Whiteface: Spring in Full Swing

With the end of the season rapidly approaching, I’m looking to leech every bit of winter out for as long as I can. Farah and I have had success in the past hitting up Whiteface for sunny spring laps.

Despite inclement weather the day before The Face was holding strong with a trail count in the 70s. Our plan was to ski the weekend, with the Sunday lining up to be the ultimate spring day.

Saturday conditions were good if still firm and midwinter-ish on the upper mountain. Sunday was exactly as expected, a perfect bluebird day. Temperatures made into the high 30’s across the mountain and the corn harvest was in full effect.

With our legs stretched out from the day before we didn’t mess around. We headed straight up the gondola and lapped the Little Whiteface double until the upper mountain softened. Approach to mountain run provided breathtaking views and ample leg burn.

We headed down Excelsior to the Summit Chair. As we approached my coworker Dale was hopping off the Facelift nearby. Dale is a season pass holder and one of the few people I know who skis more than I do. A former ski racer, he knows Whiteface well. We followed him up the lift as he regaled us with stories of racing and how the mountain has changed over the years.

At the summit I wanted to pause and take it all in. With my season cut short last year, I didn’t make it to any large mountains and hadn’t been to Whiteface in a few years. The view is awe inspiring and I wanted to appreciate being at the top. As we made our way down, I split my time between looking at the terrain ahead and the views around me.

I asked Dale about a picture I had seen on social media taken from somewhere skiers left off of Lookout Mountain. Dale knew the exact spot, and we cruised down the Wilmington trail to the intersection of Lookout Below.

Here you can hike 50 ft or so into the wooded section and find a couple Adirondack chairs perfectly placed to get the whole view of the mountain. After hanging out and snapping some pics, we made our final descent back to the lodge.

As we pulled out of the parking lot after last chair Farah and I had some serious post ski depression. The weekend was too good and we were not ready to let the season end yet. Fortunately Stewart’s was running a dollar scoop special and a little ice cream cheered us up.

A little further down the road I spotted the trailhead to Snow and Wolf Jaws via Deer Brook. It was a perfect stop to stretch our legs as the little brook gushed from the recent snowmelt. We only hiked a few hundred feet but it was scenic, like something out of a movie. Maybe the snow melt isn’t all that bad.