Mohawk Mountain: Connecticut Charmer for Beginners

Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall, CT, in the beautifully picturesque county of Litchfield, is where we recently went for a skiing day trip. For those who are familiar with my posts on skiing, I have been writing about mountains in the New York City area, smaller mountains that are a good choice for families with beginner or young skiers. Mohawk is definitely one of the smaller mountains, of these small mountains, so be forewarned – but for what it may lack in size it certainly makes up in other areas, such as the facilities, kids’ programs and exceptional staff. It’s been a family owned business since 1947, and is very well- kept and well-run. In fact I wish we had checked it out sooner, for it’s in a lot of ways the perfect mountain to start off your little ones skiing for the first time.

Mohawk is a little over a 2 hour drive north from New York City, which makes it a doable day trip. I’ve raved about Mt. Peter in the past (see post here), which I still recommend for beginners, but at a certain point one is going to need a bigger mountain. For us, that’s where Mohawk comes into play – it’s still small, but definitely bigger, and not quite as far as the Berkshires (see Catamount here and Jiminy Peak here). In terms of size it has 25 trails and 7 lifts – 5 triple chairlifts and 2 conveyor lifts. What I really like about the mountain is how well-kept it is. The main lodge is a nice building with great big floor to ceiling windows in which you can look out onto the mountain, and I should note very clean. I kept seeing the staff cleaning up the tables where people were eating, as well as the bathrooms. I’ve never seen such clean bathrooms at a ski lodge! We also really liked their options for food. Known for the fresh BBQ grill buffet outside, we got in line and had a choice between bbq ribs and chicken, and then piled our plates high with beans, corn, coleslaw and cornbread. Our kind of place! I’m so over the crappy burgers and hot dogs that make me feel gross every time I get back on the slopes. This was genuinely good food. Also be sure to check out the darling Pine Lodge Restaurant, located partway up the mountain on the Pine Trail.

Back to the facilities. Downstairs in the main lodge is where the rentals are located, and we noticed how orderly and non-chaotic the space was. Also downstairs, and this might be my favorite thing about Mohawk, they have a bag check room. Give them your stuff, take a ticket, and you’re done. No more searching for a load of coins for lockers that half the time take your money. Love that about this place, it seriously made my day! The only drawback I’d say about Mohawk, besides being on the small side, is that they don’t serve beer (it’s part of a national park, Mohawk State Forest and Park), and who doesn’t like the option of having a beer after a day full of skiing. Also some people think the drive feels longer than it is. It’s a lot of back roads vs. highways. But that’s what I personally love about the drive, and actually, the whole experience in general. The drive is very scenic, as you follow along rolling hills and countryside in a rustic part of CT, and driving over covered bridges and through adorable towns like Kent, CT. We stopped off at Kent State Falls on our way back, to catch a view of its cascading waterfall. It’s right there on the street as you go by, so easy to take a quick peak. Litchfield county is one of the prettiest counties in CT, so for me, going to a mountain in this area was right up my alley.

Need to Know:

Mokawk offers a ton of Kids Programs, including their popular Snowhawks ski school, Parent-Tot lessons, racing lessons and private and group lessons:

Snowhawks ski school, for ages 5-13. It’s a 2 hour group lesson with two different times to choose from: 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Pricing: $99 for full package, including lesson, lift ticket and rentals. $84 for lesson and lift ticket weekends and holidays ($75 mid-week), and $45 just for the lesson (though you would still need to purchase a lift ticket). To see more click here.

Mohawk also offers a unique Parent-Tot Lesson for ages 3 and 4. Mohawk instructors show parents tips and techniques for how to teach their children how to ski. Awesome! Parent-tot lessons are offered weekends and holidays at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. Pricing: $95 for lesson, lift ticket and rentals on weekends and holidays ($75 mid-week), $80 for lesson and lift ticket weekends and holidays ($60 mid-week) and $45 for just the lesson (but both parent and child still need to purchase lift ticket). To see more click here.

To see more on private and group lessons, racing and other ski programs, click here.

Mohawk is a sweet little mountain in a beautiful part of CT. If you don’t mind small, or prefer it,  then this is your place.

Mokawk Mountain, 46 Great Hollow Road, Cornwall, CT, 06753. 860.672. 6100