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Non epic pass suggestions NY edition

zyk

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The other non epic pass got me thinking and I didn't want to disrupt the other thread. So here is mine. Hunter pass holder for about 10 years just not this year. Not sure what to do next year.
Plattekill is the closest but I'm midweek only.
Windham is next but no just no.
Belleayre maybe... No midweek option for all 3 orda areas
I'm 1:20 to Belleayre and 2:15 to Gore so maybe go full pass.
Can make tug hill area in 1:40 is so... Hills are small but they usually get good snow.
Further complication my business partner is 35 minutes north of Hunter so I would often do 3 to 4 hours and then go work.
Maybe Vail gets it together
 

ss20

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A minute from the Alta exit off the I-15!
Hard to beat the ORDA pass. You've got Belleayre as the local option and Gore and Whiteface if you want to spend some time up there. Supplement with an Indy pass too if you can swing $200. Catamount, Magic, Greek, Mohawk all within a couple hours from you should you ever want to switch it up.
 

zyk

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Great advice. Also snow ridge is on the Indy pass now. Opens up the tug hill option which is good for me. Never been to Greek but I don't think its that far of a drive. Also Magic is one I haven't been to since I was a kid.
 

cdskier

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Hard to beat the ORDA pass. You've got Belleayre as the local option and Gore and Whiteface if you want to spend some time up there. Supplement with an Indy pass too if you can swing $200. Catamount, Magic, Greek, Mohawk all within a couple hours from you should you ever want to switch it up.
Yea, I said it in another thread recently, but that ORDA pass would very likely be my choice if I didn't own a condo by Sugarbush. I was a fan of Belleayre for years and since the OP is midweek only, Platty isn't even an option to consider. That makes the decision incredibly easy IMO. Ikon for a NY-skier is not worth it unless you can get to VT quite a bit. Sure they have the Windham option in NY, but that's only 5 or 7 days and I find Windham to be the least interesting area in the Cats. Really comes down to ORDA or Epic unless you want an independent pass to some other mountain. Even if Vail had their shit together, I'd still favor ORDA over Epic unless you plan to get to Stowe a lot. I'd take Gore or Whiteface over the southern VT Epic mountains in a heartbeat. The NH options on Epic are too far (IMO) from NY to be a major factor in the decision.
 

tnt1234

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I've never skied Windham. OP, wh do you say, no, just no?
 

zyk

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I've never skied Windham. OP, wh do you say, no, just no?
I find it less interesting than the other Catskill areas. Its fun for a day or three but after that not so much for me. Feels similar to hunter in infrastructure and size however prefer the bizarre nature of Hunter's terrain. Plus its an expensive pass for just one area.
 

Killingtime

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I've never skied Windham. OP, wh do you say, no, just no?
You should be able to find enough at Windham to stay entertained. If you have a chance to go its a fun day. I have friends who have been skiing there a lot this year and say conditions have been very good.
 

abc

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You should be able to find enough at Windham to stay entertained. If you have a chance to go its a fun day. I have friends who have been skiing there a lot this year and say conditions have been very good.
I have to join the chorus about Windham. It's like going to the gym. If you want repetition, you'll be in heaven. If you want variety, you'll be bored stiff after a couple days.

Some people love going to the gym. Others hate going to the gym.

It's a one dimensional mountain, with no escape.

I would ski it a day or two whenever I come across a coupon. But wouldn't buy a pass.
 

da-bum

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I haven't been to Windham in ages and am not sure how their snowmaking ability is now, but back whe the 2nd mountain opened up, I mostly skied there to avoid the crowds. The wind would blow all the snow off the surface, and trail like Wing'n it with the ski lift poles intersected along the boilerplate surface, every run felt like facing death.
 

abc

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I haven't been to Windham in ages and am not sure how their snowmaking ability is now, but back whe the 2nd mountain opened up, I mostly skied there to avoid the crowds. The wind would blow all the snow off the surface, and trail like Wing'n it with the ski lift poles intersected along the boilerplate surface, every run felt like facing death.
I think it improved.

I too, remember it being super icy way back when. But it's less so now.

Now, it's no longer death defying. Just boring after a few runs.
 

tnt1234

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I have to join the chorus about Windham. It's like going to the gym. If you want repetition, you'll be in heaven. If you want variety, you'll be bored stiff after a couple days.

Some people love going to the gym. Others hate going to the gym.

It's a one dimensional mountain, with no escape.

I would ski it a day or two whenever I come across a coupon. But wouldn't buy a pass.
Are those trees between the lifts ever skiable?
 

KustyTheKlown

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yes. they have a mountain bike trail network that is skiable when there is decent snow. i prefer windham over hunter, but belleayre over windham, and plattekill over bellayre. you couldn't pay me to go to hunter, even before vail.
 

tnt1234

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yes. they have a mountain bike trail network that is skiable when there is decent snow. i prefer windham over hunter, but belleayre over windham, and plattekill over bellayre. you couldn't pay me to go to hunter, even before vail.
I think the skiing at Hunter is pretty solid. I've only been a handful of times, and usually when there was good snow...still haven't tried the new north side and won't be going this year.

But the vibe there is a bummer IMO.
 

abc

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they have a mountain bike trail network that is skiable when there is decent natural snow
Which is often in short supply in the Cats.

i prefer windham over hunter
Hunter has steep moguls. Lots of them. I like them for that alone! Come of think of it, that's all I go to Hunter for.

And to a lessor degree, Belleayre too. Belleayre also has more variety.

Platty is the best. Except it's not open midweek.
 
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