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Windham Mountain
Category: Hotels & Travel Ski Resorts Ski Resorts [Edit]
33 Clarence D Ln RdWindham, NY 12496
(518) 734-4300
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 9 am - 4 pm
Fri 9 am - 8 pm
Sat 8 am - 8 pm
Sun 8 am - 4 pm
22 reviews for Windham Mountain
22 reviews in English
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Review from DAVID G.
Bayside, NY
1/10/2012
Came here over the holidays and I thought it was great! I am not an avid skiier but I try to go once or twice a year. This year I tried snowboarding for the first time at Windham and I really enjoyed it. There were a lot of slopes with varying difficulty and seemed pretty well maintained.
Maybe it was because it was during the holidays, but the lines seemed pretty saturated at times. Luckily for me, there is a side slope where you do not need to go on a lift. There is a belt which carries the beginners only slightly up a hill and I used that. The lines thinned later in the day.
I also purchased the lesson package and the teacher was great. He was professional, funny, and very informational. I learned a lot from him as did my friends who also came with me.
The reason I am not giving it 5 stars, even though I had a great time, is that the lines seemed long and the food was waayyyyy overpriced. I am not too clear about the price but i believe my mediocre burger cost around 5-6. I would definately come back again.... with a grill lol. -
Review from Carrie B.
Manhattan, NY
1/23/2012
They claimed they had 75% of trails open. Sure, maybe, but it was like ice skating. They need to check the trails better and not make false claims to entice skiers. If the conditions suck, they suck.
I wasted $144 on two adult lift tickets. I would have never come if the conditions had been accurately listed. -
Review from Crystal L.
Brooklyn, NY
3/7/2011
The slopes are not bad but I had a terrible experience with the customer service. The employees at the resort are rude, ignorant, and unfriendly to new skiers and boarders. Although I am not a beginner myself, I found it extremely unpleasant to watch the staff at the ski lifts tease a group who had never snowboarded before. Rather than explaining which lift beginners should take, they stopped the lift and made jokes outloud.
The second bad experience was with ticket sales. I had called a few weeks prior to my ski trip about whether they would accept discounted tickets that were accidentally purchased for a different date. The woman said yes and explained that they print the tickets the morning of and would have records of the sale. However, the story changed when I went to pick up my tickets. They essentially called me a liar and told me they could do nothing about it despite having kept me waiting as if someone at the resort could help. No apology.
Ditto to the comments about poorly managed lift lines and high prices for small groups. -
Review from Michael P.
Port Jefferson, NY
1/15/2011
Lift ticket lines were ridiculous. Wasted 40 minutes waiting while waiting to purchase the ticket. 2 windows closed, and the people who were working in them were SLOW. The POS terminals there require a lot of interaction which makes each and every transaction take several minutes. They have to sit there clicking on lots of menus with a mouse, typing your credit card into the computer, and waiting.... All to sell you something simple like 1 day lift ticket!
Should be a machine that someone can push one button for a ticket, they should SWIPE your card and then ticket prints immediately. Then you get to the main lifts and there was another 20 minute wait there because all the crowds are focused to one quad there. The other lift is a ridiculously slow triple. Then there is another high speed quad but it does not even go to the top. So basically to avoid the massive wait at the good quad at the bottom, I just stuck to the top of the mountain and taking the lifts to the sides of the mountain (but way less vertical drop.) -
Review from Erica L.
2/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a nice alternative to Hunter, which I've been to so many times I have practically memorized the trees. Windham has a wide range of difficulties - I was skiing with a pretty large group ranging from very beginner to former competitive racer and all of us found trails that we enjoyed and that were appropriate for us. It got quite icy on pretty much all of the trails, but that was the weather's fault, not the mountain's.
The lift lines, as others have said, are indeed poorly managed. Definitely get into the singles line to avoid waiting an absurd amount of time. The lockers are also a terrible system - they take quarters although there is no change machine, and then when you do put quarters in they still don't work. Twice we had to call an employee to give us our change back.
It was also incredibly crowded, although we went on Sunday of President's Day so maybe it was a bigger crowd than usual. If you are able, stick to the double blacks where fewer people are. The blues were terrible - I was so concerned about being hit by someone that all the pleasure of skiing disappeared. -
Review from Damion D.
New York, NY
12/5/2010
Went yesterday which was their second day open this season.
+
Our group discount all day life ticket was only $28 pp
No problems with parking or lines to get on the lifts
Place is an easy 2 1/2 hour drive from the city.
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They were making snow so there were only a few trails open and the conditions were not great. Hard icy patches and the snowblowers often hit you directly in the face, icing up your goggles.
Lockers are small, rustty/dirty and there is no working change machine, you have to go downstairs to the guest services desk.
Food was typical for a ski resort (read expensive and adequate)
=
Didn't take a lesson or rent equipment so can comment on those services. Overall a fair destination for a day ski/snowboarding trip. -
Review from Peter K.
2/4/2008 4 photos
Thanks to Emilio Ski Shop (http://www.emiliosskis...) my wife and I took a day trip to Wyndham on a Saturday. Two packed coach buses departing at 6:30 AM took skiing and snowboarding hopefuls to Wyndham Mountain around 9 AM.
Getting rentals for my wife consumed another hour of time. We also got the all day $5 bucket rental since the lockers ran out.
We spend the day taking it easy; (since it was the first time on the slope this season) we stayed on the lower east side of the mountain and only tried three trails: Wonderama, Lower Wipeout and Warm Up. Since I was out of shape I took a couple of bad spills. It was crowded and some parts of the trails were icy and treacherous.
When we were done, we put our equipment away and went upstairs and got a seat at the bar (singular, getting seats was difficult). Service wasn't great since everyone wanted to drink. Note: it was disturbing seeing children at the bar (even though their tired parents were standing, it was weird). Bartenders "X-ray" and Nicholas poured us our Blue Moon and served us a burger and lamb/beef gyro. The entrees were not so good. Nicholas told us afterwards that only the chicken (sliders) sandwich and sloppy joe were the only decent items on the menu... Thanks for nothing. At least we scored a few free beers due to their accounting errors (too busy attending to a crowded bar).
We were happy to get back on bus at 4 PM and get back to the city. It was another hour getting to the Bronx.
Overall we would do it again.
IFHTP 1Listed in: Pedro Yelp Map
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Review from Tom C.
Salt Lake City, UT
2/25/2008
Had the chance to hit Windham this past Saturday ... didn't think very highly of the place.
- We arrived late (noonish) & find out they don't sell half day tickets, so we didn't get the best deal
- The place was incredibly crowded ... parking lots were filled to capacity ... lift lines of at least 15 mins ... trails dotted with skiers & riders leading to a few near collisions ... lines for the bathrooms ... main arteries & pathways in & out of lodges stuffed with herds of people slowly making progress to their destination ... i could go on, but you get the picture
- Snow surface was not great, with glare ice in the middles of trails (too many people on too few trails = bad snow)
- Lots of smokers! blech!
So, if you are looking to do some skiing or riding in the Catskill region, maybe you should check Hunter or better yet, try Jiminy Peak in the Berkshires (which isn't too much further) -
Review from Jack N.
Astoria, NY
12/14/2008
Crowded, not the most helpful instructors
I was here yesterday, cuz Mount Snow had a lot down power lines in the area. So here's what happened:
I signed up for the Learn to Ride one day lesson for like $65. I got the equipment (boots, and snowboard), and they charge $1 for the equipment insurance. They are just re-doing their registers. They only had 2 working registers and everyone was backed up. I wasn't every sure if I would make the 10 AM lesson.
I finally got out there around 10:05 AM. I went up to the learning area and one of the instructors pointed me out to my Instructor, Jeremy. I went over to where he was, apparently, he started his lesson with his one other student area. I don't know when he started it, but it seen like at least 20 minutes ago (didn't the lesson start at 10?)
Anyyway, it was hard for him to teach 2 ppl that are at very different levels. I was an absolute newbie, the other guy took a few lessons b4 and watch alot of instructional videos on snowboarding. So after 90 minutes (length of their lesson), I was nowhere able to move around on my own on the snowboard. I got the general concept, but I cannot control either the Heel Side or Toe Side turn. This was pathetic. I have to say he tried, but there was alot of things that were not explained more thoroughly (like how to put on the equipment, the difference between goofy and standard, and how your snowboard is suppose to be adjust for either goofy or standard). I guess that's what you get for a 90 minute lesson.
The mountain overall isn't the most crowded. I found out that it can get super crowded after new years and every weekend and every holiday from that point on is crazy.
I did not have a good time here. I don't think I will be coming back anytime soon. -
Review from Michael p.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/20/2008
Few realize that their are more ski areas in new york than any other state! Here is another one that sets itself apart with a ton of dank town houses and condos all slope side! I would ride hunter over windham most times.
But renting a house right on the slope with a group of friends is pretty much a slice of whatever after life you are lookin for! -
Review from David Y.
3/7/2010
Review in short: Windham is a good resort but packed to the T. Good groomed slopes with plenty of trails for all skills and a couple of terrain parks. Ski lifts seem very slow here. The price is average at about $65. The inside facilities for dining and drinking are fine (overpriced as expected). The parking is a bit light.
All these downsides can be mitigated if there were fewer people. I had gone on a Sat and it was really packed. Anywhere I had to go had lines. I swear the ski lift waits were 20-30 minutes. Difficulty in getting a parking spot and difficulty getting down many slopes. It was a bit frustrating. But still a fun day on the slopes. -
Review from Marcus V.
Brooklyn, NY
3/1/2010 1 photo
Conditions were awesome on Saturday, February 27th, following the huge snow storm. We snowboarded from 2 to 8 pm and found the conditions mostly ideal the entire time on nearly all the slopes, with very little glazing ice. With conditions so good, the mountain was very crowded, which meant long waits at the lifts. I did not mind so much since the wait provided recuperation time in between runs.
Night skiing (only two open lifts at night) was really nice since snowfall had persisted all day and into the evening. The only annoying moments happened at lift C, where once nightfall came, the lines got disorganized, with only one employee controlling the flow of people onto the lift. People kept cutting the lines, which was really annoying. Also, with all the snow, a slick drop off developed right where you slide down to be next to hop on a chair. It got slippery and people kept falling, which meant the operator routinely had to stop the lift. The other open lift was actually more organized for whatever reason. In terms of the lifts in general, employees need to do a better job clearing people out of the way as they get off at the top, so that as others are continually getting off there is room for them to slide off without crashing.
Definitely lots of decent slopes. We tried the Wedgie a few times (blue run) with has lots of moguls. It was particularly fun with so much fresh powder.
Lodge food and refreshments are generally not rated very well, something that in most cases is to be expected, I suppose, not to mention over-priced. I still don't see it as an excuse to serve food that looks like it was extracted from an infant's diaper, which is exactly what the chili (or whatever it was) looked like. Food that doesn't look appetizing in my experience is not something to be desired or even tried. Admittedly, however, the cheeseburger I ate was decent enough.
Altogether, I had a good time the two times I have been to Windham, especially this second time since the conditions were so good. -
Review from Andrea G.
Virginia Beach, VA
12/4/2008
I think Windham can be best described as "decent". Since the advent of global warming, this is probably the best ski resort in the Catskills, and for day trip skiing from New York City, this takes the cake. The snow is decent, though unfortunately most of it is man-made these days.
The mountain is pretty spread out, so you can actually get a good day's skiing in, even if you're an aggressive skier. There are some steep hills, though they're short n' sweet.
The facilities are good--typical mountain food (chili, burgers, pizza), and the rental shop is decent. They have some demos, though if you're a Type III skier who's renting, don't count on it as their selection of performance gear is small.
In all, if you're coming up from the city to ski, come here instead of Hunter. You feel even more like you're "getting away", and the terrain is just much better. Though it's still crowded, it's not AS crowded, and since it's more spread out, the lift lines are shorter. -
Review from Luis A.
Raleigh, NC
12/25/2010
Today the slopes were bad ass!! Waiting for the blizzard tomorrow!
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Review from Elissa jane M.
Willow, NY
1/15/2010 12 photos
This rating is written in comparison to the other local Catskill choices in Upstate NY (i.e. Hunter, Belleayre, Plattakill, etc... )
We love Windham! First of all, the condition of the trails, lifts, lodge, facilities are far superior to the other local ski areas.
I'm a mommy, so I prefer Windham's family friendly atmosphere. Some of the other reviews mention cohorts on the mountain. I'm not sure they are any worse than the rough young people coming up to Hunter.
Each of the upstate mountains have their own personality, and I'd say Windham is the best kept, best for family friendly and the staff is AWESOME!
We found the instructors, staff and other people on the moutain at Windham to be the friendliest and most helpful around.
My son is signed up for the Mountain Masters Snowboarding program this year and he's loving it. The Magic Carpet lift was easy for him to figure out and he's really into practicing on the little bunny hill on his own, carving through the cones and practicing his Sturns.
Windham's snowblowing is the best of the bunch. We were out earlier this week and the conditions were Stellar!
Remember, all upstate mountains have wacky city people to deal with on the weekends... I think the other reviewers haven't been to the other mountains in the area. We're "local" so we've done them all and Windham is the absolute BEST!!! -
Review from Ben W.
Bellerose, NY
11/16/2010
Had an 09/10 season pass here. My favorite place out of catskills / poconos BUT there are significant Cons:
- Parking: BAD. went on a pow day and there was a 2-3 hr wait just to get into the parking area. parked in the snowtubing park and had a 10 minute trek to the lifts.
- Price: expensive! bring college ID for a discount or get a triple play card.
- Lift Lines: poorly managed (and scanners don't work well). can be a problem on a busy day.
- Difficult for Beginners: Of the 2 peaks, there is only 1 green trail from top to bottom. This is on the windiest peak (lift closes often) and is therefore icy. On a windy day, beginners should just go to upper wraparound and the blue trails or stay at the lower mountain area.
So now I can tell you why I like going here:
- Wide variety of terrain: nice moguls, a trail with monstrous protruding moguls, steeps, wide trails, rollers, jumps etc.
- Terrain features are pretty nice and the terrain park near the peak is constantly evolving and changing. I went once and there were modest jumps (take-offs and landings built really well) and small rails, and the next week there was a Boarder-X speed course with banks, bumps, and jumps that you could race through - huge adrenaline high racing 4 lanes wide.
- Conditions are consistently good. I was really surprised how almost every single day of my season there had good conditions. 20+ days so their snowmaking must be top-notch. Doesn't mean you won't see some ice on steeps and high traffic areas.
- Windham really shines on a pow day - you won't get stuck anywhere and you can get to untouched snow pretty easily (follow the lift lines).
- Staff: there are some really cute argentinian girls working here! -
Review from K M.
Denville, NJ
4/3/2008
My friends and I arrived on a Saturday only one hour after they opened and it was already packed. We got there just in time for one of the last few spots in the parking lot, people left their belongings in the lockers without paying to lock them, and the lines for the lifts were so long! Not to mention, the bunny slope was a terrible one for our friend who just started skiing for the first time... it was basically flat! But, we did like the fact that there was a lodge up on the mountain where we stopped to eat and use the bathroom. It wasn't the cleanest but it was convenient. It took us 2 hours to get here from Denville and we paid $122 for two lift tickets ($61 each on a weekend from 8am-4pm).
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Review from Richard B.
Brooklyn, NY
1/5/2009
I came on Saturday night for a couple of hours, and although it was night skiing, it was pretty quiet considering it was New Years weekend. I had a few really nice rides, but was slipped up quite alot by the ice which ruined most of the trail in some spots. I guess if you want to go to upstate or the Poconos, you deal with some ice. Otherwise, say your prayers for good luck, or just go to Vermont. Skiing there is like heaven. Had a good time overall though.
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Review from Kevin G.
Brooklyn, NY
3/14/2011
I still consider myself a novice snowboarder because I have only hit the slopes an average of 2-5 times per winter during the past 3 years. Last Saturday was my first time at Windham and I had a great time. My friend was able to score half price ($30, normal price is normally $60-65) lift tickets which is a really good deal considering there are over 40 trails and 10 lifts operating on the weekends. There are also lots of indoor and outdoor seating areas which is pretty nice if you want to take a short break after doing a long trail. For food options, I would recommend skipping the over-priced main cafeteria food and go to the outdoor BBQ counter (outside the cafeteria) or the Wheelhouse Lodge (at the top of the D Lift). Both alternatives have better options and the prices are slightly less expensive. Looking at prior reviews, the primary complaint seemed to be about the ticket and rental lines. Here's the secret to avoiding the Mayhem at Windham: Get There Early! The lift starts running at 9am so if you need to buy tickets and rent gear get there at least 30-45 minutes early. Also if you plan on renting gear, you might want to consider renting from one of the half a dozen ski shops on the drive up to Windham Mountain to save time.
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Review from Topher B.
New York, NY
1/25/2009
my inaugural ski experience, so i may not be the best rater,
...but I loved this place. Perhaps merely because this was my first time and I would have love it anywhere....
The group lesson included in my day-pass was awesome, perhaps because I was fortuitously paired with a Rastafarian instructor, and because my group consisted of only myself and two others.
The place was clean and for the most part well-run. (A notable exception being the two jaded teenage girls who were simply too cool to offer assistance to my clumsy-first-timer-ass visibly struggling to don board boots...)
Mountain was plenty intimidating enough for me, but not exactly a challenge for my experienced companions... nonetheless, we all had a blast. -
Review from Ian C.
2/15/2009
i just came back from a weekend trip up here and it was really fun! They used fake snow during one of the two days i was there, but you can't really fault them for that if mother nature wasn't cooperating. But going down the slopes with the fake stuff blowing in your face hurt... goggles recommended. Any way, this was the second time i've ever gone snowboarding, so i tried out the bunny slopes just to get my mechanics worked out before tackling the bigger beginner hills... it was so flat, that I couldn't generate enough momentum to keep going down the bunny hill. Then i finally got on the bigger hills and that was fun, but there are still parts where if you're not going fast enough, you come to a stop because it just levels out. I know i'm a newbie so maybe i just suck (ok, that's probably likely), but other people who were much better than i was had trouble. I got really exhausted just trying to move on flat ground. This place, i realized, is more for skiers. I was the only one in my group snowboarding and practically everyone else on the slope was a skier. And with hills that eventually level out, if you have poles, you can push yourself off. i have to unhook my snowboard and sit at the top of a hill and reattach the board to my feet.
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Review from Matthew D.
Scarsdale, NY
2/7/2010
Hard to see why one would ski here over Hunter, with which it competes for the category of semi-large resorts in a semi-decent distance from the city. Meaningfully less terrain it seems to me, crowds just as big, prices just as high.
