# Plattekill Mountain 2-14-14



## Wavewheeler (Feb 15, 2014)

Plattekill Mountain

 Friday, February 14, 2012

 Powder..lots of it

 Overcast, high 20s..snow showers all day. A bit windy in the AM.

 I can see why people love this place. The atmosphere is a throwback to a different era. It is definitely an "old style" ski resort...from the lift tickets that peel off and attach to jacket to the lockers. It has a laid back, homey feel.  You feel like you are skiing in someone's backyard, rather than at a large resort. I liked it. As advertised, there were hardly any crowds. It was basically ski off the mountain onto the lift and I had the chairs to myself the entire time. I really liked the crowd of people. Lots of families, locals and people who just wanted to get out and enjoy the day. 

 It took me a solid 4 hours to get there. I had to take it slow through much of the trip due to the plows being out throughout most of the NJ highways and some of the roads still had a coating up in New York. I got to the mountain about 10am and was on the mountain at 10:45. It was overcast and snowing when I got there and snow showered most of the day. It was REALLY windy on the drive up but by the time I got there the winds were dying down. By midday they were calm. 

 You really get the feeling that this is a much bigger mountain. It sits in a bowl and looking up at the trails is rather impressive. Honestly, there were times yesterday when I wondered if I should've brought my snowshoes, not my skis. I'm just not used to this much powder! I prefer groomers in general anyway. I wish I'd could've waited an extra day to ski here after the big storm but that wasn't possible so I was faced with the scenario of "too much of a good thing?" I guess it depends on what you like or want. I would've loved to have been able to have bombed down the blacks but was unable to.

 I'm just not a powder skier. I found myself sticking to the barely groomed blues instead of my usual single blacks. I'd love to go back and check this place out a day or two after a storm and run the blacks. Do they even groom them or is the charm of this place that caters to the natural snow/bumper crowd?

 In any case, if you love natural powder and bumps this was the day to go. Actually, there weren't that many big bumps but there was tons and tons of powder. It wasn't a light fluffy snow but not heavy either. It was that creamy snow that makes for a great base and there was a bit of fluff in it so it wasn't hard to get through it at all. I would've loved to have gone back today, assuming they would've smoothed things out. By the end of the day things were starting to get a bit chopped up and uneven. It never really got bumped up but the bumps were starting to form here and there, especially on the steeper blacks. 

 I started out on the triple chair with a run down Powder Puff and then Lower Face/Shredded Mozzarella/Sundown to warm up. Those were pretty much all groomed at some point. On the other side where the double chair runs, everything else, and I mean EVERYTHING was left natural except for Overlook (a green) on the other side. There, even the blues were natural. I went down Ridge/Lower Ridge and The Plunge and Freefall. 

 BTW, all you tree lovers would've been in Heaven.  Everywhere people were skiing thru the trees and there were lots of ways thru them.

 I broke for lunch around 1:30. I liked the Skier's Bistro. Got a nice chili bread bowl and enjoyed the fire on the second floor and then went up on Upper/Lower Face, Sundown and Shredded Mozzarella until the lifts closed at 4pm. 

 All in all, it was a good day of skiing and nice to get out and explore a new hill after a big dumping of snow. It was different and unique. It's a long drive for a day trip though so I think I will do it for an overnighter to the Catskills at some point and do a midweek at Hunter and a weekend day at Platty.


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## Wavewheeler (Feb 15, 2014)

Some more pics, including those of the lodge..


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## SKI-3PO (Feb 15, 2014)

Looks great!  Wish I could be there.


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## lerops (Feb 15, 2014)

Thank you, looks very nice. Will be there with family Sunday and Monday. Can't wait.


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## ScottySkis (Feb 15, 2014)

Glad you got their. Yes after couple days after snow some if the blacks will be groomed. Blockbuster and bumps is usually moguls or part moguls natural. They get snow a lot so natural snow on left peak is common. If you go back after non snow storm you be able to enjoy the blacks more. Great pictures fun taking powder puff and seeing all those bike runs.


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## lerops (Feb 15, 2014)

Scotty, thanks for your help in all things Plattekill. :smile: What are some of the easy blues? I will try to convince my wife to venture of the two green trails on either side.


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## Cornhead (Feb 15, 2014)

Platty rocks, cars 1/2 mile down the access road, still no more than 5 minute wait. Knee deep in the woods didn't suck either.

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## Cornhead (Feb 15, 2014)

View attachment 11202
Scotty at the edge of legal.


Help, I've fallen, and I can't get up!

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## Wavewheeler (Feb 15, 2014)

Those in the woods were very happy! Tons of powder in the trees and lots of trails. I always assume that some blacks will be left natural and bumped up. I didn't expect much to be groomed when I went since it was STILL snowing and continued to do so all day after the big dumping for 24 hours before. I hit the same thing at Gore 2 years ago when I drove up in the snow and it snowed all night and all the next day when I skied there.

 It's a totally different skiing experience that I'm used to so of course I had to adjust. I wasn't the only one. I saw a lot of people looking a bit puzzled about how and what to do with all this powder! :lol: We East Coast skiers just aren't used to this much snow!  

I had a great day and got to experience a different mountain. Those blacks looked intense and I'd like to try them with a groomed/packed powder surface on them. Single black steeps with packed powder are what I love. Some like bumps, others like trees, I like to go fast down groomers.  

While there were some blues I got the impression there weren't a lot and they were rather short. They weren't at all difficult. The two greens were long and rather pleasant...nice for beginners. 

It's def a hill worth going to..especially if you have to go on weekends. I'd sooner go to Platty on a Saturday-Sunday then Hunter. I could see a great trip being Hunter on a Thursday or Friday and heading to Platty on a Saturday or Sunday. A nice variety and they aren't too far from each other.


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## ScottySkis (Feb 15, 2014)

lerops said:


> Scotty, thanks for your help in all things Plattekill. :smile: What are some of the easy blues? I will try to convince my wife to venture of the two green trails on either side.



Shredded Mozzarella and blue under the Tripple chair are nice and mellow.
Today was best top 3 day at Platty maybe it was so warm to temps in 30 today I was sweating. Warmest day for me at Platty this winter. Enjoy tomorrow Monday. I going to Catamont tomorrow got my 40 ticket from Potterbrothers in Kingston on way home today.


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## Wavewheeler (Feb 15, 2014)

A few more pics..


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## Cornhead (Feb 15, 2014)

This doesn't show on my phone in the previous post, try again, "border" Scotty.

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## Cornhead (Feb 15, 2014)

If you'd like to hone your powder skills, give this place a shot early season. http://www.snowridge.com/ Most snow per year East of the Mississippi. They don't call it Snow Ridge for nothing, OK the "Ridge" part is fitting too. All the better for learning. Very similar vibe to Platty, love em both.

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## Wavewheeler (Feb 15, 2014)

Tug Hill..Closer to Ontario then Albany. :lol: I'll bet they get a lot of snow! They got that whole "Lake Effect" thing going...

It's nice to see that smaller ski area still exist, especially since so many have gone corporate or closed down. 

I'm going to have to learn to ski powder at some point when I move out west. I will say that I'm getting better at it. Practice makes perfect!


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## Cornhead (Feb 16, 2014)

Wavewheeler said:


> Tug Hill..Closer to Ontario then Albany. :lol: I'll bet they get a lot of snow! They got that whole "Lake Effect" thing going...
> 
> It's nice to see that smaller ski area still exist, especially since so many have gone corporate or closed down.
> 
> I'm going to have to learn to ski powder at some point when I move out west. I will say that I'm getting better at it. Practice makes perfect!



Oh yeah, they get a little snow. http://www.forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?p=805984 

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## abc (Feb 16, 2014)

Cornhead said:


> View attachment 11201


Yeah, I was wishing I had my bc poles with me which has big powder baskets! My regular pole went straight down the soft snow as if it weren't there, my arm and my body subsequently followed... And it was so deep I slowly toppled over as a result .

Similar result as this:
View attachment 11204


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## BenedictGomez (Feb 16, 2014)

Great trip report.  You hit the best day of the year.  If you prefer parking lot groomers though, Platty wont typically be your place; if it snows they generally let it be (other than the beginner trails and a few intermediates of course)


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## Wavewheeler (Feb 16, 2014)

BenedictGomez said:


> Great trip report.  You hit the best day of the year.  If you prefer parking lot groomers though, Platty wont typically be your place; if it snows they generally let it be (other than the beginner trails and a few intermediates of course)



I figured it would be like that. It certainly was new and different.  Nothing ventured...nothing gained! 

I definitely like my skiing to be on trails that are somewhat groomed or at least smoothed out. I learned to ski on classic East Coast conditions so it's what I'm used to. But I have skied on fresh powder at times and each time I get a bit better and theres something about being surrounded by mounds of new snow that you just have to like.  

Waiting a day or 2 to go is what I usually do or I'll tack on a day after but this time I had a small time frame so I took what I could get.


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## Mapnut (Feb 17, 2014)

Wavewheeler said:


> Plattekill Mountain
> 
> Honestly, there were times yesterday when I wondered if I should've brought my snowshoes, not my skis. I'm just not used to this much powder! I prefer groomers in general anyway. I wish I'd could've waited an extra day to ski here after the big storm but that wasn't possible so I was faced with the scenario of "too much of a good thing?" I guess it depends on what you like or want. I would've loved to have been able to have bombed down the blacks but was unable to.


I got lucky at Plattekill a few years back, the only time I went there, when everything was groomed and I was able to cruise the blacks. I'm not a mogul skier or a powder skier either. It had rained earlier in the week so I think they flattened the moguls and groomed everything so it wouldn't freeze that way. I got in a lot of runs and a lot of vertical, skiing more steeps than I usually do because 2 of the easier runs were closed.


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## Abominable (Feb 18, 2014)

Scotty and Cornhead, glad we hooked up on Saturday - what a day!  Hope you guys had a great afternoon.


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## Cornhead (Feb 18, 2014)

Abominable said:


> Scotty and Cornhead, glad we hooked up on Saturday - what a day!  Hope you guys had a great afternoon.


Great meeting you too Jack, sorry we couldn't share more turns, what a day huh! Abubob, sorry I mistook you for Abominable, at least you have a few letters in common in your screen names.;-)


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## skiking4 (Feb 18, 2014)

Conditions were awesome yesterday. Sun was starting to bake the snow and make it very heavy towards the end of the day, but nonetheless was fantastic. No ice, soft bumps, some untracked left, and the woods were killer!


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## ScottySkis (Feb 18, 2014)

Abominable said:


> Scotty and Cornhead, glad we hooked up on Saturday - what a day!  Hope you guys had a great afternoon.



Great to finally meet you to. Funny meet way " Scotty getting off chair Bob what up you guys from alpinezone. Trees in afternoon wonderland of snow and trees.


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## skiking4 (Feb 18, 2014)

Scotty said:


> Great to finally meet you to. Funny meet way " Scotty getting off chair Bob what up you guys from alpinezone. Trees in afternoon wonderland of snow and trees.



wat


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## ScottySkis (Feb 19, 2014)

skiking4 said:


> wat



You had to be there to understand.


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## powhunter (Feb 19, 2014)

Platty was balls out fun as hell Monday...glades were knee shots all day.. Most other mountains would have been tracked out...loved the trail the cliffs..First time at platt..Will definitely be back.


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## ScottySkis (Feb 26, 2014)

Yes they have trees and this snow was awesome. Taken from Facebook page of Platty.


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## Rowsdower (Feb 26, 2014)

Next year I need to get up to Platty after a big storm. It's on my list for sure.


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