- Joined
- Jul 15, 2020
Waking up for first chair can be brutal. But not on weekdays at Holiday.
Another first
I'm splitting time between NJ and the Adk, back in the flatlands for a week, I looked for a weather window to ski Holiday. I've been to Holiday in the summer to check out the (huge) infrastructure upgrades, but this was my first trip in the winter.
Man it was a chill day. With first chair at 3pm, I didn't even set an alarm. By rule (LOL) I shot for an hour before first chair. I left before noon, heading up 287 to 87 to Route 17. It's actually a fairly easy drive, as you are on a 4 lane freeway the entire route.
Route 17
First glimpse of Holiday
I made it to the hill about 2:15, and it looked like that was good enough to snag first chair, on a sunny Wednesday.
The mountain looked well covered and fully groomed. I parked as close to the South Lodge as I could, without using the VIP parking.
I went to the counter to get a ticket.
I can't exactly explain it, but it was a really pleasant experience that somehow, left me wanting to put the Ski Holiday Mountain sticker on my helmet. I have never in my entire life put a sticker on anything I owned. It was an out of body experience when I stuck it on. Like I said I can't explain it.
As I was booting up Drew Taylor introduced herself, and said she was going to show me around. I really appreciate that. She's an alumnus of the Marist College (ski team!) and a ripper, facing the public and working behind the scenes at Holiday Mountain. Her father, Mike Taylor, is the driving force behind the dream to bring Holiday back.
Holiday Mountain race course dialed in
We started on Turkey Trot as it the cord was baking in the sun, it looked tempting from the lift.
Turkey Trot
Then we skied Hackledam.
At this time of year, it's not in the sun during the ski day, on a weekday, when the mountain is open 3-8pm. We now or nevered it. It was a pleasure to watch Drew go after it. Hackledam was edgeable, but skier's right had a patch of grey ice, she went right for it, and didn't break out of her carve. Woah.
Drew Taylor rips Hackledam
Gunny texted and we connected at the bottom of the lift. We skied everything off the Roman Candle Triple lift twice.
Drew taught me a bit about the history of the hill, the Taylors are only the third ownership 'entity" since 1957 when the ski area was first developed. I say entity because for decades, starting in 1957, it was owned by the town. Because of that compact ownership chain, I think we (NYSB) should write a history of the mountain. I digress.
Kroegers Pass
As far as I could tell the trail map was largely or fully done without dynamite. I'm a fan of that approach. I gravitate towards blue terrain that were designed around the existing contours. It's like I can feel the flow better on a blue trail.
My favorite trails were Bensons, Krogers Pass and Mambo Night.
Night falls and the lights come on.
I wanted to ski after dark.
I've skied after dark PLENTY on nordic skis. I did 8 New Year's Eve midnight skis. I've been caught out in the BC after dark, I'm not proud of it either. But I've only done lift served night skiing twice before this trip to Holiday.
The first time I ever skied my college girl friend to me to Camelback at night. Turns out she was a total ripper. I'd never skied, and the whole hill was bullet proof ice. You can imaging how that turned out. It turned me off skiing for decades. The second time I was jonesin' and I hit the Village Chair at the North Creek Ski Bowl.
Anyway here I was, at Holiday.
Roman Candle Triple
All the snow was soft, even after dark, which surprised me. I assumed that even if it didn't go below freezing, that in the dark, surfaces would lock up. For the most part the skiing was dreamy even in the dark.
Nighttime is for beginners
It's fair to say most skiers were under 18. And there were many beginners too.
I also feel it's fair to say that what @mikeTaylor1075 is doing at Holiday, is good for skiing.
Another first
I'm splitting time between NJ and the Adk, back in the flatlands for a week, I looked for a weather window to ski Holiday. I've been to Holiday in the summer to check out the (huge) infrastructure upgrades, but this was my first trip in the winter.
Man it was a chill day. With first chair at 3pm, I didn't even set an alarm. By rule (LOL) I shot for an hour before first chair. I left before noon, heading up 287 to 87 to Route 17. It's actually a fairly easy drive, as you are on a 4 lane freeway the entire route.
Route 17
First glimpse of Holiday
I made it to the hill about 2:15, and it looked like that was good enough to snag first chair, on a sunny Wednesday.
The mountain looked well covered and fully groomed. I parked as close to the South Lodge as I could, without using the VIP parking.
I went to the counter to get a ticket.
I can't exactly explain it, but it was a really pleasant experience that somehow, left me wanting to put the Ski Holiday Mountain sticker on my helmet. I have never in my entire life put a sticker on anything I owned. It was an out of body experience when I stuck it on. Like I said I can't explain it.
As I was booting up Drew Taylor introduced herself, and said she was going to show me around. I really appreciate that. She's an alumnus of the Marist College (ski team!) and a ripper, facing the public and working behind the scenes at Holiday Mountain. Her father, Mike Taylor, is the driving force behind the dream to bring Holiday back.
Holiday Mountain race course dialed in
We started on Turkey Trot as it the cord was baking in the sun, it looked tempting from the lift.
Turkey Trot
Then we skied Hackledam.
At this time of year, it's not in the sun during the ski day, on a weekday, when the mountain is open 3-8pm. We now or nevered it. It was a pleasure to watch Drew go after it. Hackledam was edgeable, but skier's right had a patch of grey ice, she went right for it, and didn't break out of her carve. Woah.
Drew Taylor rips Hackledam
Gunny texted and we connected at the bottom of the lift. We skied everything off the Roman Candle Triple lift twice.
Drew taught me a bit about the history of the hill, the Taylors are only the third ownership 'entity" since 1957 when the ski area was first developed. I say entity because for decades, starting in 1957, it was owned by the town. Because of that compact ownership chain, I think we (NYSB) should write a history of the mountain. I digress.
Kroegers Pass
As far as I could tell the trail map was largely or fully done without dynamite. I'm a fan of that approach. I gravitate towards blue terrain that were designed around the existing contours. It's like I can feel the flow better on a blue trail.
My favorite trails were Bensons, Krogers Pass and Mambo Night.
Night falls and the lights come on.
I wanted to ski after dark.
I've skied after dark PLENTY on nordic skis. I did 8 New Year's Eve midnight skis. I've been caught out in the BC after dark, I'm not proud of it either. But I've only done lift served night skiing twice before this trip to Holiday.
The first time I ever skied my college girl friend to me to Camelback at night. Turns out she was a total ripper. I'd never skied, and the whole hill was bullet proof ice. You can imaging how that turned out. It turned me off skiing for decades. The second time I was jonesin' and I hit the Village Chair at the North Creek Ski Bowl.
Anyway here I was, at Holiday.
Roman Candle Triple
All the snow was soft, even after dark, which surprised me. I assumed that even if it didn't go below freezing, that in the dark, surfaces would lock up. For the most part the skiing was dreamy even in the dark.
Nighttime is for beginners
It's fair to say most skiers were under 18. And there were many beginners too.
I also feel it's fair to say that what @mikeTaylor1075 is doing at Holiday, is good for skiing.
