Whiteface Slides Tour

When the Slides are in play, I try to arrive early, just to be sure. Still in the end, all that really matters is where you are when they drop the access ropes.

Summit-Patrol-Hut

I was coming solo to Whiteface hoping to enjoy the Slides for a third time. To improve my odds, I contacted the mountain and asked if I could ski with a Mountain Host.

I’d skied with a Mountain Host once before, in December a few years back. I was told at that time that many of the hosts really like skiing with guests. They do seem to enjoy it.

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Whiteface, NY: Early Season Rewards

Slowly but surely, ski resorts have been coming online this week like lightbulbs on an aerial map of the northeast. First a flash from central Vermont as Killington kicked off the region’s ski season, then a flicker from Maine as lifts began cranking at Sunday River.

Whiteface-NY-Summit

Even Governor Cuomo got into the act, announcing last Friday that Whiteface and Gore were opening for the season. In other words, it was time to get skiing.

The rain blanketing the Hudson Valley on Monday held the promise of snow further north, though with a warming trend that was likely pushing the rain-snow line at least as high as the Killington summit and possibly a good ways up Whiteface as well.

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Whiteface Mountain Improvements 2014

Whiteface MountainAs the summer comes to a close Whiteface is wrapping up a busy off-season making a variety of improvements and changes to snowmaking, trails and lodges.

Snowmaking and Grooming

This summer Whiteface made it’s biggest investment to date in efficient fan and tower guns. Working with NYSERDA and NYSEG grants and incentives the mountain will be adding a variety of hardware to the arsenal.

Fan guns by HKD and TechnoAlpin will be placed in key locations on Summit Express, Victoria, and the top of Boreen chute. Further management is currently working out the final details on the purchase of over 100 new HKD Impulse guns to be placed around the mountain.

TechnoAlpin-TF10
TechnoAlpin TF10

In addition a new Pisten Bully PB 400 Park Pro will be added to the fleet of groomers.  The Park Pro is essentially a standard snow cat that can articulate tillers and blades more than a standard groomer.  It will be used in the park and across the mountain.

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