Posts Tagged ‘winter sports’

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Comments Sought On Mount Van Hoevenberg Recreation Area

Mount Van HoThe Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are holding a joint public comment period to solicit comments for a Draft Unit Management Plan (UMP) Amendment for the Mount Van Hoevenberg Winter Recreation Area Intensive Use Area, also known as the Olympic Sports Complex at Mount Van Hoevenberg.

The approximately 1,600 acre unit is located in the Town of North Elba, Essex County. The Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) provides facility management under a Memorandum of Understanding between ORDA and the DEC. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, May 12, 2016

The Adirondack Winter That Wasn’t

Whiteface Mountain with little snow 2016 Mike Lynch PhotoSnow-sport events are a staple of winter tourism in the Adirondacks, drawing participants and spectators into small villages where they eat in restaurants, stay in hotels, and spend money in stores. This winter, many events had to be canceled because of frequent thaws and a dearth of snow.

Among the canceled events were the Lake Placid Loppet, a cross-country-ski race, and a World Cup skiing competition in the Lake Placid region; the annual Adirondack Backcountry Ski Festival, sponsored by the Mountaineer in Keene Valley; and Dewey Mountain Days in Saranac Lake. Dangerous ice conditions led to the cancellation of ice-fishing contests around the Adirondack Park. » Continue Reading.


Monday, April 4, 2016

A Quebec City Olympic Bid Could Include Lake Placid

lake placid olympic jumps

Last Monday, Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume called Lake Placid City Mayor Craig Randall to inform him that he’s visiting the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland to investigate a future Olympic Winter Games bid.

“The IOC’s agenda 2020 emphasized the re-use of existing facilities, so Mayer Labeaume said he planned to reach out to Lake Placid, Calgary and Vancouver to see if it would be acceptable for Quebec City to investigate the use of venues in those three cities for a 2026 Olympic Winter Games bid,” Randall said in a statement sent to the press. » Continue Reading.


Sunday, February 7, 2016

Winter: Part Of Adirondack Cultural Identity

White Stuff = Green StuffClimate change threatens not only the winter economy of the Adirondacks, but also the cultural identity of the region.

Lake Placid twice hosted the Winter Olympics, in 1932 and 1980, and continues to capitalize on its history, attracting a variety of winter-sports events such as the Winter Empire State Games and international skiing and sliding competitions.

The Adirondack Park has spawned a number of Olympic athletes. Drive through tiny Vermontville and you’ll see signs celebrating that it is home to Billy Demong, who won the gold medal for Nordic combined in 2010. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, February 2, 2016

As Climate Changes, Poor Winters Hurt Adirondack Tourism

Mountaineer in Keene ValleyThe most profitable months for the tourism-based businesses in the Adirondacks are without question July and August. This is when families take their summer vacations, the weather is warm, and the bugs are tolerable. But while summer is crucial for small businesses, a successful winter season can mean the difference between making money or not for the year.

Vinny McClelland, owner of the Mountaineer in Keene Valley, knows this as much as anyone. His business depends on customers who recreate in the outdoors. In winter, they include backcountry skiers, ice climbers, mountaineers, and snowshoers. If there is a shortage of snow or ice in the winter, chances are there will be a shortage of customers visiting the Adirondacks and his store.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, January 26, 2016

CanAm Pond Hockey On Mirror Lake This Weekend

IMG_0020A pond hockey game brings back the simplicity of winter sport and what better place to enjoy one than the home of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.”

For the 11th year, the CanAm Hockey Tournament has come to Lake Placid to celebrate the spirit of hockey under the backdrop of the Adirondack High Peaks. Currently 74 teams are waiting to take to the 20 ice rinks on Mirror Lake this weekend, January 28-31, 2016.

According to Tournament Director Eric Chapman this weekend’s pond hockey match-ups are only open to adults, but spectators have just as much fun watching the players hit the rinks. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Bare-Booters, Please Stay Off The Jackrabbit Trail

Jackrabbit TrailOn New Year’s Day we didn’t have enough snow to ski most backcountry trails, but we decided to give the Jackrabbit Trail a shot, starting at Whiteface Inn Road in Lake Placid and ascending to the pass between Haystack and McKenzie mountains.

I have skied this section of the Jackrabbit often and had an idea of what we’d find: bare patches on the half-mile hill at the start but decent snow above. With a few inches of fresh powder over a thin but solid base, the trail should be skiable, I thought. We would just need to steer clear of the bare spots.

That’s pretty much what we encountered. What I hadn’t counted on though, was that the trail would have been thoroughly trashed by bare-booters – that is, hikers without snowshoes.

» Continue Reading.


Monday, December 21, 2015

Comments Sought On Adirondack Ski-Trail Guidelines

Wright Peak Ski TrailThe Adirondack Park Agency has proposed guidelines for maintaining three types of ski trails in the Forest Preserve. The public has until January 29 to submit comments on the proposals.

It’s legal to ski any trail in the Forest Preserve, but many are too narrow, too steep, and/or too rocky to be negotiated with boards attached to your feet. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, December 17, 2015

McCulley Sues DEC Again Over Old Mountain Road

mcculley-with-dogThirteen years after he was first ticketed for driving a snowmobile on Old Mountain Road, Jim McCulley is still fighting the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

In his latest legal action, McCulley claims DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens violated his civil rights when Martens overturned earlier decisions in the case and ruled that Old Mountain Road is part of the Forest Preserve, not a town road.

“It’s like beating your head against the wall, over and over. Why do they keep coming back?” said Lake Placid attorney Matt Norfolk, who represents McCulley.

» Continue Reading.


Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Adirondack Downhill Ski Season Begins Thursday

2015 Whiteface Ski SeasonThe 2015-16 Adirondack skiing and snowboarding season will kick-off on Thanksgiving morning at Whiteface Mountain. The season is beginning on schedule at state facilities with extensive snow-making operations, despite a warmer than normal autumn.

Temperatures in Lake Placid are forecast to be near 50 on Thursday and Friday. Gore Mountain in North Creek will open on Friday – no other ski facilities are expected to be open this weekend.

You can learn more about downhill facility improvements and plans for the upcoming season in Jeff Farbaniec’s 2015-16 Ski Season Preview. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, November 5, 2015

Adirondack Downhill Ski Season Preview 2015-16

Whiteface Oct 30 2015It may seem like fall is reluctant to give up its grip on the northeast, but ski season is just around the corner.  Gore and Whiteface are targeting the day after Thanksgiving to start spinning their lifts, with most other New York ski areas following suit shortly thereafter.  Here’s a look at what’s new for skiers and riders across the region. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Whiteface Seeks Changes To Porcupine Lodge

Early Whiteface Mountain Trail MapThe Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) are seeking public comments about a proposal from the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) to renovate and expand Porcupine Lodge on Lookout Mountain at the Whiteface Mountain Ski Area.

The lodge is located in an Adirondack Sub-alpine Forest Bird Conservation Area a short distance from the top lift terminal of the newly developed Lookout Mountain Triple Chairlift.  Public comments are being accepted until October 22, 2015» Continue Reading.


Monday, March 23, 2015

A Fish Creek Ponds Ski Tour

Follensby_snow-600x308The winter started out promising with a good snowfall in December, but later in the month rains washed away most of the snowpack. We received a bit of light, fluffy powder the week after Christmas, but not enough to make most trails skiable.

And so, not for the first time in recent winters, we opted for a ski tour across backcountry ponds.

When people think of pond skiing, they usually think of the Seven Carries in the St. Regis Canoe Area. Indeed, Carol MacKinnon Fox and I skied the Seven Carries route on January 2 and found the conditions ideal: a few inches of light snow on top of rock-solid ice, with no slush. We had such a good time that the next day we decided to try the ponds just to the south of the Canoe Area.

The St. Regis Canoe Area is justly celebrated for its many ponds, but if you look at a map, you’ll see that there is an even greater concentration of water south of Floodwood Road in the vicinity of Fish Creek. The ponds in this region and the Canoe Area belong to the same glacier-sculpted landscape. In fact, the Adirondack Council has recommended that the state close most of Floodwood Road and expand the Canoe Area to encompass an additional twenty-six ponds. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Skiing The Marcy Trail

Tim Peartree ascends Mount Marcy in a whiteout Sunday. Photos by Phil Brown.This has been a great winter for powder skiing in the backcountry, thanks to a two-month-plus stretch of cold weather without a serious thaw. Alas, that stretch ended last week, leaving me a bit apprehensive about ski conditions.

On Sunday, I skied Mount Marcy with my neighbor, Tim Peartree, starting from Adirondak Loj. As it turned out, the trail was in great shape for skiing. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Skiing To Big Bad Luck Pond

adirondack skiingWhat better way to mark Friday the 13th than a trip to Big Bad Luck Pond?

Recent warm weather had transformed the snow from delightful dry powder into heavy wet stuff  – “mashed potatoes” to Eastern skiers.   The going was slow, but I managed the six mile round trip in three and a half hours.  The trail was obviously designed with hikers in mind.  The sharp turns make it a challenge for skiers, so advanced intermediate skills are needed. » Continue Reading.



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