More Snow Up High, a New Home for Operations, and Preparations for Black Ridge At loon

Loon Mountain Resort heads into the 2026–27 season with more snowmaking firepower on its upper mountain, a new home base for the crews who keep it running.

More Snow, Quickly, Up Top

Loon continues to invest in the infrastructure with significant upgrades to its snowmaking system ahead of the winter season.

The team at Loon installed 3,000 feet of new snowmaking pipe across the mountain, including 2,000 feet in the East Basin area, and added 42 new snow guns. A new booster pump was added to increase water pressure to the East Basin and North Peak trails, improving efficiency and strengthening early-season snowmaking capabilities at higher elevation terrain.

“Every window of cold weather counts, especially in November and December,” said Brian Norton, president and general manager of Loon Mountain Resort. “Last winter’s snowmaking improvements on North Peak made a real difference. Guests loved it. So, we’re doing more.”

The upgrades are particularly impactful in the East Basin, home to Angel Street, an iconic trail in Loon’s network which drops underneath the White Mountain Express Gondola and views of Mount Washington. Increased snowmaking capacity in this area will help the resort establish coverage on popular intermediate and advanced-level terrain more quickly — especially earlier in the winter.

New Resort Operations Center

Loon will also open its new Resort Operations Center (ROC) this season, a new two-story, 6,605-square-foot facility designed for its team. This centralized space will bring together operations-focused departments including lift maintenance, facilities and grounds maintenance, sign production, and more which will improve coordination among the departments that keep the mountain running. While much of this work happens behind the scenes, it plays a direct role in the guest experience, from lift reliability to well-maintained facilities. “A great day on the mountain starts long before guests reach the lift,” said Norton. “The ROC gives our teams the space and resources they need to work together more efficiently and continue delivering the experience our guests rely on.”

A New Vice President of Resort Operations

Loon welcomes Keenan Gillin as its new Vice President of Resort Operations, bringing nearly 20 years of ski industry experience to the role. Gillin began his career at Seven Springs in Pennsylvania in 2006, gaining hands-on experience in grooming, equipment operations, and terrain park construction before moving into leadership. He took the reins at Laurel Mountain before expanding his oversight to Hidden Valley and, most recently, serving as Director of Mountain Operations at Seven Springs, overseeing all three resorts.

“At Loon, there is a tremendous amount happening, from snowmaking infrastructure and continued lift investment to terrain expansion,” said Norton. “Keenan’s experience leading operations across three unique mountains will be an asset as we continue to grow, and we’re excited to welcome him to the team.”

Next Up: Black Ridge Expansion

Looking ahead to winter 2027–28, Loon is preparing for the next chapter of its terrain expansion with Black Ridge, a 272-acre zone of expert-only, in-bounds tree skiing east of North Peak. The area will remain closed to guests this season, allowing the team to continue on-mountain work ahead of its anticipated opening. Developed in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, Black Ridge will preserve the rugged, natural character of the area, with minimal tree clearing and terrain that relies entirely on natural snowfall. When complete, the expansion will increase Loon’s skiable terrain from 403 to 675 acres, making it the largest ski resort in New Hampshire.