Greek Peak, NY: 01/08/26

[jamesdeluxe]

Early last week, Jason and I were comparing notes about skiing on Thursday because it looked like a sunny day with above-freezing temps before the likely gully washer forecast for Friday and Saturday. He was planning on Belleayre while my wife and I were headed up to Central New York for the first time in six years and decided on using our Indy Passes at Greek Peak. We got the better end of the deal as the Catskills stayed cold and overcast while upstate cleared up, hit 40 degrees, and had soft, pleasant conditions more appropriate for late March than early January.

Arriving at 10:15 after a three-hour drive, here's Greek's lower pitch alongside the creek:

Although I counted 75 cars in the parking lot, it was a complete private-ski-area experience: no one on the trails and ski-on chairs. Since it was my first day this season (and her first day in several years), we warmed up with the mellow groomers on the far looker's left. Mars Hill:

The snow was springtime perfect:

Aresthusa Way:

The glades were also in nice shape and easy to rip down at full speed. Alsos had the best snow so I did it four times:

The bottom of Lift 5: the green light is gone

Heading back to the main sector via Poseidon:

Lower Electra's power line, famed in song and story:

Lift 4: infamous for dripping grease on ski coats back in the day:

I always loved the Greek theme.

As I've grumbled before -- while the graphic treatment of the rounded ridgeline in the current logo in the pic above is topographically accurate, its corporate feel leaves people cold. They should revert back to the inspired original.

Following our classic northeastern (spring) ski day, we finished with late-afternoon beers and vittles at Trax pub:

What continues to fascinate about Greek Peak -- mentioned by @EMSC in his February 2022 report -- is the odd sensation of destination-visit accoutrements (hotel, water park, four-season activities) tacked onto a resolutely old-school ski area with lifts and base infrastructure from the 1960s and 70s. That said; they deserve props for the solid grooming, investments in snowmaking, and a pleasant pub/restaurant on the second floor of the base lodge. I'll certainly go back later this season to cash in my second Indy Pass ticket.

 

[EMSC]

I had to switch from phone to computer to see this awesome TR.

The east side is certainly perfect for low angle groomers. Also love that the Electra is back to being a thing after decades of being off limits.

I never understood the triple chair loading with cattle pens and lights, etc... makes no sense. Everyone else just has normal lift bumps for triple chairs (and even quads).

Apparently no runs on the main face?

Certainly looking forward to a second GP TR. Don't forget to include the Zeus and Olympian!

 

[jamesdeluxe]

I never understood the triple chair loading with cattle pens and lights, etc... makes no sense. Everyone else just has normal lift bumps for triple chairs (and even quads).

As everyone knows, the lift situation there is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. A younger guy on NY Ski Forum, snoloco, seems to have a PhD-level of knowledge about uphill transport and snowmaking. Maybe @Harvey can dig out his review of Greek's infrastructure as I couldn't find it.

Apparently no runs on the main face?

We lapped the East sector for the first couple hours (where I took most of my pix) because the sun had warmed up the snow so nicely and moved to the north-facing front sector during the afternoon after it had softened. The run of the day was Alcmene under the 1a lift with perfect sugar. Did it multiple times.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Also love that the Electra is back to being a thing after decades of being off limits.

I remembered this 2008 thread about how the status of trails, glades, safety bars, etc. at Greek and other ski areas goes back and forth between open, restricted, and then open again depending on a variety of factors.

 

[ChrisC]

my wife and I were headed up to Central New York for the first time in six years and decided on using our Indy Passes at Greek Peak. We got the better end of the deal as the Catskills stayed cold and overcast while upstate cleared up, hit 40 degrees, and had soft, pleasant conditions more appropriate for late March than early January.

Impressive conditions for Central New York.

I remembered this 2008 thread about how the status of trails, glades, safety bars, etc. at Greek

I have seen glades come and go over the years at Greek Peak. I believe the Alsos glade used to be called Aesop's glade, which is more in line with Greek Peak's naming theme.

And I have no idea what is going on with the old Ronnie's Run (I thought it was a remembrance of a first-generation/OG ski patroller killed in a Chilean avalanche??). But now it's cleared from Atlas to Castor as a massive glade and renamed Aesop's?

The owners (Krygers and others) have really cleared out the forest between old school runs and added new ones and glades. I highlighted the areas (in red) that are most interesting to me.

 

[EMSC]

The 3 glades worth the effort at GP IMHO are the 3 I've numbered below; though two of them are still not in-bounds.

For #1 you have to both know where you are going and need to stage a car on the road (unless you like walking - a lot).
#2 was always called Rough Rider Glade by the locals until GP made it an official glade 10 or so years ago. Many, many threats by patrol to pull my pass when ducking into there over the years. We even maintained the heart of it but not edges in the summer too. Idea was to keep it looking very thick on the edges, but then go sneak in and ski some great open trees.
#3 we used to simply call Olymp Glade (you know we had to try to sound cool and not use the full trail name, lol). Very steep and relatively rare for there to be enough snow at that 40 degree pitch up top, but oh so worth it when conditions did line up.

And yes Ronnies Run got renamed and the rest of the glades while not all terrible are too obvious and skied out. YMMV