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Downhill Skiing
Listings for downhill ski centers include trail information,
costs and other features. Lift ticket information refers to available
minimum/maximum day-pass prices. Opening dates are weather-dependent
and are therefore subject to change. Some hills charge an hourly rate
for skiing beyond an eight-hour pass. Unless noted, all feature ski
instruction classes, equipment rental and a cafeteria.
Upstate New York
Bristol Mountain. 5662 Route 64,
Canandaigua. (585) 374-6000; www.bristolmountain.com. Skiing and riding
on 33 trails with 97 percent snow-making. Vertical rise of 1,200 feet
and longest run of two miles. Six lifts. Day rates: $41-$57/adults;
$25-$44/students and seniors. Open Dec. 5 to March 15, weekdays, 9 a.m.
to 10 p.m.; weekends, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Other features include a ski
school, day-care center, two base lodges, two terrain parks, 425-foot
half-pipe and summit demo center.
Dry Hill. Watertown, off Exit
44, Route 81. 782-8584; www.skidryhill.com. Has nine trails, five with
snow-making. The longest trail is 2,200 feet, with a 300-foot vertical
drop. Three lifts. Some day skiing available. Opening in mid-December.
Hours: Tuesdays to Thursdays, 5 to 8 p.m., $10; 5 to 10 p.m., $15; 7 to
10 p.m., $12. Fridays, noon to 10 p.m., $18; noon to 5 p.m., $14; 5 to
8 p.m., $10; 5 to 10 p.m., $15; 7 to 10 p.m., $12. Saturdays and
holidays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., $25; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., $14; 10 a.m. to 5
p.m., $20; 1 to 5 p.m., $16; 5 to 10 p.m., $12; 7 to 10 p.m., $10.
Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $20; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., $14; 1 to 5 p.m.,
$16. Used ski shop, rental shop, snack bar and cocktail lounge. Tubing
is available Fridays, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., $10/juniors, $12/adults.
Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m., $12/juniors; $14/adults; 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.,
$10/juniors; $12/adults. Sundays, noon to 5 p.m., $12/juniors,
$14/adults. Tubing season passes available.
Four Seasons. 8012 E. Genesee
St., Fayetteville. 637-9023; www.fourseasonsgolfandski.com. Double
chairlift and conveyor lift for skiing, snowboarding and tubing. Open
early December to March 15, weekends and holidays, 10 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays, 5 to 9:30 p.m. Downhill skiing and
snowboarding, $14-$17 per day. Cross-country skiing, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
no trail fee, renting available. Tubing, $21 all day; $18 for three
hours; $5 for one ride.
Greek Peak. 2000 Route 392,
Cortland. (607) 835-6111, (800) 955-2SKI; www.greekpeak.net. Eight
lifts. Snow-making on 83 percent of 31 trails. Features a vertical drop
of 952 feet, with the longest run at 1.5 miles. Tentative opening:
mid-December. Mondays to Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fridays, 9:30
a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to
9 p.m. $59/adults, $50/juniors, free/ages 6 and under. Season passes
available. Tubing, with six chutes and one lift, $22 for five hours;
Fridays, 5 to 10 p.m.; weekends and holidays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Trail
pass for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing at Nordic Center.
Snowshoe and snowboard rental, half-pipe and terrain park. Also offers
free beginner instruction, adventure lessons, children’s learning
center, child care, NASTAR racing and four dining facilities.
Labrador Mountain. Box 105,
Route 91, Truxton. (607) 842-6204; ski reports: (800) 446-9559;
www.labradormtn.com. Vertical drop of 700 feet, longest run of 4,500
feet, and 90 percent of 22 trails have snow-making. One triple, two
double lifts, one T-bar and two surface lifts. Opening Nov. 28, weather
permitting. Mondays to Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sundays, 9 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. $43/adults, $37/juniors. Season-pass holders get discounts at
Whiteface/Gore, Stowe and Stratton mountains. Night skiing on 12
trails. One half-pipe and a lighted terrain park with rails and jumps
for snowboarders. The resort also features Kids’ Town, baby-sitting,
four base lodges, new covered deck, restaurant, two cafeterias,
cocktail lounge, rentals and ski shop, and RV camping-parking
facilities.
Snow Ridge. 4173 West Road
(Route 26), Turin. 348-8456, (800) 962-8419; www.snowridge.com.
Twenty-two trails, the longest of which is 3,600 feet; vertical drop of
500 feet. Boasting the East’s heaviest snowfall and an average of more
than 100 skiable days per season, Snow Ridge also has snow-making on 40
percent of its slopes. Seven lifts. Tentative opening: late November.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays, 9
a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weekend and
holiday rates: $30-$35/adults, $30/students; weekdays: $14-$20/adults,
$16/students. Restaurant, rental shop, cafeteria, cocktail lounge,
nursery and RV parking.
Song Mountain. 1 Song Mountain
Road, Tully. 696-5711; www.songmountain.com. Located off Route 81,
features a longest run of one mile and a vertical drop of 700 feet,
with 80 percent snow-making. Five lifts. Opening in mid-December.
Mondays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesdays to Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.;
Fridays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays, 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. Season passes available, and are also good for Snow
Ridge. Eight-hour rates: $43/adults, $34/students; four-hour rate,
$40/adults. Central New York’s only private ski club, child-care
center, rental shop, cocktail lounge and restaurant.
Toggenburg. Toggenburg Road
(half-mile off Route 80), Fabius. 683-5842; www.skitog.com. Snow-making
on 95 percent of 24 trails. Features a 700-foot vertical drop and a
longest trail of one mile. Tentative opening: Dec. 1. Mondays, 3 to 9
p.m.; Monday holidays and Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Wednesdays to
Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sundays, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Six lifts.
$45/adults; $35/students; $10/ages 6 and under; free/seniors over 70.
The two terrain parks and one terrain trail are open to all visitors.
Facilities include child care, rental shop, restaurant, cocktail
lounge, RV parking area and musical entertainment.
Woods Valley. Box 215, Dopp Hill
Road, Westernville. 827-4721; www.woodsvalleyskiarea.com. Ski reports:
827-4206. Thirteen trails with snow-making capabilities on most.
Vertical drop of 500 feet; longest run, 3,300 feet. Three lifts,
$17-$36. Wednesdays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays, 9 a.m. to
9 p.m.; Sundays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open Monday holidays. Cocktail
lounge, occasional entertainment.
Catskills
Hunter Mountain. Off Route 23A,
Hunter. (800) HUNTER-MTN; www.huntermtn.com. Snow-making on all 53
trails, with 11 lifts. Vertical drop of 1,600 feet. Adults, $55-$63;
young adults (ages 13 to 18), $49-$57; juniors (ages 7-12) and seniors
(ages 65-69), $35-$43; 70-Plus Club, $15-$20. Nine lift-serviced
snowtubing chutes and a snowboarding half-pipe available. Lower Hunter
lifts open daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Hunter West lifts open 9:30 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. Snowshoeing, instruction, rental shop, cocktail lounge, sushi
bar, food court, restaurant, atrium bar and lodge.
Adirondacks
Gore Mountain. Off Route 28 (Peaceful Valley Road), North Creek. (518) 251-2411; ski reports: (800) 342-1234; www.goremountain.com.
Offering 75 trails, 97 percent with snow-making. Vertical drop of 2,100
feet, longest run of three miles and two terrain parks. Eleven lifts,
eight-passenger gondola. Opening Nov. 27. Daily, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
$51-$74/adults; $42-$59/students and seniors; $25-$42/ages 7 to 12;
free/ages 6 and under and over 70. Season passes available.
Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, tubing park, ski school, child-care
center, ski and rental shop, pub and a base lodge restaurant.
McCauley Mountain. Off Route 28,
Old Forge. 369-3225. www.mccauleyny.com. Dubbed “New York’s Best Family
Mountain,” McCauley features 21 trails, six lifts and a 633-foot
vertical drop, all on 80 skiable acres with 80 percent snow-making.
Tentative opening: Dec. 12. Daily (except Tuesdays), 9 a.m. to 4:15
p.m.; open all week, Feb. 15 to 19 and Dec. 21-24. Winter Carnival,
Feb. 5 to 7. $25-$30, weekends and holidays; $15-$20, weekdays; free,
70 and older. Lodge with cafeteria and bar, complete rental shop and
ski school.
Titus Mountain. 215 Johnson
Road, Malone. (800) TITUS-MN; www.titusmountain.com. Snow-making on 90
percent of 27 ski trails. Vertical drop, 1,200 feet; longest run, 3.5
miles. Eight lifts. Tentative opening: Nov. 21. Mondays to Wednesdays,
9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.;
Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m; Sundays, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; holidays,
Sundays to Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; holidays, Thursdays to
Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. $22-$34/adults, $18-$27/seniors and
students. Season passes now available. Tubing park, snowboard park and
half-pipe. Cocktail lounge, two triple chairlifts and two day lodges.
Whiteface Mountain. Route 86,
Wilmington. (518) 946-2223; ski reports: (518) 946-7171; (800)
462-6236, Ext. 500; www.whiteface.com. Celebrating 51 years. Offering
85 trails, 97 percent with snow-making. Vertical drop, 3,430 feet,
highest in the East, and longest run of 2.1 miles. Snowboarding and
terrain parks. Ten lifts. Eight-passenger gondola. Tentative opening:
Nov. 27. Daily, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. $74-$79/adults; $60-$64, teens and
seniors; $46-$50/juniors 7-12; free/children 6 and under and seniors
over 70. Child care and cocktail lounge available. Lodging and
cross-country skiing nearby; 31 miles of trails. Bobsled, luge and
figure skating at nearby Olympic facilities.
Cross-Country Skiing
All private cross-country ski areas
listed have marked and mapped trails, warming huts, rentals and food
available. Some offer lodging and vacation packages. All county and
state parks and other public ski areas are free, unless noted.
Adirondack-North country
Adirondack Loj. Off Route 73, Lake Placid. (518)
523-3441; www.adk.org. Offering 20 kilometers of trails, ski and
snowshoe rentals, back country access; $9 parking fee. Daily, 9 a.m. to
7 p.m. Nightly lodging costs $49-$150 per person. Educational programs
available.
Bark Eater Ski Center. Bark Eater Inn, 124
Alstead Hill Lane, off Route 73, Keene. (866) 603-3245;
www.barkeater.com. Starting point of 25-mile Jackrabbit Trail located
two miles from the inn, linking all of the Lake Placid area touring
centers and ending at Saranac Lake. Twenty kilometers of on-site
trails, 10 groomed. Overnight lodging and meals, rentals. Open
year-round.
Friends Lake Inn. 963 Friends Lake Road, Chestertown. (518) 494-4751; www.friendslake.com. Professional ski center with 32 kilometers of groomed, wooded
trails. Daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Full-service shop with rentals and
lessons available. Inn accommodations: $349-$420 for two, including
dinner and breakfast.
Garnet Hill. 39 Garnet Hill Road, North River.
(518) 251-2444; www.garnet-hill.com. Offering 55 kilometers of groomed
trails with a 2,000-foot elevation and natural snowfall. Single-day
trail pass, $17; ticket packages, youth, senior and night skiing
discounts available. Open daily. The lodge and cross-country ski center
also feature guided tours, instruction, lodging, tobogganing, dog
sledding, snowshoeing and skating. “Ski down, ride back” shuttle bus
available.
Gore Mountain. Off Route 28, North Creek. (518)
251-2411. www.goremountain.com. Snow phone: (800) 342-1234. Offering 9
kilometers of trails. Instruction available; call ahead.
Lapland Lake. 139 Lapland Lake Road, Northville. (518) 863-4974; www.laplandlake.com. Award-winning center offers 50 kilometers of trails; 38
kilometers of groomed track-skiing and skating lanes, which were
designed by Olympic skier Olavi Hirvonen; and 12 kilometers of snowshoe
trail. Mondays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; weekends and holidays,
9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. $18/adults; $16/seniors and students; $8/juniors;
free/under 6; discount rates and packages available. Instruction, ski
shop, rentals, cottage lodging, Finnish snack bar and grill, sauna, ice
skating, sledding, snowshoeing and tubing.
McCauley Mountain. Off Route 28, Old Forge.
369-3225; www.mccauleyny.com. Twenty kilometers of groomed trails.
Daily, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trail fee: $5. Season passes available. Ski
rentals, lessons and tours available.
Central New York
Four Seasons. 8012 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville.
637-9023. www.fourseasonsgolfandski.com. Offering three kilometers of
trails; no trail fee. Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rentals available.
The Nordic Center. Across from Greek Peak,
Virgil. (800) 955-2SKI; www.greekpeak.net. Trail pass, $9. Ski rentals,
$14; snowshoe rentals, $10. Lodging and restaurant available at Greek
Peak. Guided tours and discount package rates available. Tentative
opening: Dec. 6.
Sunnycrest Park. Access marked trails Caleb Avenue or Robinson Street (near Henninger High School). 374-7634; www.sunnycrestparkassociation.com. This city of Syracuse park has 2.5 miles of groomed
cross country ski trails open daily. The ski lodge is open Saturdays
and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bill Koch Youth Ski Club provides
instruction for youth ages 5 to 13. Rentals are available for all ages.
Vanderkamp Center. 337 Martin Road, Cleveland. 675-3651. www.vk.org.
Ungroomed ski trails for all levels from novice to expert. No trail
fee, but donations welcome. Offers sledding and tobogganing. Lodging
accommodations available.
Onondaga County Parks
Call 451-PARK for more information. Beaver Lake,
Highland Forest and Pratt’s Falls charge car parking fees of $2. No
fees at other county parks. www.onondagacountyparks.com.
Beaver Lake Nature Center. 8477 E. Mud Lake Road,
Baldwinsville. 638-2519. Offering about 10 miles of trails around the
lake and through flat woods. Eight trails total, ranging from 0.3 to 3
miles long. Snowshoes available for loan. Daytime skiing and some night
skiing; call for conditions and availability. Visitor center with
nature and art exhibits. Open 7:30 a.m. to dusk.
Highland Forest. Off Route 80, Fabius. 683-5550.
Twenty miles of trails from novice to expert on this 2,800-acre tract
dubbed “the Adirondacks of Central New York.” Hilly and wooded.
Eight-mile hiking trail. Horse-drawn sleigh rides available on
weekends, $5 per person. Ski pass, $3; season pass, $15. Ski and
snowshoe rentals and lessons available, warming house and concessions.
Daily, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., December to February.
Oneida Shores. 9400 Bartell Road, Brewerton. Flat
trails. 676-7366. The park also features snowmobile access to Oneida
Lake and ice fishing. Open sunrise to sunset.
Onondaga Lake Park. Onondaga Lake Parkway (Route
370), Liverpool. 453-6712. Flat East Shore Recreation trail. Two-mile
loop. Skiing and sledding at Long Branch Park. Free admission. Open 6
a.m. to sunset.
Pratt’s Falls. Pratt’s Falls Road, Pompey.
682-5934. Offers about 10 miles of hilly and flat trails overlooking
137-foot falls. Longest trail is about three miles. Open 10 a.m. to 4
p.m.
Spafford Forest. Off Cold Brook Road, Spafford.
683-5550. Skiing and snowshoeing on forest roads southwest of Otisco
Lake. No facilities. The trails are unmarked on 701 acres of
undeveloped land, free of charge. Open from dawn until dusk.
State Parks
Central Region
Battle Island State Park. 2150 Route 48, three miles northwest of Fulton. 593-3408. Offering 2.5 miles of groomed trails. Rentals, full bar, concessions.
Delta Lake State Park. 8797 Route 46, six miles northeast of Rome. 337-4670. Six kilometers of trails. Also features snowmobiling and ice fishing.
Green Lakes State Park. 7900 Green Lakes Road
(Route 290), Fayetteville. 637-6111. Offering 10 miles of beginning,
intermediate and advanced trails. Varied terrain through woods and golf
course.
Lorenzo State Historic Site. 17 Rippleton Road,
Cazenovia. 655-3200. Flatland area available for cross-country skiing.
Trails owned by the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation and are available
for use. Grounds open until dusk. Free.
Selkirk Shores State Park. 7101 Route 3, five
miles west of Pulaski, off Exit 36. 298-5737. Eight kilometers of
trails near Lake Ontario. Offers snowshoeing and snowmobiling.
Finger Lakes
Buttermilk Falls State Park. Route 13, south of Ithaca. (607) 273-5761. Visitors may ski on lawn areas.
Fillmore Glen State Park. 1686 Route 38, one mile
south of Moravia. 497-0130. About five kilometers of trails are open to
skiers, but watch out for snowmobiles and ATVs.
Robert H. Treman State Park. Route 13, south of Ithaca. (607) 273-3440. Park roads open for cross-country skiing.
Taughannock Falls State Park. Route 89, eight miles north of Ithaca. (607) 387-6739. Six kilometers of trails.
Watkins Glen State Park. Route 14 to Route 329, Watkins Glen. (607) 535-4511. Offering 10 kilometers of trails.
Thousand Islands
Call regional office at 482-2593 for general information.
Robert Moses State Park. On Route 131, off Route
37, three miles north of Massena. 769-8663. Ten miles of trails. Park
offers ski rentals and snowshoe loans.
St. Lawrence State Park. 4955 Route 37, five
miles west of Ogdensburg. 393-2286. This park and golf course offer six
kilometers of trails and sledding. Warming hut available.
Southwick Beach State Park. 8119 Southwicks
Place, off Route 3, two miles west of Woodville in Henderson. 938-5083.
Three miles of fairly level trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Wellesley Island State Park. Exit 51 off Route
81, four miles west of Alexandria Bay. 482-2722. Five miles of marked
trails. Ski rentals and snowshoe loans available; kid sizes available.
Westcott Beach State Park. Route 3, two miles west of Sackets Harbor at Henderson Bay. 646-2239. Unmarked, ungroomed trails open throughout the park. ❉
