Loon Mountain Resort, in north-central New Hampshire, just announced plans for one of the biggest and most ambitious ski expansions in the East Coast’s recent history. On October 6, Loon shared in a press release that the resort had submitted a proposal to develop 280 acres of new skiable terrain on the western edge of the resort. Combined with its Black Ridge expansion, which is set to open in 2027, Loon would more than double its current terrain to 955 acres.
The new terrain, which would be built on an entirely new peak, aims to deliver mainly on progression. The lower trails are geared toward skiers and riders looking to move slightly beyond beginner terrain without veering dramatically out of their comfort zone. The higher-elevation areas would offer the classic, challenging tree and groomer runs that East Coast skiers know and love.
The expansion also aims to improve accessibility. The new terrain is planned to sit right above the town of Lincoln, New Hampshire, making access to Loon as a whole all the more convenient. The resort is also planning a new lodge at the summit of the expanded terrain to take full advantage of sweeping views of town.
All in all, the expansion would offer 1,500 vertical feet of skiing, served by four new aerial lifts. Of the 280 proposed skiable acres, 145 would be maintained cut runs, while the remaining 135 would be reserved for advanced-oriented tree skiing.
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Most of the proposed terrain lies within the White Mountain National Forest, which is owned by the U.S. government. Permission to develop the land has not yet been granted, as an environmental assessment must take place first. However, the U.S. Forest Service has issued a letter accepting the proposal for review.
While theoretical lift alignment and trail placement have already been conceptualized by Loon, they have been drawn up flexibly, allowing for public feedback and future changes to the plan. An expansion of this scale requires multiple stages of governmental approval, along with input from the immediate community, before it can come to fruition. As such, completion of the project is not expected for a number of years.
This announcement comes as part of a broader slate of ambitious projects already underway at Loon, under the banner of Flight Path: 2030. These include the Black Ridge expansion, set to open in 2027 — 272 acres of ungroomed, off-piste terrain offering a slackcountry-style experience for expert skiers and riders — and a replacement of the aging White Mountain Express gondola, with a modern day Doppelmayr D-line model 10 seater.
Flight Path: 2030 is turning Loon into a substantially larger and more modern ski area, with hundreds of acres of new terrain planned alongside major lift and infrastructure upgrades. If the western expansion ultimately receives approval, Loon’s skiable footprint would more than double from its current size.
