Poll: What Catskill Ski Area is Most Different from the Other 3?

[Ripitz]

I uphilled all four in two days last season. The experience gave me a unique perspective. Hunter in my opinion is the most different. They blasted the shit out of that place. There’s really only two ways down off the front, maybe three. It had the most people and the least snow. It has the biggest vertical at 1,600 ft and a High Peak with a fire tower 1,000 ft above it. Lots of cliffs to huck, bumps to bash and sidecountry that no one can talk about. You can go scary fast down Hellgate into Broadway. If you straighten out the W shaped bar at the base it’s the longest ski lodge bar in the world, allegedly. It’s unique that’s for sure.

 

[Campgottagopee]

I guess my question is for all is...

What are your criteria? To you which is the most different?

I can't vote due to never skiing the Cat's. That said, for me, terrain would be my criteria for making one hill stand out over another. Variety is the spice of life!

 

[jasonwx]

lets say it's Tuesday, everything is freshly groomed. Hunter wins hands down, freshly groomed , no crowds. That place just rips! The front side gives you 1600 ft of more or less fall line skiing.. Hellgate-broadway-gunhill or Ike is a hoot.. Here's my fav: The Cliff to Racers then the bottom.. IMO on a tues these are the best runs in the Cats..
Bell is also great on a Tues, just a tick bellow Hunter...Platt and Windham are private
If it's a weekend then ,100% platt..

 

[Harvey]

lets say it's Tuesday, everything is freshly groomed. Hunter wins hands down, freshly groomed , no crowds. That place just rips! The front side gives you 1600 ft of more or less fall line skiing.. Hellgate-broadway-gunhill or Ike is a hoot.. Here's my fav: The Cliff to Racers then the bottom.. IMO on a tues these are the best runs in the Cats..
Bell is also great on a Tues, just a tick bellow Hunter...Platt and Windham are private
If it's a weekend then ,100% platt..

And your answer for most different is....?

 

[jasonwx]

And your answer for most different is....?

Everyone is unique in it's own way... There is no answer

 

[DomB]

I can't vote due to never skiing the Cat's. That said, for me, terrain would be my criteria for making one hill stand out over another. Variety is the spice of life!

Come on down

 

[DomB]

Have only skied Windham once or twice. Plattekill hands down compared to the others (also skied there maybe 5 times).

It has an old school vibe and is chill. Cool mountain that skis fun.

Belleayre does have a vibe of some 'old timers' tied to the mountain, but has become kind of zooey on some weekends and holidays (meanwhile if there is enough snow at say a Gore, you really can't tell it is a holiday if you start at the right place).

Only skied hunter a few times and other than a closing day that was empty and fun, was scared for my physical well being.

Windham felt flat, even when I was a lower skill level, but that was years ago. The double peak thing is kind of nice.

 

[Peter Minde]

Never skied any of em but in order of preference to ski their slopes it’d be:
Platty, Belle, then Windham.
I ain’t goin ta Huntah.

A roommate from back in the day worked ski patrol at Hunter. Said there were a lot of outta control city types with flasks of Jagermeister in their pockets.

 

[Harvey]

I guess I should have expected this. Was looking for opinions on difference, not preference.

My bad, a poorly conceived idea for a discussion starter.

The last thing I wanted to do was encourage a Hunter hate session.

 

[tirolski]

A roommate from back in the day worked ski patrol at Hunter. Said there were a lot of outta control city types with flasks of Jagermeister in their pockets.

Shoulda received hazardous duty bonus pay.