Coming off a great MLK weekend of skiing, the Great Lakes were firing snow into their usual inland targets. I spent the early part of the week watching the forecast, trying to time where and when to get out. In Western New York, the band was setting up most consistently over Buffalo Ski Center and Kissing Bridge, with snowfall rates that were hard to ignore.
I’ve been interested in Buffalo Ski Center’s history and the area as a whole for a few years, but I had never ridden there. The challenge was always access, being semi-private made it tricky to plan around. That changed this season when BSC joined the Indy Pass, instantly moving it from “someday” to “must visit.”
Tuesday delivered exactly as promised: steady snow and bitter cold. Cold enough that even I wasn’t motivated to ski, which turned out to be perfect timing. With BSC closed Mondays and Tuesdays, the snow just kept stacking. By the time they reopened at 4 p.m. Wednesday, roughly 15 inches had fallen, untouched and untracked. A perfect opportunity.
Earlier in the week, I coordinated plans to chase WNY powder after work with my friend Dan. At the same time, I had been talking to Mark, who was also planning to be at BSC with Collin and Jeremiah. What started as separate plans quickly turned into a full crew. The five of us met up in the parking lot, redeemed our tickets, clipped on our wickets, and loaded the first chair of the evening.
Mark was the only one of us who had skied BSC before and was fired up to show us around. With both the Tamarack and Sitzmarker chairs running, we started on Tamarack, buzzing with excitement. Our first run, straight down Matterhorn set the tone. The snow was deep, soft, and forgiving. The quiet of midweek night skiing made every hoot and holler echo a little louder.
From there, we veered over to The Abyss for an ungroomed run and even more snow. I quickly realized I had underestimated both the amount and the variety of terrain accessible off this single chair; open sections, tight lines, and plenty of room to explore.
The Tamarack Lodge is a natural meeting point. Warm, cozy, and welcoming, it feels less like a ski lodge and more like a community living room. Families gather around tables while kids thawed out by the heat. The family-oriented atmosphere is unmistakable, adding to the charm of the night, making the mountain feel personal in a way that’s becoming increasingly rare.
After a short break, we headed over to the Sitzmarker chair, where the snow somehow felt even deeper. Snowmaking whales were scattered across the trails, topped with fresh powder that added playful terrain features and natural hits.
Off in the distance, we could see even more whales piling up near the Buffalo T-Bar, a clear sign that the operations crew was gearing up to open the southernmost terrain soon (which turned out to be the following weekend).
I rarely night ski, but this was the kind of night that makes you forget the clock entirely. As the snow started falling again, skiing powder under the lights rather than the usual hardpack or ice, felt almost surreal.
It was one of those times where clear goggles were the right call, and visibility actually improved as the flakes reflected in the glow. Run after run, the mountain stayed quiet, the snow stayed soft, and the stoke stayed high.
Eventually, we called it, floating back to the base area tired, and grinning. In the parking lot, we all stood around raving about how good Buffalo Ski Center had been and how it continues to fly under the radar. Between the snow, the terrain, and the timing, it felt like we caught BSC at exactly the right moment.
I left already planning a return trip later in the season. It was clear this wasn’t just a “right place, right time” kind of day. Buffalo Ski Center is the type of place I’d return to regardless of conditions. A powder day certainly helps, but it doesn’t need to be deep or perfect to be worth the trip. Between the terrain, the atmosphere, and the people, BSC left the kind of impression that makes you want to come back.
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This piece is part of our effort. For more information visit the Indy Pass website.
That looks like some fun terrain and they have night skiing to boot. I love it
Clear goggles at night are definitely the way to go. BSC looks like a very nice place.
Yes to all of this. More night skiing. More powder. You know it’s good when you bust out the clears.
Great report! Scoring the Lk effect at such a historic 90 yrs old 3 ski areas combined. With Kissing Bridge and everything firing on all cylinders a neat draw…
Were the T bars turning?