courtesy of hunter mountain
Winter Adventureland
Hitting the Slopes & Trails This Season By Crispin Kott
a Skier on the groomed racing slopes at hunter mountain.
W
inter may be taking its time arriving in the Hudson Valley this year, but when it finally rears its snow-peaked head, it will usher in a season filled with the kind of outdoor activities some locals dream about all the way through long, sticky summer nights. A valley doesn’t come without peaks, and for those who love the feeling of racing down a mountain, the area has a stellar variety of options for alpine skiing and snowboarding. Windham and Belleayre are popular both among locals and those from as far away as New York City, and so are Hunter Mountain and Catamount Ski, both of which are celebrating anniversaries in 2009. Hunter Mountain began its 50th anniversary celebration last season, and will see it draw to a close with a party on January 9. But what’s kept Hunter so busy over the past half-century isn’t its party planning as much as its attention to detail. Long a destination for downhill skiers, the recent trend toward snowboarding didn’t pass Hunter Mountain by. Nor has the popularity of snowtubing, which gives outdoor enthusiasts an opportunity to soar down a slope at terrific rates of speed with the direction primarily dictated by a combination of course and gravity. Snowtubing at Hunter Mountain has gotten so popular that they’re introducing 14 new snow guns to their park to ensure the best possible conditions. Elsewhere, Hunter will also add a further six snow guns this season. With the cold weather slower to arrive than in recent memory, those snow guns may get an awful lot of use. “We’re still expecting an amazing season, but it’s off to a slow start,” says Jessica Pezak, Hunter’s director of communications. “It’s a bit balmy.” Pezak said they’d hoped to be open by November 20, but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the beginning of December is where things might finally start to take off. Even so, Pezak said the long term forecast is for plentiful snow during the winter ski season. “I did see a lot of markers pointing toward a lot of snow, mirroring the summer precipitation,” Pezak says. When that snow does eventually fall, Pezak says visitors to Hunter Mountain will have an opportunity to enjoy a new approach toward training in the 62 winter sports ChronograM 12/09
Snowsports School and Learning Center. According to Pezak, the “Progression” concept ensures that skiers and snowboarders of all levels have their skills more thoroughly assessed, allowing them to get more individualized training. “It doesn’t matter what level you’re at, we’ll help find a trainer,” Pezak says. “We’re making it easier for people to improve.” Like Hunter, Hillsdale-based Catamount is celebrating a milestone this season, with 70th anniversary celebrations and specials lasting throughout the year. While the Frost Valley YMCA offers year round programs for lovers of the great outdoors, as their name indicates, they’re rather fond of the coldest months of the year. Karen Rauter, Frost Valley Y’s director of communications, says its location, tucked in the Ulster County hamlet of Claryville in the southwestern Catskills, gives it a natural winter feel, especially for fans of cross-country skiing. “In a good snow year, we have more snow than others,” says Rauter. “The guys who’ve been working here will say it’s generally 5-6 inches more than what’s down in the valley. Cross-country skiing is what people really come to Frost Valley for because it’s private land. We have 20 miles at least of groomed and ungroomed land.” But Rauter stresses that the Frost Valley Y is about much more than just cross country skiing, with family friendly options like snowtubing and the hockey-like sport of broomball. And with inexpensive lunch options, indoor arts and crafts, and a generally warm atmosphere, Rauter says the Frost Valley Y is a good option for the whole family or for individuals looking to make the most of the area’s natural wonders. Another popular feature of the Frost Valley Y is its Maple Sugar House, a year-round natural maple syrup-making operation which tends to reach its apex the first three months of the year. Other popular outdoor winter activities like snowshoeing and ice-skating can be done everywhere from the iconic Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz to trails in the Esopus Bend Nature Preserve and the Kiwanis Ice Arena, both of which are located in Saugerties. Or, like many local residents, an outdoor adventure can be as simple as stepping out one’s own front door.