Gore Mtn, NY: 1/29/11 (The Interconnect)

Ski Day 17:  I'm not much for ceremonies.  This morning's "ribbon cutting" for the opening of the Gore Ski Bowl — scheduled for 10:30 — seemed like a chance to stand around and commemorate, when there was skiing to be done.  But... we wanted to do something special on the occasion of the official opening of the link between Gore Mountain and the historic Little Gore Ski Bowl.

Zelda and I decided to ski the interconnect as completely as possible from the Summit of Gore Mountain to the Ski Bowl in North Creek and back to the base of Gore.

But first we had some important family business.  Today our daughter graduated to riding chair lifts, and was attacking runs like Jamboree and Sunway with significantly more pitch than the Poma served Bear Cub Run. For our family this was also an historic event.



After lessons ended, Zelda and I decided to take the back way to the summit, riding the Adirondack Express, and cutting over on Wood In — the first of the day's traverses.



Down to the High Peaks Chair, and up on the lift.  We noticed Uncas was getting the guns. I like it when you get to the part of season where you aren't thinking about manmade snow. Still it looked inviting.



To reach the true summit of Gore, we had to get over to the Straightbrook Chair. Zelda took Open Pit and I chose Lies. Both headwalls were difficult, with soft snow beneath.  We left the summit of Gore at 10:50 am, and headed down.


Upper Steilhang

Down through the DarkSide for me. Zelda did Lower Darby.  


Dark Side

Out the back door through Wood Out.



I realized I had never been on Wood Out. I'd assumed it to be another traverse, bit it actually had some solid blue pitch. From the North Side we skated Pipeline.  When you get to the intersection of Pipeline, Eagles Nest and Peaceful Valley you feel you're arriving somewhere new.



We approached the Hudson Chair from above, for the first time on skis.





Down in the Ski Bowl, Moxham actually had some of the best snow we skied today.  Our plan was to get a hot dog at the Ski Bowl Base Lodge, and then lap it. Both Oak Ridge and Moxham skied very old school, narrow and following the contour of the land.



Access to the base lodge felt a bit restricted, so we found our own way.



This trip from Gore's summit to the Ski Bowl took about 45 minutes, at a leisurely pace.  On the way we stopped to chat with others making the trek. After a break in the lodge, we headed back up the Hudson Chair, and made our way back to the base of Gore.



Zelda knocked off for the day, and I went up top to ski the Dark Side, Tahawas and the great snow on Uncas. I just missed High Pines as patrol was roping it as I went over on the Topridge Chair. By alpine standards, the afternoon on Gore's summit was certainly better skiing. It was faster with more vertical and deeper snow.

But we definitely felt that the interconnect traverse was the highlight of the day.  There was a quite a group skiing down from Big Gore, and everyone you talked to really had a sense of the history that was coming to life.

Harvey44 wrote

Saturday represented another step forward in the long term plan to connect Gore and the town of North Creek.

This article says "Skiing and riding at the Bowl is available at no additional cost to all season pass holders, when their pass is valid at Gore, at any time of day."

I'm sure it's not the case, but that sentence seems to imply that people with day passes to Gore would have to pay extra to ski at Little Gore.

Nice report on the grand opening of the interconnect. Would you do it again?

Looks like the skiing in the trees was pretty good today as well. Would like to hear more about that.

Powderqueen wrote

Nice report on the grand opening of the interconnect. Would you do it again?

Looks like the skiing in the trees was pretty good today as well. Would like to hear more about that.

Thanks PDQ. I would do it again if:

• I was alone.

• I was with free-heeled skiers.

• I was with alpine skiers who don't mind skating.

If your goal is maximum vert, or you don't want to move under your own power, the traverse might not be for you. In my average 1 and 1/2 day ski weekend, I'd probably make the decision based on a variety of factors. On a holiday like Christmas, I'd definitely take the time to do it.  I'm sure, among a group of your average alpine skiers, I'd be in the minority. Nothing new for me.

Coming from a nordic background, and skiing in the backcountry, I'm used to days where the entire morning is uphill. You take a break for lunch, maybe have a fire, and lose all the mornings vert in 30 minutes.  On teles the skate over the bowl is easy and fun. It's all about where you are coming from. In the old days trails were cut, but not blasted. Trails, at times, went up hill and people in leather boots and free heeled binding, skied it all. A different definition of "all mountain."

The trees are thin.  I stayed on low angle stuff all weekend and had a good time. There's good coverage in spots but you have to know where to look.   Even 10 inches from the midweek storm would be huge.  Next weekend could be excellent.

James ... that article is, I think, just poorly worded.  It seems like it would be hard to manage another ticket type. (ie good at the Ski Bowl but not up top.  I don't know this for a fact. It's just a guess.  One odd thing is that they do check tickets at Burnt Ridge (treating it like it has direct access from the street vs upper mtn lifts).  That could be consistent with another ticket type for the Bowl.

Jamesdeluxe wrote

I'm sure it's not the case, but that sentence seems to imply that people with day passes to Gore would have to pay extra to ski at Little Gore.

Wellllllll..... That's never been nailed down or ruled out. I used to mention this over at SkiADK.

I believe the town owns that land and ORDA is just operating it for an unspecified length of time. I've heard ORDA People say at an ORDA board meeting that at no time would any ORDA funds be used to operate that lift and if it doesn't fly....at that point the ORDA speaker stopped speaking.

If there will be a seperate lift ticket required for the Bowl, well that will just flush the success of that project quick. Nobody will pay to Ski the Bowl when Gore's next door. Unless Bowl lift tickets are $10 AND the town can operate it with a low volume of customers.

I too find it odd that they'ld be scanning/checking tickets at BR quad, never seen that done away from the base. Was this the first weekend they've done that? Anybody?

BUT, a poacher could slide down Cedars and rip BR and the upper mtn all day without a current ticket if no one was verifying lift tickets. I know a certain person who used to do that at West when the lifties didn't give a rat's patootie. Just ski right up like ya own the place, " How ya doin!" and hop on the lift.  

The top picture is intensely cute. I'm jealous of you for the many moments that probably make you smile.

It is my understanding that a day pass is good if the interconnect is open but night skiing is extra.

How much skating was there to make it over?

Snowballs wrote

Unless Bowl lift tickets are $10

That's actually a really good idea.  For a family of 4 who doesn't want to pony up $300 to ski Gore, a Ski Bowl-only ticket would be a great option.  Families need those kinds of options.  

Snowballs wrote

I too find it odd that they'ld be scanning/checking tickets at BR quad, never seen that done away from the base. Was this the first weekend they've done that? Anybody?

They've always scanned tickets at Burnt Ridge. Why? Because you can put on your skis at the main lodge and skate/pole over and get up on the mountain without a ticket if they didn't.

From Gore:

"A Gore day ticket, multi-day ticket, or a season pass is good at all Gore Mountain ski lifts, including the Ski Bowl ski lifts.  The only exception is an additional charge ($16) for day ticket holders for twilight skiing on the Village Chair after 3:00pm. Tubing tickets are a separate charge for everyone, all the time.

There are no plans to change this pricing."

Snowballs wrote

Jamesdeluxe wrote

I'm sure it's not the case, but that sentence seems to imply that people with day passes to Gore would have to pay extra to ski at Little Gore.

Wellllllll..... That's never been nailed down or ruled out. I used to mention this over at SkiADK.

I believe the town owns that land and ORDA is just operating it for an unspecified length of time. I've heard ORDA People say at an ORDA board meeting that at no time would any ORDA funds be used to operate that lift and if it doesn't fly....at that point the ORDA speaker stopped speaking.

If there will be a seperate lift ticket required for the Bowl, well that will just flush the success of that project quick. Nobody will pay to Ski the Bowl when Gore's next door. Unless Bowl lift tickets are $10 AND the town can operate it with a low volume of customers.

I too find it odd that they'ld be scanning/checking tickets at BR quad, never seen that done away from the base. Was this the first weekend they've done that? Anybody?

BUT, a poacher could slide down Cedars and rip BR and the upper mtn all day without a current ticket if no one was verifying lift tickets. I know a certain person who used to do that at West when the lifties didn't give a rat's patootie. Just ski right up like ya own the place, " How ya doin!" and hop on the lift.  

Sponge, did ya miss the last paragraph?

Sorry, I just didn't recall them scanning at BR in prior years, Mah bad.