Gore Nordic: Coals to Newcastle

This winter, I’ve been content skiing in the neighborhood. There are seven ski centers (OK, two of them are golf courses) within 20 miles of my crib in Saranac Lake. Why travel?

The A climb
A climb

With the disastrous thaw, my local options have diminished. This winter, most of the big storms have gone south of the Tri-Lakes. Paul Smiths VIC was reduced to a few kilometers. Mount van Hoevenberg’s legacy trails, which I’ve only skied once this winter, were toast. I’ve lost count of the number of laps I’ve done on van Ho’s World Cup trails. On Sunday, I cleaned kitty litter, loaded the Fortunate Son and drove down to Gore.

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Paul Smiths: Cruising the VIC

Saturday: band rehearsal in Sea Girt, NJ. After a productive session with my most excellent bandmates, I loaded the Fortunate Son and returned north. Driving at Warp Factor 4, I made it to Saranac Lake by 9:30 PM.

Heron Marsh

When I finally arrived home, I was fried. For most of my life, I’ve reckoned drive times north starting from Morris County NJ. I could tell you when I’d arrive in Lake Placid, or Craftsbury, or Woodford, within 10 minutes’ accuracy. Departing Ocean County is a whole other ball of wax.

Sunday morning, drinking coffee, bleary eyed and listening to WFMU with a cat in my lap, I considered my options. Gym? Ski? Chill?

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The Backside of Big Tupper

Late Sunday night, I returned to Saranac Lake from band rehearsal in NJ. As I passed through Schroon Lake it began to snow. The last 40 miles, the roads were covered with snow. The last three blocks, all uphill, hadn’t yet been plowed. I bulled my way into my driveway. Let’s hear it for studded snow tires and a digital transfer case.

Route 86

Four more inches of snow on Monday night. Dewey Mountain, my new local, was open. But the urge to ski in Tupper Lake was irresistible.

Twelve or 15 years ago, in one of the worst snow droughts can remember, one of the only races I skied was the Lumberjack Scramble in Tupper Lake.

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