Hunter Mountain Ski Area

Hunter Mountain Ski Area (off Rte. 23A in the heart of the village, 518/263-4223, www.huntermtn.com) is the Catskills’ best-known ski center and one of its biggest businesses. In winter, boisterous New York City folk flock here by the thousands to ski its crowded slopes. The three-mountain complex offers 49 trails, 15 lifts and tows, and 100 percent snowmaking capability.

In summer, the Hunter Mountain Festivals are staged here. Regular events include the German Festival, Oktoberfest, and the International Celtic Festival, during which dozens of men in kilts march down the mountainside.

On summer and fall weekends, the Hunter Mountain Sky Ride travels to the mountain’s summit (10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat.–Sun. July–Oct., $6 per person). Open year-round is the resort’s small Ski Museum (10 a.m.–5 p.m., free admission), which documents the history of the sport.

Hiking

A number of good, well-marked hiking trails lace the area around Hunter Mountain. Many start at the back of the mountain on Old Spruceton Road. To get there, continue west on Route 23A past the Ukrainian church and turn left onto Route 42 south. Continue to the hamlet of Westkill, turn east onto County Road 6, and follow it six miles through pastoral Spruceton Valley. At the end, after the road has become dirt, are two parking lots with trailheads.

The main trail leading to Hunter’s summit is of moderate difficulty, covers 7.2 miles round-trip, and takes about 6–7 hours. Along the way is a mile-long spur leading to Colonel’s Chair, a northern protuberance of the mountain supposedly resembling a giant armchair. The chair was named after Col. William Edwards, an early tanner who made his fortune decimating the area’s hemlock forest, and then unceremoniously pulled out. It was Edwards who first put Hunter, then known as Edwardsville, on the map.

One of the easiest hikes in the Catskills, leading to Diamond Notch Falls, also begins at the parking lots. The gently inclining trail is about a mile long and runs alongside West Kill Creek. Wildflowers and birds are abundant.

For more information on hiking Hunter Mountain, stop in at the main Hunter Mountain ski lodge (off Rte. 23A in the heart of the village, 518/263-4223, www.huntermtn.com).

Accommodations and Food

The charming Fairlawn Inn (7872 Main St., 518/263-5025, www.fairlawninn.com, $95–100 d) is a three-story Victorian hostelry with nine attractive guest rooms, many with brass or four-poster beds, along with cable TV and in-room Internet access. Stained-glass windows, parquet floors, 19th-century antiques, wraparound porches, and a stunning central staircase add to the ambiance.

The modern Scribner Hollow Lodge (Main St./Rte. 23A, just east of Hunter Mountain, 518/263-4211 or 800/395-4683, www.scribnerhollow.com, $110–260 per person d, with breakfast and dinner) is a full-service lodge with an outdoor pool, an unusual indoor grotto, saunas, and fireplaces. Each of the 37 rooms is furnished differently, and artwork is everywhere. Adjoining the lobby is Prospect Restaurant (average entrée $24), offering American regional cuisine prepared with fresh local ingredients, along with scenic vistas.

Near the base of Hunter Mountain is the chalet-style Hunter Mountain Inn (7433 Main St., 518/263-3777, www.hunterinn.com, $90–120, $180 peak ski weekends), whose bar i

© Avalon Travel and Sascha Zuger from Moon New York State, 5th Edition