I recently visited Belleayre Mountain and enjoyed the skiing and snowboarding but had a disappointing experience with one of the ski lift attendants. There were three of us in line, and the attendant (Wilbert) asked us four separate times how many were in our group. Each time we clearly responded that we had three. Despite this, he repeatedly skipped us and allowed other groups to go ahead. After the fourth time, we attempted to move forward when it was our turn, but we were held back while he continued to pass us over multiple times. We mentioned that this wasn't fair and that it was also holding up the people behind us. Instead of addressing the situation professionally, he pointed behind us and asked the next group how many they had. Fortunately, that group spoke up on our behalf and confirmed that we had been waiting and that there were three of us. Eventually, we were allowed onto the lift, but the way Wilbert handled the situation was unprofessional and unnecessary. We understand lift operations need to run efficiently, but repeatedly skipping guests who are clearly answering your questions is not acceptable. I hope management addresses this so other guests don't have a similar experience. read more

I had the BEST time at Belleayre Mountain yesterday. My and 3 best buds all used our PTO and took off work so that we could enjoy a fresh powder day upstate. I haven't been to Belleayre mountain since I a little kid. Honestly, I appreciate it so much more now that I'm paying for my own ski pass. I loved how fast each of the lines moved and there honestly wasn't many people on the mountain at all. I really enjoyed all of their different trails. From tricky double black diamonds and really fun blues, to chill greens and even a fun terrain trail, the mountain had a ton to offer. They even had nice little sections that went through the trees, that weren't too difficult to navigate. If you're a beginner, they also have a really nifty learning center up at the TOP of the mountain. You literally have to take a gondola up the mountain to reach it.. which is just super cool and something I haven't seen anywhere else. I was about to take a star off because of the very blase (pronounced: blazzay) attitudes of the gen-z staff that work at the rental section. I rented a helmet and that just made it a bit of an awkward experience. Though I decided to keep the star as their bartender service more than made up for it. They were so chill and welcoming, and didn't even flinch when I asked about non-alcoholic beers.. which they had ice-cold and ready to go! read more

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My 2 girls had an amazing time. My girls are still a beginner/intermediate. One of the has not been skiing for a very long time. They have several beginner friendly slopes. At the lounge area, they have a place to drink and a food gallery. They have soups, chillies, burgers, fried tenders, Mac and cheese, pizza, premade sandwiches and salad. They also have vegaritan options. Our only downfall is the distance from nyc to the ski resort. Almost 2 -2.5 hrs. Also, if you can, go on the weekdays. Prices are alot cheaper and less crowded. We would come again. read more

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Decent mountain with a nice variety of trails in the Catskills of New York. One gondola and several quad chair lifts. Terrain park, glades, moguls, bunny slopes... a little something for everyone. It's no Swiss Alps, but it's not bad. It's worth noting that the "summit" is more of a flat ridge that is really hard to navigate in portions if you're on a snowboard. My girlfriend and I spent a Saturday in February on the mountain. The weather was absolutely frigid; the temperature hovered around -5°F all day. At 1pm they started posting signs around the mountain that all lifts except the gondola would close at 2pm. At 2:30, back at the main lodge, they cut the lights to the majority of the building and discontinued food service in the cafeteria. Granted, I haven't been skiing in two decades, but from my time skiing in my younger days in New England, the Poconos and parts of Europe, I've never seen this happen before at a ski resort. Of the three lodges on the mountain, only one was open. The mid mountain lodge is currently under restoration/renovation, and the summit lodge was closed altogether, perhaps also due to the weather but who's to say. At least they allowed people to go inside to warm up, though there was no food service and the bathrooms were closed. $119 for a day pass + $5 "new media fee" (what on earth is that?!). Not sure what other places are charging these days, but that seems wildly overpriced for the experience we had. Overall not a bad day on the slopes, but for our next ski trip we'll probably check out a different mountain. read more

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Had a great time at Belleayre. We were beginner skiers and felt very comfortable here. Billy, our instructor, helped us a ton with the basics -- I cannot recommend him enough because he's the reason for this 5-star review. The equipment felt like it was well maintained and good quality and the gondola and chair lifts were well run. Some of the folks renting us equipment were also good. I didn't get a chance to eat or drink here but the menu looked decent and there was lots of space to hang out for large groups, including some lovely looking fire pits. read more

Best value snowboarding / skiing location if you live in NYC or the proximity. They offer 50% military discount during the weekdays and 25% military discount during the weekends on lift tickets excluding lessons. The lessons are $99 during the weekdays and $119 during the weekends, major holidays, and peak days and they include rentals and lift tickets. The staff are super helpful and they open from 9am to 4pm so make sure to come early to make your trip worth awhile. Their rentals are in good condition, and parking is easy and spacious. They have good quality snow and they have a cafeteria and a bar in their spacious lodge, however the price is on the higher end. We had their mac and cheese with pulled pork and it was surprisingly delicious. Will return. read more

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I enjoyed this mountain as it has many trails to explore. I parked in both the lower and mid-mountain lots, and prefer the mid-mountain one. I was lucky to park pretty close to the premium lot and only had to walk a few minutes to the tunnel and just got onto the trail from there. I got the 2-day pass early before Thanksgiving so got a good discount on tix. My 9 yo didn't like any of the green trails as they were too flat. She liked the abundance of terrain parks across the mountain; we just wished there were bigger ramps, like at Hunter. We both liked Goats path, but not when there were moguls. For food, the bbq parfait hit the spot: layers of mashed potatoes and pulled pork, bbq sauce, and brisket. The chili had too many tomatoes, like eating salsa, so was not good. The mid-mountain lodge gets packed often and is difficult to find a place to sit inside. At least, there are some fire pits outdoors. read more

Belleayre Mountain - Ski Resorts Near Me - Highmount, New York

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Came back to belleayre since it seems to be one of the best value places in the Catskills for skiing. Despite the rainy day and warm temperature trails were the best they could be for a full day of fun. Come here early for good parking and nicely groomed trails! Conditions were reported on the website. Rental equipment was in very good condition and the ticket pickup process was very straight forward. read more

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Solid mountain for skiing, particularly after the first big snow this year. All trails looked open and were well groomed. A lot of people here, premium parking was full when we arrived at the Overlook Lodge in the middle, normally a $20 fee. They have a couple shuttle stops. The ticket machine was quick, scan your qr code and get the pass, stick in your pocket and get RFID scanned each time you go through lift gates so that was easy. Lodge at the halfway point was busy, lots of people left gear inside and partly was closed. Bathrooms downstairs clean but the hand dryers off, paper towels only. The seats were wood and floor was stone, not slick, but seating at a premium during setup or lunch. Marketplace downstairs at Overlook Lounge was closed. The pub was also closed on the Tuesday but small selection served from the window. Main food mostly down at the big lodge. Food was mostly chips, pulled pork sandwiches, Mac and cheese, and chili. Slopes were good on the days post a big snow. The courses were soft and well groomed. The greens were nice and wide. Blues narrower and faster. Some crossing of routes. The gondola was nice, and the quad was a bit slow. Express much faster. read more

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Excellent beginner slopes. If you need help or equipment, you're screwed; half the staff can't help and the other half won't. Bring everything you need -- lift ticket, gear -- before you arrive. read more

Belleayre Mountain - Just don't arrive needing anything. - Ski Resorts Near Me - Highmount, New York

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A great spot to hit the slope if you live in NYC or nearby areas. It is about a 2.5 hr drive with no traffic. They open from 9-4pm. Make sure you don't come too late in the day to make your trip worth it. They have good quality snow, updated system, and nice lodge space. The slopes are wide and not crowded. Helpful staff with great attitude. Plenty of green trails space for beginners to practice and blue trials for intermediates to hone their skills. The bunny is a bit small but that's why you go on the greens. The lodge area is nice and big. It does get crowded during lunch time. So you should plan to eat a little earlier or later if you want to get a table. The food options are decent, given most other places have chicken fingers and burgers. They have hot soup for the carnivores and herbivores. A hot soup noodle bar! Pizza and Mac and cheese. Prices are on the higher end but you can always bring your own and get something there. Oh they have a waffle stall outside the cafeteria. The kids love that place I can tell. The bathroom line is quite long during lunch. They need to have bigger bathrooms with more stalls. read more

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I think this is the best mountain in the Catskills for skiing! It's not affiliated with Epic or Ikon so the crowd is the thinnest. The gondola is incredible! They do a good job in snow making. Also l highly recommend all beginners to purchase the beginner group lesson package. It's a steal! The staff here are clueless though. They have no idea what other departments are doing and I was told different things by different counters. read more

Belleayre Mountain - Ski Resorts Near Me - Highmount, New York

One of the better run Ski Resorts in the NY area and still close enough to the city so you don't lose that much time to travel. This is a great spot for a ski weekend and if you're into snowboarding, better still, the skate park. The location of this ski resort is great, just tucked in between a few fun local towns - think Phoenicia, Margaretville, and Fleischman's. Lots of great options to eat and drink on site and items are not that grossly over priced. Love the gondola and the various ski lifts for all levels of skills. The instructors are also very well versed and skilled -you'll be learning in no time. There is no night skiing here/ daytime fun only. Their trails however, are plenty and the greens are fun to navigate. Try the double black if you're an expert. The reason my family loves this spot is because they can get through the lifts quickly and the snow is good. As a parent, I love the ski camps/lesson options for the kids and the pricing for rental equipment. Notetable eats in the food court (yes it is actually good and plenty of variety. read more

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I came here with my young daughter to teach her to ski. Drove 3.5 hours, rented gear, the whole deal. We arrive and the one lift that serves beginner trails is closed. Because my daughter just started skiing, I can't take her on the gondola as it only serves blue squares and black diamonds from the top of the mountain. We sat in the lodge for four hours, hoping the lift would come back online. It never did. Since there was literally nothing we could do, we decided to go home. Before we did, I requested a refund from the customer service desk, and was told that per "policy" they only offer credits. Their machinery breaks down and the customers get stuck with the bag. Best of all, the credit is only good for a year, and you have to pay a $15 fee to use it. So gross. Never again. read more

Great mountain they did an awesome job with the snowmaking but the bartender at the mid station lodge was extremely rude to several customers even yelling at one that I witnessed I'm self-employed so I still tipped him even though I shouldn't of even bothered read more

Love Bellearye and had a great experience with them helping me find my son who got lost for an hour. The people who work here are salt-of-the-Earth real. They love what they do and love to do it there. It's not fancy and that's for the best, it's authentic and focused on what matters -- good times, good people, good experience. read more

I accidentally chose the wrong day when buying my lift tickets. I immediately called the Belleayre sales office and the manager was incredilly unsympathetic. They should have simply cancelled my tickets from the honest mistake or even better, simply changed my lift tickets date to the following day. They said I needed to fill out a form on their website and someone would send me a credit for using these lift tickets at another time. Meanwhile, I need to go and buy lift tickets again for tomorrow. This is crazy. Horrible customer service and complete disregard for customers who are paying hundreds of dollars to ski their mountain. read more

The staff inside the discovery lodge were not particularly friendly or welcoming and are quite dismissive towards beginners. The outside staff were friendly though. Budget AT LEAST an hour for rental equipment if you need them as well. And $10 for lockers. read more

Amazing snow making capabilities, long trails, and light crowds. This was our first time skiing at Belleayre as a family of give, but it certainly won't be our last. Highly recommended! read more

Belleayre Mountain - Ski Resorts Near Me - Highmount, New York

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Our trip to Canada was canceled due to Covid. But why should that stop us from skiing locally? We've been just about everywhere on the east coast except Belleayre where it's only 3 hrs from central Long Island. We went on a Tuesday during winter recess, due to the pandemic, they limit the amount of lift tickets they sell per day to keep the crowds in check. We needed 6 tickets and they only had six left, this was a sign that we had to take a day ski trip . Surprisingly the parking lot was not crowded and we got a good spot near the vip parking right at opening time 9am. Walked a few minutes to the central lodge where there were ticket pickup machines available. Since we prepaid online, we just scanned our QR code and it spit out our 8 ticket cards, skied down to the gondola lift and off we went. Took about 4 runs and stopped at the lodge for a bite. There cafeteria was surprisingly open but we tried the two food trucks outside because there was no line. We found out why, you needed a second mortgage for the waffles and quesadillas, coffee and soft drinks. Super expensive but good! 2 waffles, 2 coffees, a bottle of Powerade and a quesadilla cost about $50! Went back on the lift 4 more runs and we were exhausted by 2pm. Beat the traffic back home and arrived by 6pm! All on a weekday! Awesome! We will be back. read more

Belleayre Mountain - Ski Resorts Near Me - Highmount, New York

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Belleayre has a long history of being mismanaged and lying about snow and trail reports. They had two trails open today but they said that they had 14 trails. Also, the ski patrollers are clearly Sears and Roebuck material. There is no comparison between the patrollers at Gore mountain and Whiteface where the patrollers there can ski in addition to having mountaineering skills. The patrollers at Belleayre do not know how to ski as they slide and use skid turns to navigate their lines. They do not roll their edges, separate their upper body from their lower bodies and take care of their equipment. Their skis are not tuned, sharpened and waxed which is illustrated by how they ski. They were seen today yelling at season pass holders as they got off the lifts for no apparent reason. Here is a direct quote from Belleayre, website which is a blatant lie about their lifts and trails. "For Wednesday, we will be skiing and riding on 14 trails. On the upper mountain, 12 intermediate and expert trails will be serviced by the Catskill Thunder Gondola. The lower mountain will have 2 trails open serviced by the Lightning Quad and Little Creek Carpet. This past week we have seen the ropes fall on Seneca, Tuscarora, Roaring Brook, Route 9, Ridge Trail, and the Crossing trails, expanding our terrain." They had one lift open with two trails. I can't wait to see how they try to explain this away. The lift operators do not ski obviously as they were telling professional skiers to not bring their racing skis inside the gondola. Gore and Whiteface support and encourage this practice so that people's skis and edges are protected. The patrollers at Belleayre are in the minor leagues whereas the patrollers at Gore and Whiteface are excellent. The patrollers at Belleayre should go work at Mountain creek in New Jersey or at mount peter in Warwick, NY. There was also an odor of someone smoking something near their patrol hut on top of the mountain-not a good example for children. read more

Really good mountain fun slopes great high speed gondola all lifts have good views for food I highly recommend the black diamond grill their burger is godly! You can go on the gondola in the summer. read more

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Only came here for a day but overall it was a good experience. I loved that they have a covering for the bunny slope so that people don't need to freeze going up that magic carpet. I only hit mostly the green trails but overall they were pretty good. There was definitely a solid ice layer which made the runs a little bit rough but i enjoyed my time here. The lodge is open which was really nice. Picking up the tickets was really seamless with their dispensers which I really enjoyed also. I might come back again but it's really far from I87 which is really annoying. read more

Looks are deceiving. New lodge and everything else. However, lodge has awkward setup which results in multiple tiers/entrances/prohibited areas for skis. No good signage. Sidewalks not shoveled including stairs leading to parking lot Imported ski staff labor who appear to have never skiied but were pleasant and friendlier than the locals working there The rental staff know nothing about the equipment and misadjust skiis. This almost left me stranded atop the mountain where the ski life operator made no attempt to help. No sighting of ski patrol in the day I was there. Ski at your own risk and if something happens, then ohh well. Also, if you fall no fellow skiier will bother to even stop for you. I thought skiing was a happy place. Kudos to the ski instructor. They were the only ones doing their job well. read more

Beautiful mountain, but pricey, but worth the money. Many different trails for all levels. Great places where to buy drinks and food and we'll kept facilities. read more

This is nice ski resort in the mountains. The trails are great (per my husband and son). They are beginners (this is their third year ski). I love their new lodge. Nice big area and free hot water (for noodles and hot chocolate or anything you'd like to bring). Price is reasonable - kid 6 yrs and younger ski for free. Variety of passes and discount. It's one of our fav places. read more

Great mountain with many different runs all at different levels!!! Lodge is fun to hang at and while I didn't try any food, everything smelled delicious. Weekly day pass was reasonable! read more

Belleayre Mountain - Ski Resorts Near Me - Highmount, New York

Great family oriented mountain. Be sure to come by Pine Hill and check out the 2 restaurants/3 bars. read more

They are the BEST, ski area around Awesome snowmaking & Great grooming. The Best conditions, in the Catskills. Still going strong, April 8th Love it here read more

We headed to Belleayre for Spring skiing last Saturday and instead got Spring blizzard. But part of the day was sunny and being mid-March, no crowds! Just ski up to the chair lifts. That was at the best part of Belleayre. Rental was old school, meaning handwritten on 3-part carbonless forms. Still the process went pretty fast due to no rental lines. I could tell there wouldn't be enough places to sit and fit boots on a busy weekend. Luckily for me boots fit perfect the first time. I also liked that the lockers were 4-quarters and take your key. Much cheaper than the $3-$7 electronic combo ones at other ski resorts. Sometimes old school IS better! The resort basically splits off from the base up two mountains. The lower halves are all beginner green circle runs. The upper halves are mostly intermediate blue square and advance black diamond. There are a few expert double blacks. We found that many parts of the blues could be green, and the blacks could be blues at other resorts. This could be due to the lateness of the season when everything is packed and groomed. We had fun skiing almost non-stop most of the day until the blizzard hit. Lunch at the mid-mountain lodge cafeteria was very basic fare, nothing fancy or fresh and healthy. The upstairs eating area had a roaring fireplace which was quaint. The bar at the base Discovery Lodge was roomy, but with only one bartender at a tiny corner counter with 3 chairs, it took awhile to get our drinks apres ski. Our busload took up half the bar, and we were kicked out at 5PM for a private party. That's a busload round of drinks lost. Overall, Belleayre was the the most nostalgic ski resort in the NY-NJ-PA area for me. Except for its much smaller size, it reminded me of ski resorts with my parents long time ago in Lake Tahoe. It might be time to update guest facilities for the 21st century. read more

Belleayre Mountain - Spring blizzard - Ski Resorts Near Me - Highmount, New York

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We came here today for our last ski of the season 2013-2014. Quite difficult to compare it to other ski resorts that we visited this season since this period is almost end of season. The mountain is divided into 2 parts the greens and bunny hill (beginner) and the middle part of the mountain which is the blue, diamond and double diamonds (experienced). I found this efficient in order to reduce over crowding in one area. Getting ski lift is easy but I found ski/snowboard rental system is a bit dated. Canteens and bars are available in both lodges, nothing gourmet just enough to fill you for the day. I will definitely coming back next year. read more

Belleayre Mountain - See you next year! - Ski Resorts Near Me - Highmount, New York

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What a fun place! I was impressed by the proximity to NYC and the very cheap ticket prices (compared to places in New England). The top of the mountain is a steep headwall, so most top to bottom trails begin with a black diamond and end with a blue square with the exception of a cruiser or two on each side. The gondola is a great way to get long runs in, and so is the high-speed quad on the left side of the mountain. Staff are attentive to regulations and covid-19 procedures in the lift lines and lodges alike. If you're a real seasoned skier, Belleayre may not be the most challenging mountain. However, this is a great option to prepare for a long trip or as a local alternative in these crazy times. Overall, amazing bang for the buck. read more

Of the three popular ski resorts in the Catskills closest to NYC (Belleayre, Windham & Hunter), Belleayre is the least popular, which makes it less crowded, but conditions and trails are just as good. And that makes it my favorite. They have a good variety of terrain for all levels and a pretty good ski school. Since it's NY state owned and managed, they don't get a lot of capital for improvements. They could really use a high-speed quad lift from the bottom lodge. The high-speed quad is only from mid-mountain to the top where there are only blue & black runs down and those are pretty good, but I would like to take some of my novice skier friends to the top. Weekends are crowded especially on holiday weekends. Go on a non-holiday weekend and if you have the time you have the whole place Mon-Fri. I used to take advantage of the "free lift ticket on your birthday", but they stopped that promotion in 2010. read more

Belleayre Mountain - At the top of Wanatuska trail (black diamond, then becomes blue) - Ski Resorts Near Me - Highmount, New York

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Overall a good experience. The trails were groom well. The lifts had lines but kept moving .

We were there over Spring Break and didn't have the best weather - rainy one day and the ground was icy the next day . This meant the resort was close to empty but our kids had a great time nonetheless . The space was clean and all the staff were super nice and accommodating to our needs. My kids did a day of skiing and a private snowboarding lesson with Instructor Doug who was very patient and explained the basics in a very easy to follow manner. The food in the cafeteria was just ok taste wise - grilled cheese , chicken soup, three bean soup, teriyaki chicken, battered fish sandwich. Probably a step up from airline food. Good variety though. And very amazing, helpful servers. We were very impressed with Belleayre and plan to return next year! read more

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This is a hidden gem in New York for skiing great for beginners. The lift aren't to fast but are just fast enough so it doesn't feel like a year before you are at the top. The gondola has great views and in very efficient. The food is delicious at the Discovery lodge but not as good at the overlook mid lodge. The difficulty terrain was a little to easy for me but that can be variable for everyone else. The staff was very nice and helpful. The is a great place if you are a beginner skier in New York highly recommend. read more

One of the smaller mountains to be skiing yet. This place is a hidden gem because there is barely crowd. Hunter Mountain is next-door, which is a bigger mountain, however this place is the place to be. Away from the crowd, and if you go early in the morning, you avoid the crowd it slopes. The food is amazing, and the worker is a very nice in terms of making sure you get on and off the ski lift safely. Also ski lift passes to not cause so much, and the lines are not long. I will definitely be back read more

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It's an okay mountain but their lesson reservation system is terrible and the manager was incredibly rude to me when I tried to confirm a reservation that I requested weeks ago ("never received"). I will stick to Hunter. read more

The center is decent. I went on a day trip via an outside company. The trouble started when a bunch of us wanted to take beginner lessons and their credit card system was down so they only took cash. None of us had that much cash on us in this digital era and they wouldn't accept Venmo, Zelle, etc. There are also no ATMs on the premises. Their resolve was "oh well, not our problem" . We offerered many solutions that they were unwilling to try or simply couldn't. We arrived around 930 and time is ticking. We were frustrated and losing patience They directed us to the nearest gas station but none of us could drive there due to the fact that we were on a day trip via a chartered bus. I should also note the staff is primarily high schoolers. I asked to speak to an adult manager who watched everything go down and again told us to go to guest services. We go upstairs to guest services--more high schoolers this time with an attitude and they stated we couldn't take a class for free even though the chicken and egg was how to pay for the class when the machine doesn't work and no one will take electronic payments?? Finally a young manager, Raven, was kind enough to help us sort it all out. She displayed exemplary customer service and was able to accommodate us and we were finally able to take the 1130am lesson. Raven was simply amazing! She deserves 5 stars alone! The instructors were kind, patient and I learned quite a bit! I'm giving 3 stars because of the way the rest of the staff handled the situation and we hemorrhaged 2 plus hours for this to sort out. We found out from others on our trip that some of the staff did accept Venmo for renting equipment, etc. Other than that this is a great place to ski, with a decent lodge and nice instructors. Make sure you have cash on hand in case this happens again. read more

I came here with two friends on Christmas weekend, and the snow sucked! It was all icy and there were zero snowblowers on the green slopes. The ski lifts are also really slow; it took 10 minutes to take the lift to the top, and it took me about 10-15 minutes to get back down. Prices are a bit lower than other better resorts, but I would definitely pass on here unless the snow is good and you don't have time to go further. read more