In the eight years I have been writing for NYSkiBlog my biggest takeaway is vertical drop doesn’t matter as much as you think. The joy of sliding on snow is more than a number.
Maple Ski Ridge in Schenectady is a perfect example. Those newbies on the rope tow don’t care about vertical drop, they are just thrilled to be on the snow. On a recent trip back from parts east, Farah and I decided to shift our mind set and check out Maple on a warm spring Sunday.
It was quiet inside the lodge as we booted up and redeemed our Indy Pass a little after 1pm. The sun was beating down on the hill but the snow was going strong.
Instead of our normal ski gear we donned hoodies and long sleeve shirts, a freeing sensation compared to mid-winter gear.
We scooted down to the triple chair. Off the triple the whole hill is accessible, so we worked our way from right to left. It was slushy spring conditions but it was fun.
There is essentially four-ish ways down the hill before the pitch flattens out and they all connect back to the base. Ash Dash and The Chute were our favorites. They are both peppered with trees giving the rider a feeling of being in the glades without the high intensity. The extra shade helped preserve the snow too.
We made soft turns spraying a rooster tail of slush behind us. Farah worked on her turns as I found small bumps to boost off. The kids had done a proper job of carving out a lip under a snow making mound, and I found myself practicing back 1’s and 3’s. It left me wanting more and thinking I might get back into the park before the end of the year.
We skied onto the lift. There were maybe 15 other riders lapping the ridge chair with us. Over at the rope tow they had similar numbers of learners sliding around.
Right in front of chair the sun was taking its toll and a small puddle formed as water flowed off the hill. I decided to practice for pond skim season and blasted through the water a few times imploring Farah to grab some pics. I felt bad when both my camera lady and a young skier got soaked in the process but hey that’s spring skiing.
After three hours of riding, Farah and I felt accomplished. We were looking to stretch the legs after a long road trip but found so much more. Maple Ridge was a good choice for us and we’ll stop there again when we’re returning from the East. So yea, we went big, and then we went home.
NYSkiBlog is joining with The Indy Pass to bring exposure to independent mountains.
This piece is part of our effort. For more information visit the Indy Pass website.
Freddie Andersen ran the Ski School there for many years. She took lessons with my dad at the North Creek Ski School in the mid-1930s.
Nice write up on the area.
Looks like a great day. Thanks for the write up
Nice. The scene needs more feeder or medium hills. Keep after it.
Looks great Robert ! Upstate NY has N CA skiing beat this year.
I spent March 12 at Whiteface. I think Maple looks some better! Thanks for the FOMO!
Love this! We will have to check it out sometime