Thunder Ridge Ski Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thunder Ridge |
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Thunder Ridge Trail Map
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| Location | Patterson, New York |
| Nearest city | Pawling, New York |
| Vertical | 403 ft. |
| Top elevation | 880 ft. |
| Skiable area | 90 acres (360,000 m2) |
| Runs | 21 48% easiest 19% more difficult 33% most difficult |
| Lift system | 3 chairlifts, 4 magic carpets |
| Terrain parks | Fawn Meadow, and Little Thunder (March Only) |
| Snowmaking | Yes, 90% coverage |
| Night skiing | Yes |
| Website | http://www.thunderridgeski.com/ |
Thunder Ridge is a fun ski area in Patterson, New York. It's only about 75 minutes from New York City. This makes it a popular spot for skiers and snowboarders from the New York area.
Even though Thunder Ridge doesn't get a lot of natural snow, it has great snowmaking equipment. This equipment can cover 95% of the mountain! Thunder Ridge is also open at night. This makes it a perfect place for high school ski racing teams to practice. The mountain even hosts part of the Hudson Valley League races. In 2014, new owners took over the area. The old owners couldn't keep up with the property after the Great Recession.
Discover the History of Thunder Ridge
This ski area has had a few different names over the years. It was first known as Birch Hill from 1957 to 1968. Then it became Big Birch from 1968 to 1995. Since 1995, it has been called Thunder Ridge Ski Area.
After the new owners took over, they made many improvements. Some old trails were closed, and others became more important. Since 2018, about 95% of the mountain can make snow, which is a big jump from 75% before. Starting in 2015, the equipment got a major upgrade. This included buying a new Bombardier Prinoth BR350 groomer. They also got three new Demaclenko snow guns and Ratnik snow guns. New power transformers were also added. This helps the mountain make more snow faster and more steadily.
During the winter of 2020–21, more trails were open than usual. This was because there was a lot of snow and good weather. It was the first time in almost four years that more than 20 trails stayed open for over two weeks straight. An older Bombardier groomer was also updated that season. This helped groom more of the mountain.
Explore the Trails at Thunder Ridge
Thunder Ridge Ski Area has 21 different trails.
- 9 trails can be reached from the Triple Chair.
- 6 trails are accessible from the Double Chair.
- 4 trails can be reached from both chairs.
- There are also 5 easy bunny trails.
The trails are rated by difficulty:
- 8 are Black Diamonds (most difficult).
- 4 are Blue Squares (more difficult).
- 12 are Green Circles (easiest).
| Name | Rating |
| Lovers Lane | |
| Fawn Meadow | |
| Santa Fe | |
| Evergreen | |
| Sunset Run | |
| Competition | |
| Fools Delight | |
| The Face | |
| Blackberry Pass | |
| Name | Rating |
| Bull's Run | |
| Don's Drop | |
| Deer Pasture | |
| Wildcat | |
| Timber Wolf | |
| Eagle's Lair | |
| Halfpipe | |
| Name | Rating |
| Sissy Schuss | |
| The Road | |
| Don's Drop | |
| Lovers Lane (since 2019) | |
| Halfpipe | |
| Name | Rating |
| Little Thunder | |
| Fun Run | |
| You Can Do It! | |
| Movin Up | |
| Little Thunder | |
How Lifts Help You Ski
Thunder Ridge has 3 chairlifts and 4 magic carpets. In 1958, a T-Bar lift opened when the area was called Birch Hill. Many smaller tow lifts were also put in. In the 1960s, a Borvig double chairlift was added. This lift goes to the top of the mountain and is still the longest and oldest lift there. Around 1967, a shorter double chairlift was installed for the Little Thunder area.
In 1986, a Borvig triple chairlift was installed. This lift took over from the T-Bar. In the early 2000s, four Magic Carpet lifts were added. These replaced the old tow lifts. You can still see parts of the old tow lifts today.
Today, Thunder Ridge has 7 working lifts:
- 4 Magic Carpets (one is always open, two are open on weekends, and one is a backup).
- A triple lift, which is the main lift.
- A double lift, which is the secondary lift.
- A small double lift for beginners, called "Little Thunder."
There are also three old tow lifts that are not used anymore. The triple and double chairlifts were updated in the late 2010s. They now have more modern parts and safety features.
