Belleayre- Feb. 11, 2014

Conditions: powder, PP, groomed corduroy
Temp on arrival: 0; departure: 10
Rolled in at 8:30 under gorgeous blue bird skies. The cold temps kept the snow soft and powdery all day- best conditions of the season. Every trail I skied, from Roaring Brook over to Dot, was sweet. I stayed on piste all day, as the couple of times I attempted to venture off I sank in almost to my knees. Lots of snow in the trees- I'll need to take out the wide boards next time. 49 trails officially open, and the rest had tracks. They were blowing snow on Wanatuska top to bottom and it drifted over towards Superchief lift, so I kept my face covered riding up. Saw snowmaking clouds down on the lower mountain too. (Looks like they're putting the finishing touches on before the big holiday week.) Lots of bump runs (Winisook, Tongora, Belleayre, Onteora, Seneca, Algonquin). They also opened up the skier/boarder cross trail at the bottom of Roaring Brook, which is a rush. No lines at all- skied right onto the lifts. Warmed up by the blazing fireplace in Overlook Lodge. An awesome day.


Belleayre Run- nice bumps


Check out the snowmaking on top of Wanatuska- huge whales


Whales on Esopus- never saw that before


Looking up Peekamoose


Gorgeous day, sweet conditions

I'm debating on whether to go to Camelback or Bell on Friday. Camelback is closer but I'm thinking it will be less crowded at Belle. Never skied it and these pics are sure tempting me.

Wavewheeler said:

I'm debating on whether to go to Camelback or Bell on Friday. Camelback is closer but I'm thinking it will be less crowded at Belle. Never skied it and these pics are sure tempting me.

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This Friday? Belle never has been crowded midweek in my experience.
During holidays I start out on the Superchief chair and when that gets crowded I move to Lift 7 and Tomahawk. That usually works pretty well.

Wavewheeler said:

I'm debating on whether to go to Camelback or Bell on Friday. Camelback is closer but I'm thinking it will be less crowded at Belle. Never skied it and these pics are sure tempting me.

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I like Bell for crusing day. But if you like steeps at Hunter then probably not much you like at Bell. They have some short steep maybe 300 vertical from top of trails their then they get kind of flat. Go to Roxbury NY you love the place after snow the left hill has 2 most steeps of all the Catskills. Anyone on here who has been to all the Catskills can back me up on this.

I remember skiing Belleayre once with my uncle and cousins when I was little. I saw the trail sign for Tongora and asked him what it meant. Without hesitation he told me it was native American for sudden death. Needless to say I was scared out of my mind and refused to ski it again.

MadMadWorld said:

I saw the trail sign for Tongora and asked him what it meant. Without hesitation he told me it was native American for sudden death. Needless to say I was scared out of my mind and refused to ski it again.

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Tongora is a bit knarly but fun. There's another steep trail called Utsayantha- I call it Euthanasia. ;-)

Scotty said:

Go to Roxbury NY you love the place after snow the left hill has 2 most steeps of all the Catskills. Anyone on here who has been to all the Catskills can back me up on this.

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Once again you post about Plattekill in a thread that has nothing to do with it.
And to set the record straight, the steepest pitches in the Cats, without question, are at Hunter. And nothing at Plattekill is steeper than the steepest pitches at Belle, they're just longer. I like Plattekill just as much as you, but your post is inaccurate.

legalskier said:

Tongora is a bit knarly but fun. There's another steep trail called Utsayantha- I call it Euthanasia. ;-)



Once again you post about Plattekill in a thread that has nothing to do with it.
And to set the record straight, the steepest pitches in the Cats, without question, are at Hunter. And nothing at Plattekill is steeper than the steepest pitches at Belle, they're just longer. I like Plattekill just as much as you, but your post is inaccurate.

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I was just letting her know. I said Hunter is the steepest. I like Bell but she enjoys Hunter don't know if someone who likes Hunter steeps will think if Bell. I think when Platty is fully open then for experts it the 2 nd best in the Cats.

legalskier said:

Tongora is a bit knarly but fun. There's another steep trail called Utsayantha- I call it Euthanasia. ;-)



Once again you post about Plattekill in a thread that has nothing to do with it.
And to set the record straight, the steepest pitches in the Cats, without question, are at Hunter. And nothing at Plattekill is steeper than the steepest pitches at Belle, they're just longer. I like Plattekill just as much as you, but your post is inaccurate.

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Going to have to agree with Scotty here. Plattekill is so much better for experts unless your OB skiing at Highmount. Sorry but 300 vertical of any kind of cut and maintained east coast trail skiing terrain that is 2 degrees steeper than the 1000 ft vertical expert runs at Platty is going to be way easier.

Not the point of this thread though. Good to hear catskills are skiing SWEET

skiking4 said:

Sorry but 300 vertical of any kind of cut and maintained east coast trail skiing terrain that is 2 degrees steeper than the 1000 ft vertical expert runs at Platty is going to be way easier.

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Don't shift the goal posts- he was addressing steeps, not which is allegedly easier.
And if you'd skied Onteora's or Belleayre Run's top to bottom moguls yesterday you just might change your opinion about which is easier. I've skied both mountains many times & I get as good a workout at either one.


Belle Run bumps- intermediate section

I can never get enough of a good Platty vs Belleayre feud

I been to Bell twice this season it nice change. I like it nice trip report. Cant wait for Saturday I will be going past the left sign for Bell when I continue on to where.

MadMadWorld said:

I can never get enough of a good Platty vs Belleayre feud

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:lol: I find it ironic because I asked about going to Camelback vs Belleayre but now I'm leaning towards Platty