Five Places to Hit the Slopes Near Boston

They're not exactly the biggest ski areas on the East Coast, but you can still get some fun runs in fairly close to Boston without waking up at 5 a.m. and spending the full weekend in Vermont. 

Here are the five closest ski areas to the city, and their current prices and conditions. 

1. Blue Hills

• Details: The closest to Boston by far, the Blue Hills is just 16.8 miles, or 24 minutes, from Boston, in Canton. Part of the Blue Hills Reservation, the "mountain" (let's be fair) offers nine trails and 60 acres of skiing. 
• Location: 4001 Washington St., Canton, MA
• Phone: 781-828-5090 
• Pricing: $35 for an adult weekend lift ticket 
• Website: ski-bluehills.com 
• Conditions: Current conditions

2. Bradford Ski Area

• Details: Less than an hour away from Boston is the Bradford Ski area in Bradford. You won't find much—just 13 trails—but it's a perfect place to bring the family or to go as a beginner. 
• Location: 60 S. Cross Rd., Bradford, MA
• Phone: 978-373-0071
• Pricing: $45 for an adult weekend lift ticket
• Website: www.skibradford.com 
• Conditions: Current conditions

3. Nashoba Valley

• Details: Also about 45 minutes from Boston in Westford, Nashoba Valley is a little bit bigger, with 17 trails and nine lifts. It also has both a large snow tubing facility and a snow tubing park. 
• Location: 79 Power Rd., Westford, MA
• Phone: 978-692-3033
• Pricing: $48 for an adult weekend lift ticket
• Website: www.skinashoba.com 
• Conditons: Current conditions

4. Wachusett Mountain

• Details: Waah-wah-wachusett ... is your best bet for good skiing and riding and proximity to Boston, at just over an hour away in Princeton. Unfortunately, everyone else also ends up with the same idea, making it often crowded on the weekends. Try night riding instead, which starts at either 4 or 6 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m. 
• Location: 499 Mountain Rd., Princeton, MA
• Phone: 978-464-5101. 
• Pricing: $58 for an adult weekend lift ticket
• Website: www.wachusett.com 
• Conditions: Current conditions

5. Crotched Mountain

• Details: Just under two hours away is Crotched Mountain in New Hampshire. With 25 trails and three lifts, the mountain has a nice mix of beginner and intermediate trails. Special to this mountain is its "college midnight madness" skiing from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. for just $39 with a student ID. 
• Location: 615 Francestown Rd., Bennington, NH
• Phone: 603-588-3668
• Pricing: $59 for an adult weekend lift ticket 
• Website: www.crotchedmountain.com 
• Conditions: Current conditions

Which is your favorite place near Boston to get in a quick ski or ride trip? Which is the best combination of distance, price, trails, conditons, and value? Tell us in the comments.