A History of Whiteface

Governor Harriman at Whiteface 1958.
Governor Harriman at Whiteface 1958

Whiteface Mountain stands alone, separated from the rest of the High Peaks, presenting a ubiquitous presence that looms over Lake Placid and the northern Adirondacks.

Likewise Whiteface Ski Center has a prominent place in the history of skiing. The ski area’s development is linked to key figures and milestones in the sport. Jackrabbit Johannsen, a legend in both nordic and alpine skiing, was involved in the early development of trails of the mountain’s slopes.

The Whiteface Memorial Highway — which required a constitutional amendment to construct — was a first of it’s kind in the East, providing unprecedented access to high elevations. And Averell Harriman, a pioneer of the chair lift and governor of New York, was a driving force behind the development of the first trails on the slopes we ski today.

As part of our ongoing effort to develop profiles for the ski areas of New York state, we’d appreciate it if you’d take a some time to click the link below and read NYSkiBlog’s history of Whiteface Ski Center. Feedback, additions and corrections are welcome as comments beneath the piece:

NY Ski Area Directory:
The History of Whiteface

Whiteface Mtn, NY: 12/3/11

Nothing relieves a student’s procrastination-induced stress like skiing. Sure, I have piles of papers and presentations due this week, but what skier can survive in the library when the sun is rising at Whiteface and the mountain is open?

Early morning at Whiteface Mountain

In the winter at St. Lawrence University, we pile into the Outing Club’s signature white van every Saturday morning and bid our studies and troubles farewell. Today was our first excursion of the academic year, and we certainly made the most of it.

I’ll admit to being nervous during the drive to the mountain. There was barely a trace of snow anywhere along the way. But when I rounded the turn by High Falls Gorge on Route 86, I knew I hadn’t sacrificed my studies in vain. There it was in all its glory: the peak, the lifts, the slides. All coated with just enough snow to tease the imagination.

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Ski Coach Z: Dave Zientko

Dave ZientkoSki instructor Dave Zientko will be joining NYSkiBlog as the author of a multi-part series on how to get more out of skiing. Dave is a PSIA Level 3 certified instructor who has been teaching at Whiteface since 2000. He has been teaching skiing for 24 years. Before coming to Whiteface, Dave worked at Killington after starting out at Vernon Valley. He’s also had staff training roles in both the Whiteface and Killington Snowsport Schools.

Early on Dave taught adults, but after his son Zach was born, he widened his focus to include working with children. He has extensive experience with advanced level kids in all-mountain skiing and has coached in Whiteface’s acclaimed Cloudsplitter Club program for the last eight years.

Dave has experience skiing across Europe and the West including France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy as well was most of Colorado, Utah and British Columbia. Dave has logged several cat skiing days out West and has attended two PSIA National Academy’s including one in Chamonix in 2006.

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