Protect The Adirondacks

[tirolski]

ORDA filed an amendment a year ago to build new mountain bike race trails at the Ho. APA approved it pretty quickly.

I'm as big a tree hugger as anyone, but Protect's press release sounds like a cry for attention.

Below is from the Whiteface most recent 2022 UMP.
The Comment was from “Protect”.
The Response is shown below.

Comment
...

If folks done did the work before the Work Plan was approved and/or done did work outside of the Work Plan it seems Protect might have another dang case.

 

[Cork]

Here's a good read on the incompetence of orda...

Controversies plague Whiteface Mountain bike track before next month's World Cup races - Adirondack Explorer

Previous contractor says he left job early because he felt 'uncomfortable'

www.adirondackexplorer.org

 

[tirolski]

Here's a good read on the incompetence of orda...

Controversies plague Whiteface Mountain bike track before next month's World Cup races - Adirondack Explorer

Previous contractor says he left job early because he felt 'uncomfortable'

www.adirondackexplorer.org

Looks like folks aptly named their bike racing series correctly coming to WF & The Ho next weekend...
WHOOPs

WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series

For all the latest news, action and events on the UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar. Welcome to our UCI Mountain Bike World Series HQ.

www.ucimtbworldseries.com

Wasn’t a peep about this $hit$how at the ORDA board meeting last Friday.
The show must go on.

However they discussed & approved money for:

• A shiny new digital banner in the ice arena so sponsors can display their stuff. Resolution #570. >$880K

... the addition of two (2) LED ribbon board displays at each endzone of the Rink and a LED video display board...

• An exhibit titled “Snow on Demand” for the Olympic museum. Resolution 571. >$447K.

Hopefully that one’s portable so folks can move it to the Ski Bowl before Christmas so it can get some snow when needed.

 

[tirolski]

Here's a good read on the incompetence of orda...

Controversies plague Whiteface Mountain bike track before next month's World Cup races - Adirondack Explorer

Previous contractor says he left job early because he felt 'uncomfortable'

www.adirondackexplorer.org

...called it a communications mistake...

 

[Peter Minde]

I don't know the exact date that ORDA got the downhill MTB race, but it had to be well in advance. Plenty of time to submit an application to DEC/APA/whoever. So, crappy planning on ORDA's part.

The good thing is, after 2024 MTB races, Backslope Trail Building restored Mt van Ho's trails so they were totally skiable. Hopefully, they'll do the same at Whiteface.

Witlek, or Witek's (two different spellings of the guy's name? Adirondack Explorer, if you need someone who can write and proofread, I'm available) comments about his working relationship with ORDA are the most telling part of the story.

 

[Peter Minde]

Article with reprint of DEC's letter to Ashley Walden:

https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/...amages-in-whiteface-bike-course-construction/

The histrionic vibe of this opinion piece is off the chart.

https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/...ures-must-be-removed-from-whiteface-mountain/

 

[tirolski]

Article with reprint of DEC's letter to Ashley Walden:

https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/...amages-in-whiteface-bike-course-construction/

The wrist slap bit about:
3.Appoint a staff person who can assure legal compliance with the environmental rules of the Adirondack Park Agency and DEC.
Mo lawyers? That’ll surely fix things...

4.It must map all constitutionally permitted trails within the forest preserve on ORDA-managed facilities (Belleayre in the Catskills, Gore near North Creek, Mount Van Hoevenberg near Lake Placid, and Whiteface in Wilmington).
What’s this mean? Folks should have had it all it GIS’ed a long time ago. Taint rocketship science.

5.And it must develop an updated memorandum of understanding of how it will work with DEC for “critical communication and project development.”
Huh?

 

[Peter Minde]

The wrist slap bit about:
3.Appoint a staff person who can assure legal compliance with the environmental rules of the Adirondack Park Agency and DEC.
Mo lawyers? That’ll surely fix things...

Apparently ORDA had a compliance person who moved on in 2024 and wasn't replaced. Doesn't need to be a lawyer. Does have to make sure ORDA complies with the law.

4.It must map all constitutionally permitted trails within the forest preserve on ORDA-managed facilities (Belleayre in the Catskills, Gore near North Creek, Mount Van Hoevenberg near Lake Placid, and Whiteface in Wilmington).
What’s this mean? Folks should have had it all it GIS’ed a long time ago. Taint rocketship science.

There are already trail maps, what more do they want?

5.And it must develop an updated memorandum of understanding of how it will work with DEC for “critical communication and project development.”
Huh?

I feel you... do you have a brick wall I can bang my head against?

 

[tirolski]

Apparently ORDA had a compliance person who moved on in 2024 and wasn't replaced. Doesn't need to be a lawyer. Does have to make sure ORDA complies with the law.

Woulda compliance person have noticed the FIS snafu with the big jump hill deck thingy?
Gotta be a crazy job.

 

[Peter Minde]

Woulda compliance person have noticed the FIS snafu with the big jump hill deck thingy?
Gotta be a crazy job.

Perhaps? I don't know how often an ORDA compliance person leaves the office, I don't know what the scope of the job is. I really can't answer that question.

The big hill ski jump snafu isn't stopping the Flaming Leaves Festival, FWIW.

My own experience with compliance persons is in the wholesale end of the, uh, adult beverage business. Making sure sales people have proper paperwork, making sure labels of wines we imported had labels that complied with BATF regulations.