For the best ski experience don’t go on a weekend or holiday week. It will be too crowded.

Most every ski resort has beginner “learn to ski” packages where they provide all the equipment, lift ticket and lesson for first-timers. Be aware it will take you probably 4 or 5 days of practice to become comfortable on skis.

Regarding where to go, Poconos probably. I’ll let others chime in. I only ski in Vermont or out West.

As the other person said better to go during the week. Weekends and any holiday are the busiest. Took my girlfriend to Blue Mountain for Lessons. Get your rentals and beginners ticket there. Other places to learn would be Shawnee, Hunter Mountain or Mountain Creek. I don't care for Camelback. Never been to Jack Frost but herd that place sucks. Good luck have fun!

I don’t know where in NJ you are but the poconos (camel back, blue mountain, Jack Frost) and catskill skiing (Windham, Belleayre, hunter) are all decent mountains that will have learn to ski hills. Other states like VT & NH have some good stuff too.

Just be forewarned, skiing / snowboarding is not an easy sport. It’s incredibly dangerous if you don’t take proper precautions. Always wear a helmet and listen to instructors on how to fall. Also, it’s gotten very expensive. Always rent gear from a local NJ place and bring to the mountain. Once your there, lift ticket and ski lessons will be 200 - 300 so be prepared for the cost.

Check out r/icecoast

Shawnee is probably the best place to go learn. All the places get very crowded on the weekend but I find Shawnee the most manageable size. It’s an 1:45 min drive for me from Middlesex County and I take my kids all the time.

Second this. The distance and cost for rentals / lessons are what make me coming back with folks that want to start out learning. Again like another poster mentioned, it's not an easy sport to pick up, but once you start embracing the speed a little it gets easier. Best of luck!

Has anyone been to Mount Peter? Supposedly they have free lessons

I'll echo what someone else said, go during the week. It's a bit cheaper and will be a lot less crowded.

Don't wear super thick socks, and make sure you bring at least one extra pair. And layers! They're the best way to stay warm and make sure your outermost layer is waterproof.

I learned at Camelback, they have both general classes for groups and private lessons. I haven't done any of the private lessons yet, but the group classes were extremely helpful to begin with. Camelback also has a decent number of easy and medium runs. It's where our niece learned when she was 8 or 9 and spent the most time at.

Bear Creek also seems like a good beginner mountain. I don't know anything about their lessons, but the physical mountain isn't as huge as others, and we also took our niece there when she was still close to a beginner and she did pretty good.

Another thing to think about is getting yourself fitted at and renting from a local ski shop as opposed to the rental place at the mountain. They'll be able to give you a lot more of their time to make sure you're fitted properly, they can be less expensive than the mountain resort, and you can often rent better gear. We use D & Q Ski and Snowboard in Cherry Hill, but we've been told good things about Aistriu in Marlton by a friend who also skis. But if you don't want to go that South, I'm sure there's a ski shop somewhere closer to you.

I also recommend making sure you get a helmet. Even as a beginner who won't be doing anything crazy, you'll be better off with one. I nearly cracked my skull open on a run I was very familiar with, and a friend would have knocked herself out going up the magic carpet if she wasn't wearing hers. I'd say at minimum, half the people on the mountain wear them, so you don't have to worry about looking goofy if that's a thing for you.

Things to remember to have: balaclava/face mask or winter hat, at least two pairs of waterproof winter gloves, goggles with the correct lense for the time of day/night you're skiing, and food packed in your vehicle. Food and drink at the mountain gets really expensive, but you're not necessarily getting what you pay for, so if you can easily stop back at your car for lunch, I would.

If you aren't already, join go to REI and become a member. They have a section for their "garage sales" (returned items that are useable) and the prices are great. I see ski and snowboard gear in there all the time. What they put out for sale is entirely dependent on what people have returned, but I've had good luck. There's an REI on Route 1 just a bit North of the Quakerbridge Mall, and also on 73 in Evesham. No reason to drop an excessive amount of money on a sport you don't know if you're fully into just yet.

Good luck and welcome! Skiing is a lot of fun, hope you enjoy it.

Second this. Perfect to actually learn. It’s wayyyy smaller then anything in the poconos, and might be one of the smallest in the area. But it’s perfect to learn (plus free lessons). With other bigger mountains like Blue and Camelback, you’ll waste 90% of your lift ticket cost. You aren’t going to go on most of the trails. And on your first day, most likely will stay on the bunny hill (maybe a green if you feel safe). But even some of their greens can be intimidating to a newbie, just based on size (vs a bunny hill).

It should also be way less crowded which is ideal for beginners. I’d try Mt Peter for your first time. Then one of the larger mountains after, depending how you feel after your first try.

Mt creek. Windham and hunter have great bunny slopes for learning. I don’t think you need to go mid week if you stay in the beginner areas. Everyone is falling on their ass and nobody really goes fast. You will be with good company for starting out.

Definitely go mid-week.

I'd start with a "learn to ski" group lesson, and do that until you can get down the bunny hill without falling (your first day or two you will fall A LOT, don't let that discourage you) and are comfortable getting on/off the lift.

Once you have the bare basics down I'd switch to private lessons. Obviously more expensive but when you're a beginner, group lessons suck. There's always one or two people that shouldn't be in your group and they will take all the instructor's attention when they fall down and need help getting up every 10 feet.

As to where to go: when you're starting out, anywhere that has decent snow is fine. This time of year you'll want to read some forum posts to see how conditions are. For example, we just had a deep freeze, last few days we're in the 50s, it's going to get cold again later next week...to me that says any local mountains will be a sheet of ice and I wouldn't bother going. You won't always have great snow, but you want to avoid the sheet of ice because that will immediately make you hate skiing.

Regarding lessons, every mountain will have "learn to ski", group lessons, and private lessons. You'll want to book these online ahead of time.

If you go a few times and decide you like and are good enough to get off the bunny hill I'd strongly encourage you to find some ski pals. Skiing alone is not a good idea, especially for beginners. Bad shit can happen and you'll want a pal to get help if you need it.

And a minor correction: nobody calls it a "ski range". Call it "ski mountain" or just "mountain", or "ski slope" or just "slopes" 😎.

Good luck to you, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Blue Mountain.

PS — nothing in this area is “geared towards more advanced skiers”

F Camelback. And they own Blue Mountain so F them two. Got rid of groups, went from free parking to $20 per vehicle, you'll get 2 runs in per hour, crunched thousands of people together during covid after opening a Waterpark Disneyworld in the forest, supervisor wont call me back after I left messages 4 times, and now it's $800 for a season pass. F camelback. Mountain is dead after decades of greatness. Is that what this thread is about? : )