The evidence for a New York Cumorah for the battles is just very weak.
The fortified structures are in Mesoamerica, not in New York. Written language was unknown in New York area until the British and French arrived. The numbers of people required for a final battle (over 130,000 on the Nephite side alone) were not available in the area, but definitely were in Mesoamerica. Snow is not mentioned, but hot temperatures and fevers (malaria) are, as well as the cure for the fevers (quinine from the bark of the Cinchona tree).
The Nephite region was short enough to cross with women, children and animals in less than 20 days. If we allowed for 20 miles a day journey, it would be at most 400 miles between the land of Nephi and Zarahemla! Moroni recognized the Hill Ramah of the Jaredites, and that it had been renamed by the Nephites as Cumorah - meaning he didn't run to and from New York area and Mesoamerica, but only made the trip once! It took him decades to travel to the area, but not for Mormon's entire people - so it must have been nearby, as suggested by BYU scholars, like John Sorensen.
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