Pre-Season Training on High Country

We have had a very successful start to the 2024-25 ski season! Just before Halloween, we began snowmaking on High Country, preparing the mountain not only for Opening Day, but for a pre-season like Waterville has never seen before!

Just like last year, we created a boardercross course on High Country. This year, we created a boardercross course, alpine race lanes, a slopestyle big air jump, moguls, and more. Athletes began arriving in early November. The US Snowboard Cross Team returned to Waterville Valley this November, as well as the US Slopestyle Team, plus and a variety of other national, local, and collegiate teams.

Mikaela Shiffrin training on Waterville Valley’s High Country.

On top of the array of U.S. Snowboard Teams, we were fortunate to host the U.S. Women’s Alpine Ski Team, as well as the Canadian, Slovenian, and Croatian Women’s Alpine Ski Teams prior to the World Cup event at Killington over Thanksgiving weekend. It was a pleasure to host these teams, and congratulations to all athletes who participated, especially Camille Rast, who took home her first career World Cup victory. 

Like last year, our preseason training facility on High Country gave us a great head start, as we were able to open up lots of terrain for Opening Weekend, including ungroomed terrain on Tangent and Periphery. The mountain was not the only place coming to life! Down in the Town Square, we hosted the 12th Annual Cold Turkey Plunge, Santa Visits, Tree Lighting Ceremony, and Fireworks. 

Snowmaking continues to ramp up across the mountain as the winter progresses. We have already received forty-eight inches of snow as of December 12th. This is only the start of the season, and we are thrilled for what’s in store over the next few months. Thank you to skiers and riders who joined us in the opening weeks. Soon enough, if not already, your winters will be filled with Après at Freestyle Lounge with friends and family, stops at the Schwendi Hutte, and Waffle Cabin delights.