Toggenburg Hits the Spot

With the most recent nor’easter hitting New York midweek, I had some serious fear of missing out. Would there be any powder left for me? I was able to get Thursday off, so I needed to choose my ski slope wisely.

Evan was in a similar predicament. The storm was hitting south of Syracuse, hard, and I suggested Toggenberg. Evan was hesitant, he had never been, and his Indy Pass (aka Greek Peak) was burning a hole in his pocket. I thought that Togg would have the goods and would remain uncrowded. We made our plan and a bit before 10am on Thursday we met up in the parking lot. As expected, it was almost empty when we arrived.

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Plattekill Powderdaize 2021

There have been some drives, and there have been some drives from hell. Aside from the occasional bout with lake effect bands on my way into the Tug, most of those battles involve big coastal storms. Sometimes in the east, when it snows in the mountains, it snows in the flatlands too. Sometimes, I have to drive through it.

snow on Main Street
Main Street Flatlands USA

The new normal can complicate things. It’s always better to arrive in the mountains before the snow starts to fall. It’s often much easier to do that when you stay overnight.

We have a place in the southern Adirondacks and I have used it to my advantage. But in the Catskills this year, I’ve had to improvise. A few times in the past I’ve been able find a place to stay and it’s paid off.

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Kickstart My Heart: New Trails at Mt Van Ho

Part 1: New Years

On New Year’s Eve, I drove to Lake Placid with the child for a short, socially distanced ski break. Lake Placid had only been brushed by the storm that dumped 30 inches elsewhere in the northeast. When we arrived Mt van Hoevenberg was operating on machine made snow on the new trail system designed in advance of the World University Games.

Biathlon Range

Everything at MVH is different this winter, and not just for the reasons you’d expect. I parked and walked to the towering new lodge. Part of the building is open, and construction is still underway. I collected my season pass and headed out.

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