Belleayre Mountain
175 acres, 50 runs in the Catskills. New York's only state-owned ski resort, ORDA-operated.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
20 Nov 2026
Closes
11 Apr 2027
Days open
142
Annual snow
96in
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Belleayre Mountain's summit reaches 3,428 feet, dropping to a base at 2,024 feet across 50 runs spread over 175 acres in the Catskill Mountains near Highmount, New York. Terrain splits 58 per cent intermediate, 22 per cent beginner, and 10 per cent each for advanced and expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 96 inches. Nine lifts, including three quad chairs and a gondola, serve the mountain alongside one triple chair and three surface lifts.
Belleayre holds a genuinely distinctive place among New York's ski areas as the state's only publicly owned and operated ski resort, a status that has shaped its identity since inception. The Catskill Park setting, protected as forever-wild forest land, required a specific constitutional amendment to permit the ski centre's development, reflecting the careful balance struck between conservation and recreation in this region.
A bill allowing New York State to create Belleayre was introduced in 1945 and passed in 1947, enabling a public referendum permitting roughly 20 miles of trails to be cut for an intensive-use ski centre within the protected Catskill region. Construction began in 1949 under the New York State Conservation Department, with a crew of 135 men breaking ground and building three main trails designed by Art Draper, a 10th Mountain Division veteran, ahead of the winter 1950 opening featuring the state's first rope tow and chairlift.
Belleayre was managed by the Department of Environmental Conservation for decades before transferring to the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) in November 2012, joining Gore Mountain and Whiteface Mountain under the same state authority. Adult daily tickets run from 61 to 89 US dollars.
1,404ft
Vertical
50
Runs
175 acres
Skiable
96in
Annual snow
The Terrain
50 runs across 175 acres skiable
Belleayre Mountain spreads 175 acres (71 hectares) across the Catskills near Highmount, rising from a base at 2,020 ft (617 m) to a 3,430 ft (1,045 m) summit for a vertical drop of about 1,400 ft (428 m). Intermediate runs make up 58% of the 50 trails, with 22% beginner and 10% each for advanced and expert. A gondola, three quad chairs, a triple chair and three surface lifts move skiers around, so the mountain handles weekend crowds from downstate and the New York City area with little fuss.
Deer Run is the intermediate cruiser to seek out, meandering through a quieter part of the mountain, and Horseshoe Pass is another upper mountain trail with snowmaking cover. Two glade areas sit high on the hill, and more expert terrain lies beneath the Tomahawk quad. Freestylers get a terrain park, a progression park and an X-course, which is a generous line-up for a mountain of this size. Belleayre suits mixed groups of families and developing intermediates who want a manageable Catskills day, with a few steeper pitches for the stronger skiers.
Terrain split
50
runs
50 runs across 4 grades
Beginner11 runs · 22%
Intermediate29 runs · 58%
Advanced5 runs · 10%
Expert5 runs · 10%
Time it right
When to visit Belleayre Mountain
The 2025-26 season at Belleayre Mountain ran from 6 December 2025 to 12 April 2026, a roughly eighteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 96 inches. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather and snowmaking conditions.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to the mountain's intermediate-weighted terrain. Given Belleayre's status as New York's only state-owned and operated ski resort, and its relatively accessible Catskills location, the mountain draws a broad visitor base including day-trippers from the New York City metropolitan area.
The SKI3 season pass, covering Belleayre alongside fellow ORDA-operated Gore Mountain and Whiteface Mountain, gives season pass holders access across all three state-run ski centres. This shared pass structure encourages visitation across ORDA's properties throughout the season. School holiday periods bring increased family visitation given the resort's substantial intermediate and beginner terrain.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since the November 2012 transfer from the Department of Environmental Conservation to ORDA, the resort has continued operating under coordinated state authority alongside its sister mountains. Belleayre's identity as a genuinely public ski resort remains central to its seasonal character.
Season 2026 - 2027
20 Nov 2026
Opens
11 Apr 2027
Closes
142
Days open
96 in
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Belleayre Mountain
Daily snow reports at Belleayre Mountain go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
14 in
Snowiest day
26 Jan 2026
0 in
This winter · 2026-27
so far
121 in
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
in
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Belleayre Mountain, and where to stay
Belleayre Mountain sits near Highmount, New York, in the Catskill Mountains, with a base elevation of 2,024 feet and a summit at 3,428 feet over 175 acres of protected forever-wild forest land. This Catskill Park setting places the resort within a region long balanced between conservation and recreation.
The Catskills region surrounding Belleayre offers a range of small towns, inns and restaurants, with the resort serving as a genuine draw for the broader area's tourism economy. The New York City metropolitan area lies within a manageable drive, making Belleayre an accessible day-trip or weekend option for downstate visitors.
New York State Route 28 provides direct access to the resort, running through the heart of the Catskills region. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled state highway is regularly maintained given its role as a major regional corridor. There is no direct public transport service to the resort itself.
Specific nearest commercial airport details are not confirmed in available resort information, though the resort's Catskills location keeps it within a reasonable drive of the broader New York City metropolitan area. Belleayre's accessible, publicly operated model continues to serve as an entry point to skiing for many downstate New Yorkers.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Belleayre Mountain, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Sierra Nevada Halloween Storm: Dodge Ridge Forecast to Lead With 19 Inches
Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.
31 Oct 2026
Lake Louise Opens Early on 1 November With Juniper Express and Easy Street
The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.
31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.
30 Oct 2026
What’s New in Japan Skiing This Winter: Niseko Gondola, a Private Resort and a Bigger Ikon Pass
Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.
30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.
30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.
29 Oct 2026
Arapahoe Basin Opens First for North America’s 2026/27 Ski Season
Winter has officially started in North America, and it is one blue run long. On Wednesday 28 October, Arapahoe Basin fired up the Black Mountain Express at around 10:30 am after a surprise announcement just hours earlier, becoming the first major North American resort open for 2026/27. Cold nights, a dusting of natural snow and a lot of snowmaking made it happen in the resort’s 80th winter. More terrain is promised as the snow guns keep running.
28 Oct 2026
Belleayre Mountain Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 31 Oct 2026
3,428ft
summit
+0in
new snow · last 24 hours
Clear33°F / 50°F · W 10mph
Snowfall
24 hours
0in
48 hours
0in
7 days
0in
Base depth
0in
Season total
0in
Typical winter 121in
Total lifts8
Live open status isn’t available right now.
20 Nov 2026 - 11 Apr 2027
Hour by Hour
Next 44 hours· Updated Oct 31, 2026 at 4:02 PM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
3,146 ftUpdated Oct 31, 2026 at 4:02 PMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0"
Days 8–14
0.0"
Sun, Nov 1
Overcast
Temp50° / 33°°F
Snow0.0"(2%)
Wind10 mph W
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Belleayre Mountain snow report
Belleayre Mountain snow conditions, updated regularly: current snowfall, snow depth, temperatures, and the outlook for this New York resort.
Snow measurements
Snow depth at Belleayre Mountain is tracked at both the base and summit, since the two elevations often see different totals — roughly a 428m difference here. We report fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours and 7 days alongside the running season total, in both metric and imperial units.
Weather conditions
Current weather conditions affect snow quality. Cold temperatures with low wind typically preserve snow quality, while warm temperatures or rain can impact conditions negatively — something worth watching closely at Belleayre Mountain's 617m base elevation, where temperatures run milder than the summit.
Data sources
We pull Belleayre Mountain's conditions from on-the-ground mountain reporting, then layer in forecast data so you get a fuller picture than either source alone. The mountain is served by 8 lifts, including 3 quad chairlifts and a gondola.
When to check
The biggest swings usually happen right after a storm. Check Belleayre Mountain's report in the morning for the freshest numbers, and again in the afternoon as conditions evolve.