Best Trails at Whiteface

HPD's top 100 Ski Runs thread got me thinking about the trails at Whiteface.

I like Skyward, and there is no better view than that from the top of the summit chair.

Still not sure I would put Sky at the top of my list.  While I admit to only having a handful of days at Whiteface, I'm partial to Empire and Upper/Lower Mac.

I ask those who have are regulars or passholders... what are the best trails at Whiteface and why?

Harvey wrote

HPD's top 100 Ski Runs thread got me thinking about the trails at Whiteface.

I like Skyward, and there is no better view than that from the top of the summit chair.

Still not sure I would put Sky at the top of my list.  While I admit to only having a handful of days at Whiteface, I'm partial to Empire and Upper/Lower Mac.

I ask those who have are regulars or passholders... what are the best trails at Whiteface and why?

Hoyt's High for sure. That trail just keeps on giving.

It goes on forever ... it's got a couple of steep sections, none of which are too long, but they're fun ... it's got a couple of sections with a double fall-line ... they weren't grooming the last section of the trail last season, so it had a bumps section ... it's got some great views of the valley ... it's just got a little of everything all in one top to bottom package!

1/ hoyts- Its got a little of everything
2/sky- long steep vert
3/cloudspin- lots of  different ways to ski the trail
4/upper mac- tight steep off piste
5/lookout- Knarly fun

Whichever of these trails holds the most snow is always prime;

Empire- been stopped by a drift or two.
Cloudy- skiers left is where the blow goes, skiers right is quick stepping rock hopping, oh good!
Wilderness-got bumps? Add a dumper and make like thumper.
Mountain Run- ride up, schuss down. Repeat as needed.

Hoyt's- Never skied it. Looks interesting from the Chair. Hmmm.

Ski you later.

When it's open from the top Cloudspin is my favorite

Skyward is probably #2

I really like big Mac - the full MacKenzie!  Upper Mac is a snow catcher espically skiers left and the pitch allows you to just relax and follow the fall line into the ledge zone.  When the landing is safe, I like to hang skiers left and drop it, cranking a big right turn across the fallline to send it into middle Mac.  Again this section of trail really grabs the natural snow and it is fun to pop through and leap into lower Mac where I like to hang skiers left tight to the tree line.  Lower Mac gets some good sun and bumps up soft, so its often a leg burner into mid station.

Nice option on Mac is to enter trees skiers left after ledge drop to get another nice ledge drop just above high country glades, ride high country back to lower mac!


 

Even with the Lookout addition I still love Cloudspin.  Coming from Parons into the dead tree glade I love busting out above Cloudspin cut and going directly skiers right to hug the snow zone along the balsam/fir where prevailing winds deposit natural from the slides and manAmade from Skyward.  Man skiers right can be deep and safe even though 15 feet from the tree line shark fins litter the trail and gray shapes linger just below the surface.  

Staying right on cloud brings you to the powder field just above the smiley face traverse.  It's a nice change in pitch here and you can leap into the fat section and land often into nice wind drift waist deep pow.  At this point the pitch flattens and works left back to Niagara where it steepens and then flattens quickly into a wicked compression (if moving aggressively) before joining Victoria.

Sometimes I ski Vicki on the right sometimes on the left and sometimes I traverse across Yellow Dot to get Lower Sky!


 

I really like Upper MacKenzie when it has lots of snow, it's like a natural terrain park!

Nice job Scotty!!! U one badass moFo


I've had one of my best runs ever, anywhere, in 10th Mountain Div Glades (i think) ---- do those glades start up top?? If so, that's the one. It was many years ago but I'll never forget the POW we found in there. Hoping for the same thing this year at the end of Feb.

Upper section of 10th mtn is named Cloudspiltter glades.  Can access from Upper Northway skiers right, from approach and from skiers left on empire.

me not spilling any beans on our glade lines.  pow is just such a valuable commodity in this new era of climate change.  

that's the one, but it turns into 10th, or ends, then 10th starts, or something like that. Whatever you call it, it sure was a fun day.

yep.  4sure.  when we have da snow its da fun!  

Empire will always be my favorite trail.  Classic New England narrow with a decent pitch.  Just a lot of fun.

A favorite 'run' of mine is Cloudspin, cut across to Lower Skyward, to Blazers Bluff.  Cloudspin has so many fun ways down given the layout/fall lines.  The ungroomed rocky area of Lower Sky dropping under the lift from Crossover Loop is always fun and good for some air.  Bash some moguls from there to the entrance to Blazers.  Blazers Bluff, though short, is a fun steep shot.  I stay skiers left from the top, which also requires a couple hop turns with good air time.  With good snow there isn't a better 'run' down the mountain.

Even when the main trails are bulletproof I have found powder in and around Cloudsplitter Glades...That would be one of my faves as is Mac...Skyward with big spring bumps...Do the slides count?  Never been farther than 4, but I do like that one.

My favorites are Wilmington, Hoyt's High, and Excelsior.  These runs are long, have plenty of vertical and great views.  The summit is usually too icy to get much enjoyment when I am there.  As a result, Skyward is nowhere near my top 10 for ski runs.

Excelsior and W-trail.  Wow!  Someone needs to show you the goods because that ain't it  

I have always loved to ski Cloudspin, Upper Mac, Parkway when there is nice snow, the woods to the left of empire, Hoyts became a fave last year....but you know that there is something to be said for that first fun of the day down either approach to Mtn run or Excelsior with the backpack on your back, and the views off of Wilmington are great.  That run is a blast if you get to it early.

Please snow

alot

soooooon

ausable skier wrote

Excelsior and W-trail.  Wow!  Someone needs to show you the goods because that ain't it  

somebody needs to go back under his bridge!

Grillman wrote

  and the views off of Wilmington are great.  

+1