Gore Mountain: 12/29/2012

One thing is for certain: this is not last winter. Snow all day today (six inches?) after well over a foot on Thursday and more snow before that has put Gore into the best conditions we've seen in probably two years. We weren't the only ones excited about all the snow: apparently Gore logged back-to-back record or near-record days both yesterday and today.

A dozen ski deals & discounts for 2013

If you have flexibility in your schedule, there’s no need to pay full rate for lift tickets. Listed below are the top deals and discounts I’ve found for 2013. All information is accurate at the time of publication, but be sure to check each ski area’s website for additional details. One more tip: “like” each ski area’s Facebook page to stay up to date on additional promotions that may be announced during the season.

Gore Mountain: 12/23 & 12/24/2012

UPDATED FOR 12/24/2012 BELOW

Somehow Gore Mountain lucked out last week and landed on the right side of the snow / rain dividing line. Nine inches of snow fell on Friday, and while some rain mixed in, it was nonetheless a snow event, leaving behind a dense white base that now covers the trails, glades and trees.

Finally a wintery looking summit

Adirondack ski areas by the numbers: Snowmaking

Snowmaking can be a skier’s best friend, extending the season and providing good conditions when natural snow is in short supply. Early season may be the most crucial time of all, when skiing may not even be possible without snowmaking. That’s certainly been the case this year, with practically no natural snowfall to speak of yet. Here’s a quick overview of snowmaking systems at Adirondack ski areas.

Snowmaking Comparison

	Air cfm	Water gpm	acre/ft per day	acres	# of days
Whiteface	32000	6000	30	275	9.2
Gore Mountain	27000	6000	30	400	13.3
Killington, VT	n/a	12000	80	600	7.5
Hunter	90000	10320	60	240	4.0
West Mountain	n/a	2800	n/a	85	n/a
Willard Mountain	n/a	1200	n/a	60	n/a
Oak Mountain	n/a	500	n/a	20	n/a
Hickory Ski Center	No snowmaking
Big Tupper	No snowmaking

Gore Mountain: 12/15/2012

Just a quick report from skiing Gore today. Even though it was a bright, clear day, I didn't take many pictures. Since it was just Daniel and me skiing today (Beth and Sylvie had Sylvie's 5th birthday party), I didn't have much time for photograpy. Every time I felt like I must be far enough ahead of D to stop, take out my camera and snap a picture of him skiing, he'd be right along side me. In fact, the majority of my photos were taken at the top of the gondola, where I can easily catch D on the flats. Of course that meant we got in a good deal of skiing.

Whiteface Mountain Media Day: 12/12/2012

Beth and I were lucky enough to be invited up for Whiteface's New York Media Ski Day again this year. Having attended last year's event, I knew it would be a fun day of skiing, a great lunch, and an interesting opportunity to speak with a bunch of Whiteface / ORDA personnel about what's going on at the ski mountain. The only problem was Monday's rain and 40+ degree temperatures, just 2 days earlier.

Snowmaking blizzard outside the base lodge

Gore Mountain: 12/09/2012

On Sunday half of our family chose other activities (I’ll never understand that!), leaving the skiing to just Sylvie and me. Last winter was Sylvie’s first year on skis, so today was a great opportunity for her to log a bunch of early season runs with 100% attention from Dad.

Gore Mountain: 12/01/2012, and how I buy my skis

Not such a great day at the mountain for pictures, but an excellent day for skiing. A week-long stretch of good snowmaking conditions enabled Gore to open quite a bit more terrain since last weekend, and the guns continued blowing snow all day today.

I'll get this out of the way right up front: I love my new skis. Today was my first day on my K2 Sideshows, purchased at the end of last season. With a wood core and 90mm waist they are very similar to my now retired but much loved K2 Work Stinx. The narrow (by today's standard) waist excels on firm snow, the wood core construction adds liveliness, and mild tip rocker plus 40mm of sidecut means they want to turn. For me, that's a winning combination. While it may sound like I researched this purchase, the reality is I bought these skis on the basis of feedback from a few of the guys I ski with, guys I've been skiing with for 20 year who know and share my ski preferences.

Gore Mountain: Opening weekend, Sunday 11/25/2012

We try to make it to Gore for opening weekend every ski season, partly in order to pick up our season passes, shakedown our gear and get into our winter ski routine, partly because by late November we’re just plain excited to ski again.

Snow Train: good news, not-so-good news

Good news: According to a recent Post-Star story, Saratoga North Creek Railroad’s ridership rose an estimated 60 percent this fall compared to the fall of 2011. Last fall, nearly 12,000 people took trains while this fall the number was close to 20,000, said Steve Torrico, SNCRR’s general manager. “In the month of October our ridership basically doubled and we were thrilled by it,” he said.

Adirondack ski areas by the numbers: Lift ticket prices

Lift ticket prices at Adirondack ski areas for the 2012-13 season cover the entire range from free to $84. If you think eighty-plus bucks is expensive (and it is), consider the fact that season passes, frequent skier cards and other discounts bring down the actual cost per day for most skiers.

Ski Lift Ticket Comparison, 2012-13

	Daily lift ticket	Season pass	Breakeven # of days
Whiteface	$84	$739	9
Gore Mountain	$75	$739	10
Killington, VT	$88	$1049	12
West Mountain	$52	$400	8
Titus Mountain	$42	$379	9
Willard Mountain	$39	$375	10
Oak Mountain	$34	$263	8
Hickory Ski Center	n/a	$250	n/a
McCauley Mountain	$30	$239	8
Mount Pisgah	$15	$150	10
Ski Venture	n/a	$60	n/a
Indian Lake town slope	free	n/a	n/a
Dynamite Hill, Chestertown	free	n/a	n/a

2012-2013 Ski Season Preview

The 2012-13 ski season is scheduled to begin at Gore and Whiteface just two weeks from today, and other Adirondack ski areas are expected to open shortly thereafter. For a look at what's new this year at the region's ski centers, check out my 2012-13 Ski Season Preview article on Adirondack Almanack here.

Following is some additional information from Gore and Whiteface that I didn't have room for in the Almanack article:

Gore and Whiteface begin snowmaking

Apparently both Gore and Whiteface got the message that today is my birthday. Both ski areas fired up their snowmaking plants last night for the first time this season. A press release from Gore this morning states:
“We had a really good first night of snowmaking,” commented General Manager Mike Pratt. “We ran over 70 guns, there was very little wind, and temperatures got down to the teens.”

Hurricane Sandy: How to help

Donations for Hurricane Sandy victims are being accepted at numerous Saratoga Springs business locations through Tuesday, November 6 in an effort organized by Saratoga blogger Jenny Witte. Requested items include toiletries, baby supplies, shoes and clothing for children and adults, blankets, toys, books and first aid kits. More information, including a list of drop-off locations, can be found on Jenny's blog, Mamatoga.com.

Other ways to help:

• Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• World Vision
• WAMC fund drive for Sandy relief, November 8

Skiing Mount Marcy circa 1986

When I first took up cross-country skiing nearly 30 years ago, in the early 1980s, it was on wooden skis (Edsbyns) that I bought new at Morsan’s Sporting Goods (now Campmor) in Paramus, New Jersey. Around that same time I became an avid hiker and an aspiring 46er. The natural intersection of those interests led me to try my skills – such as they were - on ski tours like Avalanche Pass, the Whiteface Toll Road and Mount Marcy.

Adirondack Sports & Fitness Winter Expo this weekend

The first snows have already whitened the higher elevations of the Adirondacks and - always the optomist - I'm convinced we're going to have a cold and snowy winter that will more than make up for last winter's dud. So, if you’re not outdoors enjoying what's left of the Fall, you may want to check out the 5th annual Adirondack Sports & Fitness Expo this weekend, October 27 and 28, at the Saratoga Springs City Center.

More than 100 exhibitors will showcase downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing, with some running, hiking and biking thrown in for good measure. As in past years, there will be demos, clinics, family activities, a climbing wall, and many sales on skis, gear, clothing and more. There are also $4,000 in prizes and giveaways for attendees.

Saturday’s hours are 10am – 5pm, Sunday is 10am – 4pm. Admission is FREE. More information is at www.AdkSports.com.

Northeast pre-season ski stoke, "best of" edition

Some of the best pre-season images from ski areas around the northeast over the past week or so:

Whiteface, October 12:

Climbing with kids: Wilmington Notch, 10/08/2012

We finished our hike up Mount Jo on Monday in the early afternoon, so we took advantage of already being in Lake Placid to head to one of my favorite beginner crags: the Notch Mountain Slabs in Wilmington Notch. In addition to a pyramid-shaped 80’ tall laid-back slab of clean rock, the slabs sport a spectacular setting high above the west branch of the Ausable River. Across the river rise Moss Cliff and Whiteface’s rocky summit. Even though the slabs are just a short hike from the trailhead, the climbing here feels remote and scenic.

Mount Jo: 10/08/2012

Somehow, even though it's at the top of just about everyone's list of best short hikes, we had never gotten around to hiking Mount Jo, the small (2,876') peak with a panoramic, close-up view of the High Peaks. With near-peak foliage and the season's first coating of snow, our hike on Monday lived up to Mount Jo's reputation.

"Lost Ski Areas" presentation Oct. 19 and screening of Warren Miller’s "Flow State" Nov. 3

The Alpine Sport Shop in Saratoga Springs recently announced a screening of Warren Miller’s new movie “Flow State,” showing Saturday November 3, 2012 at 7pm. Show location is at the Maple Avenue Middle School in Saratoga Springs, NY. The event will benefit the Saratoga Springs High School Ski Team and Double H Ranch Adaptive Winter Sports Program. Tickets are $12 each and are available at the Alpine Sport Shop, and from Ski Team members.

Night Ride at SMBA: 09/27/2012

I had a lot of fun riding the trails at SMBA last night. Since we’re rapidly losing light for Blue Sky’s Thursday 6pm rides, they arranged for Light & Motion to demo some of their lights. I’ve ridden at night just one other time (last week), but I'm really enjoying how it changes the experience of mountain biking, focusing your concentration on what’s within the beam of light, and increasing the sensation of speed. The challenge goes up a notch, but the fun and adventure factor goes up two notches. And riding at night should enable me to extend my riding season right up to the start of ski season.

Whiteface Mtn Uphill Footrace: 09/22/2012

The Whiteface Mountain Uphill Footrace might correctly be called a "niche" race, but as a skier, hiker, 46er and runner, it falls exactly in the niche that appeals to me. At 4,867 feet, Whiteface is the fifth highest peak in New York, and it is the only High Peak accessible by automobile, via the 5-mile long Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway. Whiteface’s commanding position apart from the rest of the High Peaks, its ski area and Olympic heritage, its auto road, castle and summit observatory all contribute to a status that rivals Mount Marcy as the Adirondacks’ most significant peak. “This is a sacred place in the State of New York,” said North Elba Supervisor Roby Politi on Friday, during a meeting of state and local officials to discuss needed repairs to the highway. Thousands of bicyclists, runners and skiers (on snow and dry pavement) who have made human-powered ascents of Whiteface via the highway will no doubt agree with that assessment.

Trail run up Thomas Mountain: 09/16/2012

With the upcoming Whiteface Mountain Uphill Footrace as my excuse for “needing” to run up a mountain, I did a quick trail run up Thomas Mountain on Sunday afternoon. Since we were already in Bolton Landing for the afternoon, the trailhead was only a few minutes’ drive away.

View from the blue trail overlook

Thomas Mountain might not be ideal for trail running: there are some steep sections, and the jeep road that I descended has quite a bit of loose rock. But since I only had a one-hour window for my run, convenience wins out.

Recommended reading: Lost Ski Areas of the Southern Adirondacks

I make no pretensions about this being an unbiased review of author Jeremy Davis’s latest book. I’ve long been a fan of NELSAP (the New England Lost Ski Areas Project), the organization Davis founded in 1998 to document the history of closed ski areas, and consider Davis a personal friend. But if you have an interest in history, the Adirondacks or skiing – or all three – you will find Lost Ski Areas of the Southern Adirondacks to be a fascinating read.

Like Davis’s two previous books (covering the Southern Vermont and White Mountains regions, respectively), Lost Ski Areas of the Southern Adirondacks methodically details the history of nearly 40 ski areas that once operated in the region. More than just a collection of dates, facts, figures and photographs, Davis’s book chronicles the stories of the people who were involved in and enjoyed these ski areas: the founders, employees, instructors, ski patrol and the skiers themselves.

Upcoming Fall races

Following are some upcoming races that may be of interest to local runners.

The third annual Malta Business & Professional Association 5K, Saturday 9/08/2012, will benefit the Saratoga Rural Preservation Council and Town of Malta First Responders. The race course follows a new route this year, making a circuit of bike paths and roads through Luther Forest that will offer participants an opportunity to view the new Global Foundries chip fab plant up close. I don't run a lot of road 5Ks, but I'm running this one looking for a sub-20 minute finish, so hopefully the new course is flat and fast.

Also on Saturday, 9/08/2012, the Camp Challenge 5K Run, will benefit Double H Ranch’s programs serving children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The race course is on trails at Double H’s camp facility in Lake Luzerne. A Camp Challenge Ride will also be held on the same day, with cyclists riding 15 miles, 30 miles or a Metric Century through the Adirondacks to help raise awareness and funds for Double H.

The Moreau Lake 15k Trail Run will be held Sunday 9/09/2012, on the trails at Moreau Lake State Park. The race is billed as “a classic trail run: a brutal start up the ‘Staircase of Death’ leads into miles of rollers, creeks, etc. before heading back down the ridge to the beach.” Sounds like my kind of race, but I'll have to put it on my calendar for next year. An aquathlon (1.5k swim, 5k trail run) as well as 1.5k and 3k open water swims are also scheduled for the same day.

Tuesday night mountain bike race series: 08/28/2012

Sometimes things go wrong in a race, and I had my share of escalating mishaps in Tuesday evening’s Schenectady Central Park mountain bike race, the fourth and final race in the HRRT Hot August Nights series.

Another rider zipping down switchbacks Tuesday evening

Blue Ledges: 08/26/2012

I've done the hike to Blue Ledges many times over the years, but today was the first time as a family hike. You could make the case that autumn is the best season to visit, but I wanted to bring our kids here on a warm summer day like today, when they could splash in the Hudson when we reached our destination.

Camp Saratoga 5K trail series 2012 wrap-up

Monday night was the final race in the Camp Saratoga 5K trail series. My primary personal goal for the series this year was to shave a couple minutes off last year’s cumulative time for the 5 races. I improved by 3 minutes, a result I'm pretty happy with. The comparison to 2010 - my first year back running after 6 or 7 years off - really shows the value of cumulative training miles over time:

A tougher goal was to see if I could be the “fastest old guy” – in other words, nobody older than me finishing ahead of me. While I hit that in one or two of the races, there’s an awful lot of fit and fast runners out there in the 50+ age bracket.

Paddling Cape Cod: two quick tours

Cape Cod may be best known for its expansive ocean beaches, but there's a surprising diversity of paddling options as well. During our family vacation there this week we squeezed in two short kayak tours.

Wellfleet Kettle Ponds
Yes, there's freshwater paddling on Cape Cod. The Cape is full of freshwater kettle ponds, formed when retreating glaciers left behind huge chunks of ice at the end of the last ice age. When the remnant ice blocks melted, they left depressions in the Cape's sandy soil that eventually filled with freshwater.

MTB race report: HRRT Tuesday night series

I guess it's officially more than just cross-training now, since I rode in my first mountain bike race last night.

Last night’s HRRT Hot August Nights Mountain Bike Race, the first in a 4-race series, was just the sort of fun, low key, local race I was looking for. Not quite 3 dozen riders assembled for the 6pm start at Schenectady’s Central Park mountain bike trails. 19 of us were entered in the “Sport” category (two 5-mile laps), with 15 others in the “Expert” category (three 5-mile laps). Since I’ve never ridden the Schenectady trails before, I got there early and rode for 10 or 15 minutes to get a feel for the terrain.

Pre-race registration at the trailhead

Mountain biking at SMBA: when is riding no longer “just” cross-training?

I haven't posted much about mountain biking this summer, but I’ve been riding once or twice a week since April. Recently – since June - I've been splitting my time between SMBA and the trails on the Saratoga County forestland (the Kalabus-Perry parcel) out my back door. The two are only about 5 miles apart as the crow flies, yet the terrain and trails couldn't be more different. The K-P county forest parcel is part of the Saratoga Sandplains and the trails are smooth and fast, not a rock or a root in sight. SMBA’s terrain, on the other hand, is what you’d expect from the foothills of the Adirondacks: bedrock is close to the surface, there are beaver flows and wetlands, rocks and roots are everywhere, the trails are technical and challenging.

Hickory Ski Center 5K race to benefit Double H Ranch, August 11

NOTE - OCTOBER 20 DATE HAS NOW BEEN CANCELLED


The first annual Hickory 5K race will be held Saturday, August 11 to benefit the Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne and their Adaptive Winter Sports Program. Runners who preregister for the race save $5 and will be guaranteed a race t-shirt. Race packet pick up and day-of-race registration begins at 8am, with a 9:30 start. There will also be a one mile kids race.

A post-race barbecue will feature food from the Stony Creek Inn and beer from the Adirondack Pub and Brewery in Lake George. Prizes will be awarded for each age category, and all runners will receive 2-for-1 coupons good for skiing at Hickory this winter.

Climbing with the kids: King Phillip's Spring, 07/22/2012

This past Sunday we headed up to King Phillip's Spring, near Keene Valley, to climb with our kids.

With so many excellent crags in the Keene Valley area, KPS probably isn't at the top of anybody's list of favorite cliffs, but it's actually got a lot going for it: easy access (one minute from Exit 30), a short approach (10 minutes, allow 15-20 with kids), good toprope anchors (bring a static rope), and an open, flat base. Most importantly, the climbing at KPS is on coarse, clean rock at a laid-back angle, with numerous options in the 5.2 to 5.5 range. Perfect for an afternoon of family climbing.

Skylight, Gray, Marcy and a 46er finish Saratoga-style: 07/19/2012

On Thursday, Beth and I hiked her final peaks for the Adirondack 46: Gray and Skylight. Lots of 46ers celebrate their final peak with a sign or a banner, celebratory beverage, maybe even a cake at the summit. Beth took things a step further, celebrating in her Saratoga track dress (the track opened on Friday) with champagne on the summit of Skylight.

We opted to do the hike as a loop from Adirondack Loj, climbing via Lake Arnold and Feldspar Brook to Lake Tear of the Clouds, source of the Hudson River. From Lake Tear, both Gray and Skylight are short out-and-back climbs. Rather than re-trace our steps, we climbed up and over Mount Marcy, returning to the Loj via the Van Hoevenberg trail. This loop covers some of the most spectacular alpine terrain in the Adirondacks, a fitting final hike.

Discover the Adirondacks guidebook review

I recently received a review copy of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s new Discover the Adirondacks book, a guide to 50 of the best hikes, pedals and paddles in the Adirondacks.

Targeted primarily at readers who are becoming acquainted with the outdoor recreational opportunities of the Adirondacks, Discover’s author, Peter Kick, has done a fine job of selecting some of the best – albeit most popular – adventures. Any such “best of” list is subjective by nature, and while one might quibble over which hikes or paddles made the cut (c’mon, no Blue Ledges? Why not Haystack instead of Marcy?), the outings selected for the book represent an excellent sampling of the range of the opportunities available within the Park.

Baxter Mountain: 07/08/2012

Baxter Mountain seems to be near the top of everyone’s list of best short hikes in the Adirondacks, yet somehow I had always passed it by. On Sunday, while Beth climbed Nippletop (#44 towards her 46), I finally decided I should hike it with the kids.

It’s easy to see why Baxter is so popular. A well-maintained trail switchbacks up the mountain at a moderate grade, leading to a series of summit ledges with stunning views of the High Peaks. At 1.1 miles each way and a vertical climb of 770 feet, the round trip can easily be completed in 2 to 3 hours with plenty of time to linger at the summit ledges to enjoy the views. It's easy enough that Sylvie did the entire hike on her own - no carrying. Just don’t expect to have the trail to yourself: we saw 8 or 10 other parties on Sunday, with hikers ranging from around Sylvie’s age (4 and a half) to senior citizen.

Lake George island camping: 07/05/2012

I've been boating and paddling around Lake George for more than 30 years, but I never grow tired of visiting The Narrows, the island-studded middle section of the Lake. Steep mountains frame the Lake, and the forests on both shores are protected from development under the Forever Wild clause of the State Constitution. Many of the islands are available for camping, with a dock, picnic table and fireplace at each site.

On Thursday, six of us (Beth, Daniel and me, plus 3 other family members) loaded up my parents' pontoon boat with tents, sleeping bags, a pair of kayaks and enough food for a week, even though we were camping for just one night.

Another Thomas Mountain hike: 07/01/2012

Sunday’s hike up Thomas Mountain at the Lake George Land Conservancy’s Cat and Thomas Mountains Preserve represented “another” Thomas Mountain hike not just because we return to hike there every summer, but also because another route up the mountain has been added to the preserve’s trail network.

The as yet unnamed trail, referred to simply as the “new blue trail” on the preserve’s brochure and map, climbs at a moderate grade (approximately 500’ vertical in 0.8 miles) through a mixed hardwood forest to open ledges on the western slope of the mountain with views of the Schroon River valley and peaks of the southern Adirondacks beyond. The trail then continues through the attractive pine forest along the ridge top to Thomas Mountain’s summit.

Lake George's southern basin from the summit of Thomas Mtn.

Camp Saratoga 5K trail race series 2012

Near ideal conditions Monday night allowed me to log a solid time (22:08) for the first race of the Saratoga Stryders' 5K trail race series at the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park. Not a PR for me on that course (I ran it faster twice last summer), but not far off.

It's amazing how many variables contribute to a runner's outcome in any given race. On Monday evening my legs felt strong, I was reasonably well rested, I hadn't eaten anything I regretted earlier in the day, the weather was a coolish 72 degrees, the trail surfaces were firm and slightly damp. But my head was foggy and I wanted the race to be over before it even started. When the starting gun went off (actually just a "Go!") the first several hundred yards was congested and I had trouble getting around other runners and establishing a good pace. Halfway through the first mile I settled into a comfortable race pace and got my focus back. I didn't concern myself with my 1- and 2-mile splits, and was somewhat surprised when I finished at just over 22 minutes.

Beat the heat: get next winter's ski pass now

Don't miss tomorrow's early purchase discount deadline if you're considering buying a Gore / Whiteface season pass for 2012-13. The unrestricted full season pass for adults is $739, a $19 increase over last year. The adult non-holiday pass is $585. Junior passes (ages 7-12) are $299 and age 6 and under is $30.

Since our family gets in 20+ days at Gore / Whiteface, the season pass is a no-brainer. Breakeven is less than 10 days, based on weekend and holiday rates of $75 and $79.

Early purchase discounts are also available at Willard ($290 adult season pass), West ($400 adult season pass deadline was June 1, now $585) and Hickory ($250). Willard and West offer additional family discounts.

One more option may warrant consideration for some skiers: the Ski Areas of New York Gold Pass for $888. The pass has no blackout dates and can be redeemed at the ticket window for one lift ticket per day at any SANY member area (just about every ski area in the state). Unfortunately there is no SANY Gold Pass junior rate.

If money is no object, $10,000 gets you a U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Gold Pass. The pass is fully transferable and is honored for unlimited acces at any National Ski and Snowboard Association ski area nationwide. A significant portion of the purchase price is tax-deductible ($8500 last year) as a contribution in support of the U.S. Ski Team.

And if you can afford that, you can afford to hop a plane to Oregon's Mount Bachelor, which is re-opening this weekend for summer skiing. That sounds like the best way to beat the heat to me.

Gilligan Mountain: 06/16/2012

At 1420 feet, Gilligan Mountain's summit elevation is lower than most High Peaks parking areas and trailheads. But if you're looking for an easy, rewarding family hike or just a quick fix of beautiful High Peaks views, this off-the-beaten-path mountain fits the bill.

The first viewpoint on the Gilligan Mt. trail, just 0.3 miles in.

Between school activities, karate, lacrosse, and who knows what else, it's been difficult fitting in any family hiking so far this summer. On Saturday, we had just a half day available and decided it was too nice a day not to hike.