What is your favorite ski area close to ALB?

[OldTimer88]

I was looking at the Belleayre map (I've never been) and a couple of YT vids tonight and their terrain layout looks interesting - seems like you can drop in to varying terrain from multiple crosses and access lifts throughout. Long runs, med runs, etc. I'm strictly a mid-week half-day skier who can do my job anywhere living just south of Saratoga and willing to drive about 1.5 hours each way. Much appreciated!

 

[Brownski]

For you the choices are West, Jiminy and Gore. Midweek I’d say Jiminy is the way to go

 

[Harvey]

I changed "spot" to "ski area" in the title because all the choices are ski areas.

I originally chose "Other" because my favorite "spot" within 1.5 hours of Albany is our land in the So Adk.

Now that it is ski area, I'm remaining with other because I can't choose between Gore and Plattekill. You can't make me! I guess by number of ski days it would be Gore.

While you are from 'toga, you said Albany in your thread title. I was surprised to see that Plattekill and Gore are the same time/distance (90 mins) from downtown ALB.

 

[rfreeman]

Voted Gore. Considered Plattekill but that is really when they get the natural snow goods and only an option Fri-Sun, so really that is just a sentimental not a practical choice.

How far is Bromley?
And what is MR?

 

[Tjf1967]

For you the choices are West, Jiminy and Gore. Midweek I’d say Jiminy is the way to go

Mount snow. Bromley magic snow and stratton are just as close as gore. None are better.

 

[rfreeman]

Mount snow. Bromley magic snow and stratton are just as close as gore. None are better.

Yeah I would still vote Gore. Though I have not been there in forever due to having Epic and Indy passes.

Tough for me to consider ORDA pass with Belleayre being a 6 hr round trip and others farther, and passes having become so much more affordable than any other options for folks that ski regularly.

 

[x10003q]

Gore is the best choice on that list, but it has big sections closed midweek. If you like to do lots of skiing in a short period, you want high speed lifts. Stratton and Bromley should be considered also. Magic is also lots of fun. However, they only have fixed grip chairs, they are not open every day midweek, and their snowmaking and elevation can lead to shaky conditions in a bad snow year.

 

[SayvilleSteve]

I'm strictly a mid-week half-day skier who can do my job anywhere living just south of Saratoga and willing to drive about 1.5 hours each way. Much appreciated!

A lot of areas in Vermont (Okemo, Killington, Mount Snow, Magic, Bromley, Stratton) as well as Whiteface are all a shorter drive from Saratoga/Malta/Clifton Park than Belleayre and much better when considering midweek.

 

[Jim]

For me, it all depends on what I'm looking for out of a particular day. I enjoy the big places but I'm not going to go pay top dollar to pay to park somewhere far away to fight crowds on a peak season weekend or holiday. But if I had to pick one place (excluding Royal since I teach there), I'd pick Magic (hence my "Other" vote). I like everything about the place. But yes, they need a good amount of natural snow.

 

[timbly]

Mount Raimer?