ORDA Skier Visits (Update 2022)

Following are updated numbers for ORDA skier visits and revenue for New York’s state-owned and operated ski areas as reported by the Olympic Regional Development Authority in the most recent annual report.

For the first time in the 2013 annual report, numbers for Belleayre Ski Center were included.

As of the 2010 – 2011 season ORDA had not reported skier visits for Gore Mountain. In the 2018 report, there was back data on skier visits for Gore dating back to 2013-2014, so a data gap remains for the two previous years. In addition Whiteface revenue numbers were revised upward by over 20%.

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Whiteface Storm Ski

Last week I was going through my weather routine, studying the medium-term forecast, looking for answers to the same four questions. Is it going to snow? What is the best day to ski? Can I get the day off? And finally… where should I ski?

driving to Lake Placid

For several days, the GFS was highlighting a storm that would slide across New York on Saturday. The timing and intensity of the snowfall favored a Friday evening overnight stay near the mountains. So yea, where to ski?

The forecast had Plattekill close to the boundary with warm air, with the greatest potential for snow, and some chance of rain. Both Gore and Whiteface, farther to the north, were safer from the rain, with less potential for snow.

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The Punishment Remains the Same

After a year off, the Climb to the Castle returned to Whiteface Mountain on October 3rd. I drove up on Saturday with some misgivings. Two weeks earlier, I DNF’d the Macedonia Brook 25 kilometer trail race in Connecticut. I ran my plan in the hills and on the flats. But there were two brutally steep, technical downhill bits where I was so slow I didn’t feel like I was racing. I dropped halfway through. I drove home wondering if I was done.

Whiteface foliage

After collecting my bib and buying groceries, I headed to the hostel. As it turned out the the Saint Lawrence University women’s nordic ski team was staying there. They were racing the Climb to the Castle to top off a long training weekend.

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