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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Whiteface: Time to Rip

It felt like the middle of winter as we walked across the bridge from the River Lot. The night before I dragged my friend Blue up from Utica and we stayed in a cheap hotel. I have chased the powder all year and I was determined to go after this storm too.

The 3 hour drive and questionable weather conditions did create some hesitation but the thought process was simple. I didn’t want to be sitting on my couch some crappy spring weekend wishing I had made one more trip. We grabbed our tickets and shortly after the lifts spun, we headed up the gondola to the top of Little Whiteface.

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