As the holiday season comes to an end and the first snow approaches, many people look to winter activities they can participate in. Some popular activities amongst families and friends are skiing, sledding, or snowboarding. Groups travel far away to cabins for a long weekend to enjoy the slopes in places such as Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine, and Canada.
It’s important to realize that New Jersey and upstate New York have several mountain parks for people to enjoy. It’s not necessary to travel hours by plane or car to reach a mountain for the long weekend.
One great slope only an hour and 11 minutes from Demarest is Mountain Creek, in Vernon NJ. It’s open for night skiing and is perfect for a full day ski trip. Mountain Creek has a variety of levels from bunny slope to black diamond, and is known as one of the most popular local ski mountains in the area due to its variety in level.
“I have a lot of good memories with my friends there. The trails are good for all levels so I can go with beginners and experienced skiers” Senior Ethan Lee said.
The quality of snow also stays decent throughout the season because they are constantly blowing fake snow onto the slopes, so the runs rarely get icy.
“The snow and size of the mountain are good for the distance,” Lee said.
The mountain also opens for summer and spring months for outdoor activities such as hiking.
Another resort in this area is Campgaw Mountain Ski Resort in Mahwah NJ. It is in Bergen County and takes only 37 minutes to get there from Demarest. In addition to normal slopes, they offer snow tubing and terrain parks. Although it is smaller than Mountain Creek, it is significantly closer and perfect for an afternoon ski or snowboard.
For people that enjoy a less intense experience, and like skiing cross country, there are also several options around the Northern Valley area available. High Point State Park in Palisades Interstate Park, Wawayanda State Park in Hewitt, and South Mountain Reservation in West Orange, are all great cross country skiing destinations that are nearby in New Jersey.
Instead of skipping days of school or using school breaks to travel so far to go skiing, give one of the parks close by a try this season.
