Gore / North Creek Lodging and Amenities

[Campgottagopee]

Okay not real ski in ski out. But I can imagine there is a demand for Lake George (or Saratoga) chain hotels to run 3 day weekends of skiing that include your room, breakfast, after skiing restaurant, bar with a band, heated pool, and a shuttle that took you and your equipment to and from the mountain! Add to that pre-bought tickets! Rentals prepped and booked at the hotel! Maybe throw in an "at the mountain" guide or ambassador. For some families, skiing is a 'resort type' activity. Pampered treatment like a cruise, certainly not every one's cup of tea. But it does hold Gore back from being a destination resort. At least Whiteface has Lake Placid to sweeten the deal for families after a day on the mountain.

It's skiing. That's what it's about.

 

[SudsNBumps]

Not a destination resort is what gets me. So all those folks from NJ, Mass and LI are only stopping in to Gore on their way to somewhere else? Whiteface maybe. I like it the way it is and if you look hard enough I'm sure you can find weekend deals in Lake George. I am pretty sure they advertise in the big Cities to the south and east. I hope Gore never changes but we know it will...it just takes longer than most of those other areas. I can't believe it is all locals, in this sparsely populated part of the world that pack the mountain on weekends and holidays...I know I try my best to avoid them. Ski you in a bit...oh and The Bunker indoor golf is opening in Saratoga soon...never too cold there and they have a bar

 

[timbly]

Okay not real ski in ski out. But I can imagine there is a demand for Lake George (or Saratoga) chain hotels to run 3 day weekends of skiing that include your room, breakfast, after skiing restaurant, bar with a band, heated pool, and a shuttle that took you and your equipment to and from the mountain! Add to that pre-bought tickets! Rentals prepped and booked at the hotel! Maybe throw in an "at the mountain" guide or ambassador. For some families, skiing is a 'resort type' activity. Pampered treatment like a cruise, certainly not every one's cup of tea. But it does hold Gore back from being a destination resort. At least Whiteface has Lake Placid to sweeten the deal for families after a day on the mountain.

You seem to want some place that's not like Gore. Why don't you go ski at one of those myriad 'resort type' places instead of insisting that Gore become something like everywhere else you like? Have you approached Disney about building a year-round indoor ski area on Cape Cod? Just my opinion, but I don't think skiing needs to become more expensive and exclusive.

 

[Andy_ROC]

Okay not real ski in ski out. But I can imagine there is a demand for Lake George (or Saratoga) chain hotels to run 3 day weekends of skiing that include your room, breakfast, after skiing restaurant, bar with a band, heated pool, and a shuttle that took you and your equipment to and from the mountain! Add to that pre-bought tickets! Rentals prepped and booked at the hotel! Maybe throw in an "at the mountain" guide or ambassador. For some families, skiing is a 'resort type' activity. Pampered treatment like a cruise, certainly not every one's cup of tea. But it does hold Gore back from being a destination resort. At least Whiteface has Lake Placid to sweeten the deal for families after a day on the mountain.

Let Gore be Gore. If it's not your cup of tea then go to a different place.

Not everyone is looking for the Disneyfied resort experience. In fact there's many the hate it.

 

[Country Gun]

Okay not real ski in ski out. But I can imagine there is a demand for Lake George (or Saratoga) chain hotels to run 3 day weekends of skiing that include your room, breakfast, after skiing restaurant, bar with a band, heated pool, and a shuttle that took you and your equipment to and from the mountain! Add to that pre-bought tickets! Rentals prepped and booked at the hotel! Maybe throw in an "at the mountain" guide or ambassador. For some families, skiing is a 'resort type' activity. Pampered treatment like a cruise, certainly not every one's cup of tea. But it does hold Gore back from being a destination resort. At least Whiteface has Lake Placid to sweeten the deal for families after a day on the mountain.

There are tons of places in Lake George,Queensbury and Glens Falls to find good food.
When my wife is along, we stay at the Comfort Inn Lake George. Indoor heated pool, nice free Breakfast. When she is not with us, we stay at a cheap Windham resort that we gain points.
I love Gore , just the way it is.Had a great weekend there last weekend.

 

[ADKSRAOK]

You seem to want some place that's not like Gore. Why don't you go ski at one of those myriad 'resort type' places instead of insisting that Gore become something like everywhere else you like? Have you approached Disney about building a year-round indoor ski area on Cape Cod? Just my opinion, but I don't think skiing needs to become more expensive and exclusive.

How would a Lake George hotel offering a 3-day wkd package negatively impact your experience?
How many skiers do you think this would add wkds? Any projection is debatable -I'd question there being huge interest because the "pampered crowd" would still have a longer commute/less convenience than many destination mountains.

Just an interested bystander seeking to understand why hotels 27mi from the mtn that offer amenities would be a big issue for other skiers?

 

[ADKSRAOK]

Doesn't

However many they have paid/booked.

No problemo. If they can make a go of it.
Let em eat cake...and/or pie of their choosing.

tirolski, thanks for your reply.
Interested to hear timbly's perspective regarding his post, if so inclined.

 

[Low Angle Life]

I get the whole "commuter mountain" for the capitol region and North Creek being a pretty sleepy town but it is a huge swing and miss for the local economy, ORDA and really the state as a whole by not trying to make Gore just a little more destination friendly, not necessarily a "resort". Take for example my experience this past week, down state snowboarder who has purchased a Belleayre only season pass for the past four years. This year, my fiance and I wanted to get away for presidents week but also did not want to diverge from our preference for weekend Catskill skiing and riding at Belleayre. So we bought SKI3 and booked a black Friday deal for four nights in North Creek at the Alpine Lodge. We had a great time on mountain and came prepared with a bag of groceries knowing food options in the area are sparse. Still even with those expectations we were pretty mad that we only ate out one of the three nights we were there. What kinda pizza place closes at 7pm and starts turning people away at 6pm!? The Gem in Bolton Landing was great food but it would have been nice to have had a place in town to choose from for just one of the four nights we stayed. I know the Adirondacks are sparse but I lived in northern Vermont for a while, finding an excellent meal within a half hours drive any night of the week is pretty straight forward in that state. We are likely to cancel our lodging reservations for mid March at Gore because eating uncooked grocery store food in a hotel room with no kitchen kinda takes away from the experience but it sounds like you locals would prefer we don't come back...

 

[ADKSRAOK]

Also Gore already has ambassadors, lifties & ski patrollers if newbie folks have questions needing help finding their way.
Or just ask other folks ya ski.

THX-
Familiar w/Gore, mainly when younger/lived nearer. Not a regular -prob been 5yrs so not familiar with the new stuff down to the bowl.
Trying to keep up on Gore through this forum/etc, b/c want to bring grandkids to experience their first "big" mtn and the gondola.
Approx 2.5HR drive, which in younger days I'd day-trip but for this plan will need a 1-2 night stay for the family.
Been hard to pull a trip together with the family's busy schedules.
Available lodging/dining, as noted, seems lacking -and not seeking 4*. Just a clean room/food/reasonable commute.

 

[ADKSRAOK]

I get the whole "commuter mountain" for the capitol region and North Creek being a pretty sleepy town but it is a huge hit and miss for the local economy, ORDA and really the state as a whole by not trying to make the Gore just a little more destination friendly, not necessarily a "resort". Take for example my experience this past week, down state snowboarder who has purchased a Belleayre only season pass for the past four years. This year, my fiance and I wanted to get away for presidents week but also did not want to diverge from our preference for weekend Catskill skiing and riding at Belleayre. So we bought SKI3 and booked a black Friday deal for four nights in North Creek at the Alpine Lodge. We had a great time on mountain and came prepared with a bag of groceries knowing food options in the area are sparse. Still even with those expectations we were pretty mad that we only ate out one of the three nights we were there. What kinda pizza place closes at 7pm and starts turning people away at 6pm!? The Gem in Bolton Landing was great food but it would have been nice to have had a place in town to choose from for just one of the four nights we stayed. I know the Adirondacks are sparse but I lived in northern Vermont for a while, finding an excellent meal within a half hours drive any night of the week is pretty straight forward in that state. We are likely to cancel our lodging reservations for mid March at Gore because eating uncooked grocery store food in a hotel room with no kitchen kinda takes away from the experience but it sounds like you locals would prefer we don't come...

Thanks for posting your experience -the challenges you experienced match what I've been trying to understand.
Why can mega-millions be spent upgrading Gore but amenities needed to support the expansion/skiers appear so lacking?