Good place for never-ever's to get started, near NYC?

[James]

Looks like Wednesdays from Paragon they go to Blue Mt, PA

 

[cantunamunch]

No one for Plattekill? Too far away?

 

[jt10000]

No one for Plattekill? Too far away?

I helped a never-ever learn to ski there, but it's far for a first timer. The beginner area is good and the real green trail is nice but they just have the one. Plus it's far for a first timer.

CORRECTION: they have two green trails.

 

[James]

No one for Plattekill? Too far away?

No experience with it.
For the same or less time for never ever Butternut or Belleayre would likely be better.
Esp Butternut. There’s not much around Plattekill, nor Belleayre for that matter. Great Barrington is a nice town so there’s something else there.

Is there any mid station on that right lift?

 

[crosscountry]

No one for Plattekill? Too far away?

I wouldn't. It's a long drive. You have to go right past Belleayre, which has more green runs.

 

[jt10000]

View attachment 227341
Is there any mid station on that right lift?

Pretty sure there is not.

Also, I forgot about the green trail on the left - when we were there it was not open. Nice place, but not for a first-timer from NYC.

 

[crosscountry]

The closest beginner hill for NYC is Thunder Ridge. No question asked. The train to ski is also a convenience factor. In fact, Metro North does a Get Away package combining train ticket with lift tickets.

Yes, there's also places in NJ, like Mountain Creek, which is almost just a close in terms of drive time. But unless they have more snow than Thunder Ridge (I kind of doubt it), I don't see that much of a difference.

If one is to get on a bus, I wouldn't bother with the Poconos. Might as well go far north to VT. Better snow. Different scenery which the first timer may find appealing and add to the enjoyment.

 

[jt10000]

Adding one other Berkshires option - 15 minutes further in time than Butternut is Bousquet. Much much smaller but super nice and their snowmaking etc is superb. Not a destination resort so nearly no lines. Rental shop is great, vibe is great. I love that place.

 

[crosscountry]

Also, I forgot about the green trail on the left - when we were there it was not open. Nice place, but not for a first-timer from NYC.

Agree not for first timer.

The bottom half of the green trail on the left is basically a cat track. Narrow with a drop off on one side. I once went with a beginner who's not even a first timer. She was terrified by the drop off. Took ages to get through it.

 

[jt10000]

Yes, there's also places in NJ, like Mountain Creek, which is almost just a close in terms of drive time. But unless they have more snow than Thunder Ridge (I kind of doubt it), I don't see that much of a difference.

Don't go to Mountain Creek on weekends. Just don't. It's a mess with crowds. On a lesson you can skip lines, but it's still a mess.

I had a season pass there and frankly got hooked on alpine skiing there (they have a super-good deal on season passes at this time of year - less than $300 I think and it's valid for the rest of the season you're in plus the whole next season. Very good).

But the beginner trails and lifts are packed by 10am most weekend days. I mean, if you can get there an hour before lifts spin and get your rentals first and hit the trails just as they open and ski for 90 minutes then maybe..... As a season pass holder I could get on the lifts early, so would catch first chair for passholders at 8 or 8:30 (8 I think) and stop at 11am at the latest. Home to NYC by 12:30 or 1pm. But it's a disaster in terms of crowds.

I want to get back to Mountain Creek now that I ski a bit better, but not on a weekend.

I switched for Shawnee for my second full season.

 

[crosscountry]

Don't go to Mountain Creek on weekends. Just don't. It's a zoo. On a lesson you can skip lines, but it's still a zoo.

To be frank, all the mountain "close to" NYC are zoos on weekends.

I taught for a few seasons at Thunder Ridge. Let me tell you, the rental queue stretches all the way out the building on weekends. My students missed their assigned class by an hour because that's how long the rental queue took! The magic carpet? Pact full of toddlers who topple over like peas out of a jar. As an instructor, I had to fight over other flat terrain to do instructions against other instruction groups. I have to have eyes on the back of my head to watch out for little unguided missiles knocking my students over! (never-evers take ages to get back up, best not to have them fall over not of their own fault).

All that would escape notice by children learners. But adult learners? It's a bit intimidating. They worry about crashing into others, or being crashed into. It's not ideal.

There're no place to sit in the lodge. The line for food is equally long as the rental queue... the list of crowding issues goes on...

But, it's not unique to Thunder Ridge. Take Belleayre, I don't think it's that much better either! It's got a lot of terrain. But boy, there're also a lot more people!!! I only go there on week days. Weekends are for Plattekill, or a longer drive further north.

Yes, I've been to Mountain Creek on a snow day (I didn't realize all NJ school was close due to snow). God, the line to purchase ticket took nearly an hour, because they decided to sell lessons on that same line!

Don't even get me started on Hunter!

My experience? All mountains near NYC are bad on weekends. But, never ever learners probably won't notice the different either.

 

[SKI-3PO]

A never-ever is not likely to need a lot of trails. And a less crowded place might be a benefit, if we’re talking a weekend. I second Plattekill.

 

[jt10000]

To be frank, all the mountain "close to" NYC are zoos on weekends.

There's big difference in line management. At Shawnee they do a good job. You wait, but it's reasonable. At Mountain Creek you have to fight fight not to not be cut and not move. I had season passes at both, going on weekends, and it was a huge difference. Only been to Camelback briefly and it was well-organized, like Shawnee.

I've also seen patrol telling people to get in control/slow down at Shawnee. And while both have plenty of people with a park vibe, the one at MC includes more older people who seem drunk or buzzed or wanting to be. I like the hill but there's a vibe on weekends that grates.

I'll add that with the exception of President's Day weekend, Shawnee seemed generally less crowded than Mountain Creek. A bit less. I think a lot of people from NYC bypass it for other resorts in PA. This was pre-covid though, maybe that's changed.

 

[johnnyvw]

Quote: "To be frank, all the mountain "close to" NYC are zoos on weekends."

And another reason why Big Snow is a very viable alternative since they have time periods you book. And as been mentioned, a first timer probably won't be on more than the bunny slope the first time or two, so no real need to travel very far.
At any actual ski resort on a weekend, get there before the lifts start running and get the process going. You'll be glad you did..

I just thought of another alternative....Bear Creek in PA, just south of Allentown. It's a very small area and so gets bypassed by people heading for Blue and Camelback. The beginner slope is very segregated from the other runs. Ski package is $189 on weekends, but includes a 2hour hour lesson instead of one hour, which IMO is beneficial for a first timer. From NYC it's a straight shot out Rt. 78

 

[jt10000]

A never-ever is not likely to need a lot of trails. And a less crowded place might be a benefit, if we’re talking a weekend. I second Plattekill.

Closer and equally uncrowded (maybe even less so), but in an actual small city (Pittsfield) and near a great town (Great Barrington) is Bousquet. Flies way under the radar because of its size, but this place is so good in terms of snowmaking and grooming.

At any actual ski resort on a weekend, get there before the lifts start running and get the process going. You'll be glad you did..

THIS. Ideally schedule a lesson for 30-60 minutes after the lifts start, but arrive an hour before the lifts start to get through rentals, etc easily. Then spend time before the lesson putting on the skis, putting around etc. Then the lesson. Then a little more skiing right after the lesson, Then a break/lunch before more skiing. Or end the day.

 

[James]

Bousquet it is!
If there’s snow.
There’s also Catamount which is the closest of the three. So you’ve got Catamount, Butternut, and Bousquet basically in the same area.

 

[jt10000]

Bousquet it is!
If there’s snow.
There’s also Catamount which is the closest of the three. So you’ve got Catamount, Butternut, and Bousquet basically in the same area.

"Our" hill is Catamount. I like it and was with an almost never-ever there a couple weeks ago. She had a good time. Took a lesson, then skied a little with me and my wife. Good time.

That said here's a comment about snow. This season also we've been to Butternut for my boy's races plus Bousquet for races and also fun since because it's on the same pass as Catamount. Ranking their snow: Bousquet is the best, Butternut close, Catamount just not as good. Bousquet has shocked us at times with how good their snow is relative to Catamount.

This past New Year's Day conditions were marginal at Catamount so we went to Bousquet. It was pristine corduroy. Not just better, but superb. It's wild sometimes.

 

[James]

^ Dude, Bousquet should be hiring you for advertising. Was that called something else before?

 

[Mendieta]

Talking of weekend crowds, it looks like she will start on a Friday, which is my main advice, she'd take a day off and do this right (I would never recommend to a never ever a crowded place. It adds to the stress, and dealing with crowds is 100 times easier when you have your equipment, you know where to park, and how to choose the emptiest place on the mountain (regardless of terrain difficulty)

 

[jt10000]

Butternut has $29 lift tickets most Fridays.

Bousquet is never really crowded even on weekends. The lodge might be on a day with a race, but the green trail and easier lift are not.