The Adirondacks Blog

Whiteface Slides Tour

Posted on by Harvey

When the Slides are in play, I try to arrive early, just to be sure. Still in the end, all that really matters is where you are when they drop the access ropes.

Summit-Patrol-Hut

I was coming solo to Whiteface hoping to enjoy the Slides for a third time. To improve my odds, I contacted the mountain and asked if I could ski with a Mountain Host.

I’d skied with a Mountain Host once before, in December a few years back. I was told at that time that many of the hosts really like skiing with guests. They do seem to enjoy it.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, The Slides, Whiteface7 Comments

Spring Slides: Wright On!

Posted on by ml242

The Adirondack High Peaks are a mystery to me. Seen from afar, they are both vast and tiny, occupying a fraction of the otherwise enormous park. Even with the stunning density of 4000 footers accessible from the Adirondack Loj, they’re both in your face and utterly inaccessible.

Adirondack slide skiing

I know this well as many of my backcountry trips to the park end with epic workouts and fantastic stories, that often don’t have much to do with the skiing. This day on the Wright Peak Slides was no different.

Last Sunday I had a bag packed with technical gear for my first ski descent down the Trap Dyke, but my body hardly felt up for the task and a familiar sense of a mission unaccomplished set in its place. Rather than continuing up from the Marcy Dam to pursue Colden, our group allowed me to present a case to try the Angel Slides on Wright Peak instead.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Backcountry, Earning Turns, High Peaks4 Comments

Hickory: It’s On!

Posted on by Harvey

When you ski Hickory you are going in a different direction. For me it’s most noticeable when I’m driving south on Route 28 and the SUVs with roofboxes are all headed north: zoom, zoom, zoom.

Honey-Run-Skier

Thoughts of skiing Hickory are always there, lurking beneath the surface, rising to the top when there is a favorable storm track promising new snow.

All is possible when two things come together: snow and more snow. I use Facebook to say in the loop. When those stars align, Clarence will post: It’s on!

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Hickory Ski Center, Powder7 Comments