Plattekill: Riley Season

Saturday wasn’t my first time driving south to ski Plattekill, but it was the first time “leaving home” to do it. I’m now 30 minutes closer to one of my favorite ski areas and the drive is much more relaxed than traveling north out of New Jersey.

Route 30

No matter how much Google Maps insists I take the shortest route, I’m sticking to the interstates as much as I can: 87, 90 and 88. Once you are off I-88, it’s a scenic and comfortable drive down Route 30 through Grand Gorge.

When it comes to skiing Plattekill, especially early in the season, you can’t overestimate the value of having a friend like Sean Riley.

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Black Friday at Hunter Mountain

There had been some debate about whether Black Friday would be a good day to ski. My plan was to ski Hunter the day after Thanksgiving. Somebody suggested it was a blackout day on some Epic passes so that meant it would be crowded. Harvey thought Sunday would be better.

Catskill Flyer

I’ve always had good luck skiing on those days that are famous for something else — like Super Bowl Sunday for instance. My thinking was that a big event — like football or shopping — distracts the casuals away and only hardcore skiers are on the slopes. And Sunday skiing would mean driving home with the weekend traffic.

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Gore Opens in 2025

It’s been cold in the northeast and here in the mountains, it’s been snowing. Lows have been in the twenties every night for a few weeks and the ski areas have been taking full advantage, opening more terrain, faster than any year in recent memory.

Gore Mountain opening day 2025

Gore was no exception, opening a week before Thanksgiving. Lifts spun on East Side and the North with three lifts and ~four ways down the mountain for the weekend. Conditions were good, and skiers were impressed with the wall-to-wall coverage on all the open terrain. Friday was for passholders and the weekend was open to the public.

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