Let it Snow, Snow, Snow!!!

The fresh snow the Great Western Catskills got over the holidays brought extra magic to the season. Whether you ski, board, or hike you can’t beat the Catskill Mountains for outdoor fun with friends and family. With stay and play packages, convenient lodging and dining to satiate every taste, it doesn’t matter what the reason or what the season, visit just once and you’ll just keep coming back.

BELLEAYRE

Craving some downhill adventure? Belleayre Ski Center has a 10” to 40” base with over 12” of pack and powder! Almost all the trails and lifts are open, with more opening daily. There are trails to meet every skill level.  Belleayre’s terrain park is a winter wonderland for snowboarders looking for half-pipes and rails for that winter time rush. There are a variety of lift ticket and rental packages no matter what you are looking for.  If you never hit the slopes before Belleayre’s “Learn to Ski or Ride” program gets you going an all-inclusive package with 3 days of group lessons, rentals and lower mountain lift tickets rentals for only $131!  If you are not feeling the need for speed, how about some good old cross country? The cross country trail is open and the weather is perfect for a glide through the wintry glens.

PLATTEKILL

If you are in the mood for a small mountain vibe with a big mountain feel than Plattekill Mountain is for you. All 38 trails are open with a base of 12” to 36” and all lifts are running. They have a great combination of “easy” to “most difficult” that includes the two mile long “Powder Puff” for beginners to the challenging, 1100 foot continuous vertical “Blockbuster”. If you are up for some family fun, why not grab the kiddies and hit the tubing trail. Glide down and get a ride up. All the fun and no trudging uphill! When the sun goes down Plattekill is still bustling with night tubing until 8 PM. 

SNOWMOBILING

Perhaps you like your skis with a motor attached? The Catskills are a snowmobiler’s dream with over 100 groomed trails. The Catskill Forest Preserve and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy as well as many private organizations maintain a variety of trails that weave through the mountains and valleys.

Sometimes you just need to take a short walk, you know, burn off that extra egg-nog you had at Aunt Fanny’s. Hanah Mountain Resort and Country Club lets you swap out your golf spikes for snow shoes and cross country skis. A walk in their winter wonderland will take a couple of hours and is a great way to enjoy the snow covered pines and crisp winter air.

STAY AND PLAY

If you come to play, you are going to love your stay! Many area hotels and B and B’s have stay and play packages suitable for every price range for individuals to groups.  The Roxbury Hotel offers a variety of stay and play packages that include free and discounted lift ticket as well as discounted rooms.  There is even one with a spa package so you can wind down after your day of outdoor adventure. Wake up and re-charge at Cassie’s Kitchen with pancakes and sausage with real maple syrup topped off with hot chocolate and whipped cream.  Done for the day? The Public Lounge is right next door to the Roxbury Hotel walk over and enjoy one of their tasty weekend specials or a decadent Chocolate Martini.

Bringing the whole family?  The Andes Hotel has a Ski-Free, Stay-Free package where under 17 stay free and ski free at Plattekill Mountain. They even have a package that discounts “Wee Ski” at Belleayre Mountain. Conveniently located right across the street is the quaint Woodie’s Country Kitchen where the coffee is always hot and the bacon always sizzling!  Stop in for breakfast but make sure to return to the hotel for lunch or dinner. With lunch, tavern and dinner menus there are choices to keep you full and happy.

Balsam Lake Mountain

Two reasons why Balsam Lake Mountain is one of the most popular hikes in the Western Catskills are that it’s the farthest west of the Catskills’ 35 high peaks and it has a fire tower on its summit. And of course there are many other reasons drawing hikers to this 3723’ summit. There are three approaches to choose from when hiking the mountain, each of varying distances and each involving a different scenic drive to reach the trailhead. Two of the trails have lean-tos, two of them follow an abandoned road that was once a thoroughfare over the mountains, and one circles the shore of a lake. And no matter which route is chosen, the mountaintop, with its dense and pungent balsam thicket, creates a special environment that is encountered only in certain locations.

The fire tower at the summit of Balsam Lake Mountain.

A common route to the trailhead begins at Route 28 and Dry Brook Road in Arkville. Take Dry Brook Road six miles (enjoying the drive up this scenic valley), then turn right onto Millbrook Road; after a two-mile uphill drive, turn right at the crest of the hill into the adjacent Dry Brook Ridge Trail Parking Area. The trail to the fire tower is on the opposite side of the road from the parking area. Following the old roadbed, the trail’s gradient is reasonable by Catskill standards, and the width makes it easier to converse with companions. At 2.2 miles the marked junction points hikers up the red trail to the right, which climbs a steeper old road and reaches the fire tower in another three-fourths of a mile. Although the tower was last used for fire surveillance in the late 1980s it has been restored, and the cabin can often be accessed on weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day due to the efforts of volunteers. But even without access to the cabin, the 360-degree view that unfolds while climbing the tower is amazing.

A shorter route to the summit begins at the Quaker Clearing Trailhead, which is reached after an 8.5 mile drive up the Beaverkill Road from its junction with the Barkaboom Road (just south of Big Pond). This junction is reached from the bridge at NYS Route 30 and the Pepacton Reservoir by travelling east along the NYC BWS Road 1.9 miles, then continuing along Barkaboom Road another 6.2 miles. The first two miles of the hike are gradual (along the southern portion of the blue-marked Dry Brook Ridge Trail) until the junction with the red-marked trail to the tower is reached. Turning left, the ascent is abrupt but the summit is reached in under a mile. Just below the 3500’ mark, a spur trail leads to a lean-to that is tucked in a thickly wooded area. With 1200’ in elevation gain and less than six miles round trip, this hike is done by families and hikers of all ages who are prepared and in good shape.

The third approach to Balsam Lake Mountain is from Alder Lake (reached by turning from the Beaverkill Road onto Alder Lake Road and going 2.25 miles to the base of Cross Mountain Road [a rugged seasonal road connecting to Mill Brook Road], then making a right into the entrance to Alder Lake). From the parking area, the summit of Balsam Lake Mountain is about 7 miles. This distance -- along with the primitive campsites around Alder Lake and the Beaver Meadow Lean-to (1.5 miles east of Alder Lake) -- present some fine backpacking opportunities along the secluded Mill Brook Ridge Trail. As always, hikers and backpackers should be properly prepared with a map, water, food, and all other necessary equipment and provisions.