Titus Mountain: Somewhere Over the Rainbow

I’ve been feeling nostalgic. Between laps at Woods Valley, I spent my holiday downtime watching old ski and snowboard movies. Cult classics like Ski School and Out Cold had me longing for the good old days. Can I say that? I’m not even 30 yet.

I’d heard Titus Mountain had that old school feeling, and this past weekend, when the rain returned to Central New York, it was clear where I needed to go, as far north as possible.

It was a 3-plus hour drive up to Malone NY. After a late start in the freezing rain, we made it around 1pm. The snow was coming down lightly as we hurried to get our tickets. The lodges gave off an old school vibe and classic rock was blasting over the speakers.

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Holiday Valley: Social Distancing the Rain

I’m sure most people don’t think of my home — Utica NY — as a ski town. I could go on about the city-owned ski slope and local history, but its true advantage is being located in the middle of the state. Much of the best skiing in New York is within a day trip of my apartment.

Mardi Gras lift

I’m also lucky to have a forward operating base at my parents house in the Finger Lakes. While the rest of the state was getting rain on Christmas Day, Western NY was getting lake effect snow from Lake Erie. With the Bills winning the AFC East and 8 inches of snow on the hill, Holiday Valley skiers were smiling. I left my folks place early Saturday morning with my sights set on Ellicottville.

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The Opening Belle 2020

I’ve never really accepted the idea of “no friends on a powder day.” The right friends can make all the difference when you are chasing new snow. They can help with the prep and planning, and they can help when things can wrong.

I’ve been lucky chasing storms over the last few years, managing to avoid major setbacks, weather delays or transportation issues. My luck was bound to run out eventually, and this week it did. But I was with the right people, and it almost didn’t matter.

Alex and I woke at 7 am in the Starlite Motel to the sounds of other guests cleaning off their cars and loading up. We quickly joined them as the new snow was going to take time to clear.

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