The Adirondacks Blog

McCauley Powder Odyssey

Posted on by Harvey

We all know what’s coming, there’s no hiding from it. This week Scottski and I were looking to bank some powder euphoria for a rainy day. We needed some new snow and we needed it now.

McCauley Mountain Road
McCauley Mountain Road

We considered a return to Gore, where they had picked up another 5 inches since our great day on Sunday. Other options included SoVT, Snow Ridge and McCauley. It was my birthday, so Scottski, Matt and Stu let me pick. I chose McCauley.

The same storm that put Gore in the sweet spot last weekend, rained on McCauley pretty good. We wondered if the mountain had been stripped down to bare earth.  Afterward, snow started to fall again and by Monday morning Big Mac reported seven inches of new snow since that soaking rainfall.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, McCauley, Powder18 Comments

Gore is a Great Big Mountain

Posted on by Harvey

At our house, to reduce the impact of the bottle water we drink, we’ve invested in a system where the 5-gallon plastic bottles are reused. We’re trying to remember to bring our own grocery bags to the store. Small steps.

View from the Park + Ride

Of course, the elephant in the room is the impact of my skiing. There’s no question it’s costly, especially the driving. I’ve long thought about this, but never enacted any solutions. And, as I’ve become more addicted to our sport, I find myself driving farther for good snow.

For New Years I’ve resolved to carpool as much as I can. It’s not a new or novel idea, but it should make a difference. Sharing a ride saves energy and engine wear, and it fits with my desire to ski with partners.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Gore Mountain, Powder16 Comments

First Tracks at Mt Van Hoevenberg

Posted on by Peter Minde

Who needs West Yellowstone when you’ve got early season skiing nearby? After Thanksgiving dinner, I set out up the Thruway for Lake Placid. Gusting wind pushed my new used VW shooting brake around, treating the ski box as a spinnaker.

Mount van Hoevenberg skiers

Rain washed away the snow Mount van Ho had the previous weekend, leaving only the 500-meter loop of machine made snow, courtesy of the Snow Factory. After a leisurely Friday morning breakfast, I clipped into skate skis. The Snow Factory loop had held up through the warming trend, still 18” deep.

After a couple laps around the loop, I ran in to Duncan Douglas. We shot the breeze, he intended to ski the Porter Mountain trail. But he’s a larger than life two-time Olympian, and I’m just a guy from Jersey. I opted to stay on the mini loop.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Mount van Hoevenberg, Nordic Skiing8 Comments