Royal Mountain: Roll Out the Red Carpet

Royal Mountain may look like a ski slope, but for those who know, it’s more of an establishment. Like so many locally owned ski resorts it’s an integral part of the community. Its walls are adorned with plaques, posters and trinkets of its people and past. It’s all part of the rich history the resort is steeped in going back to its inception in 1955.

Royal Mountain memory wall

Three owners laters, and following the footsteps of the famous Jim Blaise, the Tennis’s are blazing a new trail forward, literally and figuratively. I found Brooke and Jake Tennis behind the ticket desk shortly after opening on Saturday. She was slinging tickets and he was giving an operations update.

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Northampton Ski Park: Opening Weekend

For the past few years the Midwest rope tow scene has been firing off. Some of the best riders flock to these small hills to ride some of the best terrain parks in the country. The rope tows provide a valuable life line to the industry in the form of new skiers and riders. They offer the perfect place to learn without shelling out big bucks for mega passes.

Upper Rope Tow House

I have memories of my own, learning at Brantling in Sodus. Near the city of Rochester there are two rope tows; Powder Mills in Pittsford and Northampton Ski Park (NHP) in Brockport. Both are operated by Swain as learn to ski areas, but a few years ago the NHP started featuring a terrain park.

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Greek Peak: Monday Morning Zig

In case you didn’t notice, it snowed last weekend. Across the East snow starved skiers and riders flocked to mountains, especially on Sunday. Disheartening lift line photos were shared on social media, some hundreds of people deep.

To maximize stoke it was important to strategize. For me the decision was easy: take Monday off and get the leftovers. After riding in the NYSB gang at Plattekill on Sunday, I shifted gears to Greek Peak for Monday morning.

Like the weather this winter, Farah and I got a late start getting to Greek. We rolled in at 11 and the parking lot was busier than we expected. Don’t these people have jobs?

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