Feel your pulse

My father gave me my first ski lesson here on Whitney’s Hill in 1984. Little has changed since. Black offers a nostalgic day on classic-cut New England trails, no matter the ability, from easy street gliding on Black Beauty, to gnarly glades like Lostbo and Carter Notch. At the base, you’ll be greeted by the quintessential sight of grazing horses, not to mention the nearby Shovel Handle Pub, a cozy favorite for après-ski activities. If you go expecting high-speed lifts and terrain parks, you’ll be disappointed. But that’s what’s so great about Black: Its low-key presence is a welcome oasis amid the mega-resorts. Vertical: 1,100 feet. Signature trails: Beginner, intermediate: Juniper. Advanced: Carter Notch Glades. 373 Black Mountain Road, Jackson, N.H. 800-475-4669, www.blackmt.com

When skiers and riders band together to ensure that their favorite cash-strapped mountain doesn’t go bankrupt, you know there’s something special going on. On its surface, Magic can look and feel like a ski area clinging to existence with limited snowmaking capabilities, a bare-bones lodge, and rickety lift cables. At its heart, though, Magic is a true community ski area, a place where a recent cooperative venture has prompted many to pony up $3,000 each in order to own a share of the mountain. Some have even spent good chunks of the offseason sprucing the place up. Ownership perks get you little more than 20 percent off a season pass at a mountain that operates a mere four-day schedule (Friday to Monday), unless a midweek storm of 6 inches or more rolls in. Still, this place matters to people. There is a strong bond here among skiers and riders. That alone is worth saving. Vertical: 1,700 feet. Signature trails: Beginner and intermediate: Magic Carpet. Advanced: Black Magic. 495 Magic Mountain Access Road, Londonderry, Vt., 802-824-5645, www.magicmtn.com

The grand standard for Magic’s hopes lies about 80 miles to the north, where Mad River Glen’s co-op program has been running strong since 1995. While Magic may one day join it, Mad River today is the only cooperatively-owned ski area in the country. With unmistakable defining images like the historic single chair (recently replaced with a newer version) and the ubiquitous “Ski it if you can’’ bumper stickers on vehicles across the Northeast, this historic area stands out as a beacon for the soul of skiing, the result of what can happen at a place where people care enough to save it financially. Riders may not like the snowboarding ban, but it has helped preserve the special skiing experience on a mountain that challenges at every turn. Vertical: 2,037 feet. Signature trails: Beginner, intermediate: Upper Antelope. Advanced: Paradise. 62 Mad River Resort Road, Waitsfield, Vt., 802-496-3551, www.madriverglen.com

There is the stunning view of the Presidentials, which, barring some natural disaster, isn’t changing anytime soon. The same can’t be said for Wildcat, the longtime, privately-owned mountain that Peak Resorts, a resort management corporation, added to its portfolio last month. While the news caused fear among Wildcat’s faithful skiers and riders who cherish the mountain’s familiarity year after year, the benefits may end up outweighing the negatives. Peak already has promised more snowmaking. It has the money to revitalize a base lodge in need of attention, and nearby Attitash, another Peak-owned resort in Bartlett, instantly becomes an option for combination passes between the two mountains. But with Wildcat’s historically challenging terrain, moderate ticket prices, and late-season reputation on the line, it’s natural to feel edgy about change. Skiing here is a sublime experience, one open to improvement in amenities, but if Peak decides to tinker with the mountain experience, it’s sure to discover resistance from Wildcat’s faithful clientele. Vertical: 2,112 feet. Signature trails: Beginner, intermediate: Polecat. Advanced: Feline. Route 16, Pinkham Notch, Jackson, N.H., 888-754-9453, www.skiwildcat.com

One can only imagine how Pico might look today had its former owners gone through with plans to erect a lift connecting the mountain with behemoth Killington next door. Powdr, the current owner of both mountains, has tabled the project, which is probably just as well. For while Killington offers big-mountain terrain, guest services, and night life, Pico gives the consumer a classic New England alternative, an intimate mountain that sits virtually ignored by the throngs of cars that ply Route 4 on any given weekend. Being owned by one of the larger ski resort operators in the country hasn’t changed Pico much, and that is a credit to Powdr. The company could attempt to combine the two again someday, but for now, Pico remains an overlooked gem. Vertical: 1,967 feet. Signature trails: Beginner, intermediate: The Pike. Advanced: Giant Killer. 73 Alpine Drive, Killington, Vt., 866-667-7426, www.picomountain.com

The big question lingering at Cannon this winter will be whether Mittersill next door can retain its backcountry feel with the installation of a double chairlift, scheduled to open early in 2011. Gone will be the days of untracked pillows of snow that made Mittersill such a draw on powder days, and with no snowmaking and increased traffic, it remains to be seen how the area will maintain itself. That’s no concern at the main event, where skiers and riders feel at times as if they’ve been thrust into another world upon entering the craggy Franconia Notch State Park, a ruggedness that flows into the ski area. Cannon’s terrain has humbled its share of hot doggers and showoffs with a frequency of rocks, ice, and bitter winds, but it’s a must on powder days, and in the spring, Cannon blooms into a popular harvesting ground, with corn snow and sunshine. This is classic New England skiing at its best. Vertical: 2,180 feet. Signature trails: Beginner, intermediate: Cannon. Advanced: The Front Five. 9 Franconia Notch, Franconia, N.H., 603-823-7771, www.cannonmt.com

It’s quite the haul from the Boston area, but anyone who has ever visited this remarkable mountain 4 1/2 hours from the Back Bay can only implore others to do so, too. Much like its local cousin, Sugarloaf, the view upon approach is commanding, but it is nothing compared with the terrain you’ll find on the upper half of the mountain, where the likes of the Casablanca glades, Black Beauty, Muleskinner, and the summit snowfields provide lift-served terrain unique in all of New England. The lifts may be slow, but don’t expect lines — except on the monthly “Maine Days,’’ when tickets are discounted for residents. If there is a best-kept secret in the Northeast, this is it. Vertical: 2,000 feet. Signature trails: Beginner, intermediate: Hudson Highway. Advanced: Muleskinner. 976 Saddleback Road, Rangeley, Maine, 207-864-5671,www.saddlebackmaine.com