Mohawk Mountain: A Ski Resort With History, Charm, and Good Snow
Mohawk Mountain Ski Resort has always been more than just a ski area for us—it’s where our kids first learned how to ski. We remember bundling them up, strapping on those little skis, and watching as they took those first tentative runs down the beginner slope. Year after year, we kept going back.
Mohawk’s charm lies in its simplicity, its friendly atmosphere, and the memories it holds for families like ours who have spent winters crisscrossing the slopes and skiing almost every square inch of the mountain.
Mohawk is like skiing used to be – maybe the way it still should be. People from all walks of life harmoniously enjoy a day in nature. And nobody is judging. You’ll find people with all the latest equipment and gadgets, people skiing in jeans and a sweatshirt, families, school groups, and everything in between.
The history of Mohawk Mountain Ski Resort
In 1947, Walt Schoenknecht opened Mohawk Mountain to the public. Pine Lodge, which is the mid-mountain lodge today, was the Schoenknecht family home for many years before the mountain opened.
Mohawk Mountain is still family-owned and family-run today. In fact, Walt’s daughter, Carol Lugar, is the co-owner and President.
Mohawk Mountain snow and terrain
Don’t let the folksy nature of Mohawk Mountain fool you. There is plenty of high-tech hiding behind this homegrown resort. Did you know that the first documented man-made (artificial) snow was at Mohawk Mountain? It’s true.
Snowmaking technology started by shaving down blocks of ice. That didn’t really work, and that’s when Walt Schoenknecht created a way to mix water, cold air, and ice through a machine to create man-made snow.
Today, 95% of Mohawk’s snow coverage is man-made. And their grooming equipment is state-of-the-art, which is primarily why we started coming here and why we keep returning. Between the snowmaking and the grooming, you’re virtually guaranteed decent snow conditions almost every time you go. That’s saying something, especially for East Coast skiing where icy runs can almost be the norm at many points in the season.
Mohawk has a total of 112 acres of skiable terrain and direct access to 27 trails. It’s comprised of 8 total ski lifts: 5 triple chairs and 3 surface lifts, or magic carpets as they are referred to. It welcomes both skiers and snowboarders.
A few fun facts about Mohawk Mountain
- The first double chairlift was installed in 1969
- The first triple chairlift was installed in 1978
- In 1989, a tornado devastated Mohawk Mountain, and all the lifts had to be reconstructed
- In 2019, tubing, with a magic carpet lift, was introduced at Mohawk
Our favorite time of year at Mohwak is spring skiing
My husband and I grew up in the West (Denver and Salt Lake City), and spring skiing was always something we looked forward to. The weather was nice, you could eat lunch on the deck, and spring corn snow was fun and very forgiving. We used to call it “hero” snow because it was hard not to make great turns with much less effort.
Lunch at the lodge
One of the best things about spring skiing is enjoying a break and having lunch outside on the deck, in the sun. Mohawk has a great deck and some fun food. The menu is quite wide-ranging and offers all the normal menu items and a few more.
We opted for the classic grilled burger and fries. After all, we skied hard and deserved those fries, right?
At the end of the day, we stopped back by the lodge for a few sweet treats before we headed home. A day of sunshine and spring skiing wouldn’t be complete without a cup of hot chocolate and a snack.
Rentals and equipment
If you don’t have your own ski equipment, no worries. Mohawk Mountain has a great rental shop with an assortment of options. You can get the basic skis or opt for a more higher-end model. They have skis, boots, bindings, poles, and even helmets.
They also have a ski shop where you can buy coats, ski pants, goggles, gloves, and other accessories.
The ski rental line moves very quickly. You purchase a card which is also your lift ticket, swipe, and they set you up with what you need. You’ll need to create an account and sign a waiver and if you want to save a few minutes, you can do that at home, and give it to them when you arrive.
How do you get to Mohawk Mountain Ski Resort?
Unfortunately, no mass transit will get you to the mountain. But it is an easy and scenic car ride.
- From Fairfield County, Connecticut, it is an approximately 1:30 drive
- From Manhattan, it’s about a 2:00 drive
- And from Westchester County, New York, it’s about a 1:40 drive
Hours and days of operations
Especially this time of year, before you head to the slopes, check the website for Mohawk Mountain Ski Resort because days and times of operation can vary depending on the weather. You can also follow them on
Where to stay if you want to make a weekend out of skiing Mohawk Mountain
Litchfield, CT, has been trending on social media lately as a top destination in the United States to visit. And we recently discovered a great place to stay. It’s only about 20 minutes from Mohawk Mountain so if you’d like to make a weekend out of skiing at Mohawk, we found the best place to stay – The Abner Hotel. Here is a post we did about our recent stay there:
