# Windham/Hunter/Belleayre/Plattekill



## ctenidae (Feb 4, 2011)

Wife and I are spending the weekend at a house in Shandaken, trying to decide where to ski Sat and Sun (gasp, I know- we've already doubled last year's ski time with a 4-hour ticket at Catamount).  Not feeling the love-vibe for Windham from anyoneso maybe that's lower down the list of interesting options. Hunter is intriguing- love a mountain where the herds stay  in one place leaving the good parts to people who can wander. Belleayre's attraction is from wanting to check it out prior to going with my brother and his kids to get them started skiing. Plattekill I know nothing about.

So, what do you suggest for Sat and Sunday? Varied terrain, manageable crowds, and good conditions, in approximately that order, drive the choices (which leads me to Hunter at least one day, I think). Thoughts?

Also, bonus points for breakfast and dinner suggestions...


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## bvibert (Feb 4, 2011)

Holy crap, you ski?

Hunter is a fun mountain if you like steepish terrain and/or moguls.  Not so much for intermediate type cruisers there.


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## oakapple (Feb 4, 2011)

Given your priorities, I'd recommend Saturday at Belleayre and Sunday at Hunter. On any given day, Hunter tends to be more crowded than Belleayre; but Sundays at Hunter are less crowded than Saturdays.

I think that Belleayre is a better beginner-to-intermediate mountain, and Hunter is a better advanced-to-expert mountain. It's not that Belleayre doesn't have good black diamonds, but that most of those have long blue run-outs to get back to the chairlift. For a future trip with your brother and his kids who have never skied, Belleayre's green trails are considerably better than Hunter's.

At Hunter, if you're a black diamond skier, there are two big areas (the F lift on the main mountain and the whole west side) that are entirely advanced terrain, and that don't see big crowds. Hunter's crown jewel, the new high-speed six-pack, has the longest lines, but because it is a six-pack, it also loads relatively quickly.


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

if you come to Hunter let me know...    

Not sure what's going on as far as conditions..  
We have some good woods options opening up now - not just glades..


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

oakapple said:


> Belleayre's green trails are considerably better than Hunter's.



I don't know if thats really true... Hunter has a whole area set aside for beginners(Hunter 1)..


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## ctenidae (Feb 4, 2011)

oakapple said:


> Given your priorities, I'd recommend Saturday at Belleayre and Sunday at Hunter. On any given day, Hunter tends to be more crowded than Belleayre; but Sundays at Hunter are less crowded than Saturdays.



That's kind of what I was thinking. Steepish terrain and trees we like (moguls not so much).


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## legalskier (Feb 4, 2011)

In addition to what's been said, Belleayre offers lots of glades/tree skiing, some tough, some tame. They were in very good shape last weekend and with all the snow this week they'll be terrific this weekend. The upper and lower mountains are connected via the Superchief lift, so you can meet up with your friends if they're skiing down below on the long gentle greens. 
Plattekill is a very cool mountain but the problem is finding it. It isn't as big as the others but offers much fun terrain with some good steeps.
Hunter's steeps/bumps can't be beat.


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

legalskier said:


> Hunter's steeps/bumps can't be beat.



We got good unmarked glades too..


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## 4aprice (Feb 4, 2011)

Shandaken is like 20 -30 minutes to Plattekill.  Go there Sat and wave to all the cars pulling into Belleayre as you go by.  Hit Hunter Sunday when probably no one will be there because of the Super Bowl and rain in the metropolitan area this weekend.  The Catskills should be awesome this weekend.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## andyzee (Feb 4, 2011)

Avoid Belleayre/Windham, Boring/Crowded. Go to Plattekill/Hunter


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## jrmagic (Feb 4, 2011)

I agree with the last 2. I think Plattekill Saturday and Hunter Sunday is the most interesting combo of the group.


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## ctenidae (Feb 4, 2011)

Plattekill could edge Bellyeare out- crowds, plus Plattekill's 1100 feet seems to be true, while Bellyere's 1400 is 800 at the top section and 600 on the bottom. 

Windham on the face seems good- slick website, trail map dominated with blacks, but the lack of virulent haters worries me. At least with Hunter, most critics seem to be answered with "you're doing it wrong," but Windham has some detractors, no or few supporters, and a lot of "meh."

Forgot/didn't realize the Stupor Bowl is Sunday- that's bonus points for Hunter, I think- even less crowded.


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

I'll meet you at the base of the D chair at 10:30 if you'd like...

It's a triple that goes half way up..  We can then head over to the F chair to get to the Summit and go where ever...


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## andyzee (Feb 4, 2011)

Windham is a nice mountain, but lift lines just get too long.

Hunter, great terrain, bad rep for crowds, worst case stay mid mountain. Beginner intermediate very limited, Sorry DMC, tried Hunter One once, lasted about 2 min.

Plattekill, Good terrain, in good conditions, great terrain. Trails not as long as Hunter, needs to be visited during good conditions(now). Lines? What's that 

Belleayre,  A lot of folks seem to like it, me, I went once and got very bored. But that may just be me.


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

andyzee said:


> Hunter, great terrain, bad rep for crowds, worst case stay mid mountain. Beginner intermediate very limited, Sorry DMC, tried Hunter One once, lasted about 2 min.



I don't get over there much..  Except to farm POW..

  H1 is small... and probably boring for most avid skiers.


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## ctenidae (Feb 4, 2011)

Not interested in beginner terrain at all, challenging blues and easier blacks for cruising (love finding that one bomber run), steeps and trees for fun- that's how we roll.


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## andyzee (Feb 4, 2011)

ctenidae said:


> Not interested in beginner terrain at all, challenging blues and easier blacks for cruising (love finding that one bomber run), steeps and trees for fun- that's how we roll.



If you can split them out, as stated, do Plattekill/Hunter, Saturday/Sunday for diversity. If you can't, I'd say stick with Hunter. Unless we get a good dump on the day you go up, then go with Plattekill as Hunter may get crowded and Plattekill's terrain gets far more interesting. Under any circumstance, can't beat the vibe at Plattekill, do try to hit it at least one day


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## ctenidae (Feb 4, 2011)

We've decided- Plattekill Saturday, Hunter Sunday. Hunter's got $45 tickets on for Sunday- hard to beat that. 

At least, Hunter for sure on Sunday. Plattekill is the leading contender for Saturday, but Windham has some inexplicable attraction too- how is it compared to, say, Bretton Woods?


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

Windham is the Bretton woods of the Catskills... haha...

They have some REALLY good restaurants there...


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## andyzee (Feb 4, 2011)

ctenidae said:


> We've decided- Plattekill Saturday, Hunter Sunday. Hunter's got $45 tickets on for Sunday- hard to beat that.
> 
> At least, Hunter for sure on Sunday. Plattekill is the leading contender for Saturday, but Windham has some inexplicable attraction too- how is it compared to, say, Bretton Woods?




How long are the lines at Bretton Woods, if they are 10-20, then I would say very comparable. Really, like the mountain, but the lines are murder.

Tip: Stop at Potter Brothers right off exit 19 to get discount tix. http://potterbrothers.com/tickets.php


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## ctenidae (Feb 4, 2011)

andyzee said:


> How long are the lines at Bretton Woods, if they are 10-20, then I would say very comparable. Really, like the mountain, but the lines are murder.
> 
> Tip: Stop at Potter Brothers right off exit 19 to get discount tix. http://potterbrothers.com/tickets.php



I don't think we've ever stood in line at Bretton for more than 2-3 minutes, if that. 10-20 minutes is just painful.


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## andyzee (Feb 4, 2011)

ctenidae said:


> I don't think we've ever stood in line at Bretton for more than 2-3 minutes, if that. 10-20 minutes is just painful.



In all fairness, you can hit slower lifts with less wait time, but then they will be slower....


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## ScottySkis (Feb 4, 2011)

PlattekiLl got awesome conditions now,sunday probably won't be to bad at hunter cause of super bowl,it not the lines at hunter that bother me,its snow conditions are pretty bad by 1pm on weekends,in spring I love on hunter,mid winter not so much


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## oakapple (Feb 4, 2011)

oakapple said:


> Belleayre's green trails are considerably better than Hunter's.
> 
> 
> dmc said:
> ...


The greens at Hunter One are so trivial that even a complete novice rather quickly exhausts their potential. The greens at Belleayre are longer and more interesting, and there are more of them. A skier who is not ready for blues could ski them and still feel like s/he accomplished something. Hunter One really feels like a bunny hill—good for “never-evers,” and not much beyond that.


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## ScottySkis (Feb 4, 2011)

PlattekiLl got awesome conditions now,sunday probably won't be to bad at hunter cause of super bowl,it not the lines at hunter that bother me,its snow conditions are pretty bad by 1pm on weekends,in spring I love on hunter,mid winter not so much


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## tekweezle (Feb 4, 2011)

ctenidae said:


> We've decided- Plattekill Saturday, Hunter Sunday. Hunter's got $45 tickets on for Sunday- hard to beat that.
> 
> At least, Hunter for sure on Sunday. Plattekill is the leading contender for Saturday, but Windham has some inexplicable attraction too- how is it compared to, say, Bretton Woods?



Windham is okay for cruising-they've got a couple of reasonably long trails that are good for beginners and intermediates and the groom alot..  there must be a reason why they charge 68$ per ticket at the window.  then again Hunters is 65$.  discounts are all over the place though-as mentioned Potter Brothers is a good place to get discounts.  

I even got a 2 for 1 deal from Discovercard for Hunter tickets in the mail today!


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## ctenidae (Feb 4, 2011)

Okay, next question: food?


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## BenedictGomez (Feb 4, 2011)

andyzee said:


> Avoid Belleayre/Windham, Boring/Crowded. Go to Plattekill/Hunter



I've never been to Belleayre, but that will change soon.  But from what I've heard from numerous people local to that area, Hunter tends to be substantially more crowded than Belleayre.  Which would seem to be the major advantage of going there assuming it's true in the first place?


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> I've never been to Belleayre, but that will change soon.  But from what I've heard from numerous people local to that area, Hunter tends to be substantially more crowded than Belleayre.  Which would seem to be the major advantage of going there assuming it's true in the first place?



Assuming may keep you from enjoying something someone else doesn't enjoy or can't handle.

just sayin'


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## RootDKJ (Feb 4, 2011)

Ride 'F' lift.  There's never any line, but it's much slower.  On a busy day, I think it works out to the same amount of waiting time, only you do it sitting down on the triple.

Two of my favorite restaurants are in the Catskills.

Cafe Tamayo in Saugerties and The Bavarian Manor in Purling are places I hit up when in the area.


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

RootDKJ said:


> Ride 'F' lift.  There's never any line, but it's much slower.  On a busy day, I think it works out to the same amount of waiting time, only you do it sitting down on the triple.



You can get into a 10 minute line at the F..  Depending on the weekend.. Singles line is a good option.

Y lift NEVER has a line but it only serves advanced terrain..
Z lift can get to 10 minutes on a crowded day..


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

RootDKJ said:


> Cafe Tamayo in Saugerties and The Bavarian Manor in Purling are places I hit up when in the area.



For my area I dig Pancho Villas and Last Chance Cheese in Tannersville...
McGregors at the Hunter entrance has great burgers and some good beers...


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## belskier (Feb 4, 2011)

for food you will be pretty close to peekamoose - not a cheap spot, but if you are in for higher end very good local fare, check it out


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

belskier said:


> for food you will be pretty close to peekamoose - not a cheap spot, but if you are in for higher end very good local fare, check it out



+1


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## RootDKJ (Feb 4, 2011)

dmc said:


> You can get into a 10 minute line at the F..  Depending on the weekend.. Singles line is a good option.
> 
> Y lift NEVER has a line but it only serves advanced terrain..
> Z lift can get to 10 minutes on a crowded day..


I meant the F lift at Windham.


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

RootDKJ said:


> I meant the F lift at Windham.



they have an F lift too!!  what a rip off... haha


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## andyzee (Feb 4, 2011)

As DMC stated, Last Chance Antiques and Cheese. Always enjoyed this place.


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## RootDKJ (Feb 4, 2011)

dmc said:


> they have an F lift too!!  what a rip off... haha


I know right?  Either way...seems like a winner.


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

andyzee said:


> As DMC stated, Last Chance Antiques and Cheese. Always enjoyed this place.



Love the candy store too...  Dark chocolate cover pretzels...  mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....  Fake candy cigarettes...    all so good...


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## ctenidae (Feb 4, 2011)

belskier said:


> for food you will be pretty close to peekamoose - not a cheap spot, but if you are in for higher end very good local fare, check it out



Was checking them out- interesting beer list.


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## gladerider (Feb 4, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> I've never been to Belleayre, but that will change soon.  But from what I've heard from numerous people local to that area, Hunter tends to be substantially more crowded than Belleayre.  Which would seem to be the major advantage of going there assuming it's true in the first place?



i did exactly that. read a lot of good things about B so i went a few years ago. the ticket office to the main chair, the place was completely mobbed. later found out that it was one of those potter bother days. wasn't too impressed with the place much. i've never been back since. can't really compare to hunter IMHO.


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## BenedictGomez (Feb 4, 2011)

dmc said:


> Assuming may keep you from enjoying something someone else doesn't enjoy or can't handle.
> 
> just sayin'



Well I've already been to Hunter plenty of times, that's why I'm mainly curious about Belleayre and planning on going in the next few weeks.


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## dmc (Feb 4, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> Well I've already been to Hunter plenty of times, that's why I'm mainly curious about Belleayre and planning on going in the next few weeks.



Enjoy!  It' may just be your "cup of tea"...  you never know..


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## legalskier (Feb 4, 2011)

ctenidae said:


> Okay, next question: food?



*Peekamoose* on Rt 28 outside of Phoenicia is NYC quality (where the chef's from), upscale and civilized. A little pricier but worth it; make a reservation in advance as it's popular.  In Phoenicia there's *Brio's*, which is divided into 3 sections: a bar with big screens (Superbowl), a diner type area, and a more formal dining area. It has an extensive menu of tasty items and is very affordable. The town of Woodstock has many excellent eateries (e.g. *the Bear Cafe, the Red Onion*) but it's further away from the slopes.

Btw, why not make it a 4 day weekend and try all the mountains?  :smile:


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## ctenidae (Feb 4, 2011)

legalskier said:


> Btw, why not make it a 4 day weekend and try all the mountains?  :smile:



Would love to, but then I A) could make it a 365-day weekend, and 2) Wouldn't be able to afford dinner at Peekamoose...


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## ctenidae (Feb 5, 2011)

Update-Plattekill was great, even in rain and fog. Eexcellent selection, great advice.


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## andyzee (Feb 5, 2011)

ctenidae said:


> Update-Plattekill was great, even in rain and fog. Eexcellent selection, great advice.



Long lift lines as usual? ;-)


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## ctenidae (Feb 5, 2011)

I think we had to wait for someone to load once, maybe. Could have been twice. Or my imagination. Not sure.

We really dug the mountain.


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## drewfidelic (Feb 7, 2011)

I'll put in a couple of words in defense of Windham. It's probably the best area for intermediates in the Catskills. They've quietly been adding snowmaking capacity yearly and can put out a healthy amount of snow. Adding the second high-speed quad has distributed crowds better and made skiing the terrain off of the east side much less of a hassle. 

That said, weekends can get more crowded than at Hunter, because the mountain simply isn't as big. When Windham gets crowded, liftlines and trails feel much more congested than Hunter on similarly crowded days. In recent years, Windham has started to attract more aggressive skiers, but the quality of skier at Windham isn't nearly as high as at Hunter. The snowmaking has gotten better, but it does not compare to the amount or quality that Hunter can throw down. 

But I'm not surprised that Windham doesn't get a lot of love on AZ -- for the same reason that Stratton, Okemo and Bretton Woods don't get a lot of love here. It's not as serious an area as Hunter, not as quirky as Plattekill and not as public as Belleayre. But they're putting out a good quality product, where the main problem is that it's too popular of a product. And that it's just not what most AZers are looking for in a ski experience.


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## dmc (Feb 7, 2011)

Well said... 

With popularity comes a toll..


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## RootDKJ (Feb 7, 2011)

dmc said:


> Well said...
> 
> With popularity comes a toll..



Victims of their own success


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## tekweezle (Feb 7, 2011)

the attraction of Belleayre(and presumably Plattekill) is that it seems to get more snow than Hunter and Windham due to its location.  maybe it;s closer to a lake?  Also tickets are generally cheaper but with all the discounts out there, this should be a push now.

so given the same storm, i've noticed that Hunter and Windham will report 4-6 inches and Belleayre will report 6-10.  or in some cases, they get snow that hunter and windham miss out on.


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## dmc (Feb 7, 2011)

tekweezle said:


> the attraction of Belleayre(and presumably Plattekill) is that it seems to get more snow than Hunter and Windham due to its location.  maybe it;s closer to a lake?  Also tickets are generally cheaper but with all the discounts out there, this should be a push now.
> 
> so given the same storm, i've noticed that Hunter and Windham will report 4-6 inches and Belleayre will report 6-10.  or in some cases, they get snow that hunter and windham miss out on.



4" of extra snow doesn't really make we want to ride at a place with less advanced terrain then I'm used to...


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## tekweezle (Feb 7, 2011)

i agree-Hunter has it;s place because it has the most advanced terrain.  

Windham generally has the best overall cruising and grooming.

Belleayre's a relative bargain and if you watch the snow report, you can get rewarded with a rare powder day when others get nothing.

I haven;t been to Plattekill yet but should make it there this season.  sounds intriguing.  perhaps it;s NYS version of mad river glen minus the snowboard ban and about 1500 vertical.


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## ctenidae (Feb 28, 2011)

Okay, weekend after next we're going with my brother and his two boys (3 and 5). Who has the better ski school for lil'uns (obviously not Catamount :smash: )? Neither have ever skied before, the 5 year old is almost as athletic as spaghetti. Almost. 

My brother has skied within the past couple of years, so something relatively easy for him would be good, too. Kind of seems like, on balance, Windham may win for this mix- I'm guessing mid-March crowds aren't nearly so much of an issue?


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## legalskier (Feb 28, 2011)

From my experience, Belleayre has an excellent program for kids. Mine went through it & loved it (daughter eventually went on to become a ski instructor). The 5 year old would be old enough for it; 3 is pretty young to start.
I don't know much about the others.


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## dmc (Feb 28, 2011)

legalskier said:


> From my experience, Belleayre has an excellent program for kids. Mine went through it & loved it (daughter eventually went on to become a ski instructor). The 5 year old would be old enough for it; 3 is pretty young to start.
> I don't know much about the others.



I've heard the same for Hunter and Windham...


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## ctenidae (Feb 28, 2011)

dmc said:


> I've heard the same for Hunter and Windham...



That's helpful...
Added wrinkle- my brother's wife is extremely unlikelyto ski, which elevates Windham for it's "other stuff to do-ness"


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## gmcunni (Feb 28, 2011)

ctenidae said:


> That's helpful...
> Added wrinkle- my brother's wife is extremely unlikelyto ski, which elevates Windham for it's "other stuff to do-ness"



what does Windham offer in the other-stuff-to-do category? my wife don't ski but will go with us if there is something fun for her to do.


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## dmc (Feb 28, 2011)

ctenidae said:


> That's helpful...
> Added wrinkle- my brother's wife is extremely unlikelyto ski, which elevates Windham for it's "other stuff to do-ness"



Hunter has the "Learning Center" which helps keep beginners in one place...  
Hunter One is a beginner area separate from the rest of the hill..


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## ctenidae (Feb 28, 2011)

gmcunni said:


> what does Windham offer in the other-stuff-to-do category? my wife don't ski but will go with us if there is something fun for her to do.



Bar.


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## ScottySkis (Feb 28, 2011)

Theirs great bars at all the ski mountains,when it comes to music and party at the bar Hunters got every1 in the catskills beat for sure,and that's coming from a Platty skiier


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## abc (Feb 28, 2011)

drewfidelic said:


> But I'm not surprised that Windham doesn't get a lot of love on AZ -- for the same reason that Stratton, Okemo and Bretton Woods don't get a lot of love here. It's not as serious an area as Hunter, not as quirky as Plattekill and not as public as Belleayre. But they're putting out a good quality product, where* the main problem is that it's too popular of a product. And that it's just not what most AZers are looking for in a ski experience*.


Bretton Woods "too popular a product"? Have you ever skied there at all? 

No, the only thing common amoungst Okemo, Stratton and Bretton Woods are they appeal to the softer vacationers. (The recent NYT article on BW pretty much nailed what BW is about) Windham is trying to appeal to that very group, and is having reasonable success in raking in their disposable dollar! Those who think they're real skiers may not find anything "special" in these glizzy "resorts". Hence the lack of love. That's got nothing to do with whether those are good mountains or not. 

I've only been to Winhdam once, on a freebee. I was so under-whelmed I have yet to use the remaining freeby I still have... 

I've only skied Bretton Woods twice. I must go there more often. I LOVE that place! The biggest draw for me is the lack of crowds on the "slightly advanced terrain" which they mark as black!


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## oakapple (Feb 28, 2011)

dmc said:


> Hunter has the "Learning Center" which helps keep beginners in one place...
> Hunter One is a beginner area separate from the rest of the hill..



Belleayre, Windyam, and Hunter all have programs for "never evers." But once you get beyond the Bunny Hill stage, Hunter's terrain is the least satisfactory of the three.


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## dmc (Feb 28, 2011)

oakapple said:


> Belleayre, Windyam, and Hunter all have programs for "never evers." But once you get beyond the Bunny Hill stage, Hunter's terrain is the least satisfactory of the three.



why?


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## oakapple (Mar 1, 2011)

oakapple said:


> Belleayre, Windham, and Hunter all have programs for "never evers." But once you get beyond the Bunny Hill stage, Hunter's terrain is the least satisfactory of the three.
> 
> 
> dmc said:
> ...


The greens at Hunter One are basically just bunny slopes that are good for teaching, but aren't very interesting in their own right. Hunter has only one green cruiser of respectable length, Mossy Brook. And for a beginner, the step up from Mossy Brook to Hunter's easiest blues can be intimidating.

In contrast, Belleayre and Windham have multiple greens that are comparable to Mossy Brook, as well as the easier blues Hunter does not have, for those ready to make the next step up.

(I now see that my original post might have been interpreted to suggest that Hunter's terrain _as a whole_ is unsatisfactory. I was writing only from the perspective of what a green skier would be looking for. Hunter's upper intermediate and advanced terrain is very good.)


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## ScottySkis (Mar 1, 2011)

Well from main bottom of hunter just below Kennedy I believe are mostly green trails,


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## oakapple (Mar 1, 2011)

Scotty said:


> Well from main bottom of hunter just below Kennedy I believe are mostly green trails,



But you can't get to them without skiing blue or black first. From the perspective of someone actually seeking out green trails, they are of no use.


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## ScottySkis (Mar 1, 2011)

The slow quad on the left side only serves those beginner trails


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## oakapple (Mar 1, 2011)

To call those things "trails" is awfully generous. They're run-outs.


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## dmc (Mar 1, 2011)

oakapple said:


> To call those things "trails" is awfully generous. They're run-outs.



Mossy Brook is nice..  Lot lots of peeps getting their beginner on over there...


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## catskills (Mar 1, 2011)

Interesting set of posts on this thread ranking the 4 ski areas in the Catskills.  Very accurate information for the most part.  

We just need to convince DMC that Hunter has a week spot in terrain for the lower less aggressive intermediate skiers.  IMHO, Windham, Belleayre, and even Plattekill have more to offer intermediate blue square skiers.  

If you can ski Hunter's groomed black diamonds like Hellgate,  Hunter has the rest of the Catskill resorts beat hands down.


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## oakapple (Mar 1, 2011)

dmc said:


> Mossy Brook is nice..  Lot lots of peeps getting their beginner on over there...


Mossy Brook is nice enough that even intermediates enjoy it as a change-of-pace. But if you aren't ready for Hunter's actual intermediate terrain, there are only so many Mossy Brook runs you can do before wishing there were more.



catskills said:


> If you can ski Hunter's groomed black diamonds like Hellgate,  Hunter has the rest of the Catskill resorts beat hands down.


I haven't done Plattekill yet, but I certainly agree w.r.t. the other two.


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## dmc (Mar 1, 2011)

catskills said:


> We just need to convince DMC that Hunter has a week spot in terrain for the lower less aggressive intermediate skiers.



I totally know this - but I also know there are a certain class of skiers that even though they are beginners push for more advanced terrain.  And there are those that just enjoy beginner terrain and are content.

I was a push to advanced terrain as a beginner/lower int.  And that why i started skiing Hunter..  Because i could feel comfortable with mellow terrain(Mossy) and then the next trail over get more advanced(Chicken ridge).   Then once I got a bit better the wide open mid station(Broadway) was a great place to learn.  

but that just me...


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## ctenidae (Mar 1, 2011)

If it were ust up to me, I think I'd pick Hunter for 2 days, but that's something of a selfish decision since I liked the mountain and could enjoy myself. My wife would probably be of a similar mind.

However, at Windham we'd probably be able to get my brother to ski more since, as pointed out above, they may have a better transition from easy-easy to easy-blue.

We haven't really skied Bellyare, but we have been there before, and didn't dig it, though it was hardly a representative experience.

Plattekill is, I think, pretty much out of the quesiton as far as the kids are concerned. Unfortunately.


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## catskills (Mar 1, 2011)

dmc said:


> I totally know this - but I also know there are a certain class of skiers that even though they are beginners push for more advanced terrain.  And there are those that just enjoy beginner terrain and are content.
> 
> I was a push to advanced terrain as a beginner/lower int.  And that why i started skiing Hunter..  Because i could feel comfortable with mellow terrain(Mossy) and then the next trail over get more advanced(Chicken ridge).   Then once I got a bit better the wide open mid station(Broadway) was a great place to learn.
> 
> but that just me...


I agree.  Once you master Chicken Ridge your like wow I can do this.  Chicken ridge can be a real confidence booster  As you said, many get stuck being content to just ski easy blues and greens for years.


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## ScottySkis (Mar 1, 2011)

Plattekill has a lot of familys and kids skiing the right side of the hill eveytime I go


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## oakapple (Mar 1, 2011)

I don't see any Chicken Ridge on the Hunter map. Is that a defunct trail or a slang name?


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## oakapple (Mar 1, 2011)

catskills said:


> As you said, many get stuck being content to just ski easy blues and greens for years.


I can't relate to that phenomenon, since I am always trying to do harder things than I've done before.

But one significant difference is that I learned to ski as an adult, and I have a natural caution about doing anything that is WAY above the hardest thing I've done before: I like to move forward in incremental steps. My 15-year-old son, on the other hand, is far more inclined to say, "What the heck, let's go for it." His ability and mine are roughly similar, but he is much less cautious.

Having discussed this with a number of people, I'm convinced that this is frequently true of those who learned the sport in childhood, vs. those who learned it later.


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## dmc (Mar 1, 2011)

oakapple said:


> I don't see any Chicken Ridge on the Hunter map. Is that a defunct trail or a slang name?



It was a nickname for the ridge that has the terrain park and Kennedy..  Pre Terrain park days.


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## catskills (Mar 1, 2011)

oakapple said:


> I don't see any Chicken Ridge on the Hunter map. Is that a defunct trail or a slang name?


 Yup.  Its an old local term.   Skiers left of B-Lift. Chicken ridge was steep enough that pretty much meant you need to ski something better than a WEDGE snowplow.  Snowplow Stem-Christie  might be good enough to get you down Chicken Ridge.


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## drewfidelic (Mar 1, 2011)

abc said:


> Bretton Woods "too popular a product"? Have you ever skied there at all?
> 
> No, the only thing common amoungst Okemo, Stratton and Bretton Woods are they appeal to the softer vacationers. (The recent NYT article on BW pretty much nailed what BW is about) Windham is trying to appeal to that very group, and is having reasonable success in raking in their disposable dollar!



I may have used too many pronouns, but I was pointing out that Windham has gotten too popular for their own good. Which is due in large part, because, like Okemo, Stratton and Bretton Woods, Windham also appeals to families, terminal intermediates and infrequent skiers. Windham is generally gently pitched, and its ample trailside real estate (plus history as a private club?) makes it especially appealing for a certain demographic. 

I've never skied Bretton Woods. I also generally wouldn't choose to ski Windham except to ski with someone who patrols there.


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## oakapple (Mar 1, 2011)

drewfidelic said:


> Windham also appeals to families, terminal intermediates and infrequent skiers. Windham is generally gently pitched, and its ample trailside real estate (plus history as a private club?) makes it especially appealing for a certain demographic.


That grossly misstates Windham's appeal — and I say that as one who is not a huge fan of the place.

For one thing, the trailside real estate flatly contradicts your comment about "infrequent skiers": nobody acquires that real estate if they don't intend to use the mountain regularly. And although nobody would call Windham extreme, I wouldn't call it "gently pitched," either — at least, not its steeper runs.

I know that some people practically hold their nose when they refer to families that ski, as if it's inconceivable that any members of those families could actually be any good at it. If you erase families from the picture, a whole lot of ski areas, not just Windham, would be in deep trouble.

I WILL say that Windham applies to a class of visitor that values ambiance beyond the mountain itself. People who only care about the mountain sometimes have trouble comprehending that the alternative view has any legitimacy. A lot of Western ski areas, places where the terrain puts most of the East to shame, have also invested heavily in their "village" areas. That doesn't mean they're appealing solely to "families, terminal intermediates and infrequent skiers."


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## ctenidae (Mar 1, 2011)

I don't quite get the Bretton haters. I mean, they're absolutely right- no one should ever go there.

I've skied Bretton quite a bit. I have found there to be a much higher percentage of good skiers there than I see at other places. I have not seen large numbers of families. I have not seen much Bogner clothing. 

While it's true most of the mountain is great for cruising, the Rosebrook Canyon area has some nutty parts and the trees on the West Mountain are fun.  The mountain has some interesting terrain, and is big enough to keep you entertained. It's great for doing laps, and has some good bump fields at times.

If you want natural conditions and narrow twisty trails, go to Cannon, for sure. If you want anything else at all, there's no good reason, in my mind, to go anywhere in NH other than BW.

/.02


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## 180 (Mar 1, 2011)

catskills said:


> Yup.  Its an old local term.   Skiers left of B-Lift. Chicken ridge was steep enough that pretty much meant you need to ski something better than a WEDGE snowplow.  Snowplow Stem-Christie  might be good enough to get you down Chicken Ridge.



Chicken Ridge was (is) Lower Broadway, the left side of the terrain park.


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## catskillman (Mar 1, 2011)

I would say there is a great deal more for a non-skier to do at Hunter than Windham.  The hotel has a day spa (massages, facials, and other options) and there is a free shuttle to take you there.  The restaurant at the hotel is nice, and it is ski in so you could meet someone there for lunch instead of at the base lodge.  There is also the Zip Line's and the adveture tower.  The Copper Tree is a nice place to sit with a view, and you can sit there all day (just cannot bring in food from outside or another part of the lodge).

Windham has a nice restaruant, big air bag and some rubber band thing.

ALSO- everyone seems to forget that there are several blue runs at Hunter 1 that are accessible from the E chair.  The runs through the woods are nice and scenic and winding.  The one under the E chair seems to scare most as they watch from the lift but it is entertaining.  These runs are all still open and are used by the ski school a lot as they are not as crowded as Kennedy.  (They are not supposed to instruct on the Parkway as a rule on weekends.)


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## oakapple (Mar 1, 2011)

catskillman said:


> ALSO- everyone seems to forget that there are several blue runs at Hunter 1 that are accessible from the E chair.  The runs through the woods are nice and scenic and winding.


Those ARE very nice runs, but on off-peak days E lift frequently does not operate.


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## dmc (Mar 1, 2011)

And Hunter will have a kick ass band playing on 3.19 - just sayin...


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## Black Phantom (Mar 1, 2011)

dmc said:


> And Hunter will have a kick ass band playing on 3.19 - just sayin...



just sayin? I do not see them on the schedule.


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## BenedictGomez (Mar 1, 2011)

oakapple said:


> *I haven't done Plattekill yet,* but I certainly agree w.r.t. the other two.



I skied Plattekill for the first time on Sunday, and I was absolutely blown away.  I loved how old-school it was with the lifts about a 2-iron away from the parking lot.  lol.  

I really appreciate how there seems to be limited grooming going on.  That's not to suggest they dont groom, obviously they do, but they allowed big chunks of their mountain to be au natural.  Since it was my first time there, I dont know if that's typical, but major props if it is.  They even allow for the either/or option on the steeper double blacks where 50% was groomed and 50% was allowed to nicely mogul-up.  

And it was empty......on a Sunday......after they reported 16" of snow in 48 hours (which is why I chose to go there in the first place since Hunter reported 9").  Needless to say I'll definitely be back!





Scotty said:


> Plattekill has a lot of familys and kids skiing the right side of the hill eveytime I go



There were many families there on Sunday, perhaps a product of the "kids under 7 ski free" policy?


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## Jersey Skier (Mar 1, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> I skied Plattekill for the first time on Sunday, and I was absolutely blown away.  I loved how old-school it was with the lifts about a 2-iron away from the parking lot.  lol.
> 
> I really appreciate how there seems to be limited grooming going on.  That's not to suggest they dont groom, obviously they do, but they allowed big chunks of their mountain to be au natural.  Since it was my first time there, I dont know if that's typical, but major props if it is.  They even allow for the either/or option on the steeper double blacks where 50% was groomed and 50% was allowed to nicely mogul-up.
> 
> ...



I was there Sunday too.  I actually thought it was overgroomed compared to normal.  I've been there days after a decent storm and only the beginner trails were groomed.  I also thought it was crowded as I once had to wait for 4 people to get on the lift before me.:wink:


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## BenedictGomez (Mar 2, 2011)

Jersey Skier said:


> I was there Sunday too. * I actually thought it was overgroomed compared to normal. * I've been there days after a decent storm and only the beginner trails were groomed.



Wow, so it sounds like they dont do a lot of grooming post snowfalls?  Fantastic if so. 



Jersey Skier said:


> I also thought it was crowded as I once had to wait for 4 people to get on the lift before me.:wink:



After I parked, I looked up at the slopes and saw they were virtually empty.  I told the 15 year old looking lot attendant that I was "surprised how empty it looks for a weekend", to which he replied, "actually we're kindof busy today".    This was a real head-scratcher for me, and I swear I dont think I waited more than 1.5 minutes in a lift line all day.  I sure hope they're profitable, as it's a great little place and I want to go back!


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## andyzee (Mar 2, 2011)

Plattekill did use to groom much less. They would leave (looking up at the mountain) the left half ungroomed and the right groomed. Appears that this year they either started grooming more or as Mark stated, they may just be grooming early to allow for better cover in the spring.


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## 2sons (Mar 2, 2011)

Jersey Skier said:


> I was there Sunday too.  I actually thought it was overgroomed compared to normal.  I've been there days after a decent storm and only the beginner trails were groomed.  I also thought it was crowded as I once had to wait for 4 people to get on the lift before me.:wink:



At one point Sunday there were 10 people in front of us waiting for the double-WTF! No seriously awesome day- everybody coming down Plunge had smiles on their faces.


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## BenedictGomez (Mar 2, 2011)

2sons said:


> At one point Sunday there were 10 people in front of us waiting for the double-WTF! No seriously awesome day-* everybody coming down Plunge had smiles on their faces*.



It was a great day, but I was with an advanced beginner, and not wanting to "ditch" her, I skied with her for probably 2/3 the day.  So, I didnt get to ski the entire mountain by any means, and missed much of the harder terrain.  I'd say the toughest thing I was able to hit was Blockbuster, but I didnt get to do any of the other double blacks (Freefall, Plunge etc...).  So, what is the hardest trail they have or is Blockbuster pretty much it?  I really want to go back, so I hope they catch another decent snowfall.


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## 2sons (Mar 2, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> It was a great day, but I was with an advanced beginner, and not wanting to "ditch" her, I skied with her for probably 2/3 the day.  So, I didnt get to ski the entire mountain by any means, and missed much of the harder terrain.  I'd say the toughest thing I was able to hit was Blockbuster, but I didnt get to do any of the other double blacks (Freefall, Plunge etc...).  So, what is the hardest trail they have or is Blockbuster pretty much it?  I really want to go back, so I hope they catch another decent snowfall.



The pitch on Block is the steepest, yet the two times prior I was there it was groomed flat. Quite easy to bomb down it.The flipside is that Plunge was bumped up all three times I was there, so I guess it all depends on what you consider hard.


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## BenedictGomez (Mar 2, 2011)

2sons said:


> *The pitch on Block is the steepest, yet the two times prior I was there it was groomed flat. *Quite easy to bomb down it.The flipside is that Plunge was bumped up all three times I was there, so I guess it all depends on what you consider hard.



The other day the left side of Blockbuster was moguls from top to bottom.  The top (steep) moguled part gave me all the challenge I needed. lol.  The bottom moguls were fun.  My legs were burning after the run for sure.


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## legalskier (Mar 2, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> Wow, so it sounds like they dont do a lot of grooming post snowfalls?  Fantastic if so.


 
Go there on a midweek powder day. You'll be in heaven.



BenedictGomez said:


> I'd say the toughest thing I was able to hit was Blockbuster, but I didnt get to do any of the other double blacks (Freefall, Plunge etc...).  So, what is the hardest trail they have or is Blockbuster pretty much it?



That's just where the fun begins. Everything from BB going east (i.e. skier's right) is terrific. My fave is Plunge. Also check out the runs in the woods like The Cliffs, lots of fun in there.



BenedictGomez said:


> My legs were burning after the run for sure.



Platty will do that. I bring some Advil with me.


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## 2sons (Mar 2, 2011)

legalskier said:


> That's just where the fun begins. Everything from BB going east (i.e. skier's right) is terrific. My fave is Plunge. Also check out the runs in the woods like The Cliffs, lots of fun in there.
> 
> Plunge is awesome especially the upper left side of the trail . My son loves Cliffs.
> How's the spring skiing- do they let the double blacks bump up?http://forums.alpinezone.com/images/smilies/icon_razz.gif


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## ctenidae (Mar 6, 2011)

Skied Windham yesterday. Good spring conditions. Not sure why people say the terrain is boring. The steeps are great, nice and long, couple of decent bump runs around. We skied one all-blue trail all day (Wedgie), and it was a good cruiser.

Ski school program is pretty good, too, so we went ahead and booked for my brother's kids next Saturday.


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## andyzee (Mar 6, 2011)

ctenidae said:


> Skied Windham yesterday. Good spring conditions. Not sure why people say the terrain is boring. The steeps are great, nice and long, couple of decent bump runs around. We skied one all-blue trail all day (Wedgie), and it was a good cruiser.
> 
> Ski school program is pretty good, too, so we went ahead and booked for my brother's kids next Saturday.




Always liked their terrain, although some of the blue runs do get skied off quick, it's the lift lines I can't take.


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## ctenidae (Mar 7, 2011)

andyzee said:


> Always liked their terrain, although some of the blue runs do get skied off quick, it's the lift lines I can't take.



Probably a function of time and weather, but Saturday's lines were basically non-existent. Longest waits were for Adaptive groups to load up, and that's a worthy cause.


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## BenedictGomez (Mar 7, 2011)

Plattekill and Hunter are reporting 8" and 4" this morning, respectively, with a few inches more on the way.

That should have made for some decent skiing this weekend, but with the rain forecast for Thursday, I have no idea.  Here's to desperately hoping the rain forecast for Thursday STAYS away.


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## skidbump (Mar 7, 2011)

Just blow off work tues and wed..screw weather on thurs


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## legalskier (Mar 7, 2011)

BenedictGomez said:


> I really want to go back, so I hope they catch another decent snowfall.



Ask and you shall receive.  Plattekill is opening tomorrow for a powder day- they're reporting 14".
http://www.plattekill.com/winter/


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## BenedictGomez (Mar 7, 2011)

legalskier said:


> Ask and you shall receive.  Plattekill is opening tomorrow for a powder day- they're reporting 14".
> http://www.plattekill.com/winter/



I cant take off work, but that's going to be *amazing* there tomorrow.   

On the positive side, I just snagged a hotel room in Lake Placid for this weekend.  God only knows how much snow they're going to end up with from this.


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## 2sons (Mar 7, 2011)

legalskier said:


> Ask and you shall receive.  Plattekill is opening tomorrow for a powder day- they're reporting 14".
> http://www.plattekill.com/winter/



I was half thinking of hitting Belleayre tomorrow b/c Plattekill was saying this morning they wouldn't open until Friday. Very exciting - I'm totally there.


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