I long enjoyed Top Ten lists since the time when magazines ruled the day.
I find them fun, informative and sometimes thought provoking.
The idea of producing a Top Ten list of Catskill ski runs has interested me for many years.
With more than 50 years of Catskill skiing under my belt, here is my list of favorite Catskill ski runs.
Your comments and input on your own favorites are welcomed below.
I’ve been lucky to ski many areas across New York, but I haven’t skied the Catskills, until now. When a nor’easter swept up the coast and blanketed the Cats in snow, it felt like the opportunity for Tiff and I to explore. We kicked things off at Belleayre on Tuesday for a sunny machine groomed packed powder day, after the storm. And on Friday we finally made it to Plattekill.
Plattekill operates a little differently. As the last standing family-owned resort in the region, they aren’t chasing flashy. They’re typically open Friday through Sunday to the public, with private mountain rentals at various times during the week. Throughout last week, ten inches of fresh snow had stacked up. Our arrival on Friday was shaping up to be perfect.
Saturday wasn’t my first time driving south to ski Plattekill, but it was the first time “leaving home” to do it. I’m now 30 minutes closer to one of my favorite ski areas and the drive is much more relaxed than traveling north out of New Jersey.
No matter how much Google Maps insists I take the shortest route, I’m sticking to the interstates as much as I can: 87, 90 and 88. Once you are off I-88, it’s a scenic and comfortable drive down Route 30 through Grand Gorge.
When it comes to skiing Plattekill, especially early in the season, you can’t overestimate the value of having a friend like Sean Riley.
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