Catamount: The Best Ski Slope Southern New England Has to Offer

Catamount Mountain Resort is your quintessential east coast ski area. It’s family oriented, not too big and it is open year-round. So, if you’re looking for some friendly outdoor adventure season to season, Catamount’s got you covered. Here are some quick key facts about the mountain:

Snowy day at Catamount Ski Resort. Photo Credit: Doug Zwick (Flicker CC)

Catamount Highlights:

  • Trails: 36
  • Lifts: 8
  • Snowmaking: 93% of trails
  • Night Skiing: 13 trails
  • Grooming: 4 grooming machines
  • Vertical Descent: 1,000 feet
  • Longest Run: 1.75 miles

Directions to Catamount Ski Resort

Catamount is located right on the New York and Massachusetts border in the Berkshires. There’s no real public transit to get you right to the mountain so it’s best to drive. Here is a breakdown of travel distances from some nearby cities:

  • Hartford, CT: 1.5 hours, 60 miles
  • New York City, NY: 2.5 hours, 125 miles
  • Boston, MA: 2.5 hours, 145 miles
  • Philadelphia, PA: 3.5 hours, 225 miles

Catamount Ski Resort Lodging

Catamount has two options when it comes to lodging on the mountain. First, there are the Mountain View Rooms. They have been recently updated and they are only a three-minute walk from the lodge.

Second, there are the Pond View Rooms, which are a ten-minute walk from all the action. Both options are great for access to the lifts but there aren’t that many rooms at either. So, if you find that they are all booked, then be sure to check out some nearby hotel options.

Hotels Near Catamount Ski Resort

The best hotel options are all located in Great Barrington, MA. And they’re all within a 20-minute drive from Catamount Mountain Resort. They are:

  • Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
  • The Wildflower Inn
  • Holiday Inn Express & Suites

Hours of Operation & When to Visit

Empty trails at Catamount Ski Resort. Photo Credit: Kris Arnold (Flicker CC)

Catamount’s lifts run from 9:00am to 4:00pm during the week. And on the weekends and holidays, the lifts open at 8:30am to accommodate larger crowds.

Typically, the mountain opens in late December and closes towards the end of March of early April.

Ski Catamount at Night

Catamount offers night skiing on 13 of its trails. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, you can ski until 8:00pm. And on Fridays and Saturdays, you can ski until 9:00pm.

Catamount Ski Rentals

If you don’t have any ski or snowboard gear, don’t worry. Catamount provides a full-service rental shop right at the base of the mountain. They have top-of-the-line Rossignol rental equipment, and they wax, tune, and sharpen rentals regularly. So, if you need a snowboard or a helmet or anything in between, the rental shop has you covered.

There are also lockers and cabanas available to rent at Catamount. The cabanas are especially cool and unique to the mountain. You can store stuff in them all day and use them as your home-base. Each cabana comes with a table, bench seating and a heater. They are a great place to gear up, meet up with your group or to sit back, relax and recharge.  

Catamount Ski & Snowboard Lessons

Beginner ski lessons at Catamount Resort. Photo Credit: Marco (Flicker CC)

Since Catamount is such a family friendly resort, it is no surprise that they have a ton of options when it comes to lessons. For adults, there are private and group lessons. There are also adaptive lessons, and group lessons catered towards women. For kids, the options are almost endless. There are programs that help young skiers and snowboarders gain confidence on the mountain. And there are programs that help more advanced little riders perfect their freestyle skills.

If you’re local to the area, one of the coolest programs to take advantage of at Catamount is the Junior Instructor Training. It gives kids and teenagers ages 12 to 17 the opportunity to learn how to become instructors themselves.

Catamount Trails: What to Know

Even though Catamount is not a massive mountain, it still has a diverse terrain. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect before you head to the mountain:

  • Beginner Trails: 35%
    • 13 trails.
    • Includes a snow sports learning area.
    • Ridge Run to Upper and Lower Promenade is the longest run in the Berkshires.
  • Intermediate Trails: 45%
    • 16 trails.
    • Includes Birch Glade and terrain parks on Bobcat, Panther, Sunrise and Turnpike.
    • Upper and Lower Sidewinder is a local favorite.
  • Advanced Trails: 20%
    • 7 trails.
    • Includes Double Diamond Catapult, which is the steepest trail in the Berkshires.
    • Off Stage has a half mile stretch of moguls.

Snow Conditions

Beginner terrain park at Catamount Resort. Photo Credit: Masstravel (Flicker CC)

Also, Catamount is one of the best east coast mountains at producing their own snow. So, even if the weather isn’t cooperating, you can guarantee there will be snow at Catamount. They’ve even added ponds to source more water for all their snowmaking needs.  

Other Winter Activities at Catamount

Catamount is always looking to improve, which is why they’ve recently added snowtubing. So, if you want a break from all the skiing and snowboarding action, head over to the New York side of the mountain for the tubing center. There is a magic carpet that will take you and your tube to the top of the hill. All the lanes for tubing are groomed. And you never have to worry about there not being enough snow because there are snow making capabilities at the park, too.

Catamount Summer Fun

As mentioned above, Catamount is open year-round. In the summer months the mountain transforms to the Catamount Aerial Adventure Park. There are tons of rope courses to choose from that are family friendly. But by far the most exciting summer activity at Catamount is the zip-line. Nicknamed the “Catamonster,” it’s the longest zip-line in the United States! It’s 5,523 feet long and you can reach speeds of up to 55mph all while you’re 250 feet above ski trails.

Peak Seeker Pro Tip: The zip-line experience is quite popular and weekend availability tends to book up. So, be sure to reserve your spot ahead of time.

Conclusion

For a small mountain, Catamount sure packs a punch. There are trails for everyone, you can ski into the night and come back in the summer for even more outdoor fun. It really is why Catamount is one of the more popular mountain destinations in Southern New England.

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