Hunter or Windham (Pass for Next Year)

I know this is early, but that's the way we do things in my family.  

My dad and I always get a pass at a Catskill mountain each season, specifically Hunter or Windham.  We have full Hunter passes this year as well as last year.  We like Hunter a lot and think it is a great place to day trip on weekends.  Good conditions, fun terrain, and crowds aren't that bad.  However, since 2011 Hunter's investments have been relatively stagnent while Windham has done a ton of investment recently.

For this reason, we are considering possibly switching to Windham next year.  We like Windham a lot as well and could also see ourselves day tripping it weekly as well.  Windham is less crowded, has a nicer lodge, a better trail layout, is slightly bigger, and East Peak absolutely blows away the Hunter West Side in terms of terrain and trail usefulness.

Here's why I don't think switching is a good idea.  Hunter has better conditions and more interesting vertical.  Hunter is also slightly closer.  However, the biggest difference is pass prices.  For both my dad to get full passes at Hunter is $1,100.  The same setup at Windham is almost $1,900.  Also, Windham's parking lot is way further away than Hunter's.  We could join the 3,500 club to get preferred parking, but that brings the total cost up to $2,500 for the season and even the preferred parking is further away than the free lot at Hunter.  Also, the HSQ at Windham is far inferior to the Hunter 6-pack and gets big lines.  I think an upgrade will come soon, but I don't know yet.

What are your thoughts on where we should get passes at?

Holy crap that's a lot.  I only goto Windham because it's free.  I didn't know people actually paid to go there.  I know I never would.

Hunter and Platty

SANY.

ml242 wrote

SANY.

Actually had this in the dreadful half season of 11-12 and the winter of 12-13.  It was great as we could do Hunter, Windham, Whiteface, and Gore on the same pass.  I could also ski locally in Orange County.  We moved away from it because I switched to Mountain Creek for local skiing which is in NJ, so not on the pass.  It also doesn't give direct to lift access and some ski areas have never seen it and give you a hard time.  Plus no benefits of being a full passholder at a mountain.

this is simple..
What ski area do YOU prefer?
It shouldn't matter what we think..

If you are just skiing weekends, Plattekill.  You'll get more skiing and less crowds.  What about Belleayre, Gore, Whiteface pass? Is that an option?  Huntah is just MC with better terrain, sans Cabrio lift.  Windham, well...the Stratton of the Cats

SANY makes a lot of sense.  You ski Hunter, Windham, Gore, Whiteface, right? They know the pass well.

I say do what makes your Dad happy. His hundy right?

I guess this is an example of "You can't get everything you want".  My dad and I like Windham and Hunter the most of the Catskill mountains.

As of now, I'm thinking we keep the same setup for next year unless Windham does some huge upgrade that makes it way better than Hunter.

for a Hunter Adult pass to make sense you need to ski approx 12 + days...
to make so called money , you are looking at 15 days...my rough calculations are based on the use of the Big Lift Card

The SANY pass would seem to be the best deal.  In fact I think I may get one for next year.  

I'd put your focus on the skiing things that matter.  

Windham is closer, but 15 minutes of extra driving (if that) each way shouldn't dictate your skiing.  Heck, Belleayre is the shortest drive.  Hunter's parking lot is closer, but an extra 5 minutes to the lift shouldn't dictate your skiing.

Terrain and fun factor should be the primary driver.  

I really wouldn't do either Huntah or Windham, personally.  Hunter on weekends is unbearable to me.  Maybe next to the 'Crick it's not that bad, but it's a joke of a zoo on weekends to me.  Windham?  Been a couple times.....and it never compels me to return. It's a lovely mountain, just not all that interesting.

For weekend only skiing I'd go Plattekill for a Catskills pass.  Best terrain, by far.  I know that isn't on your radar, but the fun factor for me is there.  You want lots of groomers, so probably not for you.

For the likes you've expressed, I'd think about ORDA Ski3.  I haven't been to Belleayre yet, but people seem to really say good things about it.  No Windham 'Stratton of the Cats' cushy investments, but a friendly old school vibe with lots of intermediate cruisers.  It's an easy drive as well.  Midweek turns if you need 'em, a close weekend spot, and when you have more willingness to drive on a particular weekend you can expand your horizons at Gore and WF, which are a step up from anything in the Cats.

  "Hunter on weekends is unbearable to me.  Maybe next to the 'Crick it's not that bad, but it's a joke of a zoo on weekends to me.  Windham?  Been a couple times.....and it never compels me to return. It's a lovely mountain, just not all that interesting."

I feel the same about Windham, can't quite explain it, but the Belle or Platty always appeal to me more.

ml242 wrote

SANY.

STAY AWAY!!
Almost $1200 now.  Resorts are dropping out, and YOU get to find out at the ticket counter that they have!

Who's out?

Shan't air dirty laundry in a public forum.   May not affect you just saying . . . take care and be aware.

They're selling them right now for $800 a piece.

https://www.iskiny.com/ski-deals/gold-pass

Letting other people know what resorts refused to honor their part of the contract doesn't seem like airing dirty laundry to me. That seems like something that should be shared out in the open. Who is the bum that doesn't honor their contracts?

That's $800 for the rest of the season. I think the preseason is about a grand. Never had a problem getting a resort to honor it, sometimes the ticket window doesn't know what I'm handing them but that's rarer and rarer as I travel around.

These over $1000 passes really kill me. As soon as my kids get out of school, I'm moving back west. Tahoe on a bad year is better than trying to figure out which catskill mountain to ride for over a thousand bucks.

Hunter is not that bad on weekends.  Go to the less popular, less obvious triple chairs, the lines are so much shorter, or nonexistent.  Yesterday was a 10 minute wait at the 6 pack, but ski on at lift D and max 2 minutes at lift F.