The Mountain is Calling - Mountain Creek, NJ

After a long hiatus from the mountain we finally returned to the hill last week to get our feet under us for next week’s ski trip. Mountain Creek made the most sense since it boasts over 1,000 vertical feet and was fairly close to us (1 hr). Let’s talk about the good and the bad from this resort – if it can be called that.

The Pros:

Snowmaking coverage – there are 1,000 snow guns resort-wide which allows Mountain Creek to open most of their runs even when the natural stuff is lacking - and unfortunately it was lacking!

                    

Long Hours – open for night skiing. This is great if you can only make it out after work.

Terrain Park – Mountain Creek is definitely geared to accommodate the park rat. With a large variety of small to large features anyone from a beginner to expert will have plenty to slide on and jump off. Use caution however, this is where the pesky teenager is usually found.

The Cons:

Acreage – at only 167 acres of terrain, Mountain Creek gets extremely crowded. Mountain Creek has great proximity to the city, which is great for city dwellers wanting to get in a few turns. The problem is, the city we are talking about happens to be the largest in the country, and with so many people flocking to the hill on a weekend coupled with not having adequate space, more time will be spent dodging all of your fellow powder hounds and ski bunnies than actually enjoying your time away from the city.

                         

Poor Etiquette – Maybe it’s New Jersey attitude or perhaps it’s being close to NYC. Worse yet, it could be that chivalry really is dead. Whatever it is, this particular resort seems to be lacking any ski-etiquette. Beginner and experienced skiers/boarders alike really like to park on this mountain. And they park where the paths meet! It is also not uncommon to have someone on your heels. Is that the resort’s fault? Could be. Could also be that the youth has nowhere else to take themselves.  

Chair lifts – slow. Really slow. That’s not even due to the 30 minute wait you might have to get on the chairlift.

Proximity to the city – you can get to Mountain Creek in under 90 minutes from most places near NYC. This allows you to get a fair amount of vertical footage (1,040) with only a short drive. Why is that a con? See above, under acreage.

The Stats:

Vertical Feet - 1,040' (True-Up Vertical Descent - 1,040')

Summit Elevation - 1,480'

Average Snowfall - 65" / year

Number of Trails - 44

Number of Lifts - 8

Night Skiing - Yes, all runs

Terrain Park - Yes - 80 features
Personal Favorite Run - Canyon/Giant Steps
Link to Trail Map

Final Assessment: With so many other options only slightly further up the road that can handle a larger crowd, this is a one-time visit for the Nomad.