On Thursday, the New Hampshire Senate approved a bill that will help developer Les Otten obtain the funding he needs to resurrect the shuttered Balsams ski resort. Otten, who has been involved with several ski resorts across New England and the country in the past, hopes to turn the Balsams into the biggest ski resort in the East.
The Balsams is located in Dixville Notch and has been closed since 2011. While in operation, the Balsams was the northernmost ski resort in New Hampshire. It had 2 chairlifts and a vertical drop of 1000 feet. Otten and his development team have been working on a project for over 5 years that would not only restore the original ski resort, but add an additional 1000 feet of vertical and take the total acreage to 2000+ once complete.
The plan is set to be completed in stages. The first stage of the build would make the Balsams slightly larger than Stowe, but once completed, the project would greatly surpass Killington and take the title of largest ski resort in the East. Plans include 22 lifts and a state of the art snow making system.
Les Otten’s plans for the resort and surrounding community are grand, but they have been met with many setbacks over the past 5 years. The Senate’s approval of this bill is not stamp of approval, but it is a significant step in reopening the resort. There are sure to be many more developments over the coming months.
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