Adirondack Ski Areas

The Adirondack Mountains are located in the northeast section of New York State. They are roughly inside the border of the Adirondack Park, a New York State Forest Preserve. About 52% of the 6 million acres that make up the Adirondack Park is privately owned, however, the land is heavily regulated.

By the late 1800s, recreation in the Adirondacks was becoming an important part of the area. In 1894, driven by water conservation issues, the area was designated ” Forever Wild”. There are roughly 46 peaks in the Adirondacks with elevation of over 4000 feet.

During the early years of the 1900s, nordic skiing was very popular in the Adirondacks. This led to Lake Placid hosting the 1932 Winter Olympic Games. There were no alpine events at the 1932 Olympics. In the early 1930s with the popularity of alpine skiing growing, the Adirondacks were a wonderful area to open an alpine ski area. There may have been 50-60 downhill areas in the Adirondacks.

Today there are only a few downhill ski areas still operating in the Adirondacks. The list includes the Whiteface Mountain, Gore Mountain, Oak Mountain, Titus Mountain, Mt Pisgah, and McCauley Mountain. There are also 5 town owned rope tow areas in the Adirondacks.