Day Trips from NYC

[ellenklutz]

My fiance and I are looking to take a day trip on a non-holiday weekend to a location near NYC. I am a beginner to low intermediate skiier who prefers to ski greens or easy blues, while my fiance is an intermediate snowboarder who skis blues and some easy black diamonds. We're looking for someplace we can get to within driving distance of NYC (about 2.5 hours). I've been to Camlback in the past, but I wonder how it compares to Hunter and other areas. Just so you know where I am coming from, the mountains I've skiied the most in the past few years are Ragged and Mount Sunapee in NH. In general I prefer Ragged since it's less crowded and there are fewer kids, but Mount Sunapee has better snowmaking so if Ragged's easier trails are closed, I prefer Mount Sunapee.

Thanks for your help.

 

[bvibert]

I was going to suggest giving Jiminy Peak a shot, but I think it's farther away then you're looking to travel. I'm not sure how well Hunter would work out for you. The Hunter One area is supposed to be very good for beginner types, but the main mountain doesn't really have a ton to offer to an intermediate/easy black type of rider.

 

[jrmagic]

I think Jiminy is a good suggestion and should be within the day trip range she mentioned. I pass Jiminy on my way to Magic. Its a little under 2 hours from lower Westchester so depending on where in NYC they are it could work. The best part is that taking the Taconic there is really never any traffic.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

I'm on the Island (nassau), day trips or me are/would be:
-butternut (mass) 3hr
-jiminy (mass) 3hr
-mohawk (ct) 2.5 hr
-hunter
-windham
-plattekill 3hrs
-mt snow 4hrs
-killington 4.5hrs
-did Stowe once 5hrs...that was a long day...

 

[ellenklutz]

Thanks all - I live in Northern Manhattan (Harlem) so it is pretty quick for me to get either North or West of the city vs. someone who lives in Brooklyn or on Long Island. Jiminy is a good option that I had not heard of. It seems like everyone in the city goes to Hunter but everything I read about it makes it sound horrible (crowded, jerky people, stolen equipment, etc.) so I am interested to hear what the Hunter alternatives are.

 

[severine]

If we're going to throw Butternut in, then I would suggest Catamount over it.

 

[gmcunni]

Thanks all - I live in Northern Manhattan (Harlem) so it is pretty quick for me to get either North or West of the city vs. someone who lives in Brooklyn or on Long Island. Jiminy is a good option that I had not heard of. It seems like everyone in the city goes to Hunter but everything I read about it makes it sound horrible (crowded, jerky people, stolen equipment, etc.) so I am interested to hear what the Hunter alternatives are.

maybe give Belleayre a look, http://www.belleayre.com/. it seems to have a reputation as an intermediate mountain. good discounts on tix too, if you know where to look.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

i'll throw Thunder Ridge out there too, close (straight up 684 to 22) not big, but can get some night turns in

 

[jasoncapecod]

Hunter but everything I read about it makes it sound horrible (crowded, jerky people, stolen equipment, etc.)

Not True...
sure it's busy, but it ain't horrible...

 

[bvibert]

Thanks all - I live in Northern Manhattan (Harlem) so it is pretty quick for me to get either North or West of the city vs. someone who lives in Brooklyn or on Long Island. Jiminy is a good option that I had not heard of. It seems like everyone in the city goes to Hunter but everything I read about it makes it sound horrible (crowded, jerky people, stolen equipment, etc.) so I am interested to hear what the Hunter alternatives are.

Don't believe all the stereotypes you hear. Like I said, I don't know that it's the best option for you, but not for the reasons you listed.

 

[bvibert]

I think Jiminy is a good suggestion and should be within the day trip range she mentioned. I pass Jiminy on my way to Magic. Its a little under 2 hours from lower Westchester so depending on where in NYC they are it could work. The best part is that taking the Taconic there is really never any traffic.

Yeah, I wasn't sure. I put New York City into Google maps and it said over 3 hours. I guess it depends on where in the city you're coming from.

Jiminy may not get you away from the crowds though. I've only been there once though, so I don't have much to go on.

 

[kingslug]

I would say belleayre is youre best bet. You can get off at the mid station and she can go to the top..then she meets you on the wat down...Hunter is an option but only has 1 somewhat easy run down from the main mountain...and you can't get you;re stuff stolen ..if you use the FREE ski check.......Plattekill is actualy a hard mountain to get around if you'r not used to natural trails..the switchback trails can be rocky and the face trails are steep...but it is a cool place to check out..and you'll never get better unless you try harder trails...

 

[skidbump]

Belleayre would prob do you fine.Usually can get discount tickets at ski shop at bottom of hill"think there 12 or 14 off".Upper mt Mids are blues, tops are black with 2 wrap around blues.Lower Mountain all greens.

 

[JimmyPete]

My experience Belleayre for weekends. Hunter is great on weekdays but can get crowded and then icy. Not much intermediate on main mountain, though some of the blacks aren't too tough. Belleayre is alittle steep at the top but groomed trails are wide and forgiving, Bottom is all intermediate. The Dot Nebel trail from the top is long with some steeps but wide and usually groomed.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Thanks all - I live in Northern Manhattan (Harlem) so it is pretty quick for me to get either North or West of the city vs. someone who lives in Brooklyn or on Long Island. Jiminy is a good option that I had not heard of. It seems like everyone in the city goes to Hunter but everything I read about it makes it sound horrible (crowded, jerky people, stolen equipment, etc.) so I am interested to hear what the Hunter alternatives are.

Hunter isn't that horrible. From Harlem, the catskills are you best bet. Jump on the Harlem River Drive to GWB to 4 to 17 to the I87. You'll be up there before you can say Jack Robinson. Give Windham a try.

 

[conselyea]

I live in Brooklyn and have been taking day trips to the catskills for years..

At the level you described, i think Belleayre and Windham are your best bets. Try out Hunter on a weekday, and only when you've upped your skills a bit to enjoy the whole mountain.

Belleayre is actually a good place to learn -- the lack of crowds means less people taking lessons and more individual attention (good likelihood of a private/semiprivate for the price of a group lesson!). Check out discount tickets for all Catskills resorts at Potter Brothers, which is right off exit 19 on the way to Belleayre.

Windham is nice too, with a lot of beginner/intermediate friendly terrain, but best bang for your buck would be Belleayre.. I think its arguably the closest too!

If you do hit Belleayre, avoid the lower parking lot, which services the lower mountain 'beginner' area.

 

[dmc]

It seems like everyone in the city goes to Hunter but everything I read about it makes it sound horrible (crowded, jerky people, stolen equipment, etc.) so I am interested to hear what the Hunter alternatives are.

Hunter has a bad rap - It's not so crowded unless it's a popular weekend... they have a ski check thats free.. i seldom hear of skis being stolen.

It has a great learning area and a whole lodge dedicated to learning..

I live and ski there - we are not jerky people...

 

[dmc]

My experience Belleayre for weekends. Hunter is great on weekdays but can get crowded and then icy. Not much intermediate on main mountain, though some of the blacks aren't too tough. Belleayre is alittle steep at the top but groomed trails are wide and forgiving, Bottom is all intermediate. The Dot Nebel trail from the top is long with some steeps but wide and usually groomed.

Belleayre gets crowded too..

 

[ctenidae]

If we're going to throw Butternut in, then I would suggest Catamount over it.

Doing that math, myself. Catamount looks like a decent deal- actually only 20 minutes further from me than Sundown.

 

[lerops]

Thanks all - I live in Northern Manhattan (Harlem) so it is pretty quick for me to get either North or West of the city vs. someone who lives in Brooklyn or on Long Island. Jiminy is a good option that I had not heard of. It seems like everyone in the city goes to Hunter but everything I read about it makes it sound horrible (crowded, jerky people, stolen equipment, etc.) so I am interested to hear what the Hunter alternatives are.

I live very close, it is actually very easy to get out of the city and you are right on 87. So, Catskills is definitely an option. But there are also other easy drives. Given your level, if the conditions are right you could try Catamount like Severine said (or Mohawk, but I'd take Catamount over Mohawk because of vertical). For a weekend, it is likely to be less crowded than Catskills and when there has been recent natural snow, it doesn't suck. If there hasn't been snow, then Hunter is better given the amount of snow they make.

Bellayre is good for beginners and intermediates. Hunter's blue trails were very very crowded when I was there, but that was just 3-4 times, so it might have been a conicidence.