Thunder Ridge Ski Area

The rental and lift purchase area was very small and not suitable for the needs of the ski area. I found the staff very unfriendly and unhelpful. On the day that we went there were muddy areas on the slopes even though they advertised fresh snow. The bunny slopes are at the furthest end and not easily accessible on a busy day. If you are looking to have a good, fun experience then I recommend finding a different ski area.

This place is okay. But, I will say when I was there they had done a few renovations and it seems it was on going and they were good upgrades. I would avoid on the weekends or holidays. We went last year on MLK day and it was PACKED and full of children. Which isn’t a problem– but the place is not a large ski area and so lots of people means crowded slopes and lines at the chair lift. We went today and the staff were very friendly–
Frank in particular helped me with my rental boots when I was having a tough time. But there was only 1 lift open (out of 3) and because of this a few of the trails were closed too– again not usually an issue for a bigger resort but it is small so the same slopes after a while gets a bit boring. Overall, okay. I would say go Monday-​Thursday because lift tickets are $ 25 and rentals are $ 25 (except holiday Mondays) which is a good price for skiing. Hopefully they can continue renovations.

Avoid. I’m fine with crowds if the staff and facility are equipped to handle them — this place is not. Nowhere to sit, 20+ min lift lines at all times, poorly managed and organized, just a nightmare. And according to staff members today was «not that crowded» a day !

Sad to see so many negative reviews about this place!
We had a great experience here, but we also went mid week. Took our LO for a first time lesson and had a wonderful experience with everyone we met. The staff was lovely– every person who helped us with rentals was great, we took a private lesson and the instructor and the people organizing them were all so sweet. I did see how it can get busy as it gets to after school hours, and can only imagine on a weekend it can be frustrating to stand on line, trying to navigate your gear; but that’s how it is when you rent equipment or battle the weekend crowds.
Overall it is a nice place, small of course compared to anything in VT, or up near Hunter, etc. but I prefer a smaller place that is close to home over driving to the Catskills just for a day trip. We will be back again soon!

As a beginner, Thunder Ridge is a great place to learn. Though I can’t speak on behalf of the rental lines and what have you since I rented seasonally elsewhere, I can say that the staff is made up of some wonderful people. Seasoned ski instructors help you understand the sport and how to move your body to better your turns. There are plenty of trails for the small area, and some get very wide! Overall, I wasn’t expecting Aspen but I was still pleasantly surprised.

My first impression was there was no parking. It took me 45 min to get there and then another 30 min to sit in the muddy parking lot waiting for someone to leave. Then, the lift tickets are purchased from a desk with no ropes for the line so it is a bunch of angry people fighting over who is next. Same line for ski and lessons which is crazy because I waited another 30 min listening to all the questions people had. Once on the mountain it was clear that this is truly the worst ski area in America. The snow conditions actually got significantly worse as we got higher on the mountain. There are kids in the 5 – 7 year range all over the mountain un supervised. Who are these parents dumping there kids off at a mountain for the day?

I visited this ski lodge on a holiday and thought lines will be long. They were Not long at all. Then, I found out why. The place was absolutely falling apart. It was mid-​January and there was more ice and puddles than snow. It was terrible, but my kids an I made the best of it.
Towards end of day my sons took my daughter on the actual mountain. This was her first time on that mountain and was still using the bunny hill. With the help of my sons, she made it through, although she fell a few times only to be pointed at by a ski instructor saying «that’s why we take lessons» (She had a kid not much older than 5 with her, mind you. Is that the lesson you want your children to learn?)
I complained to management about the behavior and to my astonishment he says «well maybe she was not ready for that trail». I told him his staff is nasty and so was he. He replied «You’re why the world is the way it is.» He then told me never to come back. This man’s name is John Shepard.
As I spoke to other patrons, I discovered that this ski resort is bank owned and was not even going to open for the 2014 – 2015 season. Has the bank even looked at the deplorable conditions and has anyone even trained the staff including management the proper way. Some staff were even telling the patrons that they won’t ski until new snow comes. Management says this is a teaching mountain, though I would not teach anyone there. It’s horrible. Read the reviews. Some hit the nail on the head.
I WILL NOT BE BACK!

If you avoid holiday weekends, and bring your own gear, this is a great place for beginners to improve their skills. Close to NYC, with a range of beginner trails, this place helped my family quickly progress to skiing more challenging mountains.

It’s honestly one of the worst mountains I’ve been to. If it’s your first time and you just want to get a feel for skiis or a snowboard, this place is acceptable. But if you’re looking for a good experience with some good slopes, you’re going to have to go outside of New York. They also make you wear an annoying leash on your board and you can’t ride with backpacks due to NY law. It may be one of the closer mountains but if you prefer quality, look elsewhere.

This crew is full of spirit! There are plenty of little runs to cruise down. The lack of stars purely comes from the equip rental and not really scoping out the entire Thunder Ridge facility. The snowboards and BOOTS were super super amateur quality. Because of the boots I couldn’t ride without everything coming undone. I got help from the staff (Who are Nothing But AWESOME!) but after switching my gear 3x i decided to just chalk it up. I look forward to returning next season with my own board so I can fully enjoy all the runs. ALSO VERY CLOSE TO A TRAIN that’ll get you from NYC to here + FREE SHUTTLE.

I had an excellent experience at Thunder Ridge on two days over the President’s Day weekend recently, and wanted to convey some details… it’s long, but somehow I remembered a lot, it’s late, and decided to post this while watching Jimmy Fallon, so it *will* ramble…
First, thank you to:
Brittney, Marsha, & Meryl at the front desk, Dave, St. Nick, & Abi with ski school, Lynne (Lifts), Rob (Rentals) Every one of them was helpful, enthusiastic, pleasant and professional on every level.
First, stopped in while driving by on Friday night just to get the lay of the land… Brittney (Brittany?) was welcoming, reviewed lesson program options, rental info and general questions. Definitely likes what she does.
So, trying to get my 10 year old son on skis for the second time in five years, I called TR on Saturday afternoon from nearby to check on group lesson availability. Come on in, I was told… Amazingly there was a slot available!
Got there, enrolled w ski school and picked up rental gear in maybe 10 minutes. Unheard of. Not typical. Suited up and was early for his great group lesson, with (can’t recall the instructor’s name, so sorry… 2PM Sat «Beginner» group but thank you!) then went to the «Little Thunder» beginner area progressed well, and he wanted to come back asap.
While he was in his lesson I caught up with St. Nick, who filled me in on what’s changed in skiing since I last did 15 years ago… My ski size just dropped from 215 cm to 165. Wow.
Two days later (President’s Day) it was literally «the perfect storm»… a spectacularly sunny day, fantastic snow conditions, a day off for everyone… that means madness at ANY ski area, let alone one an hour from Manhattan…
We got to Thunder Ridge around 9:30a, and the lines were building. Marsha directed «people traffic» to help people find the outside lift window which also helps with lessons and rentals, so keep it in mind as possible option if very crowded indoors.
Got our Rentals (thanks Rob and team) and Lift ticket, which took far longer than Saturday, simply because we had no wait then, but it’s A: fit the helmet B: fit the boots C: fit the skis D: get the poles… A big surprise when we left the rental area to find that the line we started in 30 mins prior had become massive, we were done, but for newcomers it was like 10 times longer, a product of the holiday weekend. When I say they probably rented every set of gear they had that day, I am not exaggerating… The rental line was long but moving, well into the afternoon. («obvious tip»: you can skip the rental line if you own your gear)
Off to Little Thunder with the little learner, who was 100% self directed and engaged for a few hours on an excellent beginner slope with a reasonable 3 – 6 minute carpet lift. We took a break for lunch in the «lodge» upstairs… busy, but turnover assures you’ll find a seat soon… So he was then up for to the idea of a private lesson to get comfortable with the big lifts…:
We were fortunate enough that Dave & Meryl helped us with a time, and Abi was our super awesome, friendly instructor who evaluated her student efficiently, and was off to the lifts with him in no time. An hour and six long runs from the top later, (bonus: no lines with an instructor!) my budding junior skier came skiing back with Abigail with the biggest smile on his face, totally hooked, and was actually able to handle the lifts alone moving forward!)
Count us as fans of Thunder Ridge, whose staff really works hard to keep the machine well oiled, and to keep smiling and patient even when it’s bursting at the seams for capacity… If there was any drama, you couldn’t see it, even with the many skiers who turned out on what was obviously going to be the busiest day of the season.
It’s good to see the place having a great season considering the many mild winters we’ve had lately.
Thanks again. We’re «in».

I usually snowboard in Vermont, but this place is decent for being close to home and needing a quick fix before hitting the bigger mountains. The snow this season has been exceptional, which usually makes things much better. Staff are friendly and professional so I’m still trying to figure out the negative reviews. Since I was able to take half days from the office and ski from 3-​close (9pm), it was the best $ 25 I can spend without driving that far.
People should not compare this to a bigger mountain in VT, NH, or elsewhere. They have enough fun runs for you to work on specific techniques and maneuvers. My friends enjoyed themselves here and so should you.

It is what it is: A great place to take a little one for a couple hours to see if she’s ready before you drive to a real mountain and commit a day or more. Other than it’s proximity, it’s pretty bad all around: expensive, small, dilapidated, crowded, chaotic. Smelled (outside!) like they have some serious septic issues.

The absolute worst ski experience my family and I ever had. Ridiculous rules, rude staff and completely overpriced. Will NEVER go back here or recommend.

I don’t understand all the negative reviews here. Took my family who were all first timers to Thunder Ridge today to learn how to ski. Parked for free in a field next to the entrance. Went to the lodge where all the staff were friendly and since we arrived late for our reservation rushed us off to rentals lickedy split. Got helmet, boots, skis, poles plus lift pass, and group lesson for 99 $ per adult. Had a blast skiing down their «You Can Do It» bunny slope during my lesson and spent the rest of the day trying to improve my skills. For lunch, we went south to Brewster, but if you want a better selection, Danbury Mall is the place to go. All in all family got out of the house and had a blast.
Pros: Beginners skiing an hour from mid Westchester county. Friendly staff. Free parking. Great website with helpful information.
Cons: Lift tickets can be confusing. If you want to stay the whole day, purchase a full day. Half day is only 5 dollars cheaper than full, but only from 1 to 5pm. Group lessons can be of varying skill levels. Lodge can get crowded during the weekend, but I heard weekdays are less so.

My group and I were looking for a place to ski, preferably somewhere close to the city. We happened to hear about Thunder Ridge through the MTA getaway package deals. It offered both the lift and transport to and from Thunder Ridge and Grand Central for ONLY $ 57! We thought it was a steal, so we bought the tickets!
Honestly after reading the reviews before going, I had prepared myself mentally that it probably wasn’t going to be quality of a time. But man I think some of the reviews were too harsh… Having been to a few places in the Poconos, this place is pretty good for the price! I would say that yea it probably isn’t the BEST, but it definitely is better than what was reviewed about this place.
As soon as we got there, the van was waiting to take us to the slopes (4 min away). The driver was so nice and she gave us a brief intro of the slope and the area around. When we got there, we then proceeded to get our rentals. We got that settled and headed for the slopes! The little cafeteria offered budget food that was decent. Then on the way back,…we missed our train (our fault), and the guy was so nice to drive us to a restaurant to wait for the next train, as he’ll pick us up then.
In conclusion: budget-​friendly, practical, beginner/​intermediate-​friendly slopes, small and nice place to have a good time,…as long as your check your attitude (as with everything in life) :)

Horrible mountain. I will never go back! Go if you want to snowboard/​ski on patches of grass and ice patches. I was honestly terrified going down this mountain.

I went at the end of the season so the snow was melting and the trails were patchy. It’s a small place, but it’s also the closest place to southern Westchester that I could find. I’m guessing the snow conditions are much better earlier in the season. The bunny hill is really steep and there are huge poles right in the center so for a beginner it’s kind of terrifying.

Over-​crowded, unfriendly staff, they post on FB like they’re a 5 star Vermont resort and lie about conditions, when I posted to FB saying so they deleted my post. Much better skiing in Massachusetts and Catamount… Stay away and save your money

I took two small kids, first time snowboarders to Thunder Ridge over the MLK holiday. On the plus side: the snow was great, all the staff was friendly, helpful and good natured in spite of the mobs. The kids enjoyed their half-​day lesson and I did some nice, easy skiing on their nicely groomed trails. It was an easy hour and 20 mins from our home in Brooklyn, up the Jackie Robinson to the Hutch, to 684 to 22.
On the cons, it was extremely crowded, and with the small scale of the facilities, it quickly became difficult to do anything. The cafeteria was packed, there were no tables inside or out to eat lunch on. The rentals area was particularly insane as it is probably designed to accomodate about a tenth the number of people who were there. The kids enjoyed their lesson, but I don’t feel they really learned very much, plus there was a lunch break at 11 am, which I thought was unnecessary, but with the crowd in the cafeteria, it was probably for the best. The three lifts were quickly overwhelmed by the crowd and it took more than an hour to get up a mountain by the time we left at 2:30pm.
I would recommend this place for a nice day out with the kids, but maybe not on a holiday weekend, or if you do come, bring your own gear, food, and maybe even some folding chairs, so you can have a place to sit.