All Photos Courtesy of Crotched Mountain
It’s hard to believe, but there was a time in New England when the lifts didn’t stop spinning at 9:00 PM.
They didn’t stop at 10:00 PM, either.
Not even midnight.
At tiny Crotched Mountain, they spun until 3:00 AM. Yes, you read that correctly…3:00 AM.
And for a generation of skiers and riders, Midnight Madness wasn’t just a late-night lift ticket. It was a movement.
The Birth of Midnight Madness at Crotched Mountain
When Crotched Mountain reopened in the early 2000s, it wasn’t just another resort relaunch. It was looking for a comeback.
To do so, the mountain needed something bold. Something loud. Something that said:
We’re back and we’re different.
Midnight Madness was just the thing.
The roots of the concept trace back to Felix Kagi, who pioneered all-night skiing at Paoli Peaks. There, the lifts famously ran until 6:00 AM. When he brought that late-night vision to Crotched, it was instantly extreme by New England standards. Lifts spinning until 3:00 AM under the lights, who does that?
Crotched Mountain, and it created instant novelty.
“The novelty was pretty big at first and then it turned into more of a cult-like following. Driven more by freestyle skiing/riding and block party type vibe, says Deirdre Riley, General Manager of Crotched Mountain”
Raw, unpolished and definitely not corporate, it just worked.
What Midnight Madness Felt Like at 1:00 AM
Skiing under the lights after midnight, is not something you can explain. It needs to be experienced.
The snow feels different. The shadows stretch longer. Every rail looks faster under the icy glisten of the flood lights.
And the base area?
In those days, it was eerily quiet.
“At 1:00 AM in those early years, the base lodge felt almost like an afterthought, Riley states.”
Inside, there were remnants of the long day. The faint smell of spilled beer, soggy gloves, fryer oil all wafted through the air. A few people were still lingering at the bar. Some drifting through the cafeteria. It was what you would expect after a long day.
However, the lodge wasn’t where the action was.
The real energy lived outside, in the terrain park, in the parking lot tailgates, under the lights.
Skiing and riding sometimes felt like an afterthought in those days.
“The mountain was more of a backdrop than the main attraction, explains Riley. It felt less like a serious late-night ski session and more like a full-blown party that happened to be on snow.”
This wasn’t just night skiing in New Hampshire.
This was controlled chaos under the lights of Zero Gravity (the name of the terrain park).
The Bonfires on Zero Gravity (And Other Midnight Madness Legends)
Legendary events often have their myths. In the case of Midnight Madness, those myths were often the reality.
Midnight Madness had bonfires…on top of Zero Gravity.
Were they officially sanctioned and safe? Probably not, but they were certainly unforgettable.
Riders would gather around the flames. At times, some even attempted to jump through them (don’t try this at home). Wild dares turned into rites of passage. It was a spectacle fueled by adrenaline and maybe a little alcohol.
These stunts didn’t last long.
“That tradition disappeared quickly once the reality set in, people’s clothes started catching on fire, and it was clear the risk far outweighed the spectacle, explains Riley.”
From that point forward, the tides had turned.
The anything-goes era of Midnight Madness began to fade as the liability grew and safety tightened. The line between energy and danger was drawn in the snow.
But those stories of old? They’re the stuff of legends and still told to this day.
How Midnight Madness Became a Cult Event for New England Skiers
With the change in format, you may assume that the demographics of Midnight Madness shifted over time.
It wasn’t just Boston college kids. Nor was it just local die hards. It was still very much both.
Riley elaborates saying, “It really hasn’t shifted; Midnight Madness draws locals, college students, and the metro Boston area crowd. We feel it’s the same crowd, just the next generation.”
That’s the key.
Each generation thinks they discovered something new and exciting.
Each generation feels like it belongs to them.
That’s the beauty of it. It’s how cult events such as Midnight Madness survive.
The Park Scene After Dark
From its inception, Midnight Madness and the terrain park were inseparable.
Peak Resorts, Crotched’s former owner, leaned into it hard. Their marketing targeted park riders and that late-night, high-energy crowd. What was created was a “go big or go home” mentality that defined the early years.
As you can imagine, features felt faster, bigger and riskier. Having the glow of the lights often does this.
Over time, leadership realized the identity was too narrow. The park couldn’t be the entire story. They needed to broaden their horizons. So they did.
The marketing shifted from a terrain park-centric mentality to one that was more inclusive and manageable.
Surprisingly, this shift didn’t kill the vibe. It helped sustain it.
From Peak Resorts to Vail: How Midnight Madness Changed
Ownership changes often cause a shift culture.
Under Peak Resorts, the hours were gradually dialed back. What was once 3:00 AM turned into 1:00 AM, and eventually to midnight. However, the event still ran every Friday and Saturday.
Hosting an event of this magnitude week in and week out can certainly take its toll.
“It was a huge drain on staff… The atmosphere suffered because everyone was stretched thin, emphasizes Riley.”
Then Vail Resorts entered the picture.
The biggest change wasn’t just the clock. It was frequency.
Instead of every weekend, Midnight Madness became just five Saturdays per season.
“Midnight Madness stopped feeling like a weekly grind and started feeling like a true event again, says Riley.”
This changed turned out to be a good move. It incentivized the event with the FOMO factor. In doing so, the staff energy improved, planning improved and morale improved.
The “want to” was back and Midnight Madness went from something the mountain survived…to something it could deliver with purpose and intention.
The Evolution of the Party: Bands, Bars, and Structure
The party element that made Midnight Madness so popular originally, didn’t disappear overnight. In fact, it didn’t really disappear at all. It just became more controlled.
Even before Vail, Peak Resorts had begun dialing things back. Bonfires on the slopes were eliminated. Live bands were moved indoors. Late-night bar operations became more structured.
Today, each Midnight Madness has a theme and live music to accompany it. And, those bonfires of legend, they are just concentrated around the base. All of these additions have made the lodge more relevant than it ever was.
When Vail took over, the culture wasn’t lost. The structure just became standardized. Events became less frequent but they were far more intentional.
The staffing, security and expectations were clearer. Thus the wild west era ended, but the identity remained.
Why Midnight Madness Still Matters
Midnight Madness wasn’t just a marketing gimmick. It was a sign.
It told New England skiers that tiny Crotched Mountain was willing to take risks. That it dared to be different. That it had personality.
Combined, these components helped put Crotched Mountain on the map.
Sure, the bonfires are gone and the 3:00 AM closes are history. However, while the chaos of old has been refined, the spirit of Midnight Madness still burns bright.
Under the lights.
In the park.
In the parking lot conversations at 12:15 AM.
It is the feeling that you’re skiing and riding when most of New Hampshire is asleep.
Midnight Madness is about more than just how late the lifts spin.
It’s about how far a mountain a tiny mountain was willing to push the edge to carve out its place in ski culture.
And for those who were there back in the day, especially at 1:00 AM, that edge is still sharp.
Want to experience Midnight Madness at Crotched Mountain for yourself? There are two events left this season. Don’t miss out.
About the Author
Rich Stoner is the founder of the après-ski lifestyle clothing and media brand, All About Après. He is also the co-host of the Après All Day Podcast. No stranger to the ski and après-ski scene, Rich has been a long time contributor for many publications on topics like skiing, travel, gear, beer and food. However, his passion is on the slopes and enjoying good times with good people. You can find him perfecting his craft carving turns and drinking beers in the Green Mountains of Vermont. @allaboutapres