Hurricane Mountain, NY: 8/21/10

by Highpeaksdrifter

(click map to enlarge)

The day that my wife, youngest son, and I hiked Hurricane Mountain, it was overcast, but conditions were nice — around 70 degrees with no bugs. There are three ways up Hurricane. We decided on the north route, which starts at the end of O’Toole Road. From the trailhead, the hike to the 3,678-foot bald summit is about three miles. The most popular route to the summit is from Route 9N — in purple on the map. But we chose the trailhead on O'Toole Road. We snagged the last available parking spot and headed off.

Governor Paterson's Rafting Trip

Photo: Jim Swedberg

Governor Paterson recently took a 2-day rafting trip through the Hudson Gorge with Beaver Brook Outfitters. Politics aside, it's a good thing whenever a governor experiences first-hand the outdoor recreation opportunities that we have in the mountains of New York.

Congratulations to Pete Burns and Beaver Brook Outfitters for being selected for the honor of guiding the Governor on the river.

Full story in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.

Friday Fantasy Photo #13

Blondie on the Tug • Snow Ridge, NY • Dec 7, 2008

Hunter Mountain's Kaatskill Flyer

Hunter Mountain has released photos and video footage of what will be New York State's only high-speed six-pack detachable chair: the "Kaatskill Flyer." The new lift could be a game-changer for Hunter on busy weekends and holidays.

Baxter Mountain, NY: 8/20/10

by Highpeaksdrifter

View of Dix from Baxter

MB and I were busy on Friday morning, but it was such a beautiful day, we knew that we had to take at least a short hike. We'd never done Baxter and decided to give it a try. I'd read good things about it, and after reading an article about upland development, I wanted to see the view for myself.

Friday Fantasy Photo #12

Jamesdeluxe on Plunge • Plattekill, NY • Feb 27, 2010

"The snow was incredibly deep in Delaware County. So deep that with the consistency of the snow, the trees were basically unskiable. Waist deep. We stuck to the sides of the "groomers" weaving in and out of the untracked and the huge soft bumps..."

Gore Mountain Progress Report

Snowmaking Pipe on Peaceful Valley

Gore Mountain Brochure (1991)

(click image to enlarge)

Friday Fantasy Photo #11

AC sizes up Slide 4 • Whiteface, NY • April 3, 2008

St. Regis Canoe Area Pond Hopping

by Highpeaksdrifter

Recently Bill and I did some exploring in the St. Regis Canoe Area. Our loop started and ended at Upper St. Regis Lake. (Click images to enlarge).

It’s a nice enough spot, dotted with expensive camps with motor boats. My wife and I have paddled it before. She enjoys looking at the different camps and boat houses on the islands, but that wasn't the experience Bill and I were after. Fortunately, it is a short trip from the put-in to the first easy carry over to Bog Pond. I was happy to leave the lake behind. Bog Pond is in a pleasant setting. It’s very small and surrounded by a lot of colorful vegetation.

Friday Fantasy Photo #10

Buddy John • Central Adirondacks, NY • Jan 19, 2009

Skiing the Whiteface Slides

by Highpeaksdrifter

photo by Mike White

The Slides at Whiteface offer some of the best and most unique slack-country skiing in the East. I don't pretend to know everything about them, but I'll share what I know and what I've learned. I hope others will comment on their experiences.

Slide 1

After the traverse, hang a quick right and you’re in Slide 1. The first half is like an ungroomed Skyward: relatively steep and wide open. Then you come to the waterfall, which is where you'll have to make some decisions.

If the snow is right, you can ski right down the waterfall, hop-turning from one level to the next. A few of the hardcores huck the entire thing or parts of it. Not me, I like to ski down it when conditions are right, but when it’s solid ice, I go around.

Many people traverse to the skier’s far right to go around it. The trip around this way can be tricky. It's loaded with bushes, small trees, ice and rocks. I don't want to overstate it. It's easier then the waterfall, but it sure isn't groomed. Others go left into Slides 2 and 3 to get around the waterfall.

Slide 2

Slide 2 looks short in the photo and many ski it short. The top part is open, fun, and relatively easy. When skiers come to the trees, they either turn right into Slide 1 or left into Slide 3. In my experience, you get the most out of Slide 2 by going through the trees in front of you. They're tight at first, but then they open up and the terrain gets steep. The trees in this section ski really nicely and are, to me, the best part of this slide.

Slide 3

The top of Slide 3 is pretty tight in spots. Because of vegetation, there are a couple of mostly blind turns that you should be careful of. I once had a double release in one of them, and have paid extra attention there ever since. After the initial tight spots, it opens up quite a bit. As the snow starts to melt, rock slabs with drops start to appear where it turns back to the bottom of Slide 1, which makes the skiing more technical. Slide 3 is my favorite.

Slide 4

It's a long traverse over to Slide 4. It’s always the first slide to close because melting snow exposes rock slabs in the traverse’s path which makes access difficult or impossible. The first two-thirds of Slide 4 is relatively easy skiing, then it gets very narrow with tight trees and a mandatory drop. When there's a lot of snow, it’s no problem, but if it’s icy, good luck.

You can get around the ice, but that's not easy due to the terrain and tight trees. At the bottom, you have to be careful not to miss the right turn that brings you to Slide Out. If there are tracks, you can follow them; if not, look for a red ribbon on a tree. Actually there might be a sign marking it now. If you miss the turn, you're forced to go through some very tight trees that take you to the bottom of Blazer’s Bluff. I know people who have gone this way, both by accident and on purpose. All have said that they won’t do it again.

Skiing the Whiteface Slides: Part 2

by Highpeaksdrifter

While Slides 1-4 are easily accessed from the Summit Quad, there are other slides on Whiteface, that require work to access. I haven't skied them, but I’ll relay what I have learned from others.