If you agree with Robert Frost when he said, “You can’t get too much winter in the winter,” you are probably gearing up to hit the slopes—and the après-ski hour—as mountains are opening for a great start to the season throughout the Northeast. Throw off the work clothes, slip on your ski pants, and head north to enjoy some powder rides and great discounted rates.
From snow tubing to bobsledding, this is your ultimate guide to adventurous winter activities near NYC.
Great Skiing & Snowboarding Spots
Let’s face it. Winters in Manhattan can be a miserably frigid experience. Why not take advantage of the only redeeming quality of winter (snow) and enjoy a weekend of skiing or snowboarding? Fortunately for us, there are many winter resorts nearby. And in traditional oM style, all of these mountains are accessible to you without a car. Next time you take a reluctant step into the cold and rainy streets, remember that it could be snowing at your favorite local mountain. Get out there and hit the slopes!
Where to Go Ice and Rock Climbing
Where to Cross-Country Ski
If the faster paced winter sports of skiing and snowboarding are not for you, consider cross-country skiing as a way to free yourself from the frosty concrete jungle of Manhattan. The beautiful white noise of open forests and snowboarder-free mountains are only a train or bus ride away. These cross-country skiing escapes near NYC are all close enough to be a day trip, but just far enough to make you forget the city.
The Best Snow Tubing Spots
With winter just around the corner, it’s good to remember that there’s an alternative to skiing, snowboarding, and making angels in the snow. Forget the boots, the goggles, the gear, and try your butt at snow tubing—because sitting is really all that’s involved in this, err, sport. Bring some warm clothes and an untiring appetite for some fast-paced fun and you’re good to go at these three cool snow tubing spots near New York City.
Where to Play Like a Winter Olympian
In the spirit of the 1980 USA hockey team, Bob Costas’ nicely coiffed toupee, and the 2,000 plus athletes who biathlon, luge, snowboard, and represent the country name on the front of their sweater, jersey, and jacket, here are six places near NYC to inspire your inner Olympian. Enjoy bobsledding, speed skating, or for the uber athletic, hucking jumps on a snowboard just a few hours from New York City.
Best Apres-Ski
After a day of outdoor activities in Stowe, there is nothing like sitting by a crackling fire with a Vermont Organic Mapletini or hard-to-find Trappist in your hand, feeling sore and satisfied. Whether you want to party, listen to live music with your cheddar lager soup, or unwind and watch an inspiring adventure flick, you’ll discover this expert guide is helpful in planning your adventures on and off the slopes.
Photos:Stephane Mignon, David Goehring
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram