New York is known for a lot of things, many of them having to do with the massive city that just barely clings to the states south-eastern tip. The rest of the state has plenty to offer anyone willing to look, including tons of great places to ski and snowboard. Here are the top five best places to go downhill in NY.
Plattekill Mountain
The friendliest mountain in New York, if not the entire world, Plattekill mountain has a small mountain feel with big mountain terrain. It is a family oriented mountain that is itself family owned and operated. They offer slopes that will delight skiiers of all skill levels, from beginner to expert. Their hallmark slope is the famous “Powder Puff,” a 2 mile long cruiser with a gentle decline that will give beginners plenty of time to practice their moves. For the expert level skiers, they have one of the steepest trails in all of the Catskills. This trail, a double black diamond called “Blockbuster” has over 1,100 feet of continuous vertical drop! The mountain is a hidden gem and so the slopes are usually pretty clear of other skiers, just one more in a long line of great things about Plattekill Mountain!
Windham Mountain Resort
Windham Mountain Resort is perhaps the largest mountain on this list. Its 53 trails span over 282 acres of skiable terrain and 97% of that is covered by the snowmaking team so you are guaranteed to have some good fresh powder on at least a few of the runs every day! There are slopes for beginners and experts and everyone in between. The main draw for intermediate skiers might be the Wanderer, a nice, smooth descent that seems to go on forever with a cool curve about a quarter of the way down. And, as it’s only 2.5 hours away from NYC, it is easily accessible without having to take a long weekend!
Hunter Mountain
There are slopes for beginners and experts alike on this mountain. It’s a great day trip spot with plenty of trails to keep you occupied. And, if you’d like to stay a little longer, Hunter Mountain offers a full complement of fantastic accommodations at almost every price point. They have a large selection of restaurants and bars on the mountain and have packages that will supply some of your meals for free if you stay! The lift tickets are reasonably priced and there is, as usual, a steep discount for younger riders. If you fall in love with the mountain, buy a Big Lift Card and ski for the whole season!
Belleayre Mountain
The only state-run mountain on this list, Belleayre Mountain is a perfect stop for intermediate skiers. With 47 trails to choose from, skiers and boarders will both be pleased with the selection. Besides their basic downhill slopes, they have two more extreme parks packed with jumps and rails, and as an added bonus, they have over five miles of backwoods trails just begging to be explored on snowshoes or cross-country skis!