I’m from the east as well. Before I moved I found a lot of backcountry in the Adirondacks. Specifically the store “the mountaineering” was a big help in steering me along with this book: Best Backcountry Skiing in the Northeast
FWIW I loved it there but now do different stuff in the North West (Alaska/Yukon)
Depends on the year, last year was supposed to be great (I just moved out west last year though so I didn't get to experience any of it).
Generally you need to wait until mid-January I think, or later, to really get the snowpack deep enough for what you want to do. Lots of nice touring out of the ADK Loj (the one from which Marcy Dam is accessible).
I'd highly recommend this book since it covers lots of the areas you're talking about, and includes some stuff that is not super hardcore.
David Goodman’s book has some info on skiing katahdin ( and a bunch of other nice tours)
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Backcountry-Skiing-Northeast-Classic/dp/1934028142
You can definitely get out in the whites and stay out of avalanche danger, staying below tree line and staying on low angle terrain. If you want to venture into some of the bigger lines in the presidentials, you'll want some training and partners who know what they're doing. Also, study the avalanche conditions put out by https://mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org. They update daily, so you can follow how weather conditions affect the snowpack. And take an Avy 1 course.
Get this book by David Goodman https://www.amazon.com/Best-Backcountry-Skiing-Northeast-Classic/dp/1934028142. It's a great starting point. It's not all downhill, there are some xc tours as well.
Good beginner tours are Mt. Cardigan, the Sherburne trail, and Moosilauke Carriage Road.
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Backcountry-Skiing-Northeast-Classic/dp/1934028142
Read this
https://granitebackcountryalliance.org/
Try to meet people here
https://mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org/
And follow this
And if it’s your first time wait till April
Started up Bolton; then Bolton Backcountry; then expanding out to things like Teardrop trail. There's a good book - https://www.amazon.com/Best-Backcountry-Skiing-Northeast-Classic/dp/1934028142
:)
For mt washington and the whites I found this book to be quite good: https://www.presidentialskiing.com/ . Note: most of these lines are avalanche terrain so you would need a partner and avalanche gear and training (solo is generally a bad idea).Edit: Ah i see someone else recommended it as well. There is also this book that goes over many of the glade zones and cut trails for backcountry in the northeast(many of these trails can be done solo just fine): https://www.amazon.com/Best-Backcountry-Skiing-Northeast-Classic/dp/1934028142
Not sure if this book can help you or not. I've used it to help guide me close to a few stashes. Can't recall if the Catskills are in there.