Best New York Ski Resorts

The best New York ski resorts offer great trails, challenging slopes and myriad activities whether you're there for an extended vacation or a single day on the powder. From the Catskills to the Adirondacks, you'll find gorgeous scenery in the forest and dells as you shred the slopes of the Empire State.

Best New York Ski Resorts: Whiteface Mountain
Home of the skiing competitions at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics, this New York ski resort offers the challenge of a vertical drop of 3,430 feet, the greatest east of the Rockies, but 20 percent of this resort's terrain is beginner level and 43 percent intermediate.

Best New York Ski Resorts: Gore Mountain
This New York ski resort in the Adirondack Mountains boasts more than 2,500 feet of vertical skiing with 60 percent of its runs geared toward beginners and intermediates. Snowmaking on all of its 344 acres guarantees great skiing every day of the season.

Best New York Ski Resorts: Windham Mountain
In the northern Catskills, Windham Mountain includes 39 trails spread over 267 skiable acres. Its two high-speed quad, four triple, one double, and three surface lifts can handle 16,450 passengers per hour. And for a different type of thrill, roll down the mountain in a Snow Ball, basically a human-sized hamster activity globe.

Best New York Ski Resorts: Hunter Mountain
This New York ski resort comprises three separate mountains. Thirty percent of its terrain is geared toward beginners, but expert skiers can claim 13 percent of the slopes. Its newest lift is the six-passenger Kaatskill Flyer, which can move 3,000 passengers every hour.

Best New York Ski Resorts: Song Mountain
As befitting its genteel name, this resort caters to beginners with a full 50 percent of its slopes dedicated to novice skiers. The New York ski resort extends the "song" theme by giving some of its runs names such as "Sentimental Journey," "Hello Dolly" and "Stardust."

Best New York Ski Resorts: Thunder Ridge
Skiers seeking to escape the bustle of New York City should hit this resort. It's just an hour away, and you can catch the Metro-North Ski Train from the metro area and get on a free shuttle to the resort from the Patterson station. The resort prides itself on being family-friendly with slopes, lessons and activities for all ages.

If you're looking to save money on your trip to one of New York's best ski resorts, advance planning is critical. Be sure to check the websites of the resort to see if it offers ski vacation packages or other more affordable deals. Reservations for lodging, ski lessons, dining or lift tickets are essential, especially during the busiest parts of the season.

Photo by Sarah Ackerman on Flickr