As we wind down winter and get our bodies and minds acclimated to the warm weather and outdoor summer activities that will soon be upon us, I felt a level of responsibility to write about the greatest skiing I have ever encountered. I was almost reluctant to write about it because I'd hate to see it become the typical, Colorado-esque, tourist-trap of a ski resort that I have encountered so much in my travels. But not writing about it would be an injustice to the place that will be seen in the Nomad's eyes forever as 'Heaven'.
I'm talking about Whiteface.
Tucked away in the Adirondacks near the quaint Olympic town of Lake Placid is where you can find this gem. No frills. No lace. Just great terrain and plenty of the fluffy, white goodness.
The ice - OK, nowhere is perfect, right? There is one downside to Whiteface and we didn't discover it until day two on the hill. Until the afternoon of day two we had perfect conditions. Fresh and fluffy snow (about 20" of the goods fell over 3 days) was treating us great and that riding conditions didn't change. The problem came when the moisture in the air met the frigid temperatures and we could no longer see that beautiful snow. Our goggles froze over multiple times within seconds which made it very hard to get down the mountain, especially from the summit. Fortunately, we do travel prepared and came with goggle scrapers that allowed us to get down safely. I HIGHLY recommend having one of these when riding in the mountains. They are cheap and can really come in handy. Some guys prefer an anti-ice spray on their goggles but I've not really found one that I find highly useful.
Tucked away in the Adirondacks near the quaint Olympic town of Lake Placid is where you can find this gem. No frills. No lace. Just great terrain and plenty of the fluffy, white goodness.
The Pros:
No ski-in/ski-out. This is something that tends to keep people away. There is no on-mountain resort which helps keep the Desperate Housewives of Wherever in their perfectly matching ski gear away. For me, on mountain resorts always seem to pull in an extra crowd of people that creates traffic and long lift lines. Without it, traffic is minimal and allows locals to enjoy their sparkling gem with little outside interference.
Variable Terrain - Whiteface has it all! From plenty of green circles for beginners, nice long wavy cruisers of blue squares and no shortage of the challenging stuff with adequate black diamonds. There is something for everyone here.
The Slides - As the locals said to us, "If you can comfortably ski the slides, you can ski anywhere in the country." The slides are Whiteface's unmanaged, super steep, side-country option for those seeking a challenge. A quick 10 minute hike from the summit chairlift and you'll find yourself at the slides. Be sure that there is plenty of snow because there areas that have mandatory drop offs and it can get very icy.
The Slides - As the locals said to us, "If you can comfortably ski the slides, you can ski anywhere in the country." The slides are Whiteface's unmanaged, super steep, side-country option for those seeking a challenge. A quick 10 minute hike from the summit chairlift and you'll find yourself at the slides. Be sure that there is plenty of snow because there areas that have mandatory drop offs and it can get very icy.
The lodge - hands down Whiteface's base lodge has the greatest food ever cooked at a mountain resort. The prices are great for an apres-ski cocktail and midday break for lunch. This was perhaps the most surprising thing that happened to us on hill.
Lake Placid - The town is a 15 minute drive from the mountain and offers plenty to do. Our little group of four all agreed that it is exactly what each of us pictures when we think of a 'ski-town'. Lake Placid hosted the Olympics in 1932 and 1980 (the year of the Miracle on Ice) and has a lot to see for those interested in Olympic history. There is a museum with excellent artifacts from Olympic lore and no shortage of great places to eat and shop. There is a ski-jump training facility along with an actual bobsled run where you can ride an Olympic bobsled or luge.
Locals - it seems rare to find locals these days that invite people into their protected areas of enjoyment due to overpopulation. But there was a warm, and welcomed, attitude from all locals in the area that we encountered. None of the big-city shenanigans in Whiteface. Just a pure enjoyment in knowing that the beautiful land and surrounding area is what they get to call home.
The Cons:
The ice - OK, nowhere is perfect, right? There is one downside to Whiteface and we didn't discover it until day two on the hill. Until the afternoon of day two we had perfect conditions. Fresh and fluffy snow (about 20" of the goods fell over 3 days) was treating us great and that riding conditions didn't change. The problem came when the moisture in the air met the frigid temperatures and we could no longer see that beautiful snow. Our goggles froze over multiple times within seconds which made it very hard to get down the mountain, especially from the summit. Fortunately, we do travel prepared and came with goggle scrapers that allowed us to get down safely. I HIGHLY recommend having one of these when riding in the mountains. They are cheap and can really come in handy. Some guys prefer an anti-ice spray on their goggles but I've not really found one that I find highly useful.
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The Stats:
Vertical Feet - 3,430' (greatest on the east coast - chairlift accesses 3,166')
Summit Elevation - 4,867'
Average Snowfall - 197" / year
Number of Trails - 87
Number of Lifts - 12
Night Skiing - No
Terrain Park - Yes - over 30 rails and boxes, a dozen jumps that range from 10'-55', a skier/boarder cross course and even a US Airbag (an inflatable stunt bag).
Personal Favorite Run - Skyward to Blazer's Bluff
Link to Trail Map
Personal Favorite Run - Skyward to Blazer's Bluff
Link to Trail Map
Final Assessment: Nowhere so far, whether east coast or west, has me wanting to go back sooner. Check it out and enjoy the session!
Ski resorts are some of the loves of my life. I find them so, so beautiful and always enticing to be at (save for the tough trek to and from the car!).
ReplyDeleteYou said desperate housewives of where-ever, lol too funny! Looks like a blast.
ReplyDeleteum dang! This is my kinda trip. I love, love, love snow so much. How gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun trip. I'm not a big downhill person but I really enjoy cross country.
ReplyDeleteHave to visit that place one day! It looks incredibly fun!
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