Snow Business: Palm Sunday Bliss at Catamount

HILLSDALE, NY — A Palm Sunday trip to Catamount showed that spring skiing is alive and well at a mountain very close to most points in Connecticut.

Yes, things were that good at the mountain that straddles New York and Massachusetts.

The goal on Sunday was two-fold — to hit the cruisers on the New York side of the mountain and to introduce a pair of 8-year-olds to their first runs in the woods.

The Birch Glades did not disappoint, but then again, they are set up for satisfaction in the first place. The pitch is not too crazy and you can pick your spots for either tight tree turns or some meandering exploration. The latter was more of an option on Sunday, considering it was the inaugural glade runs for the young skiers.

The snow cover was good from the last two storms and softened up as the day progressed. Catamount has always been known for its cruising over the years and the Birch Glades, situated just above the zip line course on the Massachusetts side was a welcome addition.

Speaking of cruisers, Catamount was sporting a summit base of 40 inches on Sunday and, quite frankly, conditions were as good as any point this season.

The two best trails were on the New York side — the entire length of Sidewinder and a tributary off that main trail, Fisher's Fluke. The snow was firm underneath for March but had a nice powdery top coat that made turning an absolute gem, whether it was a collection of mellow turns or opening things up.

On the Massachusetts side, Ridge Run to the skier cross course on Sunrise was a stellar route for the kids.

Catamount is staying open one more weekend, and anyone thinking of a quick trip to get some skiing in on Easter weekend should give Catamount some consideration. Its a reasonable distance from anywhere in the state, is usually less-crowded than the larger ski areas, and it offers 1,000 vertical feet and a balance of trail types (including good steeps) over its roster of 36.

If not, put it on the list of places to visit next season.

Photo Credit: Chris Dehnel

Chris Dehnel is a Patch editor and a past-president of the Eastern Ski Writers Association. He has been writing about snow sports for about two decades. His Snow Business column runs regularly during the season.