Gore Mountain Conditions

[CloudOut]

It’s trying really hard in North Creek Village to change over to snow. Some big wet flakes now mixing with very cold rain.

 

[Harvey]

Looks like it's snowing at the top of bear.

 

[Harvey]

No new reported.

The base cam supports this. Garnet Hill's cam (2000 ft, a few miles away) does show some new.

Looks like some new on upper mountains cams.

 

[tirolski]

Looks like some new on upper mountains cams.

Yup.

 

[lukoson]

Snow report on website says 3.5".

 

[Dmoss]

While important, the gondola is certainly one of the most awkwardly located main lifts out there. When they first built it, they had big plans for the area at the top. They wanted a lodge, a 50 foot tall observation tower, and a snowtubing park. It was going to serve more than just skiers. Then it was to be followed up by a high speed quad (lift 10), where Topridge is now, serving like 8 trails. Ultimately, only 2 trails were cut the first year, Fairview to access the front side, and Pine Knot to access Straightbrook. Foxlair, which was originally referred to as Sagamore, was supposed to continue much further down Sunway, rather than turning under the gondola like it does now. That change was made last minute, and the trail was cut in 2000. That's why it feels like two completely different trails, because it is. Lift 10 was added in 2002, but instead of being a new high speed quad serving 8 trails, it was a used triple from Whiteface serving 3 trails. The lodge was never built, so the only on-mountain dining option is the Saddle Lodge, at the top of the Adirondack Express, which is the backup lift.

All 3 attempts at trails off the gondola down to the front side had issues. Fairview was originally supposed to be a blue, and is most definitely not a blue. Foxlair was supposed to be a green, but instead is one of the harder blues on the map. Ruby was supposed to be, and is the easiest route, but it includes a long flat spot that many people need to push or skate through.

Ultimately, they have to run it, because while Ruby isn't the best trail, you always run the lift that serves the most terrain. Once Topridge and Straightbrook are open, it's the best way to access them, and the only way to access them until High Peaks opens.

Very interesting, i always wondered why there wasn't a lodge or at least some bathrooms at the top of the gondola. Also why they wouldn't try and cut some trails between Ruby and Headwaters.

 

[Dmoss]

The worst thing about today was the visibility. The best? Well everything else. The place was empty, snow was soft, and they had more than doubled their open terrain since last weekend. Sleeping Bear, Upper Sleighride, Sunway to Quicksilver, and Topridge were the new additions to the count. Showcase was resurfaced during the week and is deeper wider than it was last weekend, but still not full width. The rest of the trails full width and depth. Gondola, AE2, North, and Topridge lifts were all open.

Quicksilver
View attachment 21841

The Arena
View attachment 21842

Showcase
View attachment 21843

Upper Sleighride
View attachment 21844

Sleeping Bear
View attachment 21845

Topridge
View attachment 21847

Coverage looks excellent for first week of Dec. Off to a great start!

 

[Harvey]

Snow report on website says 3.5".

I see that. I think it's fair to update the conditions page, at the time it says it is updated. (8:00 am). I posted this at 8:15.

If they want to use a projection from the night before, it should say"Projected" and the time it was projected.

 

[x10003q]

Very interesting, i always wondered why there wasn't a lodge or at least some bathrooms at the top of the gondola. Also why they wouldn't try and cut some trails between Ruby and Headwaters.

You want a Lodge and Bathrooms on Bear? What are you, crazy? There was already an unheated shack and outhouses at the top of Gore! The Bear Mtn plans Snowloco was talking about were just for grins.

It only took ORDA 7 years to cut Ruby Run (2006) so green skiers could relax while riding the gondola that was installed in 1999. ORDA must have felt they did not have to serve green skiers off the gondola (see WF and Belleayre gondolas). The original Foxlair was so scary ORDA regraded it and widened it about 2 years after it opened. My parents were intermediate skiers and that trail was a nightmare for them. My oldest hated that trail when he was little all while being able to enjoy Hawkeye and Chatiemac at the top.

Imagine the traffic on Foxlair back in those days with a narrower and steeper Foxlair (sheet of ice by 10am from the traffic) and no Ruby Run. Yikes.
Classic ORDA.

 

[Alfredeneumann]

Very interesting, i always wondered why there wasn't a lodge or at least some bathrooms at the top of the gondola. Also why they wouldn't try and cut some trails between Ruby and Headwaters.

There’s already a service road from Ruby to upper Headwaters, but it starts with a climb past the entrance of Cave Glade. You could route a trail toward lower Headwaters and wipe out a couple of glades in the process. ORDA calls that a win-win.