Highmount/Bobcat [Catskills]

[adamti91]

Long time Catskill snowboarder here, as all the mountains are within 30 minutes from my house. I rarely go to Hunter, Windham, or Plattekill as Belleayre is much cheaper, closer, and the majority of my high school goes there every day, so there are always people to ride with. However, After going up there 30 or so times a year, it gets really boring. I hear Highmount (the neighboring abandoned mountain next to Belleayre) can be interesting, but I don't know how to access it! People have told me it is a short walk from Deer Run on Belleayre, but I have yet to find where you leave Deer Run. Also, where do the trails let you off, and can that point be accessed by a car? Also, is it really worth it?

Bobcat Ski Center is also supposed to be challenging when they are open. Their website is from 2 seasons ago and when I emailed them, the person who replied just told me to check back later, seeing as they have no snow and very few snowguns. Anybody skiied there?

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[catskills]

You should be able to see the top of the lift the old Highmount Chair Lift from Deer Run trail. It is only about 75 feet from the trail. Its near where the old Deer run trail meets the new Deer run trail. Sometime when you are driving up to the Belleayre Overlook parking lot. instead of making the sharp left turn keep going straight. About a quarter mile you will see the bottom of Highmount ski area. If we ever get a deep snow you may want to give Bobcat a call or just drive up there. If Bobcat is closed turn around and go to Plattekill or Belleayre.

 

[MarkC]

I have mentioned this before but the local word on Bobcat is they will open this year if we get enough snow.

 

[adamti91]

If there was, say, 2 new feet of powder at both Belleayre and Bobcat, would Bobcat beat Belleayre just because the trails are more interesting? After hundreds of trips to Belleayre, the (for the most part), bowling lane trails get pretty boring.