Author: James Michaud

The Mountains Less Traveled: Solitude, UT

Posted on by James Michaud

While Alta and Snowbird deservedly get most of the attention from Salt Lake City locals and visitors alike, I’ve always been a fan of the Cottonwood Canyons’ darkhorse ski area: the aptly-named Solitude.

Solitude Ut

Detractors complain about the mountain’s goofy topography and inefficient lift system, but lots of snow, elbow room, and varied terrain always work for me. Guest author Bryan Luftglass takes us on a tour of his home away from home:

Read this issue of NY Ski Magazine:
Solitude, UT: Channeling the Wasatch

Tagged: Magazine, Western US

Restricted MTB Access in New York

Posted on by James Michaud

Following seven years in Albuquerque and Chicago, I returned to New York City in early 1997. After making do with the Windy City region’s tolerable, but mostly unexceptional mountain bike offerings, I was happy to be back in the northeast. Unfortunately, I was clueless about where I could find decent trails close to the city.

I went to Barnes and Noble and bought a book that had been published earlier that year: Mountain Biking New York. The author, Michael Margulis, listed 93 rides throughout the eastern third of New York State stretching from the Atlantic Ocean up through the Adirondacks. Since I was living in Brooklyn, I focused on the rides in Long Island, Westchester, and northern New Jersey, along with a few trips to the Shawangunks, Catskills, and Adirondacks.

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Tagged: Biking, Harriman / Bear Mountain12 Comments

Beloved Belleayre Lift Attendant Passes Away

Posted on by James Michaud

These days, it’s pretty rare to find a person who, through sheer force of personality, becomes the unofficial face of a business by embodying certain key attributes.

Belleayre Tomahawk Liftie
Belleayre’s Jerry Siegel

For years, Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills had one of these unique people — someone who radiated the ski area’s atmosphere of friendliness, fun, and lack of pretention. Here’s what I wrote about him in a 2008 article:

Despite Belleayre not having the biggest, deepest, steepest, longest, or most expensive anything, there are a handful of reasons why so many New Yorkers are passionate about this mountain. One of them is the lift attendant at the Tomahawk Lift mid-station. Instead of a bored post-teen with tattoos, lip piercings, and bad skin, you’ll find a cheerful older gent who clearly seems to enjoy his job.

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Tagged: Belleayre, Catskills8 Comments