Big Tupper is Back Again!

The Board of Directors for ARISE announced Friday that they plan on re-opening Big Tupper Ski Area for the 2013-2014 ski season. ARISE and Big Tupper Management recently met to discuss the overall operation, and to review the financial challenges they are faced with. ARISE Chairman Jim LaValley said that this years operation will be handled entirely by volunteers. He went on to say that, “even though the operation is all volunteer, the people involved bring incredible experience and knowledge about the ski industry. And even though the ski experience will be a no frills operation, it will provide a great ski experience.”

This season, Big Tupper will not be selling pre-season passes, but will wait for enough snow to arrive before offering any ticket sales. Day passes will cost $25, and ARISE is working on discount pricing for books of 5 or 10 passes. ARISE Board Member Russ Cronin, Jr. said, “ because we do not have snowmaking, we thought the best financial approach for the skiing public is to wait until we have enough snow. We are hoping for a great skiing winter.”

LaValley said that, “our lifts have been inspected, trails will be mowed, and our application to the Adirondack Park Agency has been submitted. We were left with enough money to get ourselves to the point of opening. And, we will be holding a couple of fundraising events to help with some of the larger expenses, including insurance and grooming.”

After ARISE operated the ski area for three seasons, and forced to close last winter, the community is already showing its excitement as word has begun to spread about opening this season. LaValley said, “ARISE’s mission is to provide the community of Tupper Lake with an effort to improve the local economy. It became abundantly clear last year that Big Tupper Ski Area has a huge impact and we have to do everything we can to keep it operating while waiting for the Adirondack Club project to work through the Article 78 lawsuit.” LaValley added, “ARISE will be announcing some other economic initiatives within the next 60 days that will bring additional positive news to the community. We believe that the Article 78 lawsuit will be over in the very near future, and now is the time to begin planning for other business inquiries that have already begun to develop as a result of the Adirondack Club and Resort.”

This season Steve Stevenson will serve as Coordinator, while Don Dew, Jr. And Kate Bencze will share the responsibilities of being Administrative and Volunteer Managers. Cliff Lamere will continue as Lift Operations Manager, and Bill Mozdzier will continue as Trails Manager.

source: SkiBigTupper.org

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Four New Trail Additions at Gore Mountain for 2013/14 Season

Four new trails will debut this winter at Gore Mountain. The largest trail expansion is the “Boreas Glades,” presenting an amazing mile-plus Burnt Ridge Mountain adventure.  Located between “Barkeater Glades” and the huge “Sagamore” trail, “Boreas” enters into a variety of firs and balsams before meeting up with the Northern Hardwood Forest and picturesque ledges, ending on the “Eagle’s Nest” trail.  “Boreas” is the Greek God of the North Wind associated with winter.  It is also the name of a nearby river that flows into the Hudson, Gore Mountain’s water supply for snowmaking.

The “Hedges” trail will provide new access from the top of the Burnt Ridge Quad to the “Tahawus” trail on the North Side. “Hedges” will facilitate smoother transitions around Gore’s four-mountain network of terrain.

Two other new glades will enhance Gore Mountain’s ongoing redevelopment of the Historic North Creek Ski Bowl.  Guests should look for the “Ridge Runner Glades” connecting “The Oak Ridge Trail” to “Moxham” and the “Little Gore Glades” connecting the top of “Village Slopes” to the Hudson Chair lift.  The lower portion of “Moxham” was widened for better access into the North Creek Ski Bowl as well as making a better starting location for freestyle events.

Snowmaking enhancements include powerful tower-mounted fan guns in both the Saddle area above the entrance to “Twister” and on “Cloud.”  Additional pipe work, tower gun installations, and other reconfigurations that add to the strength and efficiency of the system are in place.

For information about all of Gore Mountain’s activities and improvements, call (518) 251-2411, or visit www.goremountain.com.

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NY’s North Creek Ski Bowl on Gore Mountain to Expand

By First Tracks!! Online Media, link to original post

Developers of the Ski Bowl Village and the Town of Johnsburg have reached an agreement to expand North Creek Ski Bowl on Gore Mountain in New York’s Adirondacks this winter.

FrontStreet Mountain Development officials announced the agreement to lease former Ski Bowl trails on their property to the town, supplementing a similar agreement reached in 2011 that allowed the installation of the new Hudson triple chairlift and several advanced trails and glades.

“This action will greatly expand the Ski Bowl portion of Gore Mountain and will help bring skiers into the village of North Creek,” said Ski Bowl Village Project Manager Mac Crikelair. “We are proud to be part of the public/private effort to expand Gore Mountain and the economy of North Creek.”

The Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) operates Ski Bowl’s lifts, trails and tubing park on land owned by the town. It is connected to the larger Gore Mountain ski area, also operated by ORDA, linking the village of North Creek to Gore’s lifts and trails.

Gore Mountain general manager Mike Pratt indicated that the new agreement will allow at least one new glade for the coming winter, with the potential for more permanent ski trails in subsequent seasons.

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Lost Ski Areas of the Northern Adirondacks – Coming 2014!

I am excited to announce that a fourth book on Lost Ski Areas, this time covering the Northern Adirondacks, is presently being researched/written and will be out late summer or early fall, 2014! This book will be very similar to the Southern Adirondacks book, and will be published by The History Press.

Lost Ski Areas of the Southern Adirondacks

Research has just begun, but there are already interesting discoveries and historic photos uncovered. If you have anything to contribute, please let me know (email: nelsap@yahoo.com). I’m looking for photos, trails maps, stories, newspaper articles, etc.

The book will cover the area from Ticonderoga w’ward to the edge of the Adirondacks and north to Canada. The exact western edge has not been determined yet.

In addition, there will be some exciting changes coming to the NELSAP.org website in the next few months!

For info on Lost Ski Areas of the Southern Adirondacks click here.

Jeremy Davis
source: Snow Journal

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Snowlink – a resource for those who love to play in the snow

SnowSports Industries America’s consumer website, Snowlink.com, can help consumers plan a weekend getaway or a weeklong vacation in the mountains to play in the snow.

SnowSports Industries America (SIA) created Snowlink.com, a FREE resource for consumers to research everything they need for heading out to their favorite local resort or planning a family mountain vacation. Snowlink provides an introduction to skiing, snowboarding, cross country and snowshoeing, tips on shipping your gear, this season’s style trends, a women’s-only section, a resort and retail finder and much more.

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GLOSSARY: 22 SNOW TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many variables affect snow conditions at resorts. Among these are temperature, the sun’s rays, gusting winds, humidity, a thaw-freeze cycle, snowpack depth, slope exposure, rain and snowfall.

Upon arriving at a ski area, go to the information desk and find out what kind of conditions you’ll face on the slopes that day.

Here’s a glossary of 22 snow conditions that can be found at ski areas:

BASE: Heavy, wet snow laid down before a resort opens to create a foundation to last the entire season.

BOILERPLATE: A slippery, glazed covering of ice on a run that can occur after it rains or when wet snow freezes.

BREAKABLE CRUST: A hard snow surface atop a softer layer. Such a crust could break under the weight of a turning ski.

BROKEN POWDER: Fresh powder that has been chopped up by skiers and snowboarders into soft mounds or chunks. Intermediates may find them tricky to navigate.

CHAMPAGNE POWDER: Coveted snow that’s exceptionally light and fluffy, like feathers in a pillow. It occurs under ideal weather conditions in higher elevations of Rocky Mountain states such as Colorado and Utah.

CORDUROY: Best of the best for intermediates. It’s an early morning snowpack that has just been machine-groomed to perfection on wide, easy-to-navigate runs.

CORN: A springtime delight is the pellet snow that resembles corn. It’s ideal for grooming.

CORNICE: An overhanging accumulation of wind-blown snow on the edge of a ridge or cliff.

FIRST TRACKS: A prearranged opportunity to ski on ungroomed or freshly groomed snow – depending on your skill – a half-hour or hour before the entire mountain opens to the public.

FLURRIES: Snow falling for short durations with changes in intensity. They usually result in little accumulation.

GROOMED: Slope terrain that is machine-groomed by snowcats to a smooth surface, with no moguls or hardpack.

HARDPACK or BULLETPROOF: Snow that seems as firm, solid and unforgiving as a city sidewalk because of weather conditions or because there hasn’t been recent snowfall. Turning and edging is more difficult, skis have a tendency to slide and taking a spill on hardpack can be painful. Many beginner and intermediate skiers and boarders mistakenly call hardpack ice.

MAN-MADE: Snow artificially produced by high-tech snowmaking systems.

MOGULS: Bumps of varied sizes on snow created by many skiers and snowboarders turning in the same places.

PACKED POWDER: Soft snow turned over and compacted by grooming machines to make slopes easier to ski.

POWDER: A thin, dry surface of snow consisting of loose, fresh ice crystals.

RAILROAD TRACKS: Hard, corrugated snow with ridges. Skis make a clickety-clack sound as they drop down a slope. Lesser-skilled riders should avoid such slopes. The ridges are rock-hard and can throw riders off balance. Falling on this snow type can be especially painful.

SLAB: Compacted or frozen snow lying beneath freshly fallen snow. It has the potential of sliding and starting an avalanche.

SLUSH: The sluggish, sticky morass caused by a hot, cloudless spring day that melts snow at the base of a ski mountain.

SNOWFALL: The depth of newly fallen snow.

SNOWPACK: Total snow on the ground, including new and old snow.

TABLETOP: A mound of snow with the top sheared off to provide a flat, level surface for snowboarders to jump over.

(By WALT ROESSING / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News)

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9 Favorite Cross-country Ski Trails in Monroe, Wayne, and Ontario Counties

It’s winter – time to plan for some fun in the snow. If you live in or near Monroe, Wayne or Ontario Counties, there are trails nearby that provide opportunities for a quick evening moonlit ski or a longer weekend outing. Here are 10 of my favorites.

Monroe County
1. Mendon Ponds Park in Mendon has 20 miles of groomed trails for all levels of ability. The trails wind among the eskers, kames and kettle ponds of this glacially sculpted landscape. It’s a popular winter playground for avid skiers.
2. Powder Mills Park in Pittsford is another hilly park with 8 miles of marked, groomed trails.
3. For less hilly terrain, try Webster Park along the shore of Lake Ontario. It is the beneficiary of lake effect snows. Escape into the wilderness in the middle of suburbia on a myriad of loop trails.
4. Genesee Country Nature Center in Mumford is great for families. There’s a small entrance fee, but you’ll find 4.5 miles of easy, groomed trails, a warming hut, and restrooms. Plus you can rent skis or snowshoes on site.

Ontario County
5. Canadice Lake Trail parallels the west shore of Canadice Lake with gorgeous views for an easy 7.4 mile round trip. For more of a challenge, try the side loop trails up the steep hillside.
6. Cumming Nature Center is a week-end family favorite with amenities and equipment rentals. It offers 15 miles of groomed trails. There is a small entrance fee.
7. Skiers’ Mecca is Harriet Hollister State Memorial Recreation Area south of Honeoye Lake. This park sits at high elevation and promises snow cover when the rest of the area is barren. The 20 miles of trails are groomed by volunteers from the N.Y.S. Section V Ski League and are used for ski races. The trails wind through pristine woods and one trail offers a panoramic view north over Honeoye Lake.

Wayne County
8. Casey Park in Ontario offers a 1.8-mile round trip on a flat trail along the shore of a lake that formed in an old iron ore quarry. The more adventurous can continue around the lake on the hilly, narrow north shore trail with gorgeous views down to the lake.
9. Blue Cut Nature Center sits between Newark and Lyons. Here you’ll find 2 miles of easy trails through the woods and along a marshland. The trails are free, but don’t expect amenities.

When you head out to ski, it’s helpful to have a guide specific to winter such as the local guidebook “Snow Trails.” The guide describes which parking areas are plowed in winter, which roads remain unplowed and become part of the ski trail network. You’ll also learn how each trail is rated in terms of beginner, intermediate and expert runs, and which trails are too narrow and steep and are best left for adventurers on snowshoes.

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1/2 off Swain Ski Passes

Enjoy the snow while it’s here! One way is to get your 1/2 off Swain passes.
Click here to save 50% on Vouchers to Swain Resorts.

Swain.com

 

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Singing the Praises of Smartwool for Winter Sports

I have a new favorite fabric for being more comfortable while skiing! And that is Smartwool! I expect any merino wool fabric will perform the same, but Smartwool has a nice product line. I have occasionally worn their socks, and have long worn their glove liners, but now have moved onto a Smartwool base layer shirt and gloves and socks full time.
The wool is claimed to be non-itchy and probably is. It is so close to non-itchy that what I find may be imagination. What it excels at is comfort when damp (much less clammy than the Sporthill synthetics I also use) and warmth. I have also tried the Smartwool long underwear and found it to be extremely comfortable, just the thing for 5 or 10 degrees F.
Wool can be expensive, but it is reported to wear like iron. Bargain purchases can be had at www.sierratradingpost.com . If you give them your email, they often send coupons for free shipping and up to 35% off anything.

by Gary Reif (I think) via the Rochester Nordic Ski newsletter :Feb 2013 newsletter vol 39 issue 4c

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Bristol Mountain Snow Angel Encourages Kindness

Bristol Mountain Snow Angel

Click here to read about the snow angel: Making Friends with the Bristol Mountain Snow Angel in the Finger Lakes

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