Support Your Local Rope Tow

Within the last few years there’s been a resurgence of park skiing in Western New York. Just outside of Rochester, you’ll find Northampton Park (NHP), a small but mighty setup featuring a lodge, rentals, a rope tow, 100 feet of vertical, and a surprisingly deep lineup of terrain park features.

grooming the plaza

The first time I came here nearly 10 years ago, there were maybe one or two features, enough to session for a bit, but nothing like what stands today. Now, the park stretches top to bottom, stacked with rails, jibs, and creative builds that let you take a completely different line every single lap. Watching the progression of their park builds over the last few seasons has been impressive.

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Northampton Ski Park: Opening Weekend

For the past few years the Midwest rope tow scene has been firing off. Some of the best riders flock to these small hills to ride some of the best terrain parks in the country. The rope tows provide a valuable life line to the industry in the form of new skiers and riders. They offer the perfect place to learn without shelling out big bucks for mega passes.

Upper Rope Tow House

I have memories of my own, learning at Brantling in Sodus. Near the city of Rochester there are two rope tows; Powder Mills in Pittsford and Northampton Ski Park (NHP) in Brockport. Both are operated by Swain as learn to ski areas, but a few years ago the NHP started featuring a terrain park.

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