Song Mountain: Surprise Jackpot

There’s something special about setting out on a ski road trip with no expectations other than spending quality time on the slopes. That’s exactly how Evan and I felt as we headed north from Ithaca, making our way to Song Mountain in Tully, NY, for the first time.

With a string of recent weekends spent chasing powder and the mixed precipitation earlier in the week, we were prepared for mixed conditions. But winter had other plans, and we were in for an incredible surprise.

As we drove past Cortland, it was as if we crossed into a snow globe. Seemingly in the blink of an eye, the landscape transformed, coated in a fresh blanket of lake-effect snow.

Our excitement was rising. A quick check of Song Mountain’s snow report showed five inches had fallen by 6 AM, but by the time we arrived at 9:30, it was clear that much more had already accumulated. The parking lot was just starting to fill, the air was calm, and the snowflakes drifting down looked straight out of a Christmas movie.

After grabbing our tickets, we hopped on the triple chair with no lines in sight, just a few other skiers taking advantage of the holiday week snowfall. Our first run down Balihai set the tone for the day— we estimated at least seven inches of light, airy powder that made for effortless, floating turns.

With only the triple chair running initially, we explored trail after trail, each revealing even deeper stashes of snow. A mix of groomed and natural terrain offered variety, with trails accessible for all ability levels and plenty of family-friendly options. While a little crust lurked beneath in spots, the fresh powder was dominant.

One of my favorite runs of the morning was Stardust, a tree-lined blue trail that started with soft, forgiving groomers before dropping into a steeper section midway down. Evan weaved in and out of the trees along the edge, sinking into the powder, while I cruised through the middle, soaking in the wintery scene.

Just as we thought the day couldn’t get better, we heard that the Diamond Cutter Triple would open up around noon. The chair hadn’t run all week and we were eager to check it out. We made our way over, catching a lifty on his ride up and confirming it was good to go! We wasted no time, chasing fresh tracks down the lift line.

As we continued to explore the trails surrounding the Diamond Cutter lift we found ourselves splitting up – Evan disappearing into the trees while I carved my way down the barely touched trails. The snow just kept falling. Lap after lap, the mountain refilled itself, and it felt as though our tracks were erased almost as soon as we made them.

By early afternoon, we noticed the fire pit on the patio of Heuga’s Alpine restaurant glowing against the snowy backdrop it looked picture-perfect against the big, fluffy flakes still falling. After another run, we decided to take a break, warming up by the fire before heading into the base lodge for hot chocolate and a massive fresh chocolate chip cookie.

The lodge was spacious and inviting, and despite it being a holiday week, the atmosphere remained relaxed—gear was neatly stashed, and skiers lounged comfortably, enjoying their breaks without the usual school-break chaos.

Refueled, we headed back out, retracing our morning laps and discovering new favorite lines along the way. With no crowds and endless refills, there was no need to chase powder stashes—it was everywhere! We spent the afternoon on the triple chair side of the mountain, returning to our favorite trails and mixing up different routes.

The variety of runs allowed us to link together a seemingly endless combination of turns, from the tree-lined Stardust to the rolling Chopsticks trail, passing by the NASTAR race hut every few times.

As the afternoon wore on, we finally decided to wrap things up with a run down Jupiter, carving our way effortlessly back to the parking lot. With our gear packed up and a slight chill we knew the day wasn’t quite over yet—we had après to enjoy.

We made our way to Heuga’s Alpine, where we were delighted to find a great menu and cozy vibes. We grabbed seats by the bar and struck up a conversation with the bartender, who shared stories about the mountain’s history and the private SkiCNY Thunderbird Club lodge. The restaurant was named after Jimmie Heuga, a highly decorated skier who was featured in a Warren Miller film at just nine years old and later became one of the first American men to win an Olympic medal for alpine skiing.

Sipping our drinks and reflecting on the day, we couldn’t help but marvel at our luck. What started as a casual stop on our road trip weekend turned into one of our favorites of the season thus far. Song Mountain delivered an unexpected powder day, friendly vibes, and an experience that left us eager to return.