Major Snow! Whiteface opens Summit!

Photo from flickr member dgstokes007

This weekend we dealt with the major storm that brought varying forms of precipitation to the entire Northeast. The storm dropped around 18 inches in town with 21" falling on the slopes of Whiteface. This has led to the opening of Summit trails Paron's and The Follies served by the old Lift 6, now known as the Summit Quad. These trails are blue squares and can make for a nice long run from top to bottom, with both trails emptying out onto the popular Excelsior trail.


The glades are also open at Whiteface, and they are in impressive condition, with up to 4 ft of snow base in some spots. 65 trails are open! The skiing/riding is ridiculously good, and Skyward (the steep black diamond summit trail that served as the start of the Women's Downhill in the '80 Winter Games) will be opening this weekend.

Also of note, all 31 miles of the cross-country ski trails at the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg are now open as well.

This holiday season in the Adirondacks is shaping up to be one of the most beautiful and active yet! Don't miss out - come check it out!

World Cup Bobsled & Skeleton!

Photos from flickr user rsgdodge

This weekend, The Olympic Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg will be hosting the third stop of the Veissmann FIBT World Cup competition. Skeleton (single rider, head-first) races are scheduled for Friday, with bobsled (2 man and 4 man) races taking place Saturday and Sunday.

Look for Germany and the US to continue duking out their rivalry on the ice in bobsleigh, while the Brits, Canucks and Yanks are likely to dominate the skeleton races. Admission is free when you bring a new unwrapped toy (stop by the ORDA store on Main St. in Lake Placid for extra passes). Saturday and Sunday will also feature trackside parties and giveaways throughout the day and an ongoing party at the base lodge with the Lake Placid Bavarians and Santa.

Schedule details

Good Eats: Casa del Sol

Casa del Sol is is a small Mexican restaurant located on the way into Saranac Lake from Lake Placid. The place is open for dinner Wednesdays through Saturdays beginning at 4:30 and gets busy quickly - it is better suited for couples or grown families. Inside it's cozy with Mexican art on the walls, colorful candlelit tile tables and a small bar. The menu includes specialties like diablitos de oro - mussels in a fiery tequila broth as well as staples like chimichangas, enchiladas, tostadas and chile relleno. It's easy on the wallet too, with items ranging from $8 to $18 and solid margaritas to boot.

Casa does not take credit cards or reservations, so call ahead to check if there is a wait (518) 891-0977.

Lace up your skates! Olympic Oval now Open!

Photo from flickr user abizeleth

For 07-08 there is public skating weekdays (except Tuesday) from 7-9 pm and weekends/holiday periods from 1-3 pm and 7-9 pm. Bring your skates or rent for just $3 a pair.

A bit of history: at the 1980 Olympics, speed skater Eric Heiden won all five events here (a record breaking 5 gold medals!), setting four Olympic records and a world record in the 10,000 meter. He beat the record by 6.2 seconds after oversleeping following the legendary Miracle on Ice USA vs USSR hockey game the night before!



Check conditions and the oval webcam via ORDA. Call (518) 523-1655 for more information.