It's lovely. Don't compare it to a big mountain or a big business…read more It's friendly, super-sweet, less crowded, less expensive, much cleaner. Smaller ski school classes, and crackerjack instructors my whole extended family loved on this one-time barely planned outing. Okay, Smaller hills, fewer trails. No lift lines, so there ya go! Lunch counter is a little better, less pricey. Anyway, I love it.

Great little ski place, perfect for beginners and families. Good place to learn how to ski.read more

Poor tubing conditions. Unsafe, unprofessional staff. Never experiened anything like it. Just pay…read moremore and go to West. They are a professional operation.

My daughter wanted to celebrate turning 16 by snowboarding with her friends. I initially called a…read morevery popular ski resort in Massachusetts. Their website boasted of offering accommodations for small groups of 15. When I called, I was told that our group was too small for a group rate and even if I had extra attendees because the weekend we chose was a holiday weekend, a group rate would not be available. I then called a popular ski resort in the Catskills, who were less helpful than the resort in Massachusetts. I finally called Willard. The lady I spoke with walked me through the entire registration process for my party. When we arrived, we found very helpful and friendly staff. One staff member even helped me convince my daughter's very reluctant dad to try snowboarding. The staff distributing the rental equipment were equally pleasant and helpful. The snowboarding instructors went above and beyond to ensure everyone had a great time. They quickly individualized lessons according to how quickly our snowboarders grasped concepts. My group left the mountain, with the hope of returning! Thank you staff of Willard for an amazing time and making my daughter's 16th birthday memorable.

Royal Mountain is a small mom & pop mountain nestled in upstate New York. It's only open on…read moreweekends, holidays, and school breaks from 9am to 4pm, but it was perfect to try out after Friday the 13th on Gore and my intercostal muscle strain. PARKING Plenty of free parking, lots of off-roading. TICKETS & PASSES I had my reservations about the quality of Royal due to the prices of tickets and passes. Super affordable! Adult all day was $60. THE MOUNTAIN & SLOPES I first learned about Royal Mountain after meeting Billy, a ski patroller there, while my boyfriend and I were at Gore. He invited us to check out Royal so we wouldn't leave empty-handed after a rough time at Gore. He knew I had been struggling there, psyching myself out, and assured me I would have a much better time at Royal. He was right--I'm not going to lie, I reclaimed my confidence at Royal and was able to take it easy without further injuring myself. Billy's enthusiasm for the mountain was undeniable. He showed us around, and it quickly became clear just how much love the community has for Royal. Everyone helps run it together, and it was so well-kept. Every inch of the mountain was covered in snow--so much snow! But I wasn't surprised since this was Upstate New York. I had my reservations at first, based on previous experiences with smaller, family-owned mountains, but Royal exceeded my expectations. Billy had us start on the bunny slope, assuring us not to judge it by its name. He spends a lot of time on it himself because, unlike most bunny slopes, this one is different--way more fun. He wasn't wrong! Once I felt confident enough to ride without straining myself too much, we explored more of the mountain, riding ski lifts and different trails. For a Saturday, it wasn't too crowded, which was perfect. I'm not a fan of crowds--not just as a snowboarder but in general. Crowds make me feel claustrophobic, like I can't even hear myself think. Watching Billy interact with the kids on the mountain was heartwarming. They trusted him completely--he was their guide into the world of snowboarding. You could tell he knew exactly what he was doing. At some point, he left us to explore on our own while he accompanied the groms down some much more difficult terrain. I wasn't about to follow, not with my intercostal muscle strain. I could still ride, but strapping in took nerves of steel. I've had this same strain before, but never from something as cool as a snowboarding mishap. This was also my first time riding back-to-back multiple days in a week, but I love snowboarding too much to give up! Needless to say, I had the best time thanks to Billy and his recommendations. I hope to come back one day and really enjoy the mountain--especially without any injuries! FOOD & BATHROOMS The bathrooms were awesome. They had character. Everything was so well-kept and had slice of history shown with the decor. I also noticed that each bathroom stall was equipped with a toilet seat for the little ones, if it was needed! That's so amazing and thoughtful! The food & refreshments were affordable and tasted amazing. Everyone was so kind! GIFT SHOP Although there isn't much of a gift shop, Royal still had vinyl stickers to choose from FOR FREE! I loved it! Very much so appreciated! OVERALL I had a really pleasant experience at Royal Mountain and cannot wait to do it again. I definitely want to explore the mountain some more, when I come back. I will be 100% healed and ready to take on any of the trails. I hope to run into Billy again because he's definitely an amazing guy and clearly, you can tell, the community thinks so too! I was going to give this mountain a four out of five star because I fully believe everything can be bettered upon BUT I can't really think of anything quite wrong with the mountain. It's well-kept, well-loved, and a great hidden gem! The website is gorgeous too! Easy to maneuver. I can find everything I was looking for. Not just anyone can attain this high level of professionalism!

Small yet fun and challenging mountain. Friendly staff comfortable lodge, nicely groomed trails …read more.. all around a great ski stop.

My family and I had another great day at Pineridge! We've been XC skiing there for years, and it…read morenever disappoints. If you've never tried it, and you don't want to travel too far to try, this is right in your backyard, Capital District dwellers! TRAILS: The land is gorgeous & pristine, with plenty of easy and medium trails, and a handful of expert hills too, all in the woods. Most trails are groomed and tracked, but some are left alone for back-country skiing and snowshoeing, and dogs are allowed on some trails. SKI RENTALS: Since I own my skis, I can't speak to the adult rentals, but there seems to be plenty in all sizes. We do the season ski rental for our kid, so we have the skis available to ski at home, too, and it's more economical than buying even used child skis and boots every year. The kid's rental is always good quality. Lessons are available, too. Walter Kersch, the owner, is a wealth of knowlege about equipment and all things XC. LODGE: Modest, even primitive, with a roaring fire in the woodstove, and plenty of tables to sit at. We bring lunch and snacks, but there's hot chocolate and snacks for sale, maybe even an instant soup or noodle cup, too. WEATHER: I love that Walter posts the ski conditions early each morning. Due to the higher elevation at Pineridge, there is often more snow there and up to 10 degrees colder than in Albany or Troy. Check their website before you rule out a day due to not enough snow. I thought today would be a washout as it crept to 40 degrees, but the cold ground, the packed snow base, and the heavy cloud cover made for fabulous skiing.