Pats Peak: Blaster Zone in Henniker — Live Webcam

History of Pats Peak — a family resort in New Hampshire

Pats Peak ski resort in Henniker is one of the few remaining independent resorts in New England still managed by the founding family. On January 5, 1963, four Patenaude brothers opened the first trails on the mountainside, purchasing a 200-acre (0.81 km²) plot of land from their father. The first lifts were simple T-Bars and rope tows — the slope operated on natural snow, with no snowmaking system.

The name "Pats Peak" is an acronym formed from the first letters of four local towns: Contoocook, Hopkinton, Warner, and Henniker. Today the resort is located approximately 90 minutes from Boston and remains a popular destination for family skiing, night skiing, and slalom training.

Blaster Zone — terrain for confident riders

The Blaster Zone is one of the designated areas on the Pats Peak trail map, located in a sector near the main terrain parks. The camera in this zone provides a view of the ski slope with lift infrastructure: towers and cables stretch along the right side of the frame, with a blue safety fence visible on the left. The slope is surrounded by dense mixed forest of coniferous and deciduous trees, characteristic of the New Hampshire foothills.

The Blaster Zone is among the areas offering night skiing — one of Pats Peak's signature features. The resort is one of the largest night skiing facilities in northern New England, and Blaster is no exception: powerful lighting allows skiing after dark with comfort comparable to daytime conditions.

Night skiing and snowmaking

Pats Peak boasts one of the most advanced snowmaking systems in the region. The resort has 100% snowmaking coverage on all trails — meaning that even in low-snow seasons, slopes open on time and maintain surface quality through the end of the season. The only exception is the Cascade Basin area, which lacks both snowmaking and night lighting.

For the 2026 season, the resort announced a historic snowmaking expansion — the largest upgrade in Pats Peak's history. This has extended the season and guaranteed stable slope coverage even during New England's unpredictable winter weather.

Night skiing in the Blaster Zone and adjacent slopes is available on the most diverse terrain of any resort in northern New England. Moreover, Pats Peak is the only resort in New Hampshire where the beginner trail is lit and open both during the day and in the evening.

Terrain and trails

Pats Peak features 28 trails, 9 gladed areas, and 11 lifts. The difficulty distribution is as follows: 50% beginner, 21% intermediate, 12% advanced, and 17% expert. This ratio makes the resort comfortable for families with varying skill levels.

The vertical drop at Pats Peak is 770 feet (230 meters) — a solid figure for a resort of this scale. The expert FIS Race Trail was recognized by Ski magazine as the best slalom terrain in New Hampshire. And the Hurricane trail is considered one of the steepest in the region — a true challenge for advanced skiers and snowboarders.

For freestyle enthusiasts, the resort operates terrain parks. Turbulence Park on the Valley Slope is the main zone with jumps, rails, boxes, and spines, where features are regularly changed throughout the season. Whisper trail is a park with more compact elements, suitable for intermediate riders. The Blaster Zone is located in close proximity to these parks, as shown on the resort map.

Getting to Henniker

Henniker is a small town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Pats Peak is located on the outskirts of town, and the easiest way here is by car. From Boston, the route follows I-93 north to the Route 103 exit, then through Contoocook — approximately 90 minutes. From Manchester — about 50 minutes via I-93 and Route 202.

The resort offers free parking for guests. GPS coordinates: 43.1672° N, 71.8245° W. The nearest major airport is Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT), located approximately 40 km from the resort.

Seasonal features — winter and summer on the slopes

Pats Peak operates both in winter and summer, though the main season runs from December through March. In winter, the slopes are covered with snow — predominantly artificial thanks to the 100% snowmaking system. In summer, the mountain transforms into a recreational area: the slopes are covered in grass, lifts are not running, but the grounds are open for hiking and enjoying New England scenery.

The Cascade Basin expansion — an entirely new section of the mountain adding 20 acres of trails — received final approvals in fall 2012 after two years of negotiations. This expansion added additional intermediate and advanced terrain to the resort.

An interesting fact: on the peak Monday of the New Year's weekend, Pats Peak set a record by welcoming 2,800 skiers in a single day. During holidays and weekends, lift lines can be significant, so those who prefer quiet skiing tend to visit on weekdays.

What the camera shows

The online camera in the Blaster Zone at Pats Peak broadcasts a live feed from the ski slope in real time. The frame shows an open slope with lift towers and cables positioned along the right side. On the left, a blue safety fence is visible, separating the skiing area from the safe zone. The slope is surrounded by dense forest of coniferous and deciduous trees — typical landscape of the New Hampshire foothills.

In winter, the snow cover, snowcat tracks, and operating lifts are visible on the slope. In summer, the camera shows green slopes with grassy cover — the contrast between seasons is striking. At night, the slope is illuminated by powerful floodlights, and the camera continues broadcasting, allowing viewers to watch evening riders.

This webcam is a convenient way to check current slope conditions before a trip: snow presence, trail congestion, and weather conditions in Henniker. The stream is available free and no registration is required — simply open the page to see the Pats Peak slope in real time.