Belleayre: After the Storm

There’s something about tracking a nor’easter that adds a little extra electricity to a winter week. When a storm started lining up to bring 18+ inches to the Catskills, Evan was watching every model run like it was his job.

As it turned out, the system shifted east and underperformed, but 7 inches still fell on Monday, just enough to freshen everything without complicating travel.

With kids back in school after Presidents Week and a midweek window on our calendar, it felt like the perfect excuse for a road trip. Of all the ski regions in New York, the Catskills are the least explored for us.

We’ve logged plenty of days at Gore Mountain and really enjoyed it. And there’s nothing like pulling into a resort that’s entirely new to you, especially when it’s new for both of us. That shared novelty brings a different energy to the day that you just can’t replicate.

We rolled into Belleayre Mountain before the lifts started spinning and got a prime parking spot at Discovery Lodge. We chose to boot up inside and were immediately impressed. The lodge was clean and welcoming, fire pits on, music playing and others getting ready for the great day ahead.

Then came a rare treat for us Western New York regulars, the gondola. We don’t often get to start a ski day with a scenic ride up, floating above the trees. We were expecting lingering clouds from the storm, but instead the sun broke through in full force.

It was the calm after the storm in the best way. The snow sparkled like glitter under a partially sunny sky, and every branch was coated in a casing of ice topped with white fluff.

On the recommendation of the friendly ticket counter staff, we took Deer Run for our first descent. A long, scenic cruiser is exactly how you want to start at a new mountain. The conditions were fabulous, corduroy with a soft pillowy topping from the night before. The fresh snow had just enough give every turn a fun bounce.

For a non-holiday Tuesday, the mountain felt pleasantly busy, but we never waited in a line. We lapped runs with black steeps that transitioned into forgiving blues back to the chair. Onondaga quickly became a favorite, especially when we started linking creative variations off it.

Evan ducked into the low-angle glades off Horseshoe Pass to see what leftovers he could find from Monday’s storm, as I followed the marked trails. We talked about how fun it is to explore somewhere neither of us has dialed in yet. No “follow me, I know the way” energy, just us figuring it out together.

Somehow it was 1:00 p.m. before we even thought about stopping. We kept saying we’d break for lunch after one more run, but the combination of sunshine, soft snow, and zero lift lines made it impossible to peel off.

Eventually our legs started sending signals, and we went hunting for some calm trails to finish strong. The mid-station unload on the Hawk chair was the perfect discovery, setting us up for efficient laps. Cayuga stood out to me in particular. Ungroomed, blanketed in snow, and framed by a canopy of frosted trees. It felt quiet and tucked away, a little winter pocket all to ourselves.

When we finally called it, we skied as close to the car as possible, changed quickly, and then headed back into the Discovery Lodge to thaw out. The heated patio filled with groups huddling around fire pits in the late afternoon light was the ideal apres scene.

A couple of snacks and a Bloody Mary or two later, we toasted to another New York mountain checked off our list.

We’re incredibly grateful to live in a state with more ski areas than any other, and days like this are exactly why. While some people count down the days until winter ends, we’re watching storms, chasing snowfall, and saying yes to midweek road trips. There’s something special about trying a new mountain together sharing that first-day excitement side by side.

The 6-8 inches received may not have been the headline-grabbing total we first saw in the forecast, but paired with blue skies and fresh grooming, it delivered exactly what we needed: a reminder that winter in New York is what you make of it. And we plan to keep making the most of it!