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