Catskill Question

[Greenie]

Hi AZers,

I'm brand new to skiing. I just came back from a week in Colorado and am hooked. We went to Copper, Cooper, and Breckenridge. Haven't had that much fun in a long long time.

Anyway, as a newbie I can only handle greens right now. As far as the major Catskill hills I can do in a daytrip (Belleayre, Hunter, Windham, Plattekill) which might you consider the best for a green only skier?

Thanks in advance for your help.

See you on the slopes.

Greenie

 

[Greenie]

Forgot one thing....like all of you I don't like crowded slopes and will be skiing primarily during weekdays. Thanks again.

 

[millerm277]

Hunter has some decent beginner terrain, but nothing off the peak, so you are limited in vertical there.

Plattekill isn't always open during the week, and the snow there isn't the most reliable.

I'd say Belleayre or Windham are probably your best bets. Go look at the trail maps of the mountains, see what mountains seem to have a lot of beginner terrain, and which don't.

 

[thinnmann]

Hunter has some decent beginner terrain, but nothing off the peak, so you are limited in vertical there.

Plattekill isn't always open during the week, and the snow there isn't the most reliable.

I'd say Belleayre or Windham are probably your best bets. Go look at the trail maps of the mountains, see what mountains seem to have a lot of beginner terrain, and which don't.

At Belleayre you will have the bottom half all green and an easy blue from the top off Superchief HSQ. And nobody is gonna be crowded midweek right now. Have fun!

 

[adamti91]

I'd say Belleayre... not very crowded, family freindly, and a lot of the green trails are now open.

 

[RIDEr]

If you want no crowds the beginner trails at Belleayre will certainly provide you that comfort; however, if you are looking for a little more vertical than I would suggest Hunter One.

I attached the link to the conditions at both mountains.

http://www.huntermtn.com/skicond.html

http://www.belleayre.com/winter/conditions.htm

 

[catskills]

Sounds like your hooked. Always great to have newbies join the sport.

I would suggest you eventually try all the ski areas in the Catskills. I would suggest you start with Belleayre. Followed by Windham, Hunter, and then Plattekill.

Belleayre directions. Take NY State Thruway to Kingston Exit 19 mile marker 91. Take Route 28 west (no speeding) 40 mintues. At the top of a steep hill turn left and your there.

Check out
http://www.belleayre.com/promotions/promo.htm
www.snocountry.com
http://www.skisite.com/downhill.cfm
http://www.potterbrothers.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/184

A Potter Brothers ski shop is about a quarter mile from the NY State Thruway exit 19 toll booths on Route 28. You can't miss it on the right.

:beer:

 

[ts01]

Plattekill has a rep as an experts' hill BUT when there's enough snow, they also have long, gentle beginner terrain that is much less crowded than other Catskills places. When we get more snow cover definitely check it out; especially on weekends for crowd avoidance. Otherwise I'd second the Belleayre suggestions. But if Plattekills got the goods then definitely drive the extra 15 minutes, you'll save it in the lift lines.

 

[YardSaleDad]

Belleayre & Hunter both have excellent instruction programs for all abilities. I have no experience with the others so I can not comment.

 

[andyzee]

Windham

 

[dmc]

Belleayre & Hunter both have excellent instruction programs for all abilities. I have no experience with the others so I can not comment.

I've run my family and others through Hunter's learning center with no problems..
It's setup really well as far as moving you through the whole rental process...
The lodge is RIGHT next to the beginner trail so non-skiers can chill and watch...
It's totally seperate from the rest of the mountain so experts won't be buzzing you...

I really like the Hunter Learning Center...

 

[millerm277]

I've run my family and others through Hunter's learning center with no problems..
It's setup really well as far as moving you through the whole rental process...
The lodge is RIGHT next to the beginner trail so non-skiers can chill and watch...
It's totally seperate from the rest of the mountain so experts won't be buzzing you...

I really like the Hunter Learning Center...

It really is a nice set-up. My only complaint that I ever have about Hunter One is that it's a bitch to get out of....they need to do something about the crossover there.

 

[catskills]

Hunter could use a higher percentage of blue trails. Currently Hunter has 27 percent of its trails targeted as blue Other mountains have a higher percentage of trails dedicated to Blue. Also, Hunter has a limited number of crowded trails off the top of the mountain

 

[dmc]

It really is a nice set-up. My only complaint that I ever have about Hunter One is that it's a bitch to get out of....they need to do something about the crossover there.

That very thing works to physically separate begginers from the rest of the crowd

 

[acmill99]

Midweek in Windham

I just wanted to take a second to put in a plug for a new B&B, Catskill Lodge, that my brothers and I opened last fall. Our midweek ski & stay to my knowledge is the most affordable ($65 per person) in the Catskills offering a full day lift to Windham Mountain (http://www.WindhamMountain.com). Why not come up the night night before you ski and let us cook you breakfast?

http://www.catskilllodge.com/Specials.asp

We also offer daily shuttle to/from Manhattan at $25 each way for our guests and $40 each way for non-guests. We will happily drop you off at a competing hotel or share house in Windham/Hunter.

 

[dmc]

I just wanted to take a second to put in a plug for a new B&B, Catskill Lodge, that my brothers and I opened last fall. Our midweek ski & stay to my knowledge is the most affordable ($65 per person) in the Catskills offering a full day lift to Windham Mountain (http://www.WindhamMountain.com). Why not come up the night night before you ski and let us cook you breakfast?

http://www.catskilllodge.com/Specials.asp

We also offer daily shuttle to/from Manhattan at $25 each way for our guests and $40 each way for non-guests. We will happily drop you off at a competing hotel or share house in Windham/Hunter.

Sounds like a good deal to me...

 

[drewfidelic]

For beginners, Hunter One is is a nice self-contained area. Windham may be better bridge to intermediate-ness, with long novice and step-up trails off of both HSQ's (Wanderer, Wraparound.) Windham is a gentler mountain than Hunter with much more intermediate terrain and less expert terrain. But, if you're skiing on the weekends, skiing the novice an intermediate terrain in Hunter One and off of B-lift below midstation may feel less crowded than skiing amongst the crowds on the main mountain at Windham.

(I haven't skied Windham on a weekend this season, so I don't know how the new mountain layout with the second HSQ will affect crowds and the overall flow. But it could prove nice to have a fast ride to get to Wanderer-- a long novice trail as well as a new unnamed intermediate run as well as reducing congestion on the main mountain. Perhaps someone who has skied Windham this season care some insight on whether the new lift has affected the way the mountain skis.)

I've never skied Belleayre or Plattekill. Hopefully, I will get to a powder day at Plattekill this year....
________
F01

 

[ajl50]

I just wanted to take a second to put in a plug for a new B&B, Catskill Lodge, that my brothers and I opened last fall. Our midweek ski & stay to my knowledge is the most affordable ($65 per person) in the Catskills offering a full day lift to Windham Mountain (http://www.WindhamMountain.com). Why not come up the night night before you ski and let us cook you breakfast?

http://www.catskilllodge.com/Specials.asp

We also offer daily shuttle to/from Manhattan at $25 each way for our guests and $40 each way for non-guests. We will happily drop you off at a competing hotel or share house in Windham/Hunter.

soooo did you get paid for this ad space admin's?

 

[dmc]

soooo did you get paid for this ad space admin's?

Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulease!!! Give me a friggin break...

Whats wrong with a little help for people trying to make a living in ski country?

We gotta support the little guys...

 

[Greg]

soooo did you get paid for this ad space admin's?

Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulease!!! Give me a friggin break...

Whats wrong with a little help for people trying to make a living in ski country?

We gotta support the little guys...

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