Belleayre: Racking Up Miles

One more year as a flatland road warrior, and I’m going to have to rally. I admit it, working full time, having a family, and chasing snow from 200 miles away is tough. This could be my last season balancing all three. Then again, without logistics, who am I? What do I write about? I guess we will see.

early morning drive
Smoothing and soothing Miles

This weekend it actually worked out pretty well. Over the holiday I had three full nights sleep, rising without an alarm. I can’t remember the last time that happened. Then, for Sunday morning, I set my regular Belleayre alarm for 4am. I take an hour to make coffee and hit the road. If I leave for Belle at 5, I’ll arrive at 8, an hour before first chair. With my alarms, I can usually handle one delay, gas or food, and stay on schedule.

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Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge Hike

We’ve had some cool evenings and overnight frosts in Saratoga Springs, but the full effect of winter is still to come. In pursuit of an early taste of the season, my hiking partners, Dave, April, and I ventured into the High Peaks to visit winter.

The Dix Range
The Dix Range

The Adirondacks often see a frost up high, in November. It’d rained the previous day, followed by overnight temps in the 20s; we were confident we would find ice. We decided on a through hike, up from the trailhead on Route 73 to the summits of Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge, and then on to Route 9 in New Russia. It’s a 12-mile traverse, with 4,000 feet of elevation, and to some, it’s one of the most beautiful hikes in New York. We met at 5:30am to drive up in two cars, spotting one in New Russia.

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Snow Ridge: A Classic Indy Rise Up

There’s been some excitement about the eastern ski season getting an early start. Ski Ward in Massachusetts garnered significant attention with its new snowmaking system, claiming the first open ski resort in North America. Killington spun early as always. Belleayre got out first in New York with a sneak preview before Thanksgiving.

Snow Pocket tbar

Those efforts may pale in comparison to the work done at Snow Ridge, a family-owned resort on Tug Hill. In August, as most resorts were completing lift maintenance and inspection, Turin NY came into the path of an EF-3 tornado. Trees were snapped and lifts were rendered inoperable.

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