Val Bialas Opens in 2026

Posted on by Harvey

Talk to any seasoned skier from the Utica area and they will likely have fond memories of Val Bialas. The ski center — named after Valentine Bialas, a local Olympic speed skater — opened in the 1954. It is one of the few municipality-owned ski areas in America.

Val Bialas Ski Center

Val Bialas was a staple in the community for years. Over the last two decades unreliable winters and other economic factors have impacted the ski center’s operations. Over that time, Val has opened only sporadically, with different operators.

Its last official opening was in 2017.

Continue reading →

Tagged: Central NY, Time to Ski NY20 Comments

Titus Powder Wednesday

Posted on by Harvey

For my wife and I, life is better in the mountains. There are so many things we love about it. Fresh air, clean water, enticing exercise options and views. Another big one, now that we live where we want to be, we drive much less. Less than half as much. Gas costs more in NY, but we are using much less.

Still I’ve got goals. Over the next several years, I want to ski every ski area in New York. Trips to my perennial favorites are added on top. Plattekill, McCauley, Snow Ridge and Titus to name a few. So yes, there will be driving.

What inspires a guy who lives ten miles from Gore to drive 100 miles to Titus?

Continue reading →

Tagged: Adirondacks, Indy Pass, Powder, Titus6 Comments

Support Your Local Rope Tow

Posted on by Evan

Within the last few years there’s been a resurgence of park skiing in Western New York. Just outside of Rochester, you’ll find Northampton Park (NHP), a small but mighty setup featuring a lodge, rentals, a rope tow, 100 feet of vertical, and a surprisingly deep lineup of terrain park features.

grooming the plaza

The first time I came here nearly 10 years ago, there were maybe one or two features, enough to session for a bit, but nothing like what stands today. Now, the park stretches top to bottom, stacked with rails, jibs, and creative builds that let you take a completely different line every single lap. Watching the progression of their park builds over the last few seasons has been impressive.

Continue reading →

Tagged: Indy Pass, Northampton Park, Park, Swain, Western NY4 Comments