Explore Ellicottville skiing and other upstate New York ski resorts

Home to incredible mountains like the Adirondacks and the Catskills and numerous regions, it’s no wonder that New York is a hotspot for skiing and snowboarding. Upstate New York is where all the fun is, however, with sophisticated and family-friendly ski resorts that offer everything from novice ski schools and snow tubing to expert double-black-diamond runs for experts only. Whether you want to include some skiing on your tour of upstate, you want a fun time with the kids, or you’re looking to tackle the challenges of the Olympic-quality resorts, find out more about the best Ellicottville skiing and other top resorts in upstate New York.

Ellicottville ski resorts for a family vacation

A haven for outdoor adventure, Ellicottville is a charming village with 2 ski resorts, cross-country trails, and numerous other attractions. If you want to enjoy some skiing or snowboarding with the family along with nightlife or sightseeing, Ellicottville is one of the best places in upstate New York for a ski trip. Check out the resorts in Ellicottville and see what you can expect.

Holiday Valley for family fun

Holiday Valley is a family-friendly ski resort in Ellicottville with 56 slopes divided between beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert terrain. While there are only a few expert runs, the resort has 5 progressive terrain parks to learn freestyling skills on a variety of jibs. Holiday Valley has cross-country trails as well, and an aerial adventure park for children.

Holimont Ski Club for families

Perfect for families with children and beginner skiers and boarders, the Holimont Ski Club is a private ski resort in Ellicottville with consistent snow conditions, perfectly groomed trails, and fast lifts. The resort has 55 trails for mostly beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders, as well as après-ski spots and amenities in the village.

Other upstate New York ski resorts

If you want something more adventurous, upstate New York has an array of challenging ski resorts known for confident intermediate, advanced, and expert terrain, terrain parks, and other activities. Take a look at the other premier ski resorts in upstate New York.

Whiteface Mountain for thrilling runs

Nestled in the Adirondacks, Whiteface Mountain offers one of the largest verticals on the East Coast and race runs, glades, moguls, and other challenges that made it a top choice for the Olympic Winter Games in 1932. If you have novice or intermediate skiers and snowboarders in your group, you’ll find plenty of green and blue trails with mellow rides for learners to advance and grow their skill sets.

Hunter Mountain for challenging skiing and boarding

Located in Hunter, New York, Hunter Mountain is renowned for its incredible verticals and après-ski scene. Touted as one of the most challenging resorts in the state, many of Hunter Mountain’s trails are designed for advanced and expert skiers and snowboarders. However, because the trails are spread over 4 peaks, you could find plenty of beginner and intermediate terrain. The resort also has a ski school with excellent instructors to teach the basics and advance confident novices. If you want nightlife, Hunter Mountain is the closest resort to New York City.

Gore Mountain for massive terrain

North Creek is home to one of the largest ski resorts in New York, which boasts over 100 trails on challenging terrain. Spanning 4 mountains, Gore Mountain has a lot of variety with glades, steep inclines, and bowls. While the resort prides itself on challenges for advanced and expert boarders and skiers, you’ll find plenty of well-groomed beginner and intermediate terrain. There’s also a ski school with excellent instructors to teach the basics or more advanced skills. After the day on the mountain, you can travel to one of the bars or restaurants in the area to relax and enjoy some cocktails

Windham Mountain for family amenities

Windham Mountain is a family-friendly resort with excellent lesson programs at the ski school for beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. The resort has 2 peaks with mostly beginner and intermediate runs, so advanced skiers and snowboarders won’t find many challenges. For freestyling, however, Windham Mountain has 6 terrain parks with nearly 100 jibs, including tabletops, jumps, and half pipes. For kids, the Adventure Park offers snowmobiling, ice skating, and snow tubing.