My seasonal ski resume always seems to have a hole in it until I can check off a box next to each Catskill resort, and I finally made it around the horn with a trip to Belleayre this past weekend.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, as we haven’t been hit by a storm in weeks. The outlook seemed good based on the snow report showing 90 percent of the mountain open.
I wondered, with the transition to the new ORDA team, could I expect an Olympic performance from a humble Catskills ski hill?
Fifty years ago the northeast was dotted with mom and pop ski hills. Those few that have survived have gotten by with true grit, a few natural advantages and a little help from their friends.
This scenario describes Plattekill Mountain. The hard working owners of the ski area in Roxbury New York are blessed with great terrain and natural snowfall.
Beyond that, the mountain seems to inspire people to pitch in and help. One such person is known to us as Diamond Dave, the owner of the Diamond Bar in Brooklyn NY.
At the end of this past week, I did some storm chasing. A big low was slated to ride up the coast and bang into a big mass of fresh cold air from the Arctic.
At the same time, I was plotting my birthday ski at Plattekill.
This situation was problematic as the mother load was actually falling between me and the mountains. With moderate to heavy snows falling in the NY metro area, a state of emergency was declared by the governors of New York and neighboring states.
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