Ski country

Ski country is the hilly, snowy portions of the boundary between the Niagara Frontier and the Southern Tier of the western part of New York.

The result of this is that through orographic lift, a significant amount of lake effect snow falls there during the months of November, December and January.

The portion of ski country in Western New York is defined by a geologic formation known as the Chautauqua Ridge.

As the name implies, the area is particularly popular with skiers, and there are several ski resorts that stretch from Pennsylvania into Central New York.

Overall, the state of New York is the third-most popular skiing destination in the United States, behind Colorado and California, with neighboring Vermont a close fourth.