Hunter Mountain (Hunter, NY)

Hunter Mountain
Hunter, NY

55 Trails (30% Beg., 30% Int., 27% Adv., 13% Exp.)

11 Lifts (3 Quads [1 High Speed], 2 Triples, 5 Doubles, 1 Handle Tow)

1600' Vertical Drop

About it:

When thinking about Hunter, one word comes to mind: CROWDED. Could you imagine waiting an hour and a half lift line? Well, I have and it was there. The mountain itself would be great if not for its sub-par lift system and the poor crowd management. Despite the crowds Hunter is home to a great array of trails ranging from a whole beginners-only area, to wide cruisers, to long tru steeps that give those of Vermont a run for their money. Speaking of money, a major draw to Hunter is its prices. A weekend ticket in $61 ($63 on holidays), now for some that is a small fortune but when competing areas such as Windham ($65), Gore ($71), and Whiteface ($74 with $79 on holidays!), it is truly a bargain.

Up on the hill, be sure to check out "K-27", an amazingly long steep, and "Hellgate", one of the widest blacks this side of the Rocky's. Also check out Hunter West, an andvanced-only area, for uncrowded steeps and never a liftline. For the intermediate skier, be sure to head down "Belt Parkway," a long winding cruiser down the whole mountain that offers insane views. For the Beginner, head over to Hunter One, a designated beginner area with green trails of all levels.
At the base, the oversized, spacious lodge is a classic straight out of the 60's. That said it is kept immaculately clean and, in my opinion has the best food in the state. The food ranges from classic ski mountain eats to a REAL pizzeria to homemade soups. It even has a stir fry station and a homemade SUSHI BAR! Rentals are located in the Learning Center Lodge next door.
Overall, Hunter is a good mountain with good trails and a great lodge. Despite the crowds and the bad lifts, on a non-holiday weekend or a weekday, its rarely that horrible.

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