The Lake Effect Blog

Snow Ridge Opens North Slope

Posted on by Robert

I spend a lot of time at work setting expectations. It’s important stakeholders know what they are getting to avoid disappointment. Skiing and riding in New York can be the same. Set your expectations modestly and winter will never let you down. It can magnify the fun you are having on the slopes. It does for me.

North Slope
North Slope

Last Saturday I geared up late in the morning and headed to Snow Ridge without expectations. On the way up Route 26, the resort comes into sight. From there you can see the face of the mountain. This view always gives me an clue about what to expect.

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Tagged: Indy Pass, Lake Effect, Powder, Snow Ridge, Tug Hill1 Comment

Holiday Valley Opens in 2024

Posted on by Robert

The Erie lake effect machine fired her guns hard and heavy the last week. Usually I would turn my eyes towards the Tug Hill, but lake effect can be a fickle thing. At Dry Hill they needed snorkels, but Snow Ridge could only launch a soft opening.

Tannenbaum Express

Cold Canadian air was pushing south and in the early season Lake Erie often reigns supreme. Holiday Valley was in the epicenter getting over three feet of snow.

I called my boys Alex and Evan, and on Friday we headed to the Aspen of the East, Ellicottville for Holiday Valley Opening Day 2024.

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Tagged: Holiday Valley, Lake Effect, Powder, Western NY6 Comments

Dry Hill: Finally Dry

Posted on by Harvey

In 2010, I began work on NYSkiBlog’s Directory of NY Ski Areas to educate myself about New York skiing. In the process, I learned about Dry Hill, the other Tug Hill ski area. It’s a beautiful ski hill on a ripple in the terrain, a few miles south of Watertown. Dry Hill has a magic all her own.

Dry Hill Ski Area

There’s a lot to like about Dry Hill. Dry has a double chair, a T-bar and a magic carpet serving 7 trails on 42 acres; 1.5 miles of terrain with 300 feet of vertical drop. It’s not too surprising that both the double and the T-bar were made by the venerable Hall Ski Lift Company — which was also based in Watertown NY — from 1955 until 1982.

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Tagged: Indy Pass, Lake Effect, Powder, Tug Hill7 Comments