Hunter or Windham (Pass for Next Year)

snoloco wrote

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.

That's still not acceptable.

Glade Runner wrote

snoloco wrote

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.

That's still not acceptable.

OK then what is?  If you want to ski on a weekend you're going to need to wait sometimes, unless you cough up 65 grand for a membership at the Hermitage Club.

I'm just picking on you.  Seems most of the time I ride my home mountain Greek Peak to avoid lines and do most of my other skiing midweek.  I've never been to Hunter on a weekend.  I've heard the horror stories.  The midweek days were ski on the lift all day with no lines.  Lines don't seem to bother you as much but, maybe because you are used to it from living in the city.  I just don't have that kind of patience.  Have you done Belleayre yet?  If not you should check that out.  I think you would get way more value out of the 3 mountain pass.  

Glade Runner wrote

Have you done Belleayre yet?  If not you should check that out.  I think you would get way more value out of the 3 mountain pass.

Not a fan of Belleayre, 200 foot headwall and 1,200 foot runout, boring repetitive trails all parallel to each other, and served by slow fixed grip lifts that stop frequently.  My dad said that the ORDA SKI3 pass would be a great deal IF Belleayre was a more appealing destination.  Paying for a day ticket at WF or Gore when we go there is well worth the extra cost if it means we can ski Hunter almost every weekend vs Belleayre.

I think that it is sort of tossup between Windham and Hunter's terrain.  Windham is better for cruising and has more useful trails (meaning consistently open and in good conditions) however, they can seem repetitive and there isn't much in the way of steeps.  Windham's layout has fewer bottlenecks than Hunter's.  Hunter has more interesting vertical (no long runout at the bottom) and each trail is different unlike Belleayre/Windham as a product of them all being blasted out of the mountain.  They have better expert terrain, but have less useful trails than Windham (Annapurna and Westway are hardly ever open and try and tell me a day when Lower K27 was in good shape and fun).  

For my dad and I, Hunter and Windham are the two best choices within an easy day trip.  We could be passholders at either one and have a lot of fun.  The question here is if Windham's recent/future upgrades will make it a lot better than Hunter to be worth the extra cost or if we just want a change of scenery (nothing wrong with Hunter, just been skiing frequently at it since 11-12, so maybe we want to change things up a bit).  Another downside for Windham is that they close earlier than Hunter, so we'd be paying even more to ski Hunter the last 1-2 weeks of the season even as Windham passholders.

At least Belleayre has a variety of glades and isn't crowded.  But, if those aren't important to you by all means goto the other places.  

Buy Hunter spring season pass for 150 sold on March 1/ last year.

Sno......don't think there is anyone here who is going to help you choose between what seem to be your only options.  The only two you seem willing to consider are the two in the Cats most people here specifically choose to avoid!

What's your reasoning against Plattekill?  Their terrain is superior to either Hunter or Windham.  They just made a significant expenditure of their capital in snowmaking, which is greatly improved this year.  Unless you do a lot of midweek skiing, what's the problem?  Use the occasional midweek day to buy a ticket to ski Hunter or Windham for a change.  Plattekill never has a 10 minute lift line.

As for Hunter, it's not even a 10 minute lift line.  Part of its the vibe, Hunter being metro NY transported to the mountains.  Places like Platty, Mad River....the focus is skiers and skiing, old school style.  The other thing about Hunter is that, and don't take this the wrong way because it was my impression long before you came here, I don't like the skiers it attracts.  Too many jeans-wearing NJ gapers that don't have a clue about skiing.  I've had too many bad expenses there (two in two weekend days is two too many) with clueless skiers  on terrain they had no business being on.

Hunter does have some serious trail crowding issues.  Haven't noticed them at Windham as much due to more acreage and lower lift capacity.  As for the "NJ gapers", yes I have noticed them at Hunter most times I go and it can be annoying to avoid all of them.  Windham prices them out to some extent which can be a plus.

You asked for my reasoning against Plattekill.  I have nothing against the place at all.  My dad and I have been there once, but we realized that it is only good when it snows.  They have more snowmaking now so maybe that has changed, but they can't have nearly as much as Hunter or Windham do.  Plus they open way later than Hunter, Windham and even Belleayre.  This year I skied Hunter on 11/23 for the first time and two more times before plattekill was even open.  I would love to catch a powder daize at Plattekill, but I don't see myself getting a season pass there.

I find it weird that the two NY mountains I ski the most are the two most hated NY mountains on this site.  Hunter Mountain (Mountain Creek of the Catskills) and Windham Mountain Re$ort (Stratton of the Catskills)

snoloco wrote

I find it weird that the two NY mountains I ski the most are the two most hated NY mountains on this site.

This is nuts. How do you know this?

Hated?
Hunter is my favorite local mountain..

Ok I laugh every time I see "Headwall" an "Belleayre" in the same sentence. That is NOT a Headwall, a headwall involves a cliff, and usually a glacial cirque. I agree though, Belleayre is a bad fit for you: shitty park, and the steeper runs are too short.  

 
I am surprised you haven't looked at the I Ski NY gold pass: $800 and you can ride at Hunter, Windham, Platty, Catamount, or Belleayre, not to mention Gore, Whiteface, and all of the other little mountains. Hell, I don't know why you wouldn't pick one of these up anyway, I may get one next year. Also it is transferrable, you can loan it to non family members. (Just saw a kid get pulled from the line at Mt. Snow at 9:30 in the morning because he was borrowing a friends pass and got quizzed by the liftie. Bad way to start the day.)

snoloco wrote

I find it weird that the two NY mountains I ski the most are the two most hated NY mountains on this site.  Hunter Mountain (Mountain Creek of the Catskills) and Windham Mountain Re$ort (Stratton of the Catskills)

Hate is a strong word, and I don't think anybody really said that.  I've always said that Hunter has great terrain, so it's not the mountain itself that makes me avoid it.  Sure, I've come to like Platty's terrain as much or more, but Hunter is a great place during the week.

I get your reasoning on Plattekill.  Hunter does a great job with snowmaking, and opening early.

Harvey wrote

snoloco wrote

I find it weird that the two NY mountains I ski the most are the two most hated NY mountains on this site.

This is nuts. How do you know this?

I Know from reading stuff here.  Hunter is always said to be an absolute zoo on weekends and sometimes dangerous with lots of reckless snowboarders and marginal skiers.  Some people avoid Hunta like the plague on weekends when it's not really that bad.

Windham is now called Windham Mountain Resort and people on here typically are not fond of a place with resort in its name.  Remember how much flaming happened in the Gore vs Windham thread?  Most were saying that Windham was an icy, overcrowded, boring, overpriced, hang out for snotty rich people.  I never hear any of this about Gore, Whiteface or the smaller mountains.  

snoloco wrote

I Know from reading stuff here.  Hunter is always said to be an absolute zoo on weekends and sometimes dangerous with lots of reckless snowboarders and marginal skiers.  Some people avoid Hunta like the plague on weekends.......

While I don't recall ever likening it to the plague (I try, sometimes unsuccessfully, to avoid that kind of hyperbole), other than having always said Hunter has great terrain and is a great place on a weekday, that is pretty much how I feel about Hunter.  You can't say it isn't that bad, because it has been, every single time I've been there on a weekend.  Maybe it hasn't been that bad for your, but it is and has been for others.  My swearing off Hunter on weekends sent me to Windham, where the experience was underwhelming enough that I won't do either place on a weekend.  I'd rather ski Platty or drive the extra hour to Gore.  While I may feel this way, I do not represent the entire board.

snoloco wrote

always

I call bullshit on this.  You've got an opinion and some members disagree.  How many of 600 members are you basing that on? Five? Ten?  

ml242, scottski63, x10000q, Jason, DMC... Who else? These guys have hundreds of posts and dig Hunter.

Resort? I ski Jay Peak Resort for the snow and trees.  I could care less if it's a resort or ski area.

Don't assume you know everything about a group based on what some say.

Should I assume all Mountain Creek skiers are just like you?

I have the hunter discount card this winter been there probably 12 tines only on weekend s never more then 5 minutes wait if 6 chair and like others say take tripple chairs no wait. It good terrain at hunter best south if Killington so yes lots of nyc and metro people love the hill to I wouldn't call it a zoo now. Maybe 20 years ago definitely better people stick to west side for fun no cro as at all. Pass to hunter over Windham's for sure if was me or gold pass I think it more then 800$/ now in summer time.

I teach at plattekill, what I can say about todays plattekillSnowmaking....... they do have a system, money is going to improve it more, december skiing with a snowstorm is somthing, otherwise you get the north peak. In january they expand rapidly, then you get a mountian that in my opinion beats the windham option ( unless your all for parks)What platekill havenatural trails with bumps, double fall lines unlimited tree potental,  if you can fit skis their its fair gameshort lift lines on the weekendsmore random snow dumpings ( its spot grabes lake effet, its valley boost tatals from nor easters)What it lackssnowmaking like hunters system (new pond may help this)grooming ( yes they groom, but its not a curodry paradise, this is good)base lodge is small

Platty or belle should be the two options here

Actually, this thread kind of swayed me to try the Gold pass next year. I usually get a family pack at Belleayre since there is terrain there for both of my kids (son rides anything, daughter prefers blue ridge runs). I have always wanted to ride the adk's but don't know anyone up there I can crash with, and tickets would be expensive. The lure of the season pass in the Catskills is that I can take a day trip with the kids and it only costs gas and sandwiches. I can ride half a day and not feel like I threw money away.

The gold pass seems awesome, I'm not stuck at one mountain, I can go meet friends who often don't want to ride Belleayre for one reason or another. If there was only a family option I'd be set!