Conditions Report
Report from January 28, 2024
MIN Base: 8″ | MAX Base: 24″ | Conditions: Variable | Visibility: Moderate | Skies: Cloudy, Rain, Snow
New snowfall this past weekend is expected to revive skiers’ spirits up and down the East Coast and accumulate 3 to 6 inches by Monday morning. New England has been faced with a slower, warmer start to the ski season, but you would never know that pulling into Catamount Mountain Resort’s parking lot at 10:00 AM this past Sunday. The new snowfall has blanketed small, independent resorts in the area. Many of these can be skied with the Indy Pass; the pass that made my trip to Catamount possible.
Rain beat down on my windshield during my drive up to Catamount. I said a few silent, and then not-so-silent, prayers that the rain would dissipate before I got to the mountain, but became distracted by the quintessential New England villages that peppered my drive up north. I thought of planning a long weekend in Stockbridge, one of these cozy towns, and staying at the Red Lion Inn (20 minutes away from Catamount).
I got to the mountain at 8:30 AM. By that time, the rain had turned to sleet. I quickly slid into my boots and headed for the ticket window. I presented my ID to redeem the Indy Pass reservation and was handed my RFID card. Easy, as usual, and no ticket line to boot.
A ride up the Ridge Quad took me to a corduroy haven on the New York side of the mountain. I was impressed with the mountain’s grooming on a warm, rainy weekend. On my second ride up the quad, sleet turned to snow. I smiled the whole way up the lift. I carved down fun terrain on Lower Alley Cat, Upper Glade, and Upper-Sidewinder to Lower-Sidewinder. The mountain’s terrain packs a punch for its 44 trail footprint.
Virtually alone on every trail I chose to head down, Catamount felt like a hidden gem. Catamount has a unique feel that can sometimes get lost in the expansive Vermont mountain resorts. Similarly to how Catamount straddles the New York-Massachusetts border, it balances two distinct character qualities. The mountain’s base area has a modern atmosphere; a massive fireplace outside of Catamount Lodge is the center of attention, a magnet for après-ski on a bluebird day or in a blizzard. But just inside the entrance of the resort sits the Little Cat Lodge, it’s the post après stop that will warm your soul after a chilly day on the slopes with its comfort food and gingerbread facade that looks like it was plucked out of a Zermatt hamlet.
The Indy Pass is a great resource for getting to Catamount for a long weekend, day trip, or post-work night ski. With the snowfall on the East Coast just starting to heat up, Catamount has an exciting season ahead.
