Major Snow! Winter Carnival this Weekend!

We received a foot of the white stuff overnight, and the extended forecast is pointing to snow every day for the next 10 days!


Photo from flickr user Capn Tom

The Ice Palace is finished and lit in preparation for this weekend's culmination of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival! Highlights include Saturday's Parade at 1pm, on Main St and Broadway, with floats and performances tied into this year's Horray for Hollywood theme as well as fireworks on Sunday night at 7.

Check out the Full Schedule of Events

Nokia FIS Snowboard World Cup at Whiteface

The Visa US Snowboarding Cup / NOKIA FIS Snowboard World Cup will be happening at Whiteface February 29-March 3.


In addition to PGS (gates) and individual SBX (snowboard cross) events, this year will feature a team SBX event - a unique competition not usually seen anywhere but the X-Games.

Check out this video of the 2007 competition:


Saturday night, March 1 will also feature the Paul Mitchell Progression Session at the Olympic Speed Skating Oval - a Big Air/Wall Ride Exhibition, with live music by The Press Project, giveaways and games. Don't miss out!

Full Schedule of Events via ORDA

See it here first - Lake Placid Aerials: VIDEO

This past weekend's Nature Valley completions were a blast, and as hinted, I ended up at the night time aerials competition at the Lake Placid Ski Jumps. The band was a hit and the falling snow (not to mention the ridiculous flips and twists) topped off the whole experience for the energized crowd.

Jumpers from the US, Ukraine, Australia and more were on hand to test their skills - check out this short video I took:



See all the action this Sunday on NBC at 3:30. There's always something happening here. Come visit!

This Weekend: Nature Valley Freestyle Cup!

Today marks the beginning of this weekend's Nature Valley Freestyle Cup - FIS Freestyle World Cup, happening today, January 18 - Sunday, January 20, 2008 at Whiteface and the Olympic Jumping Complex (Ski Jumps). Today moguls training and showcases are taking place on Whiteface's Wilderness trail. A lift ticket is required to view the moguls competitions.

Saturday will be dedicated to the Aerials competition at the Ski Jumps. Training sessions begin at 12:15, with the fun really getting going at 6 pm when the nighttime aerial party kicks off, featuring live music by Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. The group's music is considered a mix of relentless reggae sound, Roots reggae and experimental dub (check out their music on MySpace). Mens and Women's Finals start just after 7:30.

Sunday involves Moguls training (8:15 am onward) and finals (2 pm) at Whiteface.

Of all the happenings, I'm personally most likely to attend the night time aerials competition because it sports some incredible jumps set off by the bright white snow and the dark night sky (and the nice festive atmosphere helps too!). Skiers and riders can easily survey the moguls action (Friday & Sunday) from the Little Whiteface / Mountain Run double chairs that lookout over the Wilderness trail.

Get the full schedule of events via ORDA.

If you won't be in the area this weekend, don't despair too much, you can relive some of the action on tv next Sunday, January 27th on NBC.

Coming Soon: 2008 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival!

A vintage ice castle shot! The 2008 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is fast approaching. The festivities are scheduled for February 1 - 10 and construction on the 2008 ice palace has begun. This year's theme is Hooray for Hollywood, which should make for some great parade floats.

According to the SL Winter Carnival official site, the carnival began "as a one-day event to break the monotony of the long Adirondack winter, the Carnival has grown into a ten-day festival that includes sporting activities, dances, dramatic and musical productions, two parades (one especially for children) and two sets of fireworks above the world famous Ice Palace. In spite of the many changes, the Carnival has retained the warmth, charm and camaraderie of a family and community celebration, replete with reunions of friends and families."

This event is the crown jewel for Saranac Lake and is a personal favorite. The parade is a hoot and the ice castle is always impressive, even more so for kids. Come check out the 111th Winter Carnival!

View my post on the 2007 Carnival here.

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.

Condé Nast Traveler rates Whiteface 4th on Continent!!

The appeal of spending a winter getaway in the High Peaks / Whiteface region of the Adirondacks is becoming an even more open secret...

From ORDA: Only Whistler in Canada, Aspen in Colorado and Deer Valley in Utah ranked ahead of Whiteface among the best places to ski and stay on the continent.

A Who’s Who of ski resorts was listed behind the Adirondack winter icon, including Park City, Stowe, Vail, Telluride, Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, Mont Tremblant, Beaver Creek, Snowmass, Steamboat and Lake Louise.

“This news may be the most humbling praise we could ever receive,” said Ted Blazer, President and CEO of ORDA. “To be near the top of that list, in the same breath as some of the greatest resorts in the world, will keep us motivated to enhance our varied winter experiences even further. I couldn’t be prouder of our staff that makes this accolade possible, and hats off to the surrounding hotels, motels, shops, restaurants and attractions that really round out our remarkable resort.”

“It is wonderful that our region is being recognized for the very things which we all live here for – the Adirondacks –our destination amenities –our Olympic venues and our quality of life,” said James McKenna, President of the Lake Placid / Essex County Visitors Bureau. “This combination of attributes clearly sets us apart from other resort areas for visitors and residents alike.”

Call (518) 891-2784 to hear about Harbor Hill's great Ski & Stay packages. Experience the winter wonderland that is Whiteface and the Olympic Region!

Whiteface Opens Today for 2007-2008 Season!

Today Whiteface Mountain opened for the 07-08 Winter season! Currently open trails include Exelsior, Summit Express, Upper Valley, Broadway and Lower Valley. The lifts servicing these trails will be the eight passenger Cloudsplitter Gondola and Face Lift quad. The Mixing Bowl as well as Danny's Bridge and Brookside are projected to open on Sunday. Click here to check on trail conditions.

Lessons at the Snow Sports School are also available. The Kids Kampus center for children ages 1-12 is also now open, offering various combinations of instruction and childcare.

White Stuff at Whiteface!

Whiteface made lots of snow this weekend, allowing somebody some very early tracks. Looks like this approaching snowstorm will bring salvation to early season skiers! Winter in the Adirondacks is an unparalleled vacation experience - come see for yourself!

photo: Whiteface/SkiNet

A Great Hike - Ampersand

Some of our guests climbed Ampersand over Columbus Weekend and shared this photo. Ampersand boasts a 3,352 foot bald summit with incredible 360* views including many lakes as well as the High Peaks. The 5.6 mile round trip hike takes about four hours. The first part of the trail is a mile long flat stretch through the forest which is followed by a steep ascent to the top, including some hand over hand bits. Great views in all directions make this a popular hike. Grab some sandwiches from the Lakeview Deli (just minutes from Harbor Hill & Ampersand) and dine at the summit (leaving nothing behind of course!).

Trust us - working up a little sweat hiking through the trees with your friends and family is a fond memory for many visitors and a true Adirondack vacation experience.

The trail head is 8 miles West of Saranac Lake on NY-3.

For more information on hiking Ampersand, check out: The Adirondack Mountain Club's guide to Ampersand

Fall & Winter in the Same Day...

As NYSEF (New York Ski Education Foundation) racers do a training skate up the Whiteface Memorial Highway, the season changes the higher they climb.

Photos by Pat Casey and Pete Vordenberg

Donnelly's Ice Cream

Photo from flickr user d-4ce

Operating out of a former Dairy, Donnelly's Ice Cream features the creamiest homemade soft serve. Each day, only one flavor is available, always twisted with vanilla. Weekends are always chocolate, while weekdays alternate through fruit, nut and other flavors. Last I visisted the flavor happened to be Strawberry, but no matter the flavor, you can't go wrong!

The shack, located at the intersection of Routes 86 & 186 is located in between the Paul Smiths College / Lake Clear Airport area and the village of Saranac Lake. Make a stop on the way back from the Saranac Inn Golf Course or just go for a drive. The mountain vista that faces the shop is pretty impressive in its own right. Donnelly's is open Memorial Day through Labor Day and should not be missed by any ice cream lovers. Til next year!

The WILD Center

The recently opened, 31 acre indoor/outdoor WILD Center at the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks is a fascinating set of live exhibits that help visitors understand the nature and science of the Adirondack Park.

"The Wild Center has live exhibits, and chances to hike and explore the Museum's 31- acre campus with naturalist guides or on your own. There are theaters with high definition films, plenty of hands-on nature, and hundreds of live animals from rare native trout, to river otters, to turtles the size of walnuts and many other often hard-to-see residents of the woods and waters."

Photos from flikr user ep4919

The brand new museum is drawing rave reviews for its engaging and breathtaking exhibits that make it a great destination for families.

Check out the New York Times article on the WILD Center.

Summer Hike: Pitchoff

My nephew and his friends came to visit recently, and they hiked Pitchoff. The summit sits at 3,497 ft and actually features several summits with views of the Cascade Lakes, Cascade Range Marcy, Colden & Algonquin as well as the Sentinel Range and Whiteface. On a clear summer day you can see Vermont's Green Mountains to the East. The trial is popular, although there will always be fewer people on this trail versus the nearby bald summit of Cascade. Some rock scrambling is involved in this otherwise moderate hike. Some rock portions can be slippery without appropriate footwear.

The trail head sits in between Keene and Saranac Lake on NY-73.

Golfing at Saranac Inn

Seymour Dunn, renowned Scottish golf pro and architect designed the Saranac Inn course in 1902. The 18 hole course was once part of The Saranac Inn, one of many Great Hotels in the Adirondacks before it burned in the 70s. The 18 hole course, located across the street from Upper Saranac Lake is considered to be among the best maintained in the Northeast and especially the Adirondacks. The course is challenging with fast greens and was awarded Golf Digest Best Places to Play - "The best course in the Adirondacks is immaculately maintained with friendly service and spectacular greens, tees and fairways." The Inn also offers rentals, lessons and a driving range.

To make a tee-time call (518) 891-1402.

World Cup Snowboarding at Whiteface!

This Week, Thursday March 8 and Saturday - Sunday, March 10-11, Whiteface will host the State Farm US Snowboard Cup.

Thursday and Sunday will see the SBX races including back-to-back world champion Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT), double X Games gold medalist Nate Holland (Squaw Valley, CA) and recently crowned U.S. champions Callan Chythlook-Sifsof (Girdwood, AK) and Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, MI). Jacobellis, Holland and Chythlook-Sifsof all podiumed earlier this month at the opening World Cup of the season in Furano, Japan.

Saturday, March 10 will be the half-pipe competiton with reigning halfpipe winners Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO), the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, and ’07 Grand Prix champion Tommy Czeschin (Mammoth Lakes, CA) back along with two-time X Games champion Steve Fisher (Breckenridge, CO) as the ‘Bear Superpipe’ hosts the world’s best for the third straight year.

Also on tap for Lake Placid is the crowd favorite Paul Mitchell Progression Session, this year staged at the MacKenzie Intervale Ski Jumping complex, home of the 1980 Olympic ski jumps. Riders will rocket down the ski jump outrun of the 120-meter ski jump into a monstrous 30-foot quarterpipe. Up for grabs at the end of the jam session is $7,500 in cash, plus an additional $2,500 for the rider who stomps the Rip It Trick of the Day.

Watch the halfpipe competition on NBC, Sunday, March 18 at noon.

All events are free to the public, for more information click here.

Loads of Snow!

This is a picture of my nephews playing in the snow in Saranac Lake. After the big recent storm that dropped around 30 inches of the white stuff, its been snowing near non-stop this weekend. 73 trails are open at Whiteface, with great conditions. I went Saturday and there was lots of snow and the glades were open! Lots of fluffy stuff to get distracted by.

There is great tubing and sledding happening at hills all over town - but the hills are especially long at the Lake Placid Club golf course. Check out Wilmington Road headed toward Whiteface (keep following Main St. south past the Olympic Arena and Stewarts, after the second stop light look to the left). Tubes and sleds are available at Rite-Aid and sometimes Price Chopper.

The Toboggan Shoot in Lake Placid is also open! Read about it in my previous post here.