OPENING DAY AT ONE OF NEW YORK’S SMALLEST SKI AREAS
Beartown Ski Area, which is Clinton County, New York’s greatest vertical ski hill, opened for the ski season today. It also happens to be the only ski area in Clinton County, New York. I’m not sure where it falls in terms of size for New York ski areas overall, but it’s certainly among the smaller ones. The ski area is located just outside of Plattsburgh. It’s a nonprofit hill with 150 ft. of vertical, a Poma, a T-Bar, a handful of trails and a couple of miles of cross-country ski trails. It was a fun day on the hill lapping the T-bar, although it was a bit cold.
The lodge at the base.
Looking at the ski area from the lodge.
I got to the hill around 12. The temperature was in the single digits, and I think that kept people away, because there were very few people there. Beartown does make snow, and they’ve made snow this season, but we’ve also had several storms pass through northern New York this week, so there was snow everywhere, although it was a little thin outside of the run Main Slope, so that’s the run I stuck to today.
Riding the T-bar.
Looking down Main Slope.
North Slope.
The view today from the top.
With few people on the hill, there was never a wait for the T-Bar. They were not spinning the Poma today. Beartown’s T-Bar gets you up the hill in a minute or two, and it only takes around 30 to 45 seconds to ski to the bottom, so you can get a lot of laps in. Conditions today were fantastic with packed powder on Main Slope. It was great to carve through, and though it may be a small hill, you can get some decent speed going before reaching the bottom.
Looking at Main Slope while riding the T-Bar.
Beartown is the eighth ski area I’ve skied this season, and the third T-Bar hill. I ski Beartown a few times each season, so I’ll definitely be back, potentially as soon as next week. If you’re someone who appreciates small T-Bar hills like this, or you just like visiting different ski areas, this is one that should definitely be on your list. It’s got a lot of charm, and the skiing is pretty good, too!
Never Quit Skiing,
Lincoln