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Frosty the businessman

Staycations keep snowy resorts busy

Jim Gordon

Jan-11-09, 07:00 PM

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Topics: Leisure, Travel

A wintry economy is not translating to bleak times for winter tourist destinations, according to a trio of attractions in the Hudson Valley, all of whom say so far they are holding up well, but all of whom are also taking proactive approaches to attract patrons.

“Our business was really very brisk this whole (Christmas-New Year) vacation while students were off,” said Mary Conklin, a co-owner of the Thunder Ridge Ski Area in Patterson in Putnam County. She said the crowds came from “a big geographic area,” that included New Jersey and Connecticut and the metropolitan area. “We were very happy with the response and we had a little snow, which makes everyone a skier.”

Thunder Ridge promoted itself through electronic billboards at the Crossroads of the World, Times Square, running ads from mid-December through Jan. 1. The campaign was a joint effort with Metro-North promoting the Ski Train, where patrons can buy a combined train ticket to Patterson and lift ticket to Thunder Ridge. Ski center drivers meet the train to transport skiers the roughly 1 mile from the tracks to the slopes.

“We had a terrific influx of people from that program this vacation,” said Conklin. “A lot of people that don’t have transportation, it gives them a way to get away for a day or two.” She said the promotional partnership is in its fifth year and “every year it has doubled,” This year an adult combined ticket is $49.75

The family friendly Rocking Horse Ranch in Highland is also seeing tourists taking advantage of its facilities, from an indoor pool and game rooms to snow tubing runs and skiing, horse back riding and sleighs. And after any activity there is a constantly blazing bonfire and hot chocolate.

“It hasn’t been a great year, summer was off, fall was slow but winter has been steady,” said Ranch owner Steve Turk. “Obviously, the economy is taking its toll on a lot of destination properties but we are very fortunate because we are very family friendly.”

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