The day we spent at Black Mountain was a blast. This resort looks like it hasn't changed in decades. The prices are similar. Our family of four paid $70 to ski for the day during midweek. Ski rentals, on the other hand, are more expensive. We needed to rent a pair of children's ski boots and paid $10. At Heaven's Ski Shop in Glen, you can rent a junior set of skis, boots, and poles for $8 a day.
The skiing was great, though. We basically had the mountain to ourselves. Without stretching the truth, there were less than 30 people skiing on a sunny, clear day in March. Of the four lifts, there was one chair and a disc tow open. If older-looking chairs and lifts make you nervous, this might not be the mountain for you. Rest assured, though, that the guys running the chair and tow looked like they were also the ones who fixed it. There are no fresh-faced ski bums here. These are New Hampshire characters. The ski patrol has a border collie that rides the chair with her and skies down the slope around her neck. She looks like a shepherd bringing in an errant sheep.
We had a vast range of skiing ability between the eight of us, and we were all able to challenge ourselves on this mountain without feeling like we were risking our lives. There is 1,100 feet of vertical drops and 143 acres of ski-able terrain. Since there was no one else on the trails, the kids were able to tackle runs that would have been very nerve-racking under more crowded conditions. The kids especially loved the beginner glades. This mountain was a lot of fun. Don't go if you want a polished "resort" experience. This is truly for people who don't care about the extras, but are there for the snow and skiing.