Ski Mountaineering and Down-Mountain Skiing
Places to hit to earn your turns
I'm not telling you where this is, other than it's one of the Catskill 3500 peaks!
CATSKILL MOUNTAINS
The Cats are our local hills. Strangely, skiers generally think there's nothing here worth the trouble. OK, go to Vermont and leave this for me!
Hunter Mountain Summit via Spruceton Trail - While this is pretty much a 'down-mountain' type of outing, there's only one short stretch of truly steep skiing on the way down (about 300 feet elevation loss). Otherwise, the Spruceton Trail follows the old jeep trail (now designated a horse trail) to the summit fire tower. It's generally wide with moderate grades. Climbing skins are necessary for parts of the climb, since it's pretty much all relentlessly uphill. But it's never steep enough that you couldn't struggle up on fish-scale bases in most conditions. The ski down would be rated 'expert' for cross country skiers, but it's no steeper than an easy blue square for downhill skiers. This is a good first summit for those looking to try New England style 'down-mountain' skiing.
Ticetenyck Mountain - The eastern Catskills don't get as much snow as in the interior, but this smallish mountain has a really nice woods road to its summit, open woods with a consistent, steep pitch, and a beautiful view of the Ashokan Reservoir. The terrain is pretty rocky, so you'll need to wait until there's a good, deep snow cover. Parking is limited and may be an issue if there's a lot of snow. Bring your shovel.
Balsam Lake Mountain Loop from Millbrook Road - When conditions are good, this is a great ski tour. From the trailhead on Millbrook Rd, ski south on the Dry Brook Ridge Trail to the gate and turn right up the old jeep trail to the summit and fire tower on Balsam Lake Mountain (BLM). The easier way down is to ski back down the jeep trail and follow your tracks north back to Millbrook Rd. For a more challenging ski tour, continue south over the summit following the hiking trail leading down to the lean-to. The trail opens up into a large seep, which with deep snow is a relatively open slope great for making turns. Rejoin the hiking trail and turn left (north) at the T-intersection at the bottom. You'll have a long slog north up the Dry Brook Ridge Trail back to the Millbrook Rd trailhead.
There are many woods roads leading to passes and cols that offer good skiing with enough snow. On those rare occasions when snow depths reach three feet or more, many hiking trails—even some of the steepest ones—become skiable for advanced/expert backcountry skiers.
ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS
Wright Peak Ski Trail - The most popular 'down-mountain' ski trail in the Adirondacks. It's about a 6 mile round trip, with over 2000 feet of elevation gain/loss.
Mount Marcy - The classic trail ski tour in the Adirondacks High Peaks. Fifteen miles round-trip, with over 3500 feet (roughly 1100 meters) elevation gain/loss. There's a rollicking skier bypass trail and a few hundred feet of above-treeline skiing possible.
Bennie's Brook Slide - A long slide that's mellow-angled down low, pitching up steeply as it goes higher on Lower Wolf Jaw Mt.
Angel Slides (Wright Peak) - Steep, raw, the real deal. Easily accessed from Marcy Dam, and popular.
Lyon Mountain (northeastern ADKs) - This was a secret stash back in pre-internet times. An old logging road leaves from the parking turnout up into a nice birch glade, with lots of lines for skiing when the snow's deep.
Jenkins Mountain Backcountry Ski Trails (northern ADKs) - Brand new for 2022-23, Paul Smiths College partnered with the Adirondack Powder Ski Association to create a first-class backcountry ski trail system in the northwest corner of the Paul Smiths VIC property. This is the first project of its kind in the Adirondack Park.
MASSACHUSETTS and VERMONT
Thunderbolt Ski Trail (Mount Greylock) - This is a good introductory trail for intermediate or better downhill skiers who want to try out 'down-mountain' skiing. The T-bolt is wide and not all that steep, but variable conditions can make it quite challenging.
Mount Mansfield - The east side of the mountain is the Stowe ski resort, but several 'down-mountain' trails hurtle down the mountain's west side. Mansfield has a beautiful alpine zone as well.
Big Jay - Fun, steep chutes (slide paths?) are reached from the access road, within sight of the Jay Peak ski resort. Pretty serious stuff here, and often the very best snow conditions in the Northeast.
Bolton Valley BACKCOUNTRY - BV has expanded into guided tours and gear rentals for alpine touring. This program is geared towards the many alpine skiers who are suddenly interested in skinning up to ski the powdah. For those of you who are interested in that sort of thing, it looks like Bolton Valley is leading the Northeast ski industry in a new direction. They've been expanding their backcountry trail system over the years.
Ridgeline Outdoor Collective BC Zones - Working in cooperation with the US Forest Service, Ridgeline (formerly RASTA) has set up great trails for 'earn your turns' skiing in the south-central Green Mountains of Vermont. There are lots of trails to explore, many with nicely-angled glades for making turns through the trees. Trails are easily accessible from well-maintained parking areas. Ridgeline Outdoor Collective is a chapter of the Catamount Trail Association (CTA).
Dutch Hill - An abandoned downhill ski area in southern Vermont, located around the corner from Prospect Mt, is the focal point for DHASH, a chapter of the Catamount Trail Association (CTA). Dutch Hill itself has become a popular destination for the 'earn your turns' (climb-up/ski-down) crowd. The uptracks are mellow-angled enough for climbing with fish-scale based skis, and there is a nice variety of not-so-steep and steep terrain for skiing down. Dutch Hill is in a great location for catching lots of snow.
WHITE MOUNTAINS
Tuckerman Ravine (Mount Washington) - This is the most popular spot for steep skiing in the Northeast. It's best on a warm sunny day in April after a few thaw/freeze cycles have stabilized the snowpack, and before large runnels and crevasses have formed in the bowl. Avalanche danger is often high in winter. Icefall is a hazard in spring.
Gulf of Slides (Mount Washington) - A less extreme but still very popular spot for steep skiing, with a fun ski trail to the base of the slides. Wait for April as these slopes are aptly named—they do slide.
Doublehead Mountain - An old CCC trail following fairly mellow grades up to a wooded summit with cabin. A good mid-winter destination.
QUÉBEC PROVINCE
Québec has many provincial parks with heated refuges (huts) and dedicated backcountry skiing zones that make for very civilized winter recreation.
The parc national de la Jacques-Cartier is easily reached from Québec City, and has nice glade skiing in their backcountry ski zones.
The Chic-Choc Mountains on the remote Gaspé Peninsula are rapidly becoming a go-to destination for hard-core backcountry skiers. They're far enough north that even though the mountains reach only 3500 feet in elevation, the top 1000 feet is above tree line.