Thunder Ridge?

[Greg]

Anyone been there? I think it's less than an hour away, but only has 500' vertical. Is it worth the visit just to say I've done it?

 

[skidbump]

i drive by it every day..looks like a bump but its got snow,never been there never will.to close to catskills/berkshires to ski it....smaller than mohawk

 

[loafer89]

I have skied there ONCE about 6-8 years ago when it was called Big Birch, we pass the place all the time when we go skiing at mohawk. My memories of the place was that it had a steep upper part, a really flat "saddle" and a steep lower part that is visible from route 22.

The trails off of the triple chair on the lower part of the "bump" are fun, but quite short, the rest of the trails are boring. Most of the time when we pass this place it has more mud/grass than snow. With the recent natural snow the skiing should be decent.

The area website www.thunderridgeski.com reports 22 out of 30 trails open, so the skiing right now should be good.

 

[Greg]

Bump. Looking for some new mountains to try. Is this place worth the hour drive?

 

[loafer89]

It's a "notch" on the ski pole, nothing more.

Otis Ridge, Blandford or Bosquet are better options, if further away from you.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

Not worth the drive. I boarded there a few times when I was dating some psycho who lives 10 minutes away. It's really not interesting at all. Whereas you could spend an entire day at Sundown and have fun throughout, this place gets boring after an hour. It's a slightly tilted cow pasture.

 

[YardSaleDad]

Bump. Looking for some new mountains to try. Is this place worth the hour drive?

My son's nickname for it is Thunder Bump. It's a 30 minute drive for us. After a dump, for some night skiing on a school night with my kids it's fine, and the prices are right. Not worth the drive unless you are planning to meet a few local AZers. Lot's of high school kids.

 

[JimG.]

It's 15 minutes from my house. Small place, but I think it's alot of fun. A few of the steeper pitches are allowed to bump up. Caught a 10" powder night there in March. I brought my 3 1/2 year old there a few nights this past season and he loved it. For a place that affords some after work night skiing, it's better than a sharp stick in the eye.

Is it worth the hour drive for you? I would have to ask you the same question about me coming over to Sundown.

So my answer is probably not.

 

[Greg]

Is it worth the hour drive for you? I would have to ask you the same question about me coming over to Sundown.

So my answer is probably not.

Well, with that said, I would definitely say Sundown is worth the drive for you provided:

• Good bumps were set up on Nor'easter
• There were fellow AZers to ski them with.

How far are you from Danbury, Jim? I would say Sundown is probably another 45 minutes if you haul up 84 and 8.

 

[JimG.]

Well, with that said, I would definitely say Sundown is worth the drive for you provided:

• Good bumps were set up on Nor'easter
• There were fellow AZers to ski them with.

How far are you from Danbury, Jim? I would say Sundown is probably another 45 minutes if you haul up 84 and 8.

I'm about 40 minutes away from Danbury. I looked at a map and I'm pretty sure Sundown would be at least 1 hour 45 minutes for me. Even though Hunter has no night skiing, I'm only 1 hour 15 minutes from there.

I've never been to Sundown, so I won't say it's just like Thunder Ridge, but I'll bet they are very similar. When the whole hill is open, Thunder Ridge is far from boring IMO, at least for a few hours of night skiing.

Now maybe I don't get to ski with other AZer's when I go there, and no offense to anyone, but 15 minutes to Thunder Ridge makes sense...1 hour 45 minutes to Sundown doesn't.

 

[YardSaleDad]

Now maybe I don't get to ski with other AZer's when I go there, and no offense to anyone, but 15 minutes to Thunder Ridge makes sense....

Maybe we will hook up there next season, if we actually get some snow. That March storm was fun, but that was the only night we made it there this year.

 

[marcski]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with JimG here. I found Thunder Ridge pretty boring. Went on a powder day after a good snow storm with the wife, played hooky from work. Jim's description was quite accurate. However, the top and bottom sections, the only ones with any pitch, are so short. 4 turns they're over. The saddle in the middle is completely flat...boarders would hate that area. Although, going sideways through the saddle, if i'm not mistaken, there is somewhat of a pitch, and that's where they set up a terrain park.

In conclusion, is it worth the trip? Yes, its still a day out on the slopes, can check out a new place. Arrange it with something else in the area, you only need a couple of hours at best, IMHO. I might go again conditions and timing permitted since it is the closest skiing to me from my house.

edit:

So, I thought it was poor etiquete to bump a thread over a year old. What is the time limit on bumping. Perhaps you, Gregg, get special bumping privileges?

 

[Greg]

So, I thought it was poor etiquete to bump a thread over a year old. What is the time limit on bumping. Perhaps you, Gregg, get special bumping privileges?

No real hard rules on bumping. I try not to bump threads that are no longer valid or if there is a similar thread that is newer. And yes, I can do whatever the heck I want...

 

[JimG.]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with JimG here. I found Thunder Ridge pretty boring.
In conclusion, is it worth the trip? Yes, its still a day out on the slopes, can check out a new place.

Well, Mt. Washington or even Hunter it is not. Heck, I get bored to death at Hunter by noon even if it is 100% open unless there is some natural snow and I can get off the beaten path.

No, you and Tin Woodsman are right, Thunder Ridge is limited. But, for 3 hours of night skiing after work at a place 15 minutes from my house, I like it and I don't get bored for that short period of time.

But I wouldn't drive an hour to ski there.

 

[LisaBatt]

Thoughts on Thunder Ridge

Just started going here last year BECAUSE it is so close to my home (30minutes) and convenient after work for me....However it gets way to crowded on Weekends, but I find it empty weeknights. For that,it is great. IT IS NOT WORTH AN HOUR DRIVE FOR!!!!! You would be much happier with Mohawk Mountain located in Cromwall CT. This is a good place for young children to learn however, since it is so small and doesn't have any challanging trails on it. It does help us "locals" who need a ski fix, that is close to home. I have had some stressful work/family issues this past year,and being able to de-stress by skiing so close to home was a salvation for me!! I can't drink all the time,well ya I can, but I wouldn't be a terrific role model now would I?....Kidding aside... The staff is friendly and helpful and it is family friendly as well.

 

[Greg]

Just started going here last year BECAUSE it is so close to my home (30minutes) and convenient after work for me....However it gets way to crowded on Weekends, but I find it empty weeknights. For that,it is great. IT IS NOT WORTH AN HOUR DRIVE FOR!!!!! You would be much happier with Mohawk Mountain located in Cromwall CT. This is a good place for young children to learn however, since it is so small and doesn't have any challanging trails on it. It does help us "locals" who need a ski fix, that is close to home. I have had some stressful work/family issues this past year,and being able to de-stress by skiing so close to home was a salvation for me!! I can't drink all the time,well ya I can, but I wouldn't be a terrific role model now would I?....Kidding aside... The staff is friendly and helpful and it is family friendly as well.

Thanks Lisa. Yeah, I've skied Mohawk a few times and actually prefer Sundown. Both of which are 25 minutes for me. Looks like I'll stick to Sundown as the local night skiing haunt. I'll hit Thunder Ridge if there's some sort of AZ gathering there some night though...