During a pandemic, we skied/snowboarded for 30 days this season. And we live in NYC! That seems low to some and high to others. Let me break it down this way, we spent 30 days on a mountain from December-March and we never jumped on a plane. I wish I could say it was 70 days, but my point is – even when you live in a big city – there are SO MANY mountains close enough (and good ones here on the East Coast) to get your days in. In fact, some are even accessible by train for New Yorkers.
And even better? If you have a 3rd or 4th grader, they ski for FREE all season (with the purchase of an adult pass). It’s part of the NY Ski/Board Passport Program.
How does NY SKI/Board Passport Program work?
- You’ll need a child in the 3rd or 4th grade for the beginning of the 2021/22 season.
- You fill out an application ($31 processing fee).
- You get 3 complimentary child day lift tickets per participating resort. See the list here.
Once you’re signed up, all you need to do is show the passport to the ticket window at your resort when you pick up your adult lift ticket for the day. Yes, you still have to pay, sorry! But your kids come with you for free! And at this age, their tickets are usually the same price as adults or close, so you’re definitely saving money – especially if you have more than one child. **Also note on-site and check in advance to see any blackout dates. Most lift tickets are good for mid-week only.
Right now, there are 19 New York resorts on the list – that’s 57 free tickets if you really wanted to take advantage of it.
Shoutout to some of our favorite participating NY mountains:
- Belleayre. We cannot say enough great things about Ulster County. It’s one of our favorite parts of New York. This is New York’s only gondola ski resort and a two-hour drive from the city, so it’s even doable as a day trip (or if you want, more on where and why to stay in Kingston, NY click here). We loved this mountain. It has a small-mountain charm but modern facilities that will make you feel like you’re in Vail. There are 3 different lodges, and tons of outdoor seating so you’ll always be able to grab a seat if you need a break. Plus, they have fun garage doors that roll open to allow a lot of fresh air indoors, too. They had incredible covid safety protocols in place, and we plan to spend a few days here, not just one next season.
- Titus Mountain. Sadly we didn’t make it up here this year, but we did twice last season. It is one of my favorite mountains on the entire east coast. It is locally-owned and I love nothing more than supporting family-owned businesses, especially when you walk up and feel like family yourself! Plus, the mountain is no small feat. There are three peaks here, and even fun things like tunnels and bridges to ski/board over and through to get to the different points. There are tons of trails for all levels, and even really long green glades from the summit that are about 2 miles long. It’s just gorgeous and extremely well maintained. Plus, being 30 min from the Canadian border means you’re going to get lucky with fresh pow most of the season.
- Greek Peak. We fell in LOVE with GP this winter when we checked it out using our Indy Pass as well (more on that here). It is near the finger lakes and gets the full lake effect of snow. We just happened to be there when they got a massive snowstorm and we got snowed in a few extra days, not to our complaints! It was Maximo’s first real “pow” day of two-feet of untouched fluff. It. Was. Magical. Another bonus – on Tuesdays they have BOGO tickets, too. So if you happen to stay past your three free lift days, Tuesday you can grab a 4th for the kids for free (AND they do night skiing, so that means two tickets for only $40!). You can’t say no to that!
Click here to learn more and fill out an application today!
Now that you’re ready, learn more about:
- why the Indy Pass is great
- which mountains/trips you’ll want to plan and take for the upcoming 2021/22 season
- why Ulster County, NY is one of the best escapes in the east!
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Ulster County. We received complimentary passes to facilitate this post but all opinions are our own. Thanks for supporting Football Food and Motherhood!
