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Vet's Trail (2013)
Veterans Memorial Ski Area
Franklin, New Hampshire
Status: Open
First Season:1960-61
Vertical Drop:230 feet
Standing Lifts:1 T-Bar, surface lift
Past Lifts:
Left: Vet's Trail (2013)
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Located west of Franklin off Flag Hole Road, Veterans Memorial Ski Area has provided local residents an affordable place to ski for over half a century.

Early Years of the Franklin Outing Club

The Franklin Outing Club has a long history of winter sports activity, even preceeding the start of lift served skiing. Early winter activities included dog sledding throughout New England, as well as hike-up skiing in nearby Andover.

Meanwhile, in the spring 1932 Mary Aiken Drake donated a large tract of land to the City of Franklin in honor of her late husband, Dr. Ervin T. Drake. Named the Great Gains Forest, the land was to be used for providing heating fuel for city dependents, while also providing work for the unemployed during the Great Depression.

Starting in 1939-40, the Franklin Outing Club operated the Sunny Slopes Ski Area in nearby East Andover. The small rope tow area featured novice and intermediate terrain into the 1950s.

Great Gains Ski Area Opens

Veterans Memorial ski area (2018)
Veterans Memorial ski area (2018)

In 1960, Franklin's City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission worked together to spur the development of a new ski area in the town's Great Gains Forest. Circa December 1960, a rope tow was installed and trails cut. The Franklin Outing Club was reformed the following month to help run the Great Gains Ski Area.

Great Gains Becomes Veterans Memorial Ski Area

The T-Bar (2013)
The T-Bar (2013)

During March of 1962, Great Gains Ski Area hosted the first Winter Carnival, as well as its official opening. The City of Franklin approved $4,000 in Veteran's Memorial Funds the following month for development of a base lodge. Great Gains Ski Area became Veterans Memorial Recreation Area starting in 1962-63.

For the 1967-68 season, the recently removed Mt. Sunapee 1953 Summit T-bar was sold to the City of Franklin and the Franklin Outing Club. Lift manufacturer Hopkins (which had recently purchased lift manufacturer Roebling) oversaw the installation of the T-Bar.

The area has generally remained open since the installation of the T-Bar. In the subsequent decades, Veterans Memorial Ski Area has added additional trails and improved its grooming.

In recent years, upgrades have been made to the base lodge, while other activities have been added. The ski area relies upon natural snow and generally operates on weekends and vacation periods.

Lifts
Click on lift name for information and photos
Standing Lifts
Installed
The bottom of the T-Bar in 2013
T-Bar
Constam-Hopkins
T-Bar
1967-68

Past Lifts
Seasons


Maps
2023-24 Veterans Memorial Trail Map
1984-85 Franklin Veterans Memorial Ski Area Trail Map2010-11 Franklin Veterans Memorial Ski Area Trail Map2021-22 Veterans Memorial Trail Map2022-23 Veterans Memorial Trail Map2023-24 Veterans Memorial Trail Map
View All Veterans Memorial Ski Area Trail Maps

Year by Year History
Adult Weekend Full Day Lift Ticket; Adult Full Price Unlimited Season Pass
2020s Ticket Price Season Pass Price
Pass Payback
Opening Day
Closing Day
Skier Visits
2023-24$30.002023-24 Ticket Price Graph2023-24 Season Pass Price GraphFebruary 3February 252023-24 Skier Visit Graph
2022-232022-23 Ticket Price Graph2022-23 Season Pass Price GraphJanuary 28March 192022-23 Skier Visit Graph
2021-222021-22 Ticket Price Graph$175.002021-22 Season Pass Price GraphJanuary 22March 32021-22 Skier Visit Graph
2020-212020-21 Ticket Price Graph2020-21 Season Pass Price GraphFebruary 6March 72020-21 Skier Visit Graph
2019-202019-20 Ticket Price Graph2019-20 Season Pass Price GraphJanuary 19February 232019-20 Skier Visit Graph
2010s Ticket Price Season Pass Price
Pass Payback
Opening Day
Closing Day
Skier Visits
2018-192018-19 Ticket Price Graph2018-19 Season Pass Price GraphJanuary 13March 162018-19 Skier Visit Graph
2017-18$20.002017-18 Ticket Price Graph$125.002017-18 Season Pass Price Graph6.3 daysJanuary 6March 112017-18 Skier Visit Graph
2016-17$20.002016-17 Ticket Price Graph$125.002016-17 Season Pass Price Graph6.3 daysJanuary 7March 192016-17 Skier Visit Graph
2014-15$20.002014-15 Ticket Price Graph$125.002014-15 Season Pass Price Graph6.3 daysJanuary 312014-15 Skier Visit Graph
2012-13$15.002012-13 Ticket Price Graph2012-13 Season Pass Price Graph2012-13 Skier Visit Graph
2011-12$15.002011-12 Ticket Price Graph2011-12 Season Pass Price Graph2011-12 Skier Visit Graph
2010-112010-11 Ticket Price Graph$120.002010-11 Season Pass Price Graph2010-11 Skier Visit Graph
2009-102009-10 Ticket Price Graph$120.002009-10 Season Pass Price GraphJanuary 22009-10 Skier Visit Graph
2000s Ticket Price Season Pass Price
Pass Payback
Opening Day
Closing Day
Skier Visits
2008-092008-09 Ticket Price Graph$105.002008-09 Season Pass Price Graph2008-09 Skier Visit Graph
1960s Ticket Price Season Pass Price
Pass Payback
Opening Day
Closing Day
Skier Visits
1968-69$3.001968-69 Ticket Price Graph$45.001968-69 Season Pass Price Graph15.0 days1968-69 Skier Visit Graph


Visitor Memories
"1-22-2017 Just skied here today. They are still open to the public and this is still a fun place to ski. The grooming is decent and there is varied terrain to suit all abilities. "
dave coulter, Jan. 22, 2017
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External Links
  • Franklin Veterans Memorial Ski Area - official site
  • Veterans Memorial Ski Area - SmallSkiAreas.com
  • Veteran's Memorial Ski Area - New England Lost Ski Areas Project
  • Sunny Slopes Ski Area - New England Lost Ski Areas Project
  • Last updated: January 6, 2018

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