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Hunter Mountain's summit reaches 3,199 feet, dropping 1,600 vertical feet to a base at 1,601 feet across 67 runs spread over 320 acres in the Catskill Mountains, roughly two and a half hours from New York City. Terrain splits 30 per cent advanced, 30 per cent intermediate, 25 per cent beginner and 15 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 84 inches. The resort carries Epic Pass affiliation. Thirteen lifts, including three quad chairs and two six-person chairs, serve the mountain alongside two double chairs, two triple chairs and four surface lifts.
Hunter Mountain has long stood as one of the Catskills' most prominent ski destinations, prized for its relative proximity to the New York City metropolitan area and its extensive snowmaking infrastructure. The resort's considerable 1,600-foot vertical drop and substantial trail count place it among the larger Catskills ski areas.
During the mid-1950s, a group of local businessmen, including Orville and Israel Slutzky and Karl Plattner Sr, developed plans to revive the Catskills' economy following decades of decline tied to the Great Depression, the Second World War and the region's fading tourism appeal. Hunter Mountain opened in 1960 under brothers Izzy and Orville Slutzky, who also ran a construction company building schools and bridges throughout the Catskills, work that complemented the resort's seasonal operations. The Slutzky family owned and ran Hunter Mountain for more than 50 years.
Peak Resorts acquired Hunter Mountain in 2015 and invested in further upgrades, culminating in the 2018 Hunter North Expansion, which added nine new runs and the Northern Express, a high-speed six-passenger chairlift, increasing the resort's skiable terrain by roughly a third. In 2019, Vail Resorts acquired Peak Resorts, bringing Hunter Mountain into its network and onto the Epic Pass. Adult daily tickets run from 89 to 139 US dollars.
Total Runs
67
Total Area
320 ac
129.5 ha
Hunter Mountain runs thirteen lifts: two double chairs, three quad chairs, two six-person chairs, two triple chairs and four surface lifts, serving 67 runs across 320 acres in the Catskills. This substantial network has grown considerably through successive rounds of investment, most recently under Vail Resorts ownership.
The Northern Express, a high-speed six-passenger chairlift installed as the centrepiece of the 2018 Hunter North Expansion, marked a transformative addition to the resort's lift infrastructure, added nine new runs and increased Hunter's skiable terrain by roughly a third under Peak Resorts ownership. This expansion represented one of the most significant terrain and lift investments in the resort's recent history.
The three quad chairs and two triple chairs distribute skiers across the balance of Hunter's varied terrain, spanning beginner through expert-rated runs, while the double chairs and four surface lifts support beginner and learning areas near the base. This combination of high-speed and standard-speed lifts gives Hunter strong uphill capacity for its considerable visitor volumes.
Since Vail Resorts' 2019 acquisition of Peak Resorts, Hunter has continued to benefit from investment as part of Vail's broader network of Epic Pass resorts. Specific further planned lift projects beyond the Hunter North Expansion are not confirmed in available resort information. Hunter's thirteen-lift network remains among the more extensive in the Catskills region.
Total Lifts
13
Lift Types
5
The 2025-26 season at Hunter Mountain ran from 28 November 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly nineteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 84 inches. Extensive snowmaking supplements natural snowfall considerably, supporting the resort's early-season opening and consistent conditions throughout the winter.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Hunter's varied terrain across beginner through expert-rated runs. As an Epic Pass resort within the Vail Resorts network, Hunter draws substantial visitation from Epic Pass holders alongside its traditional New York City metropolitan area day-trip and weekend visitor base, given the resort's roughly two-and-a-half-hour drive from the city.
The 2018 Hunter North Expansion's additional terrain and the Northern Express six-person chairlift continue to support strong visitor capacity during peak weekend and holiday periods. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given the resort's varied terrain and proximity to the metropolitan area. Weekend crowds draw heavily from the greater New York City region.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Vail Resorts' 2019 acquisition of Peak Resorts, Hunter has continued operating as part of the Epic Pass network, building on more than 60 years of Catskills skiing history dating to the Slutzky family's 1960 founding. The resort's proximity to New York City remains central to its enduring popularity.
Current Season
2025 - 2026
Opening Day
11/28/2025
Closing Day
4/5/2026
Days Open
129
Hunter Mountain sits in the Catskill Mountains of New York, roughly two and a half hours from New York City, with a base elevation of 1,601 feet and a summit at 3,199 feet across a 1,600-foot vertical drop over 320 acres. This relative proximity to the metropolitan area has long defined Hunter's role as a leading downstate ski destination.
The town of Hunter and the broader Catskills region offer lodging, dining and additional recreation within a short drive of the resort. The Hudson Valley lies between the mountain and New York City, providing additional stopover options for visitors making the drive from the metropolitan area.
New York State Route 23A provides direct access to the resort through the heart of the Catskills. Winter driving conditions on this mountainous route can include snow and ice, and visitors travelling from the New York City area should allow extra time given typical weekend traffic volumes. There is no direct public transport service to the mountain, though the resort's proximity to the city supports considerable day-trip visitation by car.
Specific nearest commercial airport details are not confirmed in available resort information, though Hunter's roughly two-and-a-half-hour drive from New York City places it within reach of the metropolitan area's major airports for visitors flying in from further afield.
