Catskill 4 Area Discussion

[x10003q]

I have been single day skiing the Catskills for over 4 decades. The only time I stayed overnight was for racing weekends at Hunter while in college. Since I have lived mostly in N NJ, all the areas are 2 hours or less of driving time. While I have lots of days at the 4 areas, there are also years that go by where I might not get to the various areas. It is not exactly fair to compare Plattekill with the other three due to size and it is not a full week ski area but here we are. Please rank anything you see fit to rank.

Green Terrain.......Blue Terrain.....Black Terrain
Belleayre............Windham..............Hunter
Windham..........Hunter....................Plattekill
Hunter................Belleayre..............Windham/Belleayre
Plattekill...........Plattekill.............

Off Trail (inside the ski area border)
Plattekill - border to border and the most natural snow
Belleayre - lots of on map choices, 2nd most natural snow
Hunter
Windham

Natural Snow
Plattekill
Belleayre
Hunter/Windham

Snowmaking - Hunter used to be the king, and it seemed that when Peak bought Hunter in 2015, they would continue that tradition, but now that Hunter is owned by Epic, that snowmaking philosophy might have changed. Belleayre and Windham have decent systems and they are not afraid to use the systems. The same can be said for Plattekill, although it has a smaller system with less coverage.

There are a number of factors that go into how I choose where to ski for a day in the Catskills. Snow conditions weigh heavily. Here are my overall rankings.

4. Windham is my least skied due to distance. Then add in weekend crowding, lower natural snow, and terrain.
3. Belleayre is usually the 3rd choice. Its terrain is wonky when I am skiing with blue skiers. If Windham swapped locations with Belleayre, I would never go to Belleayre.
2. Hunter - I love the terrain at Hunter. Midweek - Hunter is my first choice. Weekends can be tough at Hunter, especially if they only open Clair's on Hunter West.
1. Plattekill - no brainer choice for weekends due to no crowding and snow quality. During a normal season, there is lots of natural snow. The terrain, on and off trail, is excellent for me. It lacks blue and green terrain when compared to the others, but it is still a great place due to lack of crowds and natural coverage.

 

[MarzNC]

Green Terrain.......Blue Terrain.....Black Terrain
Belleayre............Windham..............Hunter
Windham..........Hunter....................Plattekill
Hunter................Belleayre..............Windham/Belleayre
Plattekill...........Plattekill.............

Not quite sure how to interpret this list.

I've skied a day or two at Belleayre, Hunter, and Plattekill in the last decade. Took a quick look at the base of Windham during off-season. More interested in going back to Belleayre and/or Plattekill some day when the slopes are 100% open.

A friend who is a cautious intermediate liked Belleayre when she gave it a try using the MAX Pass. She and her DH live in CT and did a day trip to meet up with me during early season. They went back once or twice after that.

After Windham joined Ikon, it's become worth a day or two for a few friends who are willing to take a weekend to ski locally in addition to taking trips out west.

Hunter being on Epic is one reason that a cautious intermediate gave it a try. Had moved from VT to NY in the middle of the season. Seemed to have a mixed reaction. But the relatively low cost of a Northeast Epic pass for a senior was hard to pass up.

 

[Brownski]

It’s not really fair to leave Catamount out. They’re as close for the majority of metro area skiers and similar in size and quality of terrain. The fact that we call some of the hills Catskills and some Berkshires isn’t really material.

 

[MarzNC]

It’s not really fair to leave Catamount out. They’re as close for the majority of metro area skiers and similar in size and quality of terrain. The fact that we call some of the hills Catskills and some Berkshires isn’t really material.

Would you include Jiminy Peak too? Or is that just a little too far a drive? Perhaps 30 min longer from northern NJ than to Plattekill.

JP reminds me more of Hunter or Windham, at least in terms of being a "ski resort" that has slopeside lodging as an option. Not much in terms of tree skiing, but a decent variety of terrain otherwise.

 

[Brownski]

Jiminy is great, though it’s very different now then it was when I learned to ski there. Maybe a little outside the radius. Catamount is just as close or closer as the Catskills resorts for most of the people that ski at them.

 

[x10003q]

It’s not really fair to leave Catamount out. They’re as close for the majority of metro area skiers and similar in size and quality of terrain. The fact that we call some of the hills Catskills and some Berkshires isn’t really material.

I have never skied at Catamount. It is about 2:20 from my current home and it was longer from some of my other addresses. It is hard to justify Catamount when there is better snow and better vertical closer to me in the Catskills. Bobcat was another great choice in the Plattekill/Catskills category until it closed in the early 2000s. In the 1980s, Plattekill and Bobcat were totally off the radar and weekends at either place were like skiing at a private club. I do need to get to Catamount.

I have never skied Jiminy, either. Jiminy is almost 3 hours from me and basically out of my day trip time frame. As I can get to Gore/Bromely/Stratton/Mt Snow in a little over 3 hours, Jiminy will never be a day trip. If I am going drive 3+ hours, I am going to drive to larger areas.

Elk is in a similar situation to Catamount at 2:30 from my home. I did manage to ski there a few years ago while driving my son back to college. It is a great place, but it is hard to justify the drive when compared to the Catskills.

 

[Brownski]

I understand but I think you’re a Catskills local right? The majority of skiers are coming up from the metro area. For them Catamount is as close or closer. Most days, the snow there is just as good as the other hills. Jiminy is worth visiting too but I agree it’s probably appropriate to group it with the SVT hills. I hate to say it cause it used to be a really chill old school place but nowadays I’d recommend going midweek. Weekends are like Hunter or Stratton weekends. They have WAY too much lift capacity for the acreage. Berkshire East is worth checking out too but it would be even farther for you.

 

[SudsNBumps]

I hope they can get Highmount online again. Growing up in N NJ, that was my go to. HVI days...loved Huntah during the week but Platte and Highmount were my go tos. Huntah was what Killington is to me now, early and late season. Bobcat was what Jiminy probably is...that extra 30 minutes...and Bobcat only had surface lifts

 

[x10003q]

I understand but I think you’re a Catskills local right? The majority of skiers are coming up from the metro area. For them Catamount is as close or closer. Most days, the snow there is just as good as the other hills. Jiminy is worth visiting too but I agree it’s probably appropriate to group it with the SVT hills. I hate to say it cause it used to be a really chill old school place but nowadays I’d recommend going midweek. Weekends are like Hunter or Stratton weekends. They have WAY too much lift capacity for the acreage. Berkshire East is worth checking out too but it would be even farther for you.

I am not local to the Cats. After I graduated college and before I could afford to do a seasonal in VT/Gore, I would make 5-10 day trips/ season to the Catskills (plus a few weekends in VT and a week out West). The Berkshires were not a choice due to distance geting close to VT/Gore distance. Eventually I bought a place at Gore so my Catskill trips were reduced.

 

[Country Gun]

The Catskills have provided me with some very fun ski days over the last two decades.
Three memorial days at three different ski areas come to mind.
Three of my children and I some how got to Belleayre in 2010 after the 7 ft snow storm. Had to see it to believe it.
In 2011 my 14 year-old daughter and 6 year son and I had a rare week day ski day at Windham. All due to her getting a two week suspension for beating up another girl in her class. It was quite the bonding experience.
Best ski day ever in the Cats was a Friday , let’s skip school day and hit Platty. Well on the way up it rained sleeted and snowed. Slow drive up due to road conditions, had us arriving late and maybe missing out. Heck no , we arrived to snow only , no rain, no sleet lifts just getting ready to run and 10 to 12 inches of snow pretty much all to ourselves. Kids will never forget that day. Low expectations, Plattekill cloud delivered again!