I live in Central Valley/Monroe/Harriman area (home of the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
) and am not all that far, like Ski Chick, from where you will be staying. Mt. Peter (where I will be doing my ladies clinic), small, but a variety of terrain, not generally over crowded and right now, I talked with them, conditions are great. Inexpensive lift ticket.
Mountain Creek - no need to go to Hunter or Wyndham (I like both for mid-week skiing), unless you really really want to (Hunter has great restaurant/apres ski scene and you can also drive to it from a day skiing at Wyndham too, if that is important to you, as I think I read somewhere in another thread you like to host parties and have fun, and Hunter rocks that...), as they will be a good two hour haul plus traffic from Westchester/Putnam County area when you can go from Route 84 across the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge and then get onto Rt 94 and sail (no traffic) all the way into Mt. Peter or Mountain Creek, which is a full scale ski area, almost as large as Hunter or Wyndham. They have a =huge= expert terrain park here, for those so inclined (great summer water park due to the steeps). Can be crazy busy, but is -close-, has shopping, etc. Mountain Creek in other years was plagued (even with snow making, because you can't shoot it if it's too warm) with lack of snow at times due to being so far south into the NY/NJ metro area, and because if it's a warm year, conditions are inconsistent, you don't hear as much about it as the big resorts further north. No worries this year, as due to all the early snow and cold conditions here, they too are off to a banner year, and it's just about another 15 to 20 minutes past Mt. Peter. This year, since I live so close (half hour or less), I will mainly ski weekdays at Mt. Creek and Mt. Peter as long as the winter holds the way it has started off here!
If you don't mind a two hour plus ride (I don't know your skiing ability, as I am new here, and don't know everyone's profile) I would recommend Ski Plattekill over Hunter or Wyndham, even though the "lodge" and apres ski scene is less developed and commercial, as the former are over run on weekends with "weekend warriors" (nothing wrong with WW crowd, but here in Southern NY, the volume of folks can be overwhelming) people bused and driving in from NYC metro to ski and party, and the slopes get really packed, lift lines can be really long. Ski Plattekill has some really great trails, but is geared more to a more serious crowd of strong intermediate to advanced skier, but you will find less crowding on weekends (albeit, anything in the NY metro drive area is busy in a good ski season), so if you're up for the ride, that would be a thought. Let me know if you need more info, as I am very familiar with White Plains, Salem, Brewster, etc.
I haven't skied Holiday Mtn. in ages, but Rt.17 can be a bear, I live right off of it, especially if weather is iffy. Lots of accidents and traffic, and with Mt. Peter skiing so close and good conditions, I wouldn't bother with the traffic, with all due respect, as it's really no more that what Mt. Peter is...
Hey Ski Chick, looks like you are a fellow Hudson Valley Skier! Nice website too! Just wanted to give a shout out to a "local" girl! Maybe us NY/NJ/DC Divas can have a ski meet up someday!
EDIT: Pequenita: I didn't read your post until I posted mine. Guess we are on the same wave length...WOW!!!