A Winter Weekend at the Cabins
A two- or three-day winter plan at the cabins: the drive and the border, shopping in Malone, Titus Mountain, the C7, cross-country trails, dinner and packing.
A winter weekend at the cabins has an easy shape: shop in Malone on the way in, ski or ride on Saturday, eat out once and cook once, and finish every day in the hot tub. Titus Mountain is about three and a half road miles from the cabins, Malone village about ten, and the C7 snowmobile corridor passes close by. Below is a plan for two nights, a third day for long weekends, the drive, the shopping and the packing list. The Titus Mountain guide covers the ski area itself: lifts, tickets, lessons and the Indy Pass.
When to plan a winter weekend
The ski season sets the calendar. Titus had not posted its 2026-27 dates in early October; it usually opens between mid-November and the week before Christmas and closes in late March or early April. Three stretches count as holiday periods at Titus, with holiday ticket prices: Christmas week, Martin Luther King Jr. weekend and Presidents' week. In 2027 the Monday holidays fall on January 18 and February 15, and those are the weekends that give you a third day without using vacation. Titus is closed on Christmas Day.
Malone's averages tell you how to dress.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Average snowfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| December | 30°F | 13°F | 21 inches |
| January | 23°F | 4°F | 22 inches |
| February | 27°F | 6°F | 18 inches |
| March | 36°F | 16°F | 15 inches |
Those are the 1991-2020 normals for the village, which gets about 95 inches of snow in an average winter; the ski area records more than that. The days are short. On December 21, 2026 the sun rises at 7:31 a.m. and sets at 4:19 p.m., and on the Saturday of Presidents' weekend in 2027 it is up at 7:00 and down at 5:22. Drive in daylight when you can, and let the night skiing and the hot tub fill the dark hours.
The drive up on a Friday
If you are driving up on a Friday after work, plan the drive before anything else. These are the typical road miles and drive times from the main starting points; each city has its own route page under drive from.
| From | Road miles | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| Montreal | 93, via Fort Covington | About two hours, plus the border |
| Ottawa | 104, via Cornwall and Massena | About two and a quarter hours, plus the border |
| Burlington, Vermont | 115 | About two and a half hours |
| Albany | 188 | About three and a half hours |
| Syracuse | 189 | About three and a half hours |
| Toronto | 308 | About five hours, plus the border |
| Boston | 329 | About six hours |
| New York City | 337 | About five and a half hours |
From Canada, the clock decides the crossing. The Trout River crossing on NY 30, the old direct route into Malone, has been closed to U.S.-bound traffic since June 1, 2026 for reconstruction, with completion targeted for May 2028. Chateaugay, the shortest way from Montreal at about 75 miles, is open only from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Churubusco from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Leave work late and you will cross at Fort Covington or at Champlain and Lacolle, both open 24 hours. U.S. citizens need a passport, passport card, NEXUS card or enhanced driver's license, and Canadians a passport, NEXUS card or enhanced driver's license; U.S. and Canadian children under 16 can show a birth certificate. The border guide has the details.
Flying in works too, with a rental car for the last stretch. Montreal-Trudeau is the closest major airport. Plattsburgh International, about 61 road miles from the cabins, has Allegiant flights from Florida and Contour service to Washington Dulles, and Adirondack Regional at Lake Clear has Cape Air flights to Boston and New York JFK, three round trips a day in all.
Check the roads before you leave. 511NY, the state transportation department's free web and phone service, shows winter road conditions reported by the crews plowing and treating the main highways; use the website or the app, or dial 511. If a storm lands on Friday, wait and drive up on Saturday morning. Most routes end on County Route 25, which runs south from the Malone area toward the cabins. From Albany or New York City the scenic way runs through the High Peaks and up NY 30 past Meacham Lake, but in a snowstorm the easier choice is to stay on the Northway to Plattsburgh and take NY 190 and US 11 west. The last miles to the cabins are rural roads, so follow the host's directions rather than your phone, and read winter driving before your first trip.
Shopping in Malone on the way in
Malone is the shopping stop, about ten road miles north of the cabins. Price Chopper at 53 Finney Boulevard is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day, with a deli, a bakery and beer from New York breweries (it has no pharmacy; see the health and safety page), and it offers curbside pickup and delivery through Instacart, so you can place the order from the car and collect it on the way through. ALDI and a Walmart Supercenter are both on NY 11. The groceries and supplies guide has the full list.
New York splits its alcohol sales in a way that surprises some visitors. Supermarkets sell beer, cider and wine drinks under 6 percent alcohol; regular wine and spirits come only from liquor stores, which in turn cannot sell beer. Harison Wine & Liquor at 632 East Main Street in Malone posts hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays, so stop on the way in.
Every cabin has a full kitchen and a grill, so a two-night list is short: breakfast for two mornings, lunch for the ski day, since you will eat it at the cabin, one dinner for the grill, hot drinks, snacks for the evenings and anything you want for the fire pit. Bring your favorite spices and cooking oils from home.
Friday night at the cabin
If you can reach Titus by mid-afternoon on Friday, ski that night: on the schedule Titus last posted, the lifts run under the lights until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and an all-day ticket covers the evening. If you arrive after dark, that works too.
Unpack, light the stove and start the grill. The Modern Pine and The Aviator each have a Jøtul GF 160 DV gas stove and share one property, so a group of eight can take both; The Modern Tiny Home has no stove but has the big stone fire pit. The cabin comparison lays out the rest. Then the hot tub. Every cabin has its own, and The Modern Pine's listing keeps its tub open 24 hours. A few habits make a winter soak better and safer:
- Keep the cover on whenever nobody is in the tub, so the water holds its heat.
- Wear sandals or boots for the walk out; decks and steps ice up.
- Keep the water at or below 104°F. About 100°F is considered safe for a healthy adult, and a thermostat can be off by as much as four degrees, so check it with a thermometer if you have one.
- Go easy on alcohol in hot water, because drowsiness is the danger, and skip the tub if you take medicine that makes you sleepy.
- Pregnant guests should stay out of water above 102°F, and anyone with heart, circulation, diabetes or blood pressure problems should ask a doctor first.
On the shortest days, civil twilight ends at 4:52 p.m., so the sky is dark before dinner is off the grill. On a clear night the hot tub is the warmest seat for the stars; the stargazing post covers what to look for.
Saturday at Titus
Every lift at Titus runs Friday through Sunday, including Chair VIII to the upper mountain, which does not run for the public on regular Monday-to-Thursday days. Here is a plan for a mixed group:
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. | Leave the cabin; the base lodge is five to seven minutes away. |
| 9:00 a.m. | Lifts have opened at 9 on Saturdays. |
| Noon | Back to the cabin for lunch. |
| 1:30 p.m. | Afternoon runs, a lesson for the beginners, or tubing for the non-skiers. |
| 4:30 p.m. | Lights on for night skiing, which runs to 9 p.m. |
| 9:30 p.m. | Hot tub, then bed. |
Book three things ahead: lessons, rentals and Neon Night Tubing, which sold out night after night in its first winter. Titus does not rent helmets, so pack one for everyone who skis or rides, and buy lift tickets online, which saves up to 10 percent. One guest summed up the pattern: "The hot tub was a fantastic addition to look forward to after spending the day out on the slopes."
If your group skis at two speeds, split up for the morning. The stronger skiers head for the upper mountain, the beginners stay near the learning area at the base, and everyone meets for lunch. If you would rather not leave the mountain at noon, the Lower Lodge has a sit-down grill open seven days a week and a quicker counter, the Trading Post, from Friday to Sunday. The Titus guide has the lift rotation, the terrain parks, the tubing rules and the ticket discounts.
A day without skis
Snowmobiling
The C7 corridor, one of the busiest snowmobile trails in Franklin County, passes close to the cabins on its way between Malone and Tupper Lake, and farther south it follows the old railroad tracks through Gabriels, Rainbow Lake and Onchiota. To ride it you need a New York registration: $135 a year, or $65 with a voucher from a club in the New York State Snowmobile Association, and every registration expires on August 31. Riders from other U.S. states whose sleds are registered at home can register online and print a 15-day temporary registration to ride right away, with the regular one following by mail. For a short first ride, secondary trail S78 makes an out-and-back of about 7.4 miles through the Titusville Mountain State Forest from a trailhead off the C7 just west of Indian Lake, and corridors C8 and C8A run through Duane and Mountain View. Titus, less than a mile from the tracks, invites riders in for lunch. Bring your own sled; snowmobiling from the cabin door covers the trails in detail.
Cross-country skiing
Paul Smith's College Visitor Interpretive Center, about 31 road miles south on NY 30, grooms a 25-mile network of classic and skate trails from December 1 to April 1, with classic tracks set beside skate lanes on the wider loops. A day pass has been $20 for adults and $10 for ages 5 to 17 and for seniors and the military, and passes are sold online. Skis, boots and poles rent for $20 a day and snowshoes for $10. Hutchins Lodge, where you buy passes and rentals, opens 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday, and the trails are open dawn to dusk every day. The cross-country guide covers the trails there and at Mt Van Hoevenberg.
Snowshoeing next door
The Titusville Mountain State Forest, 7,566 acres in the towns of Bellmont and Malone, is the nearby public land for a snowshoe, and the state lists cross-country skiing and snowshoeing among its uses. One of its most used trails climbs 0.8 mile and 320 feet to Elephant's Head, with a wooden staircase near the top and a view over Lake Titus. The trailhead is at the end of Elephant Head Road, a 1.5-mile gravel road that leaves NY 30 about nine miles south of Malone. Low cars can struggle on it even without snow, so check that it is passable before you drive in. Read the state forest guide first, and bring your own snowshoes or rent a pair at Paul Smith's.
Titus also borders cross-country trails groomed by the local Fish & Game Club, and it sells snowshoers and cross-country skiers a discounted lift ticket so they can use those trails, warm up in the lodge and ride back. Non-skiers can also ride the tubing hill at Titus, or spend the day by the stove with a book and an afternoon soak. Nobody has to ski.
Dinner in Malone
Malone is about twenty minutes north of the cabins, and dinner in town fits best on a night you skip the lights. For a sit-down dinner, Donovan's Steak & Ale is on NY 11 and Riverside Steak & Seafood on West Main Street. Mo's Pub & Grill, also on NY 11, serves lunch and dinner every day, with more than 25 burgers and sandwiches, poutines and 24 beers on tap; its posted hours run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Pines Tap and Table on Bare Hill Road is a pub-style restaurant with regular live entertainment on weekends. Small-town hours change with the season, so call before you go and book ahead on a Saturday. The where to eat guide lists breakfast places and the rest.
Or stay in. On the night you ski under the lights, the lifts stop at 9 p.m., and a grill dinner at the cabin is easier than a late table in town. Prepare it in the morning, eat by the stove, then get in the tub.
Sunday morning and the drive home
Sunday is the slow day. Make breakfast at the cabin, or drive into Malone for one. For a last outing, Titus has run its lifts until 4:30 p.m. on Sundays, so you can ski the morning and still have the car packed by mid-afternoon, or take a final walk on snowshoes in the state forest.
Plan the drive home around daylight and the border. In December the sun sets before 4:30 p.m., and the roads out of the North Country are two-lane for the first stretch. Drivers bound for Montreal can still use the Trout River crossing, which stays open northbound into Canada; the closure only stops traffic coming into the United States. Heading south, check 511NY for snow on the Northway or on US 11 before you leave.
A third day for long weekends
On a Monday-holiday weekend, add one of these.
- A second day at Titus. Every lift runs on the holiday Monday.
- Lake Placid and Whiteface. Lake Placid is about 52 road miles south, an hour and a quarter, with the Olympic Center and its Olympic museum, the ski jumps and Mt Van Hoevenberg's bobsled track and cross-country trails. Whiteface, about 62 road miles away, has the greatest vertical drop in the East. See the Lake Placid and Whiteface guide.
- The Wild Center in Tupper Lake. It is about 57 road miles away and opens Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., from November to March, closed December 25 and January 1, so fit it into the weekend itself. Timed tickets are sold online and can sell out.
- Montreal. About 93 road miles via Fort Covington. Time the return to an open crossing: Chateaugay closes at 6 p.m., while Fort Covington and Champlain stay open around the clock. See the Montreal day trip.
Weekends worth planning around
December. Santa's Workshop at North Pole, near Whiteface, reopens for the holiday season in late November 2026, after a summer and fall closed for upgrades. Its Village of Lights evenings are posted for December 6, 13, 20, 21 and 22, 2026, starting at 4:30 p.m.; admission is listed at $24.95 a person, free under 2, and tickets are sold at the gate. See Santa's Workshop.
February. The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival runs February 5 to 14, 2027, with the theme Wizards and Dragons, an ice palace lit every night, weather permitting, and the parade on Saturday, February 13, which is Presidents' weekend. Saranac Lake is about 43 road miles south. See the carnival guide.
March. New York's Maple Weekends are March 13-14 and 20-21, 2027, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when sugarhouses across the state open for tours and tastings, most of them free. Titus ends its season with Mountain Madness on a Saturday in early or mid-March, with pond skimming, races, sugarhouse tours and fireworks. March days are longer, and the average high in Malone climbs to 36°F.
Planning a weekend with children
Each cabin has a main bedroom and a bunk room, which suits a family of four with children 10 and up. Winter days are short, so plan on dinner at the cabin and an early night more often than not.
At Titus, first-timers start in the learning area at the base, where a carpet lift does the climbing. The Titus guide has the lessons and the never-ever program. Kids who already ski can enter the Saturday Challenge Race at 12:30 p.m., where every racer under 18 gets an award. On the tubing hill, the neon night sessions, with flashing lights and music, are not for every child. Pack a helmet for each child, because Titus does not rent them.
For an outing with kids, The Wild Center, open Friday through Sunday all winter, suits families; its dates are above.
What to pack
- Swimsuits, plus sandals or slip-on boots for the walk to the hot tub.
- A warm robe or a big towel for the dash back inside.
- Boots with good tread for icy decks, steps and parking areas.
- Layers that are not cotton, warm socks, a hat, mittens and goggles.
- Helmets for everyone skiing or riding, since Titus does not rent them.
- Hand and toe warmers for night skiing.
- A headlamp for the walk from the car and the fire pit after dark.
- Snowshoes or cross-country skis, if you own them.
- Your snowmobile registration and club voucher, if you ride.
- Passports or other border documents for everyone crossing from Canada, children included.
- An ice scraper and brush, winter washer fluid, and a full tank before you leave Malone.
- Your favorite spices and cooking basics.
- For the dog, a towel for snowy paws, and the papers it needs at the border if you are coming from Canada.
Staying safe in a North Country winter
The nearest hospital is UVM Health Alice Hyde Medical Center at 133 Park Street in Malone, about ten and a half road miles from the cabins, and its emergency department is open 24 hours. The health and safety page has the emergency numbers and the pharmacies in Malone.
Out on snowshoes or a sled, tell someone at the cabin where you are going and when you will be back, carry a charged phone and a headlamp, and turn around early, because the light goes fast in December. If a storm is forecast for your drive home, waiting a few hours for the plows beats driving through it, and 511NY shows the roads the crews are working.
Questions
How far are the cabins from Titus Mountain and Malone?
Titus Mountain's base lodge is about three and a half road miles from the cabins, five to seven minutes by the listings' count. Malone village, with the supermarkets, the restaurants and the hospital, is about ten road miles north, roughly twenty minutes. The Titus guide covers the mountain itself.
Which border crossing should we use on a Friday night from Montreal?
Chateaugay, the shortest route at about 75 miles, closes at 6 p.m., and Churubusco at 4 p.m. Later than that, cross at Fort Covington or Champlain, both open 24 hours. Trout River on NY 30 has been closed to U.S.-bound traffic since June 1, 2026, with the work targeted to finish in May 2028. See crossing the border.
Do we need snow tires or all-wheel drive?
They help. The last miles are rural county roads, and Malone averages about 22 inches of snow in January alone. Snow tires or all-wheel drive, a scraper and winter washer fluid make the trip easier, and 511NY shows road conditions before you leave. If a storm hits on Friday, drive up Saturday morning. See winter driving.
What can non-skiers do on a winter weekend?
Ride the tubing hill at Titus, ski the groomed cross-country trails at Paul Smith's College about 31 road miles south, snowshoe in the Titusville Mountain State Forest, or ride the C7 if you bring a registered sled. Or stay in with the stove and the hot tub. The cross-country guide has the trail details.
Can a group of eight stay together?
Yes. Each cabin sleeps four, and The Modern Pine and The Aviator share one property, so eight people can book both and still have two separate cabins, each with its own hot tub and gas stove. Compare them on the cabin comparison and book on the booking page.
Can we bring the dog on a winter trip?
Yes. Pets are allowed at all three cabins with a fee. Pack a towel for snowy paws, keep the dog leashed near roads and trails, and if you are driving down from Canada, check the papers a dog needs to enter the United States before you leave. See bringing your dog.
Where do we buy groceries?
In Malone, about ten road miles north. Price Chopper at 53 Finney Boulevard is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day and offers curbside pickup and Instacart delivery, and ALDI and a Walmart Supercenter are on NY 11. Shop on the way in, since the cabins are out in the country. See groceries and supplies.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources in October 2026. Hours, fees and schedules change; confirm before you go.
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/night-skiing
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/rentals
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/rates
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/conditions
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/hours-of-operation
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/dining
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/tubing
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/ski-racing
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/mountain-madness
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/around-town
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/xc-uphill-tickets
- Titus Mountain titusmountain.com/snowmobilinginourarea
- onthesnow.com onthesnow.com/new-york/titus-mountain/ski-resort
- snowbrains.com snowbrains.com/titus-mountain-family-ski-center-100-days-winter/
- tupperlake.com tupperlake.com/alpine-skiing/titus-mountain
- sportsbeams.com sportsbeams.com/our-work/titus-mountain-ski-lighting/
- Saranac Lake tourism saranaclake.com/story/2014/10/new-fun-titus-mountain-ski-area
- nyskiblog.com nyskiblog.com/directory/ny-ski-areas/adirondacks/titus-mountain/
- opm.gov opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/
- usclimatedata.com usclimatedata.com/climate/malone/new-york/united-states/usny0854
- aa.usno.navy.mil aa.usno.navy.mil/api/rstt/oneday?date=2026-12-21&coords=44.77,-74.19&t
- aa.usno.navy.mil aa.usno.navy.mil/api/rstt/oneday?date=2027-02-13&coords=44.77,-74.19&t
- aa.usno.navy.mil aa.usno.navy.mil/api/rstt/oneday?date=2026-12-31&coords=44.77,-74.19&t
- U.S. General Services Administration gsa.gov/real-estate/ongoing-construction-projects/trout-river-land-por
- content.govdelivery.com content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCBP/bulletins/415e6c6
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative
- New York State Department of Transportation dot.ny.gov/travel
- New York State Department of Transportation dot.ny.gov/wta
- pricechopper.com pricechopper.com/stores/ny/malone/price-chopper-166.html
- nyc-business.nyc.gov nyc-business.nyc.gov/nycbusiness/description/liquor-store-license
- nyc-business.nyc.gov nyc-business.nyc.gov/nycbusiness/description/grocery-and-drug-store-be
- Franklin County tourism (Always Franklin) alwaysfranklin.com/listing/harison-wine-liquor
- cpsc.gov cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/1980/CPSC-Warns-Of-Hot-Tub-Temperature
- New York State DMV dmv.ny.gov/registration/register-snowmobile
- Franklin County tourism (Always Franklin) alwaysfranklin.com/recreation/snowmobiling
- Franklin County tourism (Always Franklin) alwaysfranklin.com/listing/corridor-7
- Paul Smith's College paulsmiths.edu/vic/ski-snowshoe/
- content.govdelivery.com content.govdelivery.com/accounts/NYSDEC/bulletins/24c819f
- adirondackbasecamp.com adirondackbasecamp.com/2014/12/dec-management-plan-franklin-county-for
- Franklin County tourism (Always Franklin) alwaysfranklin.com/where-to-eat
- Franklin County tourism (Always Franklin) alwaysfranklin.com/listing/mos-pub-grill
- mospubandgrill.com mospubandgrill.com/
- Franklin County tourism (Always Franklin) alwaysfranklin.com/listing/the-pines-tap-and-table
- thepinestapandtable.com thepinestapandtable.com/
- The Wild Center wildcenter.org/visit
- northpoleny.com northpoleny.com/
- northpoleny.com northpoleny.com/village-of-lights
- northpoleny.com northpoleny.com/yuletide-family-weekends
- Saranac Lake tourism saranaclake.com/events/saranac-lake-winter-carnival
- mapleweekend.com mapleweekend.com/
- ADK Taste adktaste.com/adirondack-events/ny-state-ski-area-malone-titus-mountain
- Lake Placid tourism (ROOST) lakeplacid.com/do/activities/skiing-whiteface-mountain
- uvmhealth.org uvmhealth.org/locations/emergency-department-uvm-health-alice-hyde-med
- router.project-osrm.org router.project-osrm.org/route/v1/driving/-74.192,44.769;-74.2336,44.76
- The cabin's Airbnb listing airbnb.com/rooms/53628054
- The cabin's Airbnb listing airbnb.com/rooms/1168252128174283244
- The cabin's Airbnb listing airbnb.com/rooms/41023086
In this guide
Stay nearby
The après-ski cabin: a Jøtul gas stove between two picture windows, a large screened room on the deck, a hot tub open all year, and Titus Mountain minutes away.
The Modern PineCabin 2 · 2 bd · 1 ba · sleeps 4More in Skiing & Winter
Sources
57 references, listed in full at the end of this guide: official park, state, tourism-office and business sources, checked October 2026.
Related guides
Photos on this page: Malone NY by P199, CC BY-SA 3.0; SaranacLakeIcePalace2020A by DanielPenfield, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and cropped for this site. All photo credits