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...

snow tubing Tubing, also known as inner tubing, bumper tubing, towed tubing, or kite tubing, is a recreational activity where an individual rides on top of an inner tube, either on water, snow, or through the air. The tubes themselves are also known as "donu ...

ski jumping Ski jumping is a winter sport in which competitors aim to achieve the farthest jump after sliding down on their skis from a specially designed curved ramp. Along with jump length, competitor's aerial style and other factors also affect the fina ...

, snowshoeing,

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

, and

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...

History

Lake_Winnipesaukee_from_Gunstock_Mountain_Resort,_Feb_12,_2020

Originally known as Belknap Mountain Recreation Area, Gunstock Mountain Resort was built by the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal agency that provided employment and created

public works Public works are a broad category of infrastructure projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community. They include public buildings ( municipal buildings, sc ...

projects throughout the United States during the Great Depression. Hussey Manufacturing Company of

North Berwick, Maine North Berwick is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The town was set off from Berwick in 1831, following South Berwick in 1814. North Berwick's population was 4,978 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Portland– South Portla ...

, led hundreds of previously unemployed laborers in the development of the recreation area, which transformed the economy of the region. The resort had the first

chairlift An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel wire rope loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs. Th ...

in the eastern United States. After the completion of the 60-meter ski jump, the first meet was held in February 1937. The original Gunstock chairlift development was located on

Mount Rowe Mount Rowe, elevation , is a mountain located north of Gunstock Mountain in the Belknap Range, Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. It has been home to multiple alpine ski operations, including the original Gunstock Mountain Resort single ...

. This single-chairlift-serviced ski area was eventually phased out when two double chairlifts were installed to the Gunstock Mountain summit. Some of the old trails are still visible today. In keeping with the gun theme, most of the trails are named for guns (i.e. Pistol, Musket, and Flintlock) or gun parts (i.e. Ramrod and Trigger). Gunstock underwent a significant capital improvement plan in the 1980s with the installation of the Tiger Triple, the Summit Triple (replacing the two summit double chairlifts), and the Ramrod Quad. Lake_Winnipesaukee_from_Gunstock_Mountain_Resort_2-25-2020

Lake_Winnipesaukee_from_Gunstock_Mountain_Resort_2-25-2020

In the summer of 2003, the Summit Triple Chairlift was moved to the Pistol Complex to replace the Pistol Double. A brand-new detachable quad chairlift manufactured by Doppelmayr CTEC, Panorama, was built in its place. This was the first UNI-GS chairlift in the entire world, and cut the ride to the summit in half, making it a six-minute trip. In the summer of 2009, Gunstock underwent a $4 million expansion effort to make the mountain more family-friendly and easier for learners. The biggest project was the installation of a new fixed-grip, quad chairlift placed near the Gunshy Double Chairlift. This chairlift now has access to the new beginner-friendly complex that was constructed as part of the expansion effort. There are four new trails, and existing trails were lengthened and made wider. In addition, the mountain expanded their snow-making capabilities by 66% over the entire mountain. Panorama-1-21-18-Summit

At the Pistol complex side of the mountain, two trails gained snow-making capabilities. The Blundersmoke Terrain Park received new permanent snow guns, and the Side Arm trail was widened by over . A new glades trail named "Parallax Glades" was cut between Out of Sight and Side Arm. The summer of 2016 added a

mountain coaster A summer toboggan is an amusement or recreational ride which uses a bobsled-like sled or cart to run down a track usually built on the side of a hill. There are two main types: an Alpine coaster or mountain coaster is a type of roller coaster ...

to Gunstock's list of attractions. The coaster operates both in the summer and winter. On the night of July 20, 2022, the entirety of the resort's management team resigned due to overreach by the Gunstock Area Commission after members of the commission tried to take a "larger stake of control" over the daily operations of the resort along with accusations of disrespecting the resort's staff. The following day, the resort closed "until further notice".

Night skiing

Gunstock features night skiing on its lower mountain slopes. The detachable quad and the upper mountain trails are not lit. Snow tubing is also available on certain nights.

References

External links

Gunstock Mountain Resort
- Official site
Gunstock Mountain Resort - FranklinSites.com Skiing Guide
- Photos {{Authority control Buildings and structures in Belknap County, New Hampshire Ski areas and resorts in New Hampshire Tourist attractions in Belknap County, New Hampshire New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places Works Progress Administration in New Hampshire Gilford, New Hampshire