ORDA 3-Way New York Ski Pass

Ski 3 PassNYSkiBlog has learned that New York’s Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) will announce a new ski pass which will grant skiers access to all three of New York’s state-run ski resorts. The Ski3 Pass will be on sale later today and will allow pass holders to ski Whiteface, Gore and Belleayre any day of the 2013-2014 season.

The early bird price of the new pass for adults — $739 — is the same as the first deadline price of the current ORDA 2-Way Pass for Gore and Whiteface.  The early discount price for young adults is $385, while college students and juniors can pick the pass for only $299. The early discount period ends on April 19.

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A New Beginning At Belleayre

On the drive up the Thruway Saturday morning for my inaugural ski day of the 2012-13 season in the northeast, I thought about the endless discussions in the NY Ski Forums about ORDA taking over the management of Belleayre, the state-run ski area in the western Catskills.

During the off-season, I’d read threads arguing the pros and cons of such issues as free skiing for seniors, the extensive ticket discounts and giveaways of years past, and the number of employees per skier visit. I’d also heard glowing reports from a couple longtime employees who were ecstatic about ORDA’s efforts to transform Belleayre into a fiscally prudent ski area. However, with up to a half foot of new snow in the forecast for the day, my immediate concern was less about ski-area politics and more about getting on the hill as soon as possible.

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Catskills Winter Sampler Card

Catskills Winter Sampler CardIt was announced last night that the major ski resorts in the Catskills have entered into a joint promotion for the 2012/2013 skiing and riding season.

The Catskills Winter Sampler Card will cost $199 and includes one unrestricted adult lift ticket valid any day of the upcoming season at each of four premier winter ski and snowboard destinations in the Northern Catskills: Hunter Mountain, Windham Mountain, Belleayre and Plattekill Mountain. In the next few weeks the card will be available online at CatskillsWinterSampler.com.

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