Whiteface Opening Day 2012

Thursday night I arrived home to find an email from Whiteface’s snow sports school director saying the mountain was opening Saturday. Work flew by during the day on Friday in anticipation of skiing. Friday night we conducted our family ritual of tuning skis and digging through closets to collect our gear.

This morning we took it slow. We’ve learned not to hurry on opening day as things often start slowly as crews deal with last minute grooming or lift issues. There was none of that today as the new management team pulled it off without a hitch.

Continue reading

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