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This past weekend notwithstanding, New York is in the midst of its warmest, least snowy winter in memory (my memory, at least). Is all hope lost or is it still possible to get in some skiing and snowboarding action without hightailing it to Europe or the West Coast?
I recently went up to Windham Mountain with that goal in mind. Three hours from the city, it's one of our closest ski resorts. Hunter and Belleayre are also in the area. We got in around 9 p.m. on Friday night and went right to Hotel Vienna, a chalet-style hotel that's only a five-minute drive from the mountain. Our room was equipped with a king-size bed and flatscreen TV. Taking in the view from our room, it was all too apparent just how mild 2011 and the beginning of '12 had been: In place of the snowy vista that I associate with January in the Catskills, the valley and mountains beyond were a medley of more-appropriate-to-October shades of green and brown.
At breakfast the next morning we fueled up on their spread of fresh-baked croissants, muesli and oatmeal, good prep for a day on the mountain. Once we arrived, Beth Barry, who is in charge of guest services at Windham, told us the snowmaking equipment had been working hard all week, taking advantage of the fact that temperatures had finally dropped below freezing for the first time all winter. Their efforts were worthwhile. Trails were manicured and smooth, not half as icy as they could have been given the conditions. Most lifts and trails were open and the mountain was running at about 70 percent. With the sun shining and temps getting up into the 40s in the afternoon, I got by wearing a sweatshirt the whole time. It was pretty much spring skiing in January and I'm not complaining.
After a long day of runs, some après ski pampering was definitely in order. Hotel Vienna did not disappoint on that front. After stopping for warm cookies and just-baked bread pudding in their lounge, we made our way to their indoor Jacuzzi and pool. Located in a glass-paneled standalone house, it's the perfect way to pass an hour between the slopes and dinner.
One thing that I really love about skiing at Windham (and Hunter, though I didn't make it there this time) is the surrounding towns. Tannersville, about 10 miles from Windham, boasts a lively Main Street filled with shops, restaurants and bars with live music. The Last Chance Antiques & Cheese Café is a must visit, whether you sit down to dinner or order a beer from the insanely extensive list of brews from all over the world.
My verdict? At less than three hours from the city, the Catskill mountains and their surrounding towns make for a great day or overnight trip even if ski conditions leave something to be desired.
[Ed. Note: Thanks to last week's cold and snow, even more trails are now open.]