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| King Pine |
| Madison, New Hampshire |
| Status: |
Open
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| First Season: | 1962-63 |
| Vertical Drop: | 350 feet |
| Standing Lifts: | 3 triples, surface lifts |
| Past Lifts: | 2 doubles, surface lifts |
| Left: The base area (2014) |
| Recent NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com News:
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| 2/26/2020: Longtime King Pine General Manager Bob H... |
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Located between the New Hampshire Route 16 corridor and the Maine border, King Pine has long been a popular destination for local skiers and Purity Spring Resort guests.
Early Years at Purity Spring
Prior advent of lift served skiing, the establishment of three entities paved the way for the creation of King Pine. Circa the late 1800s, Edward Hoyt created the Hoyt Natural Spring Water Company, which shipped bottled water to regional cities. By 1902, Edward Hoyt and M. H. Hoyt were advertising Purity Spring Farm vacation cottages in Boston papers with the claim of the "purest water in the world."
In 1932, Hoyt's son Milt opened a boys camp on the property, which would eventually be named Camp Tohkomeupog ("Camp Tohko").
Camp Tohkomeupog Tow
Downhill skiing was added as an activity for Camp Tohkomeupog in 1938, when a small rope tow was installed below Bald Ledge. Initially a rope tow powered by Ford Model A work trucks (reportedly tied to trees and put on blocks for the winter), the ski operation grew from a part time endeavor to a larger, multi-tow operation after Purity Spring Resort became a full time, year round operation in the mid 1940s. Up to 4 tows may have operated at the same time, with one reserved for family and friends.
King Pine Opens
King Pine during the 1960s |
In the midst of the lift served skiing boom of the 1960s, Purity Spring Resort constructed a larger ski area on the opposite side of East Madison Road in 1962. Serviced by a double chairlift, the new King Pine ski area initially consisted of 3 trails and an open slope. The Purity Spring rope tow operation overlapped with King Pine for one season. A remaining rope tow may have operated for guests periodically into the 1970s.
The King Pine facility was improved in 1964, when a J-Bar was added for beginners. Business grew during the 1960s, including a 15% jump in 1966-67.
The Polar Bear double chairlift (1960s) |
The King Pine was nearly doubled in size in 1968 when the North Side area was developed. The expansion was a challenging one, as Milt Hoyt nearly drowned in a swamp where the base of the chairlift was to be constructed. Then, after much of the lift was installed, the project was halted due to delays in delivery of the electronics. Things finally came together in January 1969, when the new complex opened. In addition to boosting overall skiable acreage and uphill capacity, the new complex gave King Pine legitimate steep expert terrain.
Snowmaking was likely added in the mid 1970s. In 1976, Milt handed the day to day management duties down to his children, Ted, Laura, Bob, and Susie.
Chairlift served night skiing may have commenced in 1982-83, initially on weekends and vacation weeks. In subsequent seasons, night skiing was expanded to more trails and nights and has become a key part of operations.
Staying Modern
White Pine (2016) |
Starting in 1987 with the installation of the Polar Bear triple chairlift (and expansion of the base lodge), King Pine underwent a steady campaign of modernizing its infrastructure. Following the closure of King Ridge, King Pine acquired a modern CTEC triple chairlift. Portions of it were used to install the Powder Bear Triple in 1996, followed by the Black Bear Triple in 2006. At that point, each main lift had been upgraded to a modern, higher capacity triple chairlift.
Night skiing was also expanded, as lights were installed on Scotch Pine for the 1996-97 season.
Non skiing offerings were expanded for the 1997-98 season, when a snow tubing facility opened.
For the 2017-18 season, King Pine replaced nearly a mile of 3" snowmaking pipe with new 4" pipe, providing additional water to an enlarged fleet of snowguns.
NewEnglandSkiConditions.com Reports
| Month |
Average Percent of Terrain Open |
| December | 59% (4 reports) |  | | January | 86% (9 reports) | | | February | 100% (7 reports) | | | March | 98% (9 reports) | | | April | 100% (1 report) | |
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| Recent Conditions Reports |
 | Jan. 7, 2023 by nordicgal
Loose Granular, Loose Granular |
 | Mar. 4, 2022 by skiit
Packed Powder, Loose Granular |
| Jan. 6, 2022 by newenglandskier13
Packed Powder, Frozen Granular |
 | Dec. 18, 2021 by newenglandskier13
Loose Granular, Frozen Granular |
| Jan. 30, 2021 by amicus
Packed Powder, Frozen Granular |
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| King Pine on NewEnglandSkiConditions.com |
NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com News
Expansion History
Image Gallery
Lifts
Click on lift name for information and photos
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 |
| 2022-23 | $75.00 | | $629.00 | | 8.4 days | December 16 | | | | | | 2021-22 | $72.00 | | | | | December 17 | March 27 | | | | | 2020-21 | $65.00 | | $600.00 | | 9.2 days | December 18 | March 27 | | | | | 2019-20 | $59.00 | | $595.00 | | 10.1 days | December 13 | March 15 | | | |
| 2010s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 2018-19 | $58.00 | | $595.00 | | 10.3 days | December 8 | March 31 | | | | | 2017-18 | $55.00 | | $560.00 | | 10.2 days | December 15 | April 1 | | | | | 2016-17 | $55.00 | | $560.00 | | 10.2 days | December 16 | March 26 | | | | | 2015-16 | $52.00 | | $560.00 | | 10.8 days | December 26 | March 27 | | | | | 2014-15 | $52.00 | | $560.00 | | 10.8 days | December 12 | March 29 | | | | | 2013-14 | $49.00 | | $560.00 | | 11.4 days | December 13 | | | | | | 2012-13 | $47.00 | | $545.00 | | 11.6 days | | March 31 | | | | | 2011-12 | $47.00 | | $545.00 | | 11.6 days | December 16 | | 62,000 | | | | 2010-11 | $45.00 | | $525.00 | | 11.7 days | December 10 | March 27 | 62,000 | | | | 2009-10 | $44.00 | | $525.00 | | 11.9 days | December 11 | March 21 | | | |
| 2000s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 2008-09 | $42.00 | | $498.00 | | 11.9 days | December 12 | | | | | | 2007-08 | $39.00 | | $498.00 | | 12.8 days | December 14 | | | | | | 2006-07 | | | $498.00 | | | December 16 | | | | | | 2005-06 | $36.00 | | $498.00 | | 13.8 days | December 16 | March 26 | 58,900 | | | | 2004-05 | $34.00 | | $498.00 | | 14.6 days | December 17 | March 27 | 58,900 | | | | 2003-04 | $32.00 | | | | | December 12 | March 28 | | | | | 2002-03 | | | $498.00 | | | December 13 | March 30 | | | | | 2001-02 | $29.00 | | $498.00 | | 17.2 days | December 21 | March 24 | | | | | 2000-01 | $29.00 | | | | | December 15 | April 1 | | | | | 1999-00 | $29.00 | | | | | December 20 | March 26 | | | |
| 1990s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1998-99 | $29.00 | | | | | December 18 | | | | | | 1997-98 | | | | | | December 12 | | | | | | 1996-97 | | | | | | | March 30 | | | | | 1995-96 | | | | | | December 15 | March 24 | | | | | 1994-95 | | | | | | December 16 | March 26 | | | | | 1993-94 | | | | | | | April 3 | | | | | 1992-93 | $23.00 | | | | | | April 4 | | | | | 1991-92 | $22.00 | | | | | | March 22 | | | | | 1990-91 | $20.00 | | | | | December 14 | March 24 | | | | | 1989-90 | $20.00 | | | | | December 15 | | | | |
| 1980s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1988-89 | $19.00 | | | | | December 16 | | | | | | 1987-88 | $17.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1986-87 | $15.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1985-86 | | | | | | December 13 | | | | | | 1984-85 | $13.00 | | $240.00 | | 18.5 days | | | | | | | 1982-83 | | | | | | December 18 | | | | |
| 1970s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1977-78 | $7.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1976-77 | $7.00 | | $90.00 | | 12.9 days | | | | | | | 1974-75 | $6.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1973-74 | $6.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1970-71 | $6.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1969-70 | $5.00 | | | | | | | | | |
| 1960s |
Ticket Price |
Season Pass Price |
Pass Payback |
Opening Day |
Closing Day |
Skier Visits |
| 1968-69 | $5.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1967-68 | $4.50 | | | | | | | | | | | 1964-65 | $4.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1963-64 | $4.00 | | | | | | | | | | | 1962-63 | $4.00 | | | | | | | | | |
Visitor Memories
| "I learned to ski at king pine. In the mid 1960's, my dad took me and my siblings to king pine every winter Saturday and gave us lessons himself. It didn't matter if it was 20 degrees below zero. Unless there was a blizzard, we left the house by 6am and made the trip in our dad's VW bus. ("Ski 93" was our battle cry). I can still hear the original music blaring from the lodge. Oh, those were the days!!!!!" | | Pamela Wilcox, Dec. 21, 2022 |
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External Links
King Pine Official Site
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Last updated: January 27, 2020
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