Dry Hill: Finally Dry

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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Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam 2024

For me the Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam is now a must send event. For the 4th year in a row, the Jam at Snow Ridge closed the season down on the Tug Hill. It has become the embodiment of NY park. A carnival of riding, it’s sheer pandemonium as bodies get tossed. 55 riders come from across the state, some driving hours, to ride a 100’ magic carpet and slide on rails. It almost seemed wrong to be riding rails on a powder day but deep down it felt so right.

Route 26

Along with the contestants, Mother Nature has been in regular attendance for each Flower Jam. The last three years have been beautiful bluebird spring days. This year with significantly less snow on the ground, she delivered a foot of fresh snow to soften the course.

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Snow Ridge: Back at Full Strength

Snow Ridge has gotten a lot of attention from us this year, for good reason. Or maybe more accurately, for a bad reason. On August 7 of last year, the hill was ripped by an EF-3 tornado. Tornados are bad, and when they come to ski areas, late in the off-season, they are really bad. Snow Ridge scrambled to get ready for winter.

Lyons Falls cemetery
Lyons Falls cemetery

We covered the event, and the even more astounding recovery. Evidence of the storm is still obvious as many downed trees remain. But every functioning piece of the ski operation has now been restored. On Thursday, the last piece of the puzzle, the North Chair, was certified to run.

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