Besides the holidays and an excuse to wear scarves, skiing is one of the only things that gets me through the three-plus months of sub-freezing temperatures, biting wind chills and a laughable amount of sunlight.
Downhill skiing is exhilarating. Strap into your bindings and you get to zoom down a snow-covered mountain with awesome views of the surrounding terrain.
However, what sucks is running into (literally) some douche bag who looks like he answered the casting call for MTV's Jersey Shore.
Let's face it, places near the city get packed during the weekends, turning your idyllic ski trip into one annoyance after another. (E.g.: getting cut off by some guy in jeans; paying $17.65 for chili, fries and water at the cafeteria; waiting 20-plus minutes in line for the chairlift, etc.)
So, to try and save you all some trouble, here is a list of some ski resorts that aren't exactly off the beaten track, but far enough away from the Interstate.
And because of all the snow we've been getting, you may want to start packing now.
New York
Weekend/Holiday/Midweek Price: $54/$54/$45
Distance from NYC: Approx. 2 ½ hours
Because Hunter and Wyndham are way crowded during the weekends. Belle Ayre is a state-run mountain, so it lacks the frills of its Catskill counterparts, but who needs extra glam when you can get in extra runs? The terrain itself is similar to that of the nearby mountains, too.
Weekend/Holiday/Midweek Price: $71/$74/$64
Distance from NYC: Approx. 4 hours
A recent favorite. Located in the foothills of the Adirondack mountains, it’s too far from the city to make the trip in one day and it’s big enough to enjoy for a few days of skiing. (It usually gets better snow than the Catskills resorts further south.)
Weekend/Holiday/Midweek Price: $74/$79/$74
Distance from NYC: Approx. 5 hours
The mountain itself if the fifth highest in New York State and is situated right near once-Olympic ski town, Lake Placid. Many skiers venturing way north flock to Vermont, overlooking this gem…and fortunately keeping the trails clear for those who choose to come here instead.
Pennsylvania
Weekend/Midweek Price: $56/$56/$47
Distance from NYC: Approx. 3 hours
Probably the cute-sy-ist member of this list. Elk is a great place for beginners as it lacks the altitude and extreme conditions of the other resorts. I also personally find the terrain more interesting than nearby Camelback and Blue mountains.
New Hampshire
Weekend/Midweek Price: $65
Distance from NYC: Approx. 7 hours
Bring extra thermals and hand warmers. It’s cold up here. In fact, Wild Cat is so far north that the highway signs are also written in French Canadian and poutain is on the menus. Nonetheless, it’s a great place to visit. The trails lack run-out (that pesky bottom part of a run that’s flat, but still considered “the trail”) and the snow is usually plentiful. On clear days, Mount Washington (the highest peak in the eastern U.S.) rises like a wall next to the Cat’s trails and the Atlantic is actually visible from the top.
Vermont
Sugarbush
Weekend/Midweek Price: $67/$67/$62 (Saturday is the only day considered a weekend)
Distance from NYC: Approx. 5 ½ hours
We’ve all heard of Killington, Okemo, Mt. Snow, etc., but Sugarbush is definitely not-to-be-missed on a trip to Vermont. As if the diminished crowds aren’t good enough, Sugarbush is divided into a few sections to keep the skiers and riders dispersed. Very nice.
Weekend/Midweek Price: $62/$66/$39
Distance from NYC: Approx. 5 ½ hours
A hardcore skier’s (and only skiers) heaven. No snowboarders. No snow guns. No grooming. No nonsense. There aren’t many places left in the U.S. (or even the world) with primitive, just-for-the-love-of-it skiing, so try it out if you’re up to the challenge. When you want to warm up, try the chili; it’s rumored to be the best you can get in a lodge.
Have you been to any of these? Let me know!
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Thanks for this Michelle! This is really useful!
So nice to see a post about Skiing!!!!
Yay for skiing Mando! We all know I'm not the most - uh. active; however, Michelle really knows her shit.
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