The Snow Report: Ski early and ski often this presidential primary season

It's the presidential primary season for Granite Staters, and here in the valley, there's no shortage of visiting candidates nor snow! Ski early and ski often, we always say.Capitalizing on the presidential theme as we head toward the Jan. 8 primary is Wildcat Mountain's new radio ad, produced locally on 93.5-FM and Magic 104 by local actor Brian Chamberlain and the station's vice president, Greg Frizzell. They've won New Hampshire broadcasting awards for their past campaigns, and they've come up with another contender this year with their Vote for Wildcat ad campaign.On the ad, one hears the voice of Wildcat Mountain, urging voters to vote for him this presidential year. If elected, the rascally mountain says, he'll give free skiing and more to all skiers. In the meantime, they'll just have to enjoy the rewards of skiing top-to-bottom at the 2,100-foot vertical Cat, located across Pinkham Notch in New Hampshire's Presidential Range. Wildcat voted tops in North America for scenery by readers of SKI Magazine in its October issue opened with top-to-bottom runs Wednesday. Wildcat had 10 of 47 trails open as of Friday, with more to open this weekend. For further information, call 466-3326.The Wildcat story is just one of the success stories this mid-December weekend, as all local areas are in great early-season shape, with some boasting mid-winter conditions. With cold snowmaking temperatures, a series of smaller snowstorms this past week, and Sunday's forecast for another big one, it's going to be even more incredible at all areas and touring centers. Got to www.SkiNH.com for complete updates.Joining the list of already-open areas Friday was East Madison's King Pine (367-8896) with 60 percent of its trails (10 of 17 trails). King Pine expects to have the tubing park open Saturday as well. Black Mountain (383-4490) in Jackson opened for its 73rd season Friday. The venerable Jackson area expects to have four trails and one lift open Saturday, and 10 trails and two lifts operating Sunday. Black this season is teaming up with Eastern Mountain Sports to offer telemark ski rentals.Speaking of telemark skiing, Attitash (374-2368) in Bartlett and Eastern Mountain Sports are hosting a telemark demo day Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fleet of gear available will be from leading manufacturers such as Icelantic, Karhu, G3, K2 and Black Diamond. Telemark enthusiasts will have the opportunity to test out the latest technology binding with the New Telemark Norm (NTN). The new norm does away with the 75mm duckbill toe and replaces it with a new attachment system under the ball of the foot. The new set-up greatly increases torsional rigidity and skiing performance as reported on firsttracksonline.com. Also at Attitash this weekend, on Sunday, guests can receive a $35 lift ticket valid on that day when they bring three cans of non-perishable food items to the ticket window. Attitash will be donating all food from the day to the Conway Dinner Bell.Bretton Woods (278-3320) has great alpine and ski touring available as it continues to receive clipper storm deposits of new snow.For the upcoming weekend,skiing and riding with be on 60 plus trails,served by five lifts, including the West Mountain Express high-speed quad, which is opening up for the first time this season! That is the most terrain open in New Hampshire! Snowmakingalso continues to blast away onMount Rosebrook and on West Mountain!Skiing and riding is on an averagebase depth of 38-44 inches, on super sweet powder and packed powder surfaces come early and enjoy the perfectly groomed, velvety-soft corduroy! notes Bretton Woods' Irene Donnell.Cranmore Mountain Resort (356-5543) is celebrating its 70th season. Cranmore's tubing park is now open, and the popular in-town ski resort now has 14 of 40 trails and thee of 10 lifts open with top-to-bottom skiing the most skiing at this time of the year since the 1995 season. Cranmore kicks off its Platinum year with a special 70th anniversary lift ticket price on Friday, Dec. 21, when the resort will roll back the clocks and offer a full-day ticket for only $3.30 for all ages. Thats what skiers were paying back when World War II was looming and FDR was in the White House and Cranmore first operated the Skimobile. Also on the 21st, the resort is also hosting a special event open to the public and attended by area school children who have recently completed a ski history project in conjunction with Ski New Hampshire as part of its Earn Your Turns program. Over 50 fourth-grade students from Madison Elementary School and North Conways John Fuller Elementary School will attend the event, as will Herbert Schneider, 87, son of Cranmores Skimeister, Hannes Schneider (1890-1955). Herbert Schneider owned and operated the resort for 20 years.Also speaking about Cranmore, the resort kicks off its Mountain Meisters season Jan. 9. The 2007-2008 Meister Series Schedule is as follows: Registration process: Dec. 1-21, excluding weekends at the Ticket Haus 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kick-off party: Wednesday, Jan. 2; ski/ride all day, race clinic 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; party 5 to 7 p.m. (Mountain Meister pass required for admission). First race: Wednesday, Jan. 9. Race days: Jan. 9, 16, 23 and 30; Feb. 6, 13 and 27; and March 5, 12 and 19 (Jesse E. Lyman III Memorial Downhill and Bob Dogger Haynes Memorial Scholarship Barbecue March 19). Meister course open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. race days. Meister pass valid every Wednesday, Dec. 12 through March 26 except Dec. 26 and Feb. 20, plus three Cranapoolza Saturday nights 2 to 9 p.m. Mid-season rally: Wednesday, Feb. 13, at the Eating House 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Awards party: Wednesday, March 23, at the Eating House 6 to 9 p.m. Defending champions are Trail Map Express.On the cross-country side of things, Bretton Woods currently has 48 kilometers open, skate and track groomed. Mount Washington Valley Ski Touring and Snowshoeing Foundation (356-9920) is now open for the season. Bear Notch Ski Touring 374-2177) has 12 kilometers open with 10 kilometers for skate skiing, Great Glen Trails (466-2333)has 40 kilometers open, including 12 kilometers skate-groomed. And Jackson Ski Touring Foundation (383-9355) has 42 kilometers groomed trails open, including 26 kilometers of skate skiing terrain. King Pine (367-8896) is due to open its cross-country skiing soon.