The Adirondacks Blog

Hickory or Not?

Posted on by Harvey

There’s a significant group of skiers out there who’ve had a great day at Hickory. Certainly enough to fill up the ski center after a storm. When you consider the total number of ski days Hickory has operated over the last 10 years, that’s really kind of amazing.

Hickory fire pit

Personally I’ve had six days at Hickory, five of them in winter, all were unforgettable. So yea, people like me, we’re out there.

Many of us wish we had another shot at it. I know I do. If I had known my last Hickory ski day was going to be my last Hickory ski day, by golly, I would have skied harder. Many also understand why Hickory has been closed the last few years.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Hickory Ski Center21 Comments

The Punishment Remains the Same

Posted on by Peter Minde

After a year off, the Climb to the Castle returned to Whiteface Mountain on October 3rd. I drove up on Saturday with some misgivings. Two weeks earlier, I DNF’d the Macedonia Brook 25 kilometer trail race in Connecticut. I ran my plan in the hills and on the flats. But there were two brutally steep, technical downhill bits where I was so slow I didn’t feel like I was racing. I dropped halfway through. I drove home wondering if I was done.

Whiteface foliage

After collecting my bib and buying groceries, I headed to the hostel. As it turned out the the Saint Lawrence University women’s nordic ski team was staying there. They were racing the Climb to the Castle to top off a long training weekend.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Whiteface5 Comments

Sufferfest on Mount Colden: The Knee Knows

Posted on by Peter Minde

“There are landmines. Landmines everywhere.” Since falling and breaking my wrist last summer, 14 miles into a 15-mile Catskills run, this has been my mantra.

Colden Trail

Whether it’s the recovery portion of an interval workout, or the last mile out of the woods, it’s that last bit — you’ve done the big peaks, gone over the big rock ledges without drama. That last bit where I think, it’s all over but the shouting, and I fail to pay attention and BAM, a catastrophic fall.

After running in the Catskills over Memorial Day, I’ve laid low. When my esteemed editor asked if I might have any more tricks up my sleeve, I replied, right hip is really tight and right knee is acting up. NG. The summer has pretty much been a conservative approach, close to home.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Hiking8 Comments