The Tug Hill Blog

Snow Ridge: A Classic Indy Rise Up

Posted on by Robert

There’s been some excitement about the eastern ski season getting an early start. Ski Ward in Massachusetts garnered significant attention with its new snowmaking system, claiming the first open ski resort in North America. Killington spun early as always. Belleayre got out first in New York with a sneak preview before Thanksgiving.

Snow Pocket tbar

Those efforts may pale in comparison to the work done at Snow Ridge, a family-owned resort on Tug Hill. In August, as most resorts were completing lift maintenance and inspection, Turin NY came into the path of an EF-3 tornado. Trees were snapped and lifts were rendered inoperable.

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Tagged: Indy Pass, Snow Ridge, Tug Hill6 Comments

The Paddle of Big Sandy Creek

Posted on by Robert

The Battle of Big Sandy Creek occurred on May 29th 1814 between British and American forces during the War of 1812. It was an American victory that would prove inconsequential as the British retained control of the Great Lakes.

The Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812.
Lossing, Benson (1868). The Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812. Harper & Brothers

The Paddle of Big Sandy Creek occurred last weekend and was significantly less violent. Farah and I had been scoping out beaches and kayaking spots along Lake Ontario when we learned of Big Sandy Creek.

Located within the Lakeview Wildlife Management area, the paddle is a 4 mile out-and-back that takes paddlers past Goose Pond and out to the sandy beaches along Lake Ontario. It is the same route used in the battle during The War of 1812.

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Tagged: Paddling, Tug Hill9 Comments

Rebuilding Snow Ridge

Posted on by NYSkiBlog

In the evening on Monday August 7, severe weather ripped through southern Lewis County in New York. The next day the National Weather Service in Buffalo confirmed that the storm was an EF-3 tornado with wind speeds topping out at 140 mph. The storm carved a path of destruction 16 miles long and 700 feet across at it’s widest point. The last time an EF-3 tornado touched down in New York was back in 2014.

Tornado path map courtesy localsyr.com

The storm’s destruction began near West Leyden and stretched northeast to Turin NY. The Village of Turin was subject to significant damage. Snow Ridge Ski Resort and the West Wind Motel, 1/2 mile north of the ski area were hit hardest. After that, the long rampage ended; beyond the West Wind Motel damage was minimal.

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Tagged: Snow Ridge, Tug Hill1 Comment