Easter at Whiteface 2014

Posted on by snoloco

At its best, spring skiing means sunny skies, warm temps and light clothing, soft snow, and for those over 21, lots of beer.  However, it also means that the end is near.

Whiteface-Summit

I’m primarily a downstate skier and my home mountains, Mountain Creek and Hunter, are closed.  At this time of year, my options are north. This year my family headed to Whiteface for Easter.

It’s an awesome mountain in the springtime.  With tons of sustained vertical, no cat tracks to get stuck in, and High Peaks views, it doesn’t get any better.  I had an amazing Easter weekend skiing The Face.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Whiteface11 Comments

Gore Mountain Goes Deep

Posted on by Harvey

A ski mountain’s reputation for management is tied, in part, to temperature and precipitation. There are exceptions but it’s certainly easier to be a ski ops genius when it’s cold and snowy.

Deep spring snow at Gore Mountain

When it comes to spring, base depth is the key, and it’s also affected by some factors beyond a GMs control.  Ideally you’ll get and/or make enough snow to survive some inevitable spring rain to spin lifts on some warm and sunny weekends, satisfying passholders and selling more passes for the next season.

This season had a quick start, a tough middle and a stellar finish. At Gore season totals for snowfall will come in around average, but much of that total fell after February 1st.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Gore Mountain9 Comments

Interview: Skiing the Catskill 3500

Posted on by NYSkiBlog

It was purely by chance that I heard about Jamie and Doug Kennard’s recent feat. While searching for a ski touring partner in the Catskills, I was answered with a question: “Did you hear the news?”

backcountry skiing the Catskill 3500

He had to repeat it. Climbing the Catskill 3500 peaks is an accomplishment I’ve long held in very high esteem. To ski them all, that would take more than a few long days and serious dedication to the fickle nature of the Eastern Backcountry. Perhaps that’s the reason that, as far as anyone could tell, this was the first time anyone had ever done it.

What could be sweeter than being the first to do something that was hiding in plain sight of millions? What follows is our interview with the adventurers. (– ml242)

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Tagged: Backcountry, Catskills, Interviews11 Comments