Open your door, put on your skis and push off. That’s all it takes from the direct trail access condos at Cranmore Mountain Ski Area in North Conway. A trail that leads to a lift to the top. Stop a moment there and take in the view. There are only a handful of ski areas in America that grow right out of their towns. Mt. Cranmore is one, and has a sweeping panorama of Mt. Washington Valley spread out before you.

Cross-country ski trails may also be at your door or nearby. But, if you don’t feel the exertion of climbing in your car is too much, the Alpine world is your ski oyster. From any of the mountain villages of Mt. Washington Valley, there’s a ski area within ten minutes: Wildcat, Black, Attitash Bear Peak, or Cranmore all have skiing from novice to expert. King Pine is in Madison and Bretton Woods is, well, in Bretton Woods. And just minutes further.

At Attitash Bear Peak Ski Area a ski to/from condo apartment building sits at a bend of Cathedral Trail just above the base station, where a choice of several lifts awaits, Higher on Cathedral are condo houses with bigger views.

 Black Mountain Ski Area also has slope side condos and houses leading to gentle, pasture runs. No, there are no lodging doors to step out of at Wildcat, which is surrounded by White Mountain National Forest.  The nearest accommodations are at Dana Place, 7 minutes away. And the view of Mt. Washington and Tuckerman Ravine from any of Wildcat’s ski trails is the most spectacular of any in the East.