Just two hours away from the North Shore, New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain has long been a beloved four-season destination, especially for those who love skiing. Now, a new luxury community is in development at the base of the mountain, offering folks the chance to not only visit Loon Mountain, but to call it a home away from home. Situated on 360 acres in Lincoln, New Hampshire, and tucked between the Pemigewasset River and Loon Mountain Resort, South Peak Resort is in the early stages of building a new ski-in/out community featuring custom homes, townhomes, and homesites available for development. When the entire project is completed in the next decade-plus, it will include not only residential properties, but the extensive South Peak Village, featuring restaurants, bars, shopping, a hotel, a spa, and a pool, as well as other amenities adjacent to Loon Mountain Resort and the surrounding region.
The resort’s family-friendly atmosphere will resonate with North Shore residents who are looking for the perfect spot for a second home,” says Gloucester native Mike Ciolino, marketing director of Waterside Group, the company behind South Peak Resort. “I know the North Shore really well. It’s very family oriented, and South Peak’s very family oriented,” he says. “A lot of the families that are moving in here, that are buying homes, and that we are building homes for are young families that are active.”
Life at South Peak Resort is well underway. Already, there are about 185 homeowners, and the resort is about 20 percent into the full buildout, according to Ashley Pratt, who works in business development/sales and marketing for Waterside Group and is on the homeowners association board for South Peak Resort. The resort has several amenities already in place, too. First is The Mills Marketplace, home to retail shops and restaurants. Visitors can have a beer and easygoing food at the dog-friendly Basecamp Brewing; sushi at Snowfish Sushi; creative cocktails at Bluebird Martini Bar & Lounge; woodfired piz – zas at Timber Wood Fired; hand-crafted chocolates and confections at The Chocolatier South Peak; baked goods, pastries, and sandwiches at The Moon Bakery and Café; and delicious Italian fare at Jimmy Seas Pan Pasta.
There are also already plenty of shopping options, from Gregory’s at South Peak, an official retailer for lululemon and Faherty, to shops selling outdoor apparel, home décor, gifts, furniture, and even jewelry. “There’s a lot to do. And with more happening every year,” Ciolino says. He means that literally. Every year for the next decade-plus will bring new amenities to South Peak Resort as the project continues to work its way toward completion. For the first time this year, the resort will host a holiday tree lighting on December 6, complete with fireworks, ice skating and a visit from Santa Claus. Next up will be the opening of The Nest, a semiprivate onsite club.
The action and building at South Peak Resort also coincides with Loon Mountain Resort’s 10-year development and modernization plan, dubbed Flight Path: 2030. Central to that project is the expansion of Loon Mountain’s South Peak area, which has already added several new lifts, new beginner and intermediate terrain, and new snowmaking. The completed expansion will add eleven new trails, increasing Loon’s skiable terrain to more than 400 acres, 13 lifts, and a vertical drop of 2,190 feet, according to Loon Mountain Resort. “Loon will be putting in a whole new peak over in this area, with five new lifts that will come straight into our village,” Pratt says. This will make Loon one of the largest in New Hampshire in terms of skiable acres.
In addition, Loon Mountain Resort plans to move its learning center to the new Timbertown Quad area at South Peak with two surface “magic carpet” lifts and a suite of facilities for those wanting to learn to ski and snowboard. “The learning area will add to the overall family-friendly experience for South Peak Resort residents,” Pratt says. “It’ll be amazing for the people who live here,” she says. “Kids can just leave the house, hop on the trail, and ski down to ski school.” While many amenities are still in the works, Pratt and Ciolino say being among the first residents at South Peak Resort has major perks. “South Peak is a great investment right now. Property values will continue to appreciate as the resort grows—and there is enough of a buildout right now to enjoy it. Also relevant is the fact that a lot of people earn revenue from their homes as short-term rentals (such as with Airbnb),” Pratt says.