Lessons from Mount Peter

Stuffed with winter cheer, holiday spirit and Chinese food ours was a multi-faceted ski mission, for a good cause. Earlier in the month I saw ISKINY’s learn-to-ski deal offering $35 packages at a number of New York resorts, including the nearby (to me) Mount Peter.

Mount-Peter-Lodge

I was inspired. My holiday schedule was packed with weddings and family and errands, but I really wanted to get on the slopes.  Mount Peter gave me a great price to get two excited never-evers on the slopes. Off we went.

It’s hard not to make this sound like a gift to myself, but I really wanted to share the gift of skiing with a classmate and her boyfriend. Skiing is easily my most favorite winter activity, but I find it hard to explain why newbies should try it.

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Hunter Opening Day: White Friday

There was a lot of talk about Black Friday this year, and the morning was exceptionally dark when I left the house at 6 to beat the crowds at Hunter’s opening day. But driving through Tannersville early was more reminiscent of a Christmas snow-globe scene then madness that shoppers dealt with in the local malls.

Hunter Mountain opening day 2013

In another contrast, there were no mixed reactions to opening day for skiing, either. The crowds that I had worried about seemed more likely to enjoy the day like a college reunion then fight for a pole position on I87 or down the aisles at the big box.

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Hiking Beacon Mountain, NY

For years I’ve had my eyes on Beacon Mountain but the time was never quite right. I always seem to succumb to the pull of other options in the Hudson Highlands.

Mount Beacon Wheel

Breakneck Ridge, just to the south, is one of the most highly regarded day hikes in New York and on many lists as the first choice in the area.  South of Breakneck is Anthony’s Nose and across the river Storm King Mountain ascends straight out of the river at an impossible clip.

I put those options aside, as my hiking partners called in late.  But even with our casual 10am start, I knew that the A-team was ready for a challenging loop.

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