Whiteface 3-31-15

[Ride Delaware ?]

I'm looking to continue my summer trip report series, so I figured I would post this gem from Whiteface.  I have one last set of photos from Gore that I'll create into a trip report sometime around the first of the month.  

 

The past two years I have purchased the Fox 44 discount card from My Champlain Valley.  What a steal.  This year they added Whiteface for a minimal cost increase.  I decided to hit Gore and Whiteface on my north to the MRV even though Whiteface is particularly out of the way.  I had ridden at Gore the day before, so I drove up the night of the 30th, grabbed a cheap room in Lake Placid at one of the budget chain hotels, and grabbed some food downtown at a brewpub of sorts.  

 

I woke up the next morning to about an inch of snow on the car.  It might have been slightly less.  I grabbed some snacks at the breakfast "buffet" before heading over to the mountain.  I got in about 8:45, was excited to see about 4" of fresh, and booted up in the lot.  I had never been to Whiteface before, and this place is really out here.  The temperature was quite mild at around 30 degrees.  

 

There were definitely some cars in the lot, but it was still a weekday late season, so I was hardly afraid of running into crowds.  I walked across the bridge and noticed the mountain was looking mighty fine.  I went to the ticket window but was told I would have to redeem the ticket at the customer service desk on the 2nd floor.  I was able to get it at Gore at the ticket window, so I gave them some lip about similar management practices etc, then headed down to the gondola.  

 

I had to share a couple cabins, but it was many.  Most of them I rode solo, especially after 11 AM when everyone had spread out.  I couldn't tell you where I went, but I lapped the gondi several times before heading elsewhere.  It was really easy to find some fresh snow.  The snow was wet, but there was no crust, so it was still a bunch of fun.  Really bumped up after a couple hours.  

 

The slides weren't open, but coverage looked pretty decent.  I'm sure it was because of the wet snow.  I hit a couple runs off the top and I was still getting freshies on the front face until I left.  I hit some glades here and there which had pretty good spacing, but there were a fair amount of obstacles underneath the freshies.  I was on the rock board, so it didn't stop me from exploring.  

 

I did a couple laps on the newest terrain (Lookout?) before going back for a couple final runs on the gondi.  The trails were long, kinda flat, and really slow at times with the fresh snow, but I could see some cruising potential with some groomed hard pack.  There were some really long nice looking glades, but they were closed and I didn't take the time to find the entrances anyway.  

 

After about 5 hours on the slopes, I packed up and headed for the car.  I left about 2:30 and rolled into the Bush about 6:30.  It was a fun little trip and I would make it a yearly excursion if they continue to offer that discount card.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

+insert smart ass comment by doug about this report coming in the summer+

I liked the report...RideDE did you ski any runs off the summit. Skiinge entire 3216 verts is quite an experience.

[Ride Delaware ?]

I didn't hike. Just went to the top of lift served. Love how they point out your passing the peak of all these other New England mountains on the lift ride.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I didn't hike. Just went to the top of lift served. Love how they point out your passing the peak of all these other New England mountains on the lift ride.

I think I remember that and the various Olympic runs are labeled. It's crazy how close the northern green mountains are as the crow flys from whiteface but how far the drive is. Another near thing is although whiteface seems pretty far inland, from whiteface you can see mount Mansfield and from mount Mansfield you can see mount Washington and you can see mount Washington from the southern Maine coast.

[guitar73]

that snow looked tasty!  nice pics.  you def hit up WF at a good time.  that's a steep mtn and very icy during mid-winter.  def need freshly sharpened edges there, lol!

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

How was the snowpack compared to Sugarbush.

[mbike-ski]

the view down lookout below (pic#2) never gets old, nice summer stoke. We ski'd there that Friday and Saturday and the coverage was great.

[Ride Delaware ?]

How was the snowpack compared to Sugarbush.

No real comparison. The natural snow just wasn't there. Sugarbush was deep and just as cold. I wasn't hitting anything at the Bush. I was hitting everything at the face. There were also plenty of bare spots coming through at the base.

[tarponhead]

WF is mostly eastern facing and south trails off of lookout mountain facing due south so it can be beat up late season. That said, woods off of little WF are north facing.