The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
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.
1,598ft
Vertical
67
Runs
320 acres
Skiable
7ft
Annual snow
Epic
Pass
The Terrain
67 runs across 320 acres skiable
Hunter Mountain spreads 67 runs across 320 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 30%, with 17 beginner runs to find your feet and 30 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
67
runs
67 runs across 4 grades
Beginner17 runs · 25%
Intermediate20 runs · 30%
Advanced20 runs · 30%
Expert10 runs · 15%
Time it right
When to visit Hunter Mountain
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.
Season 2025 - 2026
28 Nov 2025
Opens
5 Apr 2026
Closes
128
Days open
7 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Hunter Mountain, and where to stay
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.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Hunter Mountain, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured
An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.
28 Aug 2026
Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do
A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.
27 Aug 2026
Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
26 Aug 2026
Hunter Mountain Webcams
4 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.
About Hunter Mountain's live webcams
Check live conditions across Hunter Mountain with 4 real-time webcams showing snow, weather, and lift operations, updated every 10 minutes. Check high-elevation cams for powder visibility and base-area cams for crowd levels before you head up.
Camera guide
- Base1,601ft
- Monitor the bustling heart of Hunter Mountain through this essential Hunter Mountain webcam positioned at the main base area at 488 meters elevation in the Catskills. This Hunter Mountain live cam provides real-time views of lift loading, guest services, and arrival activity at New York's premier destination resort. Perfect for checking crowd levels and operational status, this Hunter Mountain web cam showcases the world-class base facilities and mountain atmosphere that make this resort a favorite destination just 2.5 hours from NYC.
- Mid Mountain3,199ft
- Experience commanding views from the Catskills' snowmaking capital through this spectacular Hunter Mountain webcam positioned at the mid-mountain area at 975 meters elevation. This Hunter Mountain live cam captures sweeping vistas across the resort's extensive trail network and the dramatic Hudson Valley beyond. Essential for checking visibility and snow conditions, this Hunter Mountain web cam provides the perfect perspective of the resort's diverse terrain and reliable snow coverage that defines this legendary Catskills destination.
- Hunter East1,801ft
- Explore Hunter Mountain's eastern terrain through this strategic Hunter Mountain webcam positioned at Hunter East at 549 meters elevation. This Hunter Mountain live cam provides excellent views of the resort's diverse trail offerings and mountain operations on the eastern face. Perfect for checking conditions across different sections of the mountain, this live snow cam showcases the varied terrain and comprehensive trail network that make Hunter Mountain the Catskills' premier ski destination for all ability levels.
- Summit3,999ft
- Experience breathtaking panoramic views from Hunter Mountain's highest point through this summit Hunter Mountain webcam positioned at 1219 meters elevation. This Hunter Mountain live cam offers commanding vistas across the Northern Catskills and Hudson Valley, showcasing the dramatic elevation that makes this resort special. Essential for advanced skiers checking weather and visibility conditions, this Hunter Mountain web cam captures the summit experience and challenging terrain that attract serious skiers to this iconic New York destination.
Hunter Mountain snow cams FAQ
How often do Hunter Mountain snow cams update?
All Hunter Mountain snow cams and webcams update every 10 minutes with fresh images showing current mountain conditions. This frequent update schedule ensures you have access to near real-time conditions for planning your ski day at Hunter Mountain.
Which Hunter Mountain webcam shows the best powder conditions?
The high-elevation Summit webcam at 1,219m provides the clearest view of powder conditions and snowfall. These Hunter Mountain webcams capture fresh snow accumulation and visibility better than base area cameras.
Can I see Hunter Mountain lift queues on the webcams?
Yes. Multiple Hunter Mountain snow cams specifically show lift queue areas and chairlift operations, helping you time your arrival and avoid peak queue periods.
When is the best time to check Hunter Mountain snow cams?
Check Hunter Mountain webcams early morning (7-8am) for overnight snowfall assessment, and mid-afternoon for current crowd levels and weather. The live cams are most useful after storm events to assess fresh powder.
How can I check current conditions before buying Hunter Mountain lift tickets?
Use our Hunter Mountain webcams alongside the live snow report to assess conditions before purchasing lift tickets. The webcams show real-time visibility, snow quality, and operational status.
Do Hunter Mountain webcams work on mobile devices?
Yes. All Hunter Mountain snow cams and webcams are optimized for mobile viewing, so you can check live conditions from anywhere using your phone or tablet.
More Hunter Mountain intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.