THIS holiday season was the best in recent memory for metro area skiers and the weekend’s snowstorm was just icing on the cake. If you have yet to strap on the boards this season, you have to travel no further than the Catskills for some great fun.
Some of the country’s finest downhill and cross-country ski options are found in the Catskill Region of New York State. Belleayre Mountain, Hunter Mountain and Ski Windham have challenging slopes to thrill seasoned experts, as well as gentler gradients for beginners and children.
The region’s highest skiable peak is Belleayre Mountain in Ulster County, with a top elevation of 3,429 feet and a vertical drop of 1,404 feet. A natural division separates the upper slopes, for extreme experts, from the lower slopes, ideal for intermediates and beginners.
Attractions include a total of 35 trails with 92-percent snowmaking capability, strong race and competition programs, seven lifts, two ski lodges with shops and equipment rental, and professional instruction. Four miles of marked, ungroomed trails take cross-country skiers on a fascinating route along the Ulster-Delaware Turnpike.
The resort offers a value-added two-day package priced from $56 for adults, with discounts for children, teens and seniors. The popular “Kids Stay Free” package for under-12-year-olds accompanied by a paying adult includes complimentary skiing, instruction and accommodations.
Clinics are offered in snowboarding and cross-country, as well as downhill, skiing. Daily bus service from Manhattan’s Port Authority, with a 7 a.m. departure, makes access easy. More information is available at 800-431-4555.
Expert downhill skiers rank Hunter Mountain’s slopes among the most challenging in the eastern U.S. Located in Greene County, it is just a two hour drive from Manhattan.
In 1999, Hunter was named “Best Family Ski Resort, by Hudson Valley Magazine, and in 2000 it was a staff pick for “Best Family Ski Resort.” The season lasts a good six months here, and the three-mountain area covers a total of 230 acres, with 53 ski trails, a 1,600-foot vertical drop, and fine facilities for many more of the traditional snow sports, including snowboarding, tubing and snowshoeing.
Among the interesting programs offered are several fine choices for beginners and children, including “Hunter One First Tracks.” This accelerated learning program guarantees that the resort’s skilled trainers will teach any first-timer to ski or ride on day one – or the next lesson is free.
The Hunter Mountain Frequent Skier Card costs $29, with special discounts on weekends and holidays. Snowboarders enjoy the Terrain Park, featuring a 400-foot halfpipe with continuously changing obstacles and a 1,000-watt Bose sound system. For more details, call 800-775-4641.
Also in Greene County is Ski Windham, where two peaks offer a vertical drop of 1,600 feet and 34 ski trails, three with great park and pipe areas for snowboarding, including a halfpipe with big audio. Night skiing is a popular option.
This resort has won awards for its courtesy services, and is highly praised for its work with disabled skiers. Staffed by well-trained instructors, the Children’s Learning Center at Windham offers specially designed equipment, hourly lessons as well as all-day programs. For more info, call 800-754-9463.
For its 14 slopes and trails, serviced by six chair lifts, Holiday Mountain uses the latest grooming equipment with double snowmaking capacity. Families find the facilities at this Sullivan County resort especially supportive, with excellent programs for schoolchildren and the popular “Kinder-Ski” program for kids aged four to six. The 90-minute drive from NYC is a breeze. Superior instruction is available to skiers of all ages at the Holiday Mountain Ski School. Call 845-796-3161.
Families also gravitate to Delaware County’s Bobcat Ski Center on Mount Pisgah, the county’s tallest peak, where the 1,050-foot vertical drop is the third- longest in the Catskill Mountain Region and natural snow sets the scene.
Tough trails for the intrepid include Deer Run and the Challenger, while the Bunny Slope and the Tunis offer gentler slopes. College students enjoy a special $12 rate for all-day lift tickets. Details can be requested from 845-676-3143.
Ski Plattekill offers 32 slopes and trails, a summit elevation of 3,500 feet, and a 1,000-foot vertical drop. The resort’s ski school and ski patrol are expertly staffed. Nighttime snowtubing is open Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. For information, call 607-326-3500.
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