Whiteface / Lake Placid 2019

[RidgeRacer]

Tough guy on the gondi was going on about how gore is so much better. Then goes on to admit that today is fantastic and he's glad he's here. Gore is comparable to S. VT. WF is on a whole different level. IMO

[RidgeRacer]

Eat at Smoke Signals. And let me know if upper empire is open. All the years going only open once and it was awesome
Enjoy!

@tarponhead rope dropped on upper empire. A bit thin in spots but lots of fun. Narrow as hell

[guitar73]

43 minutes ago, RidgeRacer said:

@tarponhead rope dropped on upper empire. A bit thin in spots but lots of fun. Narrow as hell

looks tasty.

 

@Schif to me WF skis small. not vertically, of course, but it's not a very wide or expansive mtn.

[Schif]

The trees look dense there. Hows the off piste action? Or is that non-existent? 

[RidgeRacer]

The trees look dense there. Hows the off piste action? Or is that non-existent? 

Only glades open are cloudsplitter (pic)
skied them before but not feelin' it. Opted to stay on Empire.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Ridge doesn’t ski glades anymore.   Did you have lunch?

[guitar73]

I've found that glades in the ADK tend to be tight b/c of the type of trees there. I like my glades a little more open.

[RidgeRacer]

Ridge doesn’t ski glades anymore.   Did you have lunch?

I did. BLT with chips. Back out. Rode the gondi and skied empire again. Getting boney so that was probably the last go on it for this trip. Great run though. Riding the lookout triple for some long cruising action on Wilmington. My legs are starting to feel it. Not leaving though. Too fucking good out here.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

3 minutes ago, guitar73 said:

I've found that glades in the ADK tend to be tight b/c of the type of trees there. I like my glades a little more open.

Ski good or eat wood.  

[RidgeRacer]

Not many people here at all. Gore guy on the gondi was complaining about crowds here. I told him that he should ski PA if he wants to experience real crowds. Dude seemed pretty clueless

[JFskiDan]

1 hour ago, RidgeRacer said:

Only glades open are cloudsplitter (pic)
skied them before but not feelin' it. Opted to stay on Empire.

I remember these glades when we were there.  Fun.  

[Johnny Law]

1 hour ago, guitar73 said:

I've found that glades in the ADK tend to be tight b/c of the type of trees there. I like my glades a little more open.

You are correct. Tree density is determined largely by canopy width at full maturity which is related to 10000 things but quality of the soil is pretty major. The ADK's skiing region is mostly slope spruce with very rocky soils. ADK is part of the canadian shield mtns not the Appalachians. The mtns are not old, the Apps are worn down ancient mtns but the daks are stupid old bedrock that was forced up as a result of the last ice age (10k years).

VT Green mtns are the apps and alot of skiing lies withing the southern and northern piedmont region where soil is better and there are more northern hardwoods which are slightly wider spaced because they get bigger canopies. Basically the upper portions of the Daks are spruce and balasm fir that are packed together because the ground sucks to grow in, 2500 ft and below in the Daks where the soil is better and there are more Northern Hardwoods which go all the way to the top in VT except Mansfield which has Krummholz. ADK Krummholz is much lower and there are large sections of lichen and non tree areas in the Daks which are way more rare in VT.

ADK glades ski really well too it's just a much different place than the Greens or Whites.

 

Here are some good resources about the trees in these regions - https://www.esf.edu/aec/adks/forestcomm.htm

https://www.fs.fed.us/ne/newtown_square/publications/resource_bulletins/pdfs/2003/ne_rb158.pdf

 

Edited February 28, 2019 by Johnny Law

[RidgeRacer]

I'm done. Went just short of bell to bell; the legs were done. Finished with a 3000 plus vert Parons run to mid mountain to the base. Great ski day today.

[tarponhead]

[mention=3245]tarponhead[/mention] rope dropped on upper empire. A bit thin in spots but lots of fun. Narrow as hell

I’m glad you got it! Especially early as you can see it gets skied off pretty quick. My boys and I had 3 runs down it and the 3rd run was pretty spicy.

[tarponhead]

Also highly recommend Lisa Gs. Good to great dinner and the bar is roomy enough so you should not have to wait

[RidgeRacer]

Also highly recommend Lisa Gs. Good to great dinner and the bar is roomy enough so you should not have to wait

At a place called Wyatt's Tex Mex. The smell lured me in. May regret it later

[tarponhead]

At a place called Wyatt's Tex Mex. The smell lured me in. May regret it later

Lake Placid is weird food wise. Got some gems but also some real dogs. Good luck

[RidgeRacer]

Another bluebird day with no wind on tap. -2 right now but temps increasing quickly. Should be in the 20s by noon or so. Should be fun!

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Just now, RidgeRacer said:

Another bluebird day with no wind on tap. -2 right now but temps increasing quickly. Should be in the 20s by noon or so. Should be fun!

Have fun. How long are you there till??  How was the Mexican food?

[RidgeRacer]

Wyatt's was awesome. I'll be sure to visit them again. The plan is to ski all day today and leave lake Placid. Not sure if I'm staying somewhere tonight on going all the way home. Living that drifter life today. I have the Empire ski card and with today's ticket I break even on it (maybe a little better). I need more days are either WF, Gore or Belle to make it a great deal so I'm trying to figure out when and where at this point. Worst case it's Belle a few days. We'll see.

 

 

[trackbiker]

39 minutes ago, RidgeRacer said:

Wyatt's was awesome. I'll be sure to visit them again. The plan is to ski all day today and leave lake Placid. Not sure if I'm staying somewhere tonight on going all the way home. Living that drifter life today. I have the Empire ski card and with today's ticket I break even on it (maybe a little better). I need more days are either WF, Gore or Belle to make it a great deal so I'm trying to figure out when and where at this point. Worst case it's Belle a few days. We'll see.

 

 

Hit Gore on the way home. I skied there the past two weekends and conditions were good. If you like glades, I hear the ones off Burnt Ridge are skiing really well now with the recent snow.

Just a tip: If you go, boot up and get your ticket at the Ski Bowl. Much less crowded than the base lodge and easy to get to Burnt Ridge.

[PSUFrankenstein]

I'm enjoying your pics - how long is the drive home for you?

[RidgeRacer]

I'm enjoying your pics - how long is the drive home for you?

Thanks. About 5 and a half hours.

 

On the gondi. Were about 100 people in front of me. Car said 0 but feels much warmer. Conditions should be similar to yesterday. In the words of a certain singer. It's a beautiful day.

[RidgeRacer]

First fast run off little WF down approach to mountain run back to the gondi. 2600 vertical feet of soft cord and amazing views. Had to stop for a pic

[RidgeRacer]

Went to the summit, skyward to lower cloudspin, complete with chowder and even some titty sparkles. Cloudspin is a fucking gem of a run. Was always closed whenever I've been here.