Chasing Magic on Opening Day 2022

Two weeks ago skiing wasn’t yet taking up much real estate at all in my thoughts. As I watched the West get properly pummeled in the early goings, I chose to ignore the idea of powder skiing in the East.

Magic Mountain Opening Day 2022
Opening Day 2022 courtesy Magic Mountain

But finally one of those big west coast lows showed signs of moving over us with some cold air in place and machinations of a snow chase became a sudden reality.

We hatched a chase plan from hike-only Plattekill on Saturday to Magic for Sunday’s untouched opener. Arrangements were secured and touring gear was resurrected from the deep, dark corners of my closet. Just seeing my skins airing out above the furnace flooded me with endorphins.

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Magic Mountain: Rising Above

By Saturday morning, I was pretty much locked in to skiing Magic even though the storm had clearly favored some other hills. As the projected storm track moved around the map the preceding week, I surveyed which Indy Pass resorts might be good for the weekend.

Indy Pass tickets

The incoming snow storm was doubly exciting because I could break out my new-to-me powder skis, a pair of On3P Billy Goats I’d picked up from a fellow NYSB’er at the end of last winter. Magic looked good for a while so I made plans to visit on Saturday with my sons. I had some family business to conduct in Albany so I figured I could combine trips.

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Interview: Geoff Hatheway of Magic Mountain

Magic Mountain logoOver the last several years Magic Mountain has been transformed from a marginal business with neglected infrastructure on the edge of extinction into a ski mountain that looks viable for the long term. Back then, it seemed Magic’s most valuable asset was its small dedicated following. Now, lifts and snowmaking, which were both in desperate need of investment, have been upgraded in a significant way.

The responsibility for this renaissance falls squarely on the shoulders of the new ownership group led by Geoff Hatheway, Magic’s President and outspoken public face of the mountain. What follows is our interview with him.


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