On September 17, resort crews were at work in the woods on Gunstock Mountain. They thinned low branches and cut out tight clusters of trees, a process called glading, to open new skiable terrain for the coming winter. The Laconia Daily Sun photographed the work that day for its September 25 report, republished by Business NH.
The county-owned resort put most of this offseason's money into one goal. The lifts, pub, and snow guns Gilford already uses should stay open more of the time. That covers the summit wedding deck as much as the 5,000 feet of new snowmaking pipe.
A Wedding Used to Close the Lift
Gunstock used to hold weddings between the Panorama chairlift and the Panorama Pub. According to the Daily Sun report, that closed both the lift and the pub, which cut into business on wedding weekends.
Wedding parties were already walking over to Flintlock Trail for photos with Mount Washington behind them. So the resort built a new summit venue there, overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee. Robert Drake, Gunstock's president and general manager, told the Daily Sun the platform is a "convertible deck, so it comes apart and we will move it each fall," with the custom benches stored before snowmaking begins. Now Panorama can keep running and the pub can keep serving during a ceremony. The venue hosted four weddings this summer, and the busiest stretch was expected during foliage season.
That matters to residents because Panorama is now running daily for the first time during foliage season, through Sunday, November 1, with the Panorama Pub open for lunch. A lift that once shut down for wedding parties is now the centerpiece of the fall season.
Panorama Got Rebuilt Where It Counts
Panorama was modernized rather than replaced. Gunstock's April investment announcement listed a new drive, a chair-spacing system, a new control system, and new structures at the base and summit. The work started after last season closed. The Daily Sun reported the finished project includes new lift shacks at both ends and two access gates instead of one. The distance between the gate and the loading chair is being lengthened so skiers load more smoothly.
The other lifts got the same kind of attention. Tiger has a new haul rope. Pistol, the chair that serves the terrain park, got a new gearbox and engineering work. "The Pistol chair will run a little faster this year, which will be a nice upgrade for the folks skiing that side of the mountain," Drake told the Daily Sun. According to the draft minutes of the Gunstock Area Commission's September 17 meeting, Pistol chairs would also be removed to speed up operation.
Snow on Both Halves of the Mountain at Once
The breakdown of this year's spending shows the priorities. Gunstock budgeted $4.5 million for the 2026/27 offseason, the second year of a two-year, $9 million capital plan the resort introduced in 2025.
| 2026/27 offseason category | Announced amount |
|---|---|
| Chairlifts | Just over $2 million |
| Snowmaking | About $1.4 million |
| Equipment, facilities and maintenance | $1.1 million |
| Total | $4.5 million |
Lifts and snowmaking together take roughly three of every four dollars. The snowmaking work adds 5,000 feet of new pipe, separates the upper- and lower-mountain systems, and runs a more direct line to the summit. The point is timing. The Daily Sun reported that staff will be able to make snow at the top and bottom of the mountain at the same time this winter. Lower Trigger, an intermediate run, also gets expanded snowmaking. At the commission's September meeting, the new piping was described as nearly complete.
New Terrain, Old Names
The terrain additions follow the same pattern. They add more mountain without new lifts. Drake told the Daily Sun the resort is adding three new glades and two "natural areas," which he described as runs without snowmaking that the resort can't groom. The biggest is Lift Line, under the Tiger lift. According to the commission's draft minutes, the new trails are being named after historical names, including Ejector Glades and Powder Horn Glades.
Reviving old names fits the year. Gunstock is calling 2026/27 its 90th season. Drake told the Daily Sun the resort marks two dates. The first trails on Gunstock Mountain opened in December 1936, and the big ski jump in the campground reopened in February 1937.
Gunstock's own history says the place began as the Belknap Mountain Recreation Area, a Depression-era relief project. The federal relief agency FERA started it, and the WPA paid for and built it. The history also corrects a common assumption. Civilian Conservation Corps crews cut many New Hampshire trails, but "the Corps had no presence at Gunstock." New England Ski History dates the formal opening to February 28, 1937, with a U.S. Eastern Amateur Ski Association jumping event. The resort's history says about 10,000 spectators watched that inauguration. Its 60-meter jump was modeled on Lake Placid's 1932 Olympic jump. Torger Tokle set the hill record of 251 feet in 1941 in front of about 7,000 people, and the jump was named for him in 1946.
From Now to Opening Day, in Order
This post goes up on Thursday, October 29, so the first deadlines are days away.
- Saturday, October 31: Last day of the current season-pass prices. Adult passes are $879 for Winter Prime, $529 for Midweek and $199 for Nordic.
- Sunday, November 1: Prices go up. Adult Winter Prime moves to $1,079, Midweek to $629 and Nordic to $229. It is also the last day of the summer season and the last scheduled day of daily Panorama foliage rides.
- Sunday, November 1, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: The first Season Passholder Appreciation Party, in the Historic Main Lodge. A 2026/27 pass gets you in. Gunstock calls it the kickoff to the 90th-anniversary season. The Mug Club returns there, with limited-edition 90th-anniversary mugs handmade in New Hampshire.
- Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7: The 2026 Gunstock Ski Club Annual Gear Sale in the Historic Main Lodge. Shopping hours are 3 to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
- Friday, December 4: Gunstock's target opening day for the 90th season. It's a target, so the actual date depends on conditions.
The mugs tie back to the base lodge. Drake told the Daily Sun they are being handmade by a New Hampshire artist for the Powder Keg Pub, which is being revamped. A 90th-anniversary mural will also be painted at the base area, and more events for guests and locals will follow over the winter. Gunstock also notes that pass sales may end once the season's cap is reached.
The Resident Ticket, for Skiing Without a Pass
Belknap County residents who don't buy a pass can still ski the upgraded lifts. Gunstock's county resident page lists a $49 full-day lift ticket for all ages, valid Sunday through Friday and available even on sold-out days. You buy it at the Ticket Office on the day you ski. You'll need a New Hampshire driver's license or non-driver ID showing a Belknap County address, and a photo is taken for your guest record. Tax bills and utility bills are not accepted as proof of residency. The offer is not valid on Saturdays. The page still shows last winter's holiday exclusion dates, so check it for the 2026/27 dates before planning a holiday-week ski day.
Gunstock has been part of Gilford for 90 winters, and the lifts, snowmaking and access around it shape how the town feels from December to March. If you're thinking about where you want to be for the next 90, Michelle Gannon knows Gilford and the Lakes Region well. Contact Michelle to discuss your next move.