When I made the big move to New York City, I never thought I’d get to go skiing again. I imagined that my life in the Big Apple would involve tall skyscrapers and buildings instead of snowcapped mountains or ski slopes. But I’m here to tell you that I was wrong! And although it does take driving a couple of hours outside of the city, there are some amazing places where you can go skiing outside NYC without logging a lot of miles on the road. Here are a few that I would recommend trying.

Mount Peter

The first skiing location that I discovered was Mount Peter, a mountain facility that offers skiing, snowboarding, tubing activities. It usually takes me about four hours to get there by car, so it’s usually best to plan for an overnight trip. Getting a place to stay near the mountain is fairly easy as the resort offers two comfortable lodges, but you can also stay at one of the local inns that partner with Mount Peter instead. A couple of them, such as Ashford Cottage, are even close to NYC bus stops.

Mount Peter offers 14 different ski trails, with a variety of slopes and beautiful scenic views. I also like to do some night skiing when I can get the chance, but that isn’t an option for those looking to ski on Monday nights.

Camelback Mountain

Camelback Mountain is one of the easiest places to get to from NYC. The drive only takes about two hours by car and OvRide even offers a weekend bus service for those without transportation (a round-trip bus pass also includes a lift pass for the mountain resort). When staying overnight, I try to book a room at the fun Camelback Lodge. It has an impressive indoor water park, adult and kid’s luxury spa, and plenty of other activities to enjoy after a full day on the slopes.

Camelback has 34 trails to ski on with 100% snow coverage guaranteed on all slopes. The mountain trails are also perfectly lit for night skiing conditions. Although the skiing difficulty varies from trail to trail, all slopes have serene views of the surrounding nature.

Mountain Creek

It takes about an hour and a half to get to Mountain Creek from NYC and it’s definitely worth the drive. In fact, it’s my go-to option for quick and casual skiing jaunts with friends. There are townhouse rentals and slopeside lodgings offered at the mountain resort but it’s close enough to the city that I prefer to keep it as a day trip.

Mountain Creek offers an impressive selection of 44 different skiing trails to choose from, and although I’ve lived in NYC for some time, I still haven’t been able to hit them all yet! There are also fun options for snow tubing and biking, making it a perfect place for group outings.

Catamount

Catamount is a two and a half hour drive towards the Massachusetts border, and I like it because it’s close, cheap, and not usually crowded. There are many lodgings close to the mountain, so it’s also easy to find a place to stay if you want to stick around for a few days of skiing.

Catamount is the perfect mountain to take friends who are experimenting with skiing, as many trails are easy and provide good beginner training. That being said, there are also 36 different trails to ski on, so the mountain still has tricky and exciting slopes that I get to enjoy as well!

If your excuse for not skiing in NYC is the lack of nearby slopes, then you clearly don’t have an excuse! If your excuse is that you don’t have enough room in your cramped Manhattan apartment for all of your ski stuff, then that isn’t an excuse either! My first year in New York City, I found a moving company to help me get everything moved into my new place. When I couldn’t fit all of my things in my 1-bedroom apartment, they suggested I rent one of their affordable storage units to keep out of season items like my skis and bulky winter clothes. This has enabled me to keep skiing every winter without cluttering my home. Thanks to these guys for sponsoring this post!

Imperial Moving & Storage
83 Washington Pl
New York, NY 10011
(212) 879-6683
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