Gore vs Whiteface, Again.

Once again, the question has been raised in the NYSkiBlog Forums: which mountain is “better” Gore or Whiteface? The question will never be settled: each mountain has a distinct personality that attracts skiers who thrive there. The two mountains, and the skiers they attract, are different.

Gore Mountain Trees
Gore Mountain: Epic NY Tree Skiing

Whiteface skiers thrive on the uninterrupted vertical, awesome High Peaks views, Lake Placid nightlife and of course, the Slides. Gore regulars like the mountain’s width and variety, the trees, and the sheer volume of terrain. If Gore passholders mind the exercise required by flat spots, and if Whiteface diehards are concerned about windholds after big storms, it’s apparently not enough to get them to switch to another mountain.

Continue reading

Whiteface News October 2012

Whiteface Mountain NewsThe season is getting closer and NYSkiBlog has got some Whiteface Mountain news to report.

Hoyt’s High

According to representatives from G.W. Tatro, the company installing the Hoyt’s snowmaking pipe, it’s the most difficult job they have undertaken in several years, due to the length of the pipe and the steepness of the pitch.

At 4200 feet in length, Hoyt’s will be the longest stretch of expert terrain at Whiteface without a bail out option. The length presents a grooming challenge as the PB 600w winch cable is only 3000 feet long. The trail will be groomed, but it will require some finesse.

Continue reading

Snowmaking on Hoyt’s High

At this time of year in 2009 ORDA announced that snowmaking on Hoyt’s High — the signature expert trail on Lookout Mountain at Whiteface — would have to wait. The price tag for the project, estimated at $500,000 at that time, was too steep, when combined with reductions in state funding. Over the last two seasons, skiing on the trail has been limited to those days when the skies delivered enough natural snow to open the steep pitch.

Hoyts-High
Hoyt’s High on Feb 26, 2010

That is about to change. ORDA announced today that the construction of the snowmaking infrastructure is underway and will be completed by the beginning of the 2012-2013 ski season. From our conversation with Bruce McCulley this morning:

“We will be installing snowmaking on Hoyt’s High this summer. The pipe has started to arrive and we expect crews on site next week. This is a significant undertaking since the access is limited.

Continue reading