Is Lake Placid / Orda's own off slope activities its own worst enemy?

Feburary can be a very brutal month, anywhere in the NE. I feel terrible for the familes on vacation. For economic sake, I wish Prez week was in March.  Soft surfaces, big snow, lots of fun... O, the the snow and warmth of March.   But no people!  

Mid to late March is the time to bring the family to Whiteface.  Way less stress and way better conditions.

Brian wrote

 After reading some comments on here about WF over the past few days I can honestly say I have less interest now than ever in returning.  Definitely some elitist attitudes toward less-than-expert skiers (which I guess I'm considered since I don't aspire to ski the Slides).  Looks like I'll be with the crowd driving to VT when I want some variety away from Gore.

Brian - sorry your day wasn't what you wanted it to be.  Too bad you feel you are getting attitude from some folks here, I don't think that is really the case.  Even if you didn't intend it, your opinion fo that day was a bit (a lot bit) eggagerated.  Given that, what kind of response did you expect?

We were there Sat, Sun and Mon of Prez weekend.  Found conditions to be quite good, although there was hard pack and ice on the usual suspects in the afternoon.  But the entire mountian wasn't scraped off, and there was not really any boilerplate.  I feel for ya.  My wife's last run Sat wasn't fun, but it was more a result of her fitness, phobias and lack of effort than it was the conditions.  

Definitely give the mountain another try, and teach the wife how to handle a little hard pack/ice.  It's an easy enough skill that any skier must have, regardless of where they ski.

Brian wrote

Pants wrote

Actually I skied on Saturday of presidents weekend for a couple of hours before work and it was the best conditions of the year.  I forgot I snuck out for a bit.  I was at guest services when a woman came up to get a refund because she said it was boilerplate.  We laughed in her face as they gave her a refund.  Sometimes you wonder where these people were skiing?

After reading some comments on here about WF over the past few days I can honestly say I have less interest now than ever in returning.  Definitely some elitist attitudes toward less-than-expert skiers (which I guess I'm considered since I don't aspire to ski the Slides).  Looks like I'll be with the crowd driving to VT when I want some variety away from Gore.

It's unfortunate that you had a bad experience, but I'd suggest that you give it another shot, if not this season, then next. This season has obviously been a worst-case scenario, for virtually every ski area, both in the East and West. Looking back to last year during President's week, I can tell you the conditions at Whiteface were PHENOMENAL ... soft packed powder, blue-bird skies, it was awesome. You can go back in this forum to last February and probably find a lot of posts attesting to that fact.

In any event, it really is a great mountain, and Lake Placid is a fantastic town with lots to offer. Are there better mountains in Vermont? Maybe ... maybe not ... that's always going to be a matter of opinion, but making a decision, based on a web post by an anonymous person is kind of silly.

Face4Me wrote

It's unfortunate that you had a bad experience, but I'd suggest that you give it another shot, if not this season, then next ... but making a decision, based on a web post by an anonymous person is kind of silly.

Ha Ha Ha ... Thinking about it, I guess if you listen to me, you'd be doing the same thing I suggested you not do!!!

Brian wrote

Pants wrote

Actually I skied on Saturday of presidents weekend for a couple of hours before work and it was the best conditions of the year.  I forgot I snuck out for a bit.  I was at guest services when a woman came up to get a refund because she said it was boilerplate.  We laughed in her face as they gave her a refund.  Sometimes you wonder where these people were skiing?

After reading some comments on here about WF over the past few days I can honestly say I have less interest now than ever in returning.  Definitely some elitist attitudes toward less-than-expert skiers (which I guess I'm considered since I don't aspire to ski the Slides).  Looks like I'll be with the crowd driving to VT when I want some variety away from Gore.

wow-sensitive much?

It is too bad you had a bad time, but it is your own fault and not the mountain.  My point is that I thought it was an awesome day--but then someone right behind me thought it was boilerplate.  In a lean snow year, you need to look at the trail report, investigate all lines until you find a good one.  dont follow the crowd and dont ski down the middle of the trail.  find a trail in the sun..blah blah...Its not a time to drag up your wife who wasnt into it anyway.  and if you had such a bad day, you could have quit and got your money back like the lady that was behind me at guest services.  they have a snow guarantee--not happy then do something about it.  The good thing about Whiteface and Lake placid is there is plenty more to do here if you dont like the conditions.  You have only yourself to blame.  And you shouldnt read so much into internet posts anyway.