New York

Ikon Adds Windham and Mount Bachelor as Pass Partners

Alterra has announced that Mount Bachelor in Oregon and Windham in New York will partner with Ikon starting in the 2020-21 season. Full passholders will have access to 7 days at both mountains, while base passholders will have access to 5 days.

Ikon Pass Prices Go up Tomorrow. Here’s What You Need to Know If You’re on the Fence.

With the deadline for Ikon’s lowest pass prices fast approaching, many are debating whether to pick up the pass for next season. Some are concerned the season may be cancelled, while others may want to know how the passes compare to similar Epic Pass products. In this piece, we’ll aim to shed light on both of these topics.

Alterra Releases 2020-21 Lift Ticket and Ikon Pass Reservation Policies (Many Resorts Don’t Require One)

Alterra released their initial ticket and pass policies for the upcoming winter today. Many Ikon resorts, including the overwhelming majority of unlimited destinations, will not require reservations. However, multi-day pass products for Alterra-owned mountains will be severely limited.

New Whiteface Beginner Lift to Be Called “Owl Express”

Last week, updates to Whiteface’s website revealed that its new Bear Den beginner area lift will be called the Owl Express. The new quad will have a loading carpet that allows for faster run speeds, but its “Express” branding is misleading.

Epic or Ikon: Which Should You Choose?

Today is the last day to buy an Epic Pass before prices go up for the third, and likely final, time tomorrow. In this piece, we’ll aim to shed light on the differences between Ikon and Epic—and whether either is worth getting during these uncertain times.

Whiteface Now Calling New Beginner Lift “Falcon,” Removing Previous “Express” Language

Last week, updates to Whiteface’s website revealed that its new Bear Den beginner area lift will now be called the Falcon Lift. This comes weeks after the site temporarily showed the new lift with the misleading “Owl Express” name.

Plattekill

The Catskill region’s northernmost ski hill offers surprisingly strong advanced terrain, but infrastructure and grooming operations are severely lacking.

Hunter

High-speed lifts, reasonably varied terrain, and proximity to New York City make this Catskill mountain an appealing choice on paper. However, poor crowd management really hurts the overall experience.

Belleayre

This Catskill mountain offers family-friendly terrain and reasonable crowds for the region, but a few factors make it a tough sell for those planning a weekend getaway.

Windham

This Catskill resort can’t beat out the true East Coast destinations in snow, acreage, or terrain diversity, but it lacks some of the major issues that plague nearby competitors. Peak ticket values are among the worst of any North American ski area.

Gore

New York State’s largest ski resort stands out with excellent glade terrain, but it can’t match the snow quality or on-mountain infrastructure of the best East Coast mountains.

Whiteface

Severe wind problems and unreliable trail openings detract from one of the most unique, challenging resorts on the East Coast.

Holiday Valley

Strong natural snowfall and varied terrain make this Western New York resort a strong local option, but a short vertical drop and complicated layout prevent it from competing with bigger East Coast destinations.

Peek'n Peak

This Western New York ski resort offers a good value for beginners, but the mountain lacks the challenge or aesthetic to compete with many other East Coast resorts.