The Catskills Blog

Heading to Plattekill for Shoulder Season

Posted on by ml242

Spring was sure to make an appearance at some point this month, but it was hard to believe that hot on the heels of one of the biggest dumps of the season we’d be skiing without our shells.

Plattekill-Trail

After devouring the pow harvest from my desk on Friday, my brother and I were champing at the bit to ski. Our enthusiasm spread, and we ended up back at Plattekill with several others who came to the mountain for the first time.

I didn’t have to look in the rearview mirror to see the quizzical looks as we drove past Belleayre. I could feel the lasers bouncing off of my neck and quickly pointed out that when skiing, going the extra mile is often worth the effort.

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Tagged: Catskills, Plattekill6 Comments

ORDA 3-Way New York Ski Pass

Posted on by NYSkiBlog

Ski 3 PassNYSkiBlog has learned that New York’s Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) will announce a new ski pass which will grant skiers access to all three of New York’s state-run ski resorts. The Ski3 Pass will be on sale later today and will allow pass holders to ski Whiteface, Gore and Belleayre any day of the 2013-2014 season.

The early bird price of the new pass for adults — $739 — is the same as the first deadline price of the current ORDA 2-Way Pass for Gore and Whiteface.  The early discount price for young adults is $385, while college students and juniors can pick the pass for only $299. The early discount period ends on April 19.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Belleayre, Catskills, Gore Mountain, ORDA, Whiteface19 Comments

Slide Mountain, NY: Finding Myself Alone

Posted on by Zeb

In late January, I headed for Slide Mountain, at 4,180 feet the highest peak in the Catskills. I had just finished a grueling stretch at work and was eager to get out of the city. I went alone. As I skinned up from the parking lot, I had to rely on the sporadic trail markers and hope that the predicted fog and “wintery mix” would hold off. The trail had some snow, and lots of exposed rocks as well.

Slide Mountain NY summit view

As I climbed I considered whether backcountry skiing is merely a way to access unskied lines or something different altogether. I’m sure it means different things to different skiers, but for me it’s about being in the mountains and escaping.

When I was younger, I’d spend my days at Killington skiing the bumps under the chairlift: Cascade, Needle’s Eye and Outer Limits were my go-to spots. I was good, and I knew it. The pleasure was in the show. I dug hearing comments from the lift above me or sensing admiring eyes.

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Tagged: Backcountry, Catskills19 Comments