Author: Robert

Woods Valley: Time Flies

Posted on by Robert

The older I get, the faster time flies. The season snuck up on me and my general lack of fitness, again. For Woods Valley, on the other hand, wisdom has come with age and on the dawn of their 60th year in operation they were ready to go.

Woods Valley opening day 2023
Woods Valley opening day 2023

Early last week mother nature decided to help the resort with 10 inches of lake effect to add to their snowmaking efforts. Ullr giveth and he taketh away, and on Friday it rained. Woods was undeterred, and on Saturday at 10am they kicked off their 60th season. Normally I pick up my season pass the week prior to opening but my lack of planning found me a few families deep in the pick up line.

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Tagged: Central NY, Lake Effect, Woods Valley4 Comments

Snow Ridge: A Classic Indy Rise Up

Posted on by Robert

There’s been some excitement about the eastern ski season getting an early start. Ski Ward in Massachusetts garnered significant attention with its new snowmaking system, claiming the first open ski resort in North America. Killington spun early as always. Belleayre got out first in New York with a sneak preview before Thanksgiving.

Snow Pocket tbar

Those efforts may pale in comparison to the work done at Snow Ridge, a family-owned resort on Tug Hill. In August, as most resorts were completing lift maintenance and inspection, Turin NY came into the path of an EF-3 tornado. Trees were snapped and lifts were rendered inoperable.

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Tagged: Indy Pass, Snow Ridge, Tug Hill6 Comments

The Paddle of Big Sandy Creek

Posted on by Robert

The Battle of Big Sandy Creek occurred on May 29th 1814 between British and American forces during the War of 1812. It was an American victory that would prove inconsequential as the British retained control of the Great Lakes.

The Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812.
Lossing, Benson (1868). The Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812. Harper & Brothers

The Paddle of Big Sandy Creek occurred last weekend and was significantly less violent. Farah and I had been scoping out beaches and kayaking spots along Lake Ontario when we learned of Big Sandy Creek.

Located within the Lakeview Wildlife Management area, the paddle is a 4 mile out-and-back that takes paddlers past Goose Pond and out to the sandy beaches along Lake Ontario. It is the same route used in the battle during The War of 1812.

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Tagged: Paddling, Tug Hill9 Comments