Skiing in the New York City Area
Ski New England's Mountain Creek, Tuxedo Ridge, and Hidden Valley
Dec 1, 2008
In New York City, time is a precious commodity. So precious, in fact, that every minute taken in recreation must be taken in consideration. Luckily for skiing New Yorkers, there are several good skiing resorts a short ride from the City. Three of the better known resorts are Mountain Creek, Hidden Valley, and Tuxedo Ridge.
Mountain Creek was Formerly Vernon Valley/ Great Gorge
Located in Vernon, New Jersey not far from the New York border, Mountain Creek is the consolidation of two popular ski areas: Vernon Valley and Great Gorge. After a number of incidents involving its summer park - the legendary Action Park - and the bankruptcy of its parent company, Vernon Valley and Great Gorge were bought and renovated by Intrawest.
Mountain Creek encompasses four mountains, though none of them have a vertical of more than 1050 ft. Compared to the popular Catskills area Hunter Mountain with 1600 ft, Mountain Creek is little more than a series of hills. Mountain Creek does, however, have 45 trails including 23 advanced trails, 19 of which are in the terrain park.
Mountain Creek has 9 total lifts including an eight person gondola and two high speed quads. Night skiing is allowed on all trails and all trails have snowmaking abilities.
The ski area tends to be very crowded though, as it is the most popular ski resort in the New York City area. This causes wear on the trails and icy patches. The parking area is also a long, crowded walk from the actual skiing area, which can be a nuisance. Prices are comparable to resorts in the Catskills.
The Hidden Valley Club Is Targeted for Families
Originally developed by the owners of Great Gorge (Mountain Creek) Hidden Valley is specifically targeted for families. It was developed specifically as an alternative to the more crowded resort and therefore more appropriate for children. For example, the same base area is used for all the trails so that it is easier to keep track of children.
Hidden Valley has a small vertical of only 620 feet, but it has 13 trails, one terrain park, and one mini terrain park. The terrain park have several competitions during the year for those inclined. There are four lifts, though none of them are high speed. A high speed lift would be overkill considering the small vertical.
Hidden Valley also has a racing program for young skiers looking to become competitive racers. The program is comprehensive and has produced USA ski team members in the past.
Like Mountain Creek, Hidden Valley is located in Vernon, New Jersey, about an hour from New York City.
Tuxedo Ridge Ski Center
After being virtually abandoned for several years under the name Ski Sterling Forest, Tuxedo Ridge reopened in January of 2007. Although they have made significant improvements, Tuxedo Ridge still has far to go to compete with nearby Mountain Creek.
Tuxedo Ridge is small, with only 7 trails. They do have 4 lifts to go with the trails, which is a good ratio. But the trails are much flatter than elsewhere, so flat that skiers sometimes have to skate to build up momentum, novices sometimes stop moving all together. Tuxedo Ridge is a good place to learn, but it will leave excitement hunters unsatisfied.
One advantage that Tuxedo Ridge has is its price. It is a good twenty dollars cheaper than Mountain Creek. It is also the closest to New York City and the easiest to get to, right off exit 15A on the Thruway (I-87) in Tuxedo, NY.
None of these resorts can truly compare to the majestic mountains of the Catskills or of Vermont, but as a day trip for Gothamites, Mountain Creek, Hidden Valley, and Tuxedo Ridge are very good choices. One can cross the George Washington Bridge in the morning, ski all day, and return at a sane hour, perfect for New York City’s lightning fast pace.
