Ski country

The eastern half of the maroon portions on this map is the approximate reach of ski country in New York and Pennsylvania.

Ski country is a term used to describe portions of the boundary between the Niagara Frontier and the Southern Tier of the western part of New York.

Weather

Further information: snowbelt

The area is a largely hilly terrain, mostly downwind from Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes, along the Eastern Continental Divide between the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River and Susquehanna River watersheds. The result of this is that through orographic lift, a significant amount of lake effect snow falls there during the months of November, December and January.

The western portion of ski country is defined by a geologic formation known as the Chautauqua Ridge.

Ski destinations

As the name implies, the area is particularly popular with skiers, and there are several ski resorts that stretch from Pennsylvania into Central New York.

The local ski resorts primarily offer alpine skiing while the numerous state parks use their hiking trails for cross-country skiing.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Resorts

• Mountain View at Edinboro - in Edinboro, Pennsylvania
• Ski Denton - in Coudersport, Pennsylvania (slightly outside the general definition of ski country)
• Peek'n Peak - in Clymer, New York
• Cockaigne Ski Resort - in Cherry Creek (town), New York (no longer in operation)
• Holiday Valley - in Ellicottville (town), New York
• Holimont - in Ellicottville (also offers Nordic skiing)
• Kissing Bridge - in Glenwood, New York within the town of Colden
• Buffalo Ski Club - in Colden
• Swain Ski Resort - in Grove, New York
• Bristol Mountain - in South Bristol, New York (also offers Nordic skiing)
• Greek Peak - in Virgil, New York near the city of Cortland
• Labrador Mountain - in Truxton, New York
• Dry Hill Ski Area - in Watertown, New York
• Toggenburg Mountain - in Fabius, New York
• Brantling Ski Slopes - in Sodus, New York

State parks

• Art Roscoe Ski Area at Allegany State Park in Red House, New York
• Letchworth State Park in Livingston County, New York
• Long Point State Park on Lake Chautauqua near Maple Springs, New York
• Keuka Lake State Park in Jerusalem, New York

A complete list of cross-country ski areas in New York can be found at New York State's ski portal.

See also

• List of ski areas and resorts in the United States