Hickory Ski Center: 03/29/2015

Hickory’s motto “Ski the Legend” tells you just about everything you need to know about Hickory. I’ve been waiting for the right time to share the legend with our kids, ages 7 and 11, and took advantage of last Sunday’s early spring conditions to do just that.

As one of the few remaining ski areas in the northeast that relies solely on natural snow, you’ve got to time your visits to Hickory carefully. But this winter’s been kind to Hickory – consistent cold temperatures allowed Hickory to remain open just about every weekend since mid-January. We visited on Hickory’s final day of operation for the 2014-15 season, and coverage was still excellent.

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.

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.

Season Preview Outtakes: Hickory Ski Center

Bill Van Pelt's investment in Hickory Ski Center two years ago breathed new life into the ski area, allowing it to re-open after having been shuttered for four winters. In the following interview - the third in a series of outtakes from my Season Preview that ran in Adirondack Almanack last month - I talk with Bill about the progress that's been made at Hickory over the past two years, as well as where Hickory is heading.

Jeff: There have been some really significant, visible improvements at Hickory since 2009, but the one question at the top of everyone's list is whether there will there be snowmaking at Hickory. That could be a real game-changer. I understand that you have approval to draw water from the Hudson River.

Season pass math

It may seem like ski season is a long way off, but early purchase discount deadlines are approaching and it’s time to do the math. For many, buying a season’s pass is a no-brainer, but for others the calculation may be a bit more involved. For our family, the decision is driven by 3 factors:

Number of ski days – Obviously this is the factor that drives most season pass decisions. Our family will likely ski 20 +/- days at Gore next winter, well above the break-even point of 10-12 days.

Hickory Ski Center Telefest this Saturday, Feb. 12

Hickory Ski Center in Warrensburg will host its 4th annual Telemark Festival this Saturday, February 12. Besides Hickory's legendary terrain and natural snow, there will be demos, clinics and a "Tour de Trees."

Hickory Ski Center: 01/30/2011

I didn't get to Hickory at all last winter, so the last time I skied there was six or seven years ago, prior to their shut down in 2005. My 6-year-old son Daniel and I had the afternoon free, so we headed up to see what has changed since Hickory's re-birth last year and what's still the same.

In a nutshell, all of the changes are for the better: spruced-up lodge, upgraded lifts, new terrain park. The things that have always made Hickory a fun and special place to ski haven't changed a bit: friendly relaxed vibe, natural snow, and outstanding expert terrain on the upper mountain.

Hickory Ski Center Open on All Lifts This Weekend

 * * * PRESS RELEASE FROM HICKORY * * *
Hickory Ski Center has received almost 18 inches of snow during the last 7 days and will be opening all lifts on Saturday (1/22/2011) morning. With a powder and packed powder surface Hickory will be showcasing the best all natural snow ski and riding in the Adirondacks.

Hickory is open Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 9 A.M. 4 P.M. Complimenting Hickory's great natural snow will be added grooming from their new Winch Cat groomer that lays down some incredible corduroy for blasting the groomers and laying down perfect turns. If you're interested in playing in the Terrain Park, there are several new features to work out your best tricks. For those of you that prefer the challenges of wooded glades and steep terrain Hickory provides a unique opportunity to take some incredible runs on all natural terrain.

Upcoming Local Events for Skiers

The following list isn't intended to be a comprehensive calendar of local skiing events, just a few that are on my personal calendar, in no particular order.

One of the events I'm looking forward to the most is the Hickory Ski Center Telemark Festival on Saturday, February 12. Hickory Ski Center, in Warrensburg, rivals Mad River Glen as a popular telemark ski destination and is known for its varied terrain, from beginner to legendary expert trails. There will be free demos of telemark equipment, and clinics to fine tune skills and provide beginners a chance learn telemark skiing.

Skier: Bill Toran; photo credit: Mike White/Hickory Ski Center