The Northeast Ski Trip Problem
Planning a ski trip in the Northeast might be one of the hardest things to do, right up there with the Cinnamon Challenge and the Harlem Shake. At the end of the day, the weather conditions are almost impossible to predict. One day you show up after a blizzard and get fresh powder all day. The next? You might as well leave the skis in the truck and lace up ice skates, because you’ll be hearing that “chhhhhhhh” sound all day long. Which is why I hate these preplanned trips. As soon as you click the “book” button on an Airbnb, I get the same feeling as going all-in on a pair of twos at Mohegan Sun, and I know what I’m talking about. My Native American name is Dancing with Parlays. Let me set the scene, the week leading up to New Years Eve I’m watching the weather report and see Hunter is getting snow. A Christmas miracle, and I’m thinking to myself “damn, if only I had a trip planned this weekend.” Then the impossible happened, I used my brain…
Turning a Ski Weekend into a Day Trip
I decided screw it I don’t need to have a big trip planned to go shred, I can just drive up and drive back down the same day. Some people would call it a “day trip.” I’m calling it revolutionary, because it completely removes the worst part of skiing: committing to bad conditions. I went up to Hunter Mountain in Hunter, NY on Sunday January 4th. The main key in a day trip is the preplanning the day before throughout the day make sure to sign on to the website’s webcams and make sure the conditions are looking good. The key to pulling off a day trip is checking conditions the day before. I spent the afternoon refreshing Hunter’s live webcams to make sure the snow and crowds looked manageable — and if you check at the right time, you might even catch a pretty gnarly wipeout.
Hunter Mountain live cams:
The Early Morning Game Plan
Once you’re committed to the bit its all about the day before. Pack the car get, get the coffee machine ready, and most importantly PUT WATERS IN THE CAR! You’re going to be thirsty and you don’t want to feel the need to pull over on your ride to grab water(if you forget it water please do, NBD Adventures does not endorse dehydration). Leaving around 5:30am means coffee is non-negotiable. A good insulated travel mug and a portable charger are absolute must-haves for a drive like this. Once you’re all packed I suggest leaving around 5:30am. Coming from Long Island, NY it’s easy to get trapped in traffic, so get up early and make sure you get those first tracks on the mountain. Overall, it took me about 2.5 to 3 hours to get up there so when I left around 6ish I was up and ready to get on the lift by 9AM!
Snow Conditions, Lift & Crowds at Hunter Mtn
Now let’s get into the fun stuff, the actual shredding. I went up to Hunter Mountain the Sunday of New Years Weekend after a few inches of snow during the week, which I assumed because of those two conditions the mountain would look like a Best Buy on Black Friday in the early 2000’s. HOWEVER, I don’t know what it was but after the initial 5-10min wait for the Kaatskill Flyer lift, I did not wait in a single line for the rest of the day! The conditions were solid (low: 16F and high: 30F), the whole mountain had ample snow coverage. Of course it is the Northeast so there’s never enough snow for complete 100% coverage of the mountain. I’ll give Hunter credit though, they were blowing more snow than a frat boy majoring in accounting at a liberal arts school. And for the record, “blowing snow” just means making artificial snow. Nothing illegal. I promise. It resulted in over 55 trails being open and 8 of the 12 lifts being open. I personally loved the side of the mountain with trails “Minya Konka” and “East Side Drive”, they were in direct sunlight with great snow. And with direct access to the “F Lift” you can hit a bunch of runs in a short period of time. Only thing that held me back a little was the fact that the trail “Upper K27” was closed so to access those trails I had to cut across the front of the mountain.
How Much Riding You Can Actually Get in One Day?
Since it was a day trip and I had another 3 hour ride back I didn’t want to make myself exhausted at the wheel, but I did fit in 10 runs, 12,248 vertical feet, and 10.9 miles of snowboarding! I tracked the day using the Slopes App (available on iOS and Android), which I love because it gives real-time and post-day stats, perfect for reliving your experience later at the bar while making sure everyone knows you shred the hardest! I usually pair slopes with my Apple Watch so I don’t have to pull out my phone after every run. If you’re a 9-to-5 worker looking for a winter day trip without booking lodging, Hunter Mountain is a solid option, as long as you prepare prior and manage expectations of all the traveling.
Slopes App
The Mandatory Stop: Last Chance Cheese
One must hit place on the way home is Last Chance Cheese right in the heart of Tannersville. If you’re heading back to Long Island from Hunter, to get back to the expressway you will pass right by Last Chance Cheese so you might as well stop in! I think it’s one of the coolest restuarants in the world and I’ve been coming here religiously since I’ve learned how to ski over 15 years ago. Everything you see on the walls has a price tag on it. Why? Because this restuarant doubles as an antique shop. So if you’re feeling so inclined you can grab a fun souvenir on the way back. That day I feeling spicy and decided to start with Buffalo wings and a beer. I do recommend the Last Chance Lager brewed specifically for the restaurant. However this time, I did branch out and get a pint of the Mountain King Blonde, (I guess it’s safe to say I have a type). The wings did pleasantly surprise me, they weren’t nearly as crazy hot as I expected. I ended off the meal with a classic French Dip sandwich that I have been ordering everytime I’ve ever come. Then, the best part is the candy store. On your way out don’t forget to stop on the otherside of the restaurant to see their candystore. Especially for a day trip, you’re going to need that sugar boost for the ride home. I ended up with some chocolate covered pretzels, sweedish fish, and some other little goodies. Also some candy cigarettes as a goof.
Final Verdict: Is Hunter Worth a Day Trip?
Was it a long day? Absolutely. Waking up at 5am, riding all day, crushing lunch, and still being home by 6pm to get ready for work the next morning isn’t for the weak.
Did it throw off my Monday a bit because I had to food shop and meal prep after work? Yes.
Was it worth it? 100%, for great snow, great vibes, and proving to myself that I can still make these trips work with a 9–5.
Gear & Travel Tools
I keep a running list of the gear, apps, and tools I actually use for trips like this on my Resources page.
Categories:
Local Adventures, Day Trips, Winter Travel
Tags:
Hunter Mountain, Snowboarding, Northeast Skiing, Long Island Day Trips, 9–5 Travel
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