Tram II closed for good on October 26, 2025. A year later the base terminal on Tramway Drive is still a lodge with no tram running out of it. The state planned this fall's Franconia Notch State Park season without the tram, and said the lodge that houses the base terminal would stay open to visitors. At the other end of the mountain, the Mittersill Performance Center is getting ready for a Friday afternoon of skis, boots and kids' jackets coming in the door.
The tram decision is stuck at the state level and will be for a while. The dates that actually shape a Franconia skier's November belong to the Franconia Ski Club and to the season-pass calendar.
What the September Bids Did to the Tram Timeline
When the state put the third-generation tram out to bid this summer, the goal was to finish by December 1, 2028. Unofficial Networks reported in June that this would set up a reopening for the 2028–29 ski season, depending on when bids arrived. A structural analysis had found that the new tram could reuse the old foundations, towers and terminals, with the terminals refurbished and a few towers modified.
The bids were opened September 4, 2026. Only two lift builders responded, and both came in far above the state's number.
| Bidder | Bid | Over the state estimate |
|---|---|---|
| State estimate | $32,925,270 | — |
| Doppelmayr USA Inc. | $44,635,000 | about $11.7 million |
| Leitner-Poma of America Inc. | $49,500,000 | about $16.6 million |
On the state's official bid record, the "Awarded To" and "Award Date" fields are still blank. The completion date printed there is still December 1, 2028. As of late October, no contract award has been announced.
Governor Ayotte and the Executive Council heard about the gap at their September 16 meeting. InDepthNH reported that Adam Crepeau, acting commissioner of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, told the council the bids were split into three components, and the buildings component came in much higher than expected. In the same InDepthNH account, he described the state's next step:
"So we are assessing with the low bidder on price reductions."
InDepthNH also reported that the state is looking for more funding and other options, and that the public has been told not to expect a tram for at least the next two winters. Counting this coming season, that makes three straight winters without a tram at Cannon. The state had already committed $27.2 million to the replacement, according to Unofficial Networks. Its September follow-up noted that the secured funding was sized to the projected cost, not to the bids that came in.
The Smaller Money Already Moving at the Base Lodges
The tram is the expensive project. The work that affects a regular ski day is much smaller. In February 2026 the state asked the Executive Council for up to $893,000 from Cannon's Capital Improvement Fund, with no general funds involved. The money covers lodge and facility repairs, water-pipe and hydrant work, lift components, work-road repairs and equipment. The request on the council's March agenda names repairs at the Peabody, Notchview and Brookside lodges, plus snowmaking-related pipe work at Upper Ravine and Eagle Cliff. The document doesn't say which of those jobs will be finished before the lifts start turning.
Cannon is also hiring a new general manager. Jace Wirth, who led the tram planning, has moved to Bretton Woods as its general manager. In September Unofficial Networks reported two out-of-state finalists but didn't name them. As of late October, Cannon hasn't announced a hire or a 2026–27 opening date.
Last winter showed what a season without the tram can look like. Cannon's closing note on its mountain report called it "that one season where it snowed almost every day in January and February, it was consistently cold and DJ's Tramline was open for weeks instead of days."
Mittersill Opens the Season on November 6
With the tram on hold, the first real winter event in Franconia this year is the Franconia Ski Club Winter Sports Swap. The club calls it a community event and a significant fundraiser. FSC's stated mission is ski instruction and support for junior racing.
Everything happens at the Mittersill Performance Center:
- Gear drop-off: Friday, November 6, noon to 8 p.m.
- The swap: Saturday, November 7, 8 to 11 a.m.
Selling works differently from past years because consignment is now online. If you're clearing out the garage, here's how it runs:
- Register on the club's consignor page, and set up a seller account at home ahead of time, since account setup needs an email confirmation. The club recommends printing and attaching labels before check-in, and staff can print them on site if you can't.
- Decide item by item whether to allow a discount. Discounts start at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
- Pick up anything that didn't sell between 11 a.m. and noon on Saturday. Items left after that are donated to local charities.
- FSC keeps 30% of each sale and mails sellers the other 70% within two weeks.
If you have questions about the swap, the club lists Rebecca Bell as the contact. The morning after the swap, the club's tentative schedule has an Eliteam dryland clinic at Dow Park in Franconia on November 8.
Two Price Steps Before the Lifts Turn
Two price increases also land in November and December. One of them is close to the swap. The multi-mountain passes already moved on November 1. The White Mountain SuperPass adult price went from $1,589 to $1,709, and the Bold & Beautiful pass went from $565 to $629. The NH College pass rose from $419 to $499 on the same day.
The two passes that cover only Cannon still have a cheaper tier left. Here are the adult prices from Cannon's 26/27 pass page:
| Adult 30–64 pass | Current price | Current tier ends | Then, through Jan. 31, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon Only | $899 | November 26, 2026 | $999 |
| NH Resident | $674 | December 14, 2026 | $999 |
For a New Hampshire resident, waiting past December 14 adds $325 to an adult pass. The Cannon Only steps are smaller and come sooner. Through November 26, the young adult pass for ages 18 to 29 is $639, the teen and senior passes are $579, and the junior pass for ages 6 to 12 is $499. Each goes up $100 after that date. The military adult price stays at $399 in every tier.
Cannon's lift-ticket page still shows the 25/26 rates, so day-ticket prices for the coming season aren't posted yet.
The Rest of November on the Calendar
The one Cannon-hosted event in November is Winter's Brewing at the Cannonball Pub on Saturday, November 14. A tasting session runs 2 to 5 p.m., and an après party with Exit 17 runs 5 to 8 p.m. The $55 ticket covers both.
Later in the month, FSC's tentative schedule moves on snow. Thanksgiving Camp runs November 23 to 25 at Bretton Woods, and the club lists "Opening Day" for its U10-and-up athletes on November 27. That date is the club's program start. Cannon hasn't announced when it will open to the public.
For anyone planning around these dates in Franconia:
| Date | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 6, noon–8 p.m. | Swap gear drop-off | Mittersill Performance Center |
| Sat., Nov. 7, 8–11 a.m. | FSC Winter Sports Swap | Mittersill Performance Center |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | Eliteam dryland clinic, tentative | Dow Park |
| Sat., Nov. 14, 2–8 p.m. | Winter's Brewing | Cannonball Pub |
| Nov. 23–25 | FSC Thanksgiving Camp, tentative | Bretton Woods |
| Thu., Nov. 26 | Last day for current Cannon Only pass prices | cannonmt.com |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | FSC Opening Day, U10 and up, tentative | Club program |
| Mon., Dec. 14 | Last day for $674 NH Resident adult pass | cannonmt.com |
The next big tram date to watch is a contract award on the state's bid record. Until that happens, the Mittersill swap on November 7 is the first winter event on Franconia's calendar.
If you're weighing a place near Cannon and want to know how a third winter without the tram might affect your season, or you just want to compare notes on the swap, Bailey Clermont Realty is glad to talk it through. Let's Connect.
