The Western NY Blog

HoliMont: WNY Season Finale

Posted on by Evan

I’d already called it. The skis were tuned and tucked away, boots dried in the mudroom. After returning from an April ski trip out west, I assumed my season was over. Every ski area in a 2 hour radius of home was closed. I was mentally ready to move onto the next season. Then I saw that HoliMont in Ellicottville would have 16 trails open, with a forecast of 50° and sunny. My season was not done… yet.

Main Chalet

Our season started in WNY with a magical lake effect snow cycle the first weekend of December, that brought a 5 day total of 40” before any mountains began their season operations.

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Tagged: Holimont, Western NY9 Comments

Hunt Hollow Ski Club on Indy Pass

Posted on by Evan

I’ve been on the road a lot lately, covering 2500 miles in the first two weeks of February, a combination of work and play. The “play” was back-to-back weekends hunting pow, at Snow Ridge and Oak Mountain. While I felt the need for a day to unwind, my love for riding won out.

Hunt Hollow Base

By Friday, the itch to carve some turns was too strong. Looking closer to home, I set my sights on Hunt Hollow, excited for a new experience at a familiar yet still under-explored spot.

I’ve overlooked Hunt Hollow in previous years. Members-only access on the weekend limited my opportunities. My previous experiences had been night skiing on weekdays.

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Tagged: Hunt Hollow, Indy Pass, Western NY4 Comments

Bristol Mountain: Ole Reliable

Posted on by Evan

Navigating the holiday ski traffic can be a challenge. I typically end up seeking out less popular spots, or spending some time away from skiing to catch up on other activities.

But with rain and warm temperatures in the forecast, I decided seek out good conditions. Plus, I have a new snowboard I’d been eagerly awaiting to break it in. I called up my buddy Dan, and proposed Bristol Mountain.

Bristol Mountain

Bristol has been reliable for us over the years. With top notch snowmaking and grooming they consistently deliver good conditions. The season thus far has brought variable weather the Finger Lakes and across New York.

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