Plattekill Mountain Highlights Family Ownership Model With Co-Owner Laszlo Vajtay,

Plattekill Mountain is a privately owned and operated ski resort northwest of Catskill Park in the town of Roxbury, New York. It features a vertical drop of 1,100 feet (340 meters) with 40 trails of varying degrees of difficulty. The mountain offers skiing, snowboarding and snowtubing.

The main lodge is located at 2400' elevation with the highest peak reaching an elevation of 3500'. The resort has amenities such as a cafeteria, bar, retail shop, equipment rentals, ski and snowbaord school, day lockers and fireplaces/stoves on each of its 3 levels.

There are two ski lifts accessing the mountain's peaks and two surface lifts, one at the beginner area and one in the snowtubing park.

Between the late 1950s and the early 1990s Plattekill Mountain was owned and operated by the Hinkley family. During those 33 years the ski center gained the reputation of having some of the steepest and most challenging terrain in the region. After a number of warm and dry ski seasons - and following a costly real-estate development project that had failed - the property went into foreclosure and ownership was taken over briefly by the Small Business Administration in 1992.

By 1993 there were a number of parties interested in buying Plattekill Mountain - and on April 30, 1993, the property was purchased for an undisclosed amount via a sealed bid by Mr. Lászlo Vajtay who was a former instructor and life-long skier at Plattekill Mountain.

Laszlo Vajtay, is co-owner of Plattekill Mountain, the last family-owned independent mountain in the Catskills. Laszlo has been immersed in skiing from a young age. His journey from a young ski enthusiast is a testament to his dedication, entrepreneurial spirit, and vision for the sport.

Laszlo learned to ski at the age of 4 and began skiing Plattekill Mountain at 7. By 15, he was a Plattekill ski instructor and was promoted to ski school director at 21. He also started and managed Plattekill's mountain biking and racing program and acted as the rankings coordinator. Laszlo majored in Business Administration at Rider University, hosted a music show for the university's radio station, WRRC and started a DJ business when music was still all on vinyl records. These are all true testaments to Laszlo's vibrant and friendly energy.

After graduating in 1984, he balanced a full-time job as a packaging engineer in Manhattan with Plattekill Ski instructor duties on the weekends. "We were living for the weekends," he recalls. In 1993, Plattekill was going out of business. Laszlo sold everything he owned and bought the mountain. "I knew when I was 8 years old that I wanted to one day own a ski mountain. I would dream about it as my family was driving home to NJ after a weekend of skiing."

Laszlo manages operations and infrastructure planning at Plattekill. His focus on snowmaking and grooming, including the installation of more than 28 miles of piping, has drastically improved the mountain's conditions, earning him the nickname "Snowfarmer." He also managed the installation of a chairlift to replace the original T-Bar on the north peak, marking a significant step towards modernizing the mountain, enhancing the mountain's appeal, and transforming it into a premier Catskills ski destination. Laszlo and wife Danielle's no-debt, steady improvement philosophy has been the key to maintaining the mountain's financial stability and enhancing its traditional appeal.

One of Laszlo's greatest rewards is seeing his sons, Nicholas and Matthew, develop the same passion for skiing. "My favorite part about the job is seeing the passion my kids have for the mountain." You will often see Laszlo helping Ski Patrol, Snowmaking, Lift Operations and introducing himself to the Platty community.

Over the years the mountain has undergone numerous improvements including modernization of its existing snow making systems and grooming equipment as well as the installation of a Hall Double Chair that originally was installed in 1977 at nearby Belleayre Mountain to replace an aging Hall T-bar, which had been installed in 1961.

Today the resort operates year-round as a ski area in the winter and, in summer, has become a popular venue for weddings, private parties and events. Telemark skiing is also popular at the mountain.

Statistics