Is there glade skiing at Belleayre?

Just curious to know if there is glade skiing at Belleayre. We have yet to get our season passes and we are thinking of making Belle our home mountain - since it's close to NYC and with the pass we get Gore and Da'Face.

Gore is so much more mountain but, the trek back and forth might get a bit taxing every weekend.  If Belleayre has glades and they are good - well we might just have to go there.

Also, does anyone know of a reasonably price season rental 2 bedrooms is MAX what we need for this area.

Thanks again,

Ray

I know you said you want the pass for gore and da face but if you want glades in the cats check out Plattekill. It's about 15 mins or so past the bell. Depending on how often you go up to the daks it may work out to get away from crowds and hang out at Platty. Even if you choose Bell please make a promise to try Platty at least once this season in February or March.

I haven't been there since 93 or so but I remember thinking the trees were spaced really well for skiing. The snow was deep that year and back then there wasn't much competition for fresh tracks in the trees.

I am a very different skier now so honestly I have no idea.

The pitch of the mountain is funky. Short steeps up top lead way into a steepish intermediate pitch that dumps into a long flat lower mountain. I remember thinking that it was a great place to take someone you were teaching. If you want more of a skiers mtn head to Plattekill. It's got the pitch that is probably as good as any 1000 feet of vert at Gore or WF.

Platty is on the menu this year for sure. It's hard funding a family of 4 in this sport but, we said we wanted to make that happen.

Ahh, that is my memory of the mountain in terms of terrain as that you have like a steep pitch for 300 of 400 vert and that is it, run out. Still I remember having a good time there.  I didn't do many glades back then..  Now, I can't keep the kids out of the trees.

This place looks so freaking rad!

Belle does not have a lot of glades skiing.  It has the potential to offer it though.....so if you want to poach...

Have the ski3 myself and would hit up Belle over Windham and Hunter any day, though Platte is better.

Belle has more marked glades than both Hunter and Windham and just a generally better vibe. Also easier to avoid the crowds at Belle.

Would rather head up north every time myself, but Belle can hold you over on a shorter day trip.

On the skiers left going down Winnisook.  If I remember left side of the trail gets bumped up and then the woods just off the left are all skiable when the snow cover is right.  Also a neat little spot where an old lift line use to be but now looks more like an abandoned stretch of railroad somewhere over by Peekamoose.

Belle's got some fantastic sidecountry. You need snow for it obviously.

Love the Plattekill vid Skiray.

raisingarizona wrote

I  If you want more of a skiers mtn head to Plattekill. It's got the pitch that is probably as good as any 1000 feet of vert at Gore or WF.

I've never skied Plattekill, and most likely never will, but that right there is an interesting statement. WF has some 1000 vert stretches that are pretty gnarly and it's hard to imagine Plattekill has anything like it, but like I said I don't know. Just seems to be a bit of a stretch imo.

I remember 4 or 5 years ago when I was just exploring new mountains.  Me and my buddy hit Belleayre one week and the next was going to try Plattekill.  When we got there it was closed only one guy in the lodge doing work.  Didn't realize it was a Fri-Sun and powder mountain.  So we went over the hill and rode Belleayre again.  I remember just being there and looking up at it and it was a mountain I knew I had to ride.  Went back the following year and now I will be there every year for at least a few days.  Awesome vibe and never seen a crowd even on a powder day.  But the steepness is legit and it doesn't let up.  Most places have a steep section followed by a less steep runout.  I've rode steeper but, I have trouble finding anyplaces that I have rode where there are trails that are that steep sustained for the same length.

Glade Runner wrote

   I've rode steeper but, I have trouble finding anyplaces that I have rode where there are trails that are that steep sustained for the same length.

Trouble??? Go to WF and it's easy, real easy to find what you're looking for X 3!!

I've heard nothing but great things about Platty, in fact, I'm sure I'd enjoy skiing there. I just have a hard time thinking they have the steeps like Cloudspin or Upper Sky. I've never heard anyone compare Platty to WF so that's why I'm asking/questioning.

I've been to Whiteface and yes they have steep and they def have vertical.  I'm not so familiar with the trail names.  I do remember steeper at whiteface and certainly more vertical.  I just don't recall much that was that steep for that long.  The trails at Plattekill, at least with the double blacks are steady all the way back to the lift.

I've always assumed (by skiing, nothing scientific) that Sky and Cloud had the most sustained vert in the state and that Rumor's headwall was steeper than anything at Plattekill.  Blockbuster at Plattekill feels comparable to Lies to me.  For sustained vert I think Plattekill beats Gore. 4 trails, 1000 vert all close to Lies. Like I said nothing scientific.

This website is very cool:

http://ski-degrees.synthasite.com/new-york.php

Not every mountain is measured. Plattekill is not included.

Whiteface numbers. The * indicates degrees:

Cloudspin Niagara @ Whiteface Mountain, NY: 325 vertical over 658 length = 26.29*.
160 vertical over 286 length = 29.22*.
100 vertical over 165 length = 31.22*.

Upper Cloudspin @ Whiteface Mountain, NY: 720 vertical over 1470 length = 26.1*.
280 vertical over 500 length = 29.25*.

Upper Skyward @ Whiteface Mountain, NY: 768 vertical over 1504 length = 27.05*.
286 vertical over 500 length = 29.76*.
130 vertical over 200 length = 33.02*.
80 vertical over 100 length = 38.65*.

Slides @ Whiteface Mountain, NY: 1003 vertical over 1509 length = 33.61*. This is Slide 1, the least steep and widest slide.
517 vertical over 754 length = 34.43*. Top half.
354 vertical over 500 length = 35.3*.
82 vertical over 100 length = 39.35*.
486 vertical over 755 length = 32.77*. Bottom half.
357 vertical over 500 length = 35.52*.
92 vertical over 100 length = 42.61*.

Lower Skyward @ Whiteface Mountain, NY: 855 vertical over 2024 length = 22.9*.  

this place is getting wack! the pitch is pretty decent and sustained at platty, and I love the vibe and bar -  but it ain't cloud or sky!

gorgonzola wrote

this place is getting wack! the pitch is pretty decent and sustained at platty, and I love the vibe and bar -  but it ain't cloud or sky!

Thank you ..... i can rest now

Glade Runner wrote

 The trails at Plattekill, at least with the double blacks are steady all the way back to the lift.

 

WOW, "double blacks" ---- did you really seriously type that?!?!?!

What is that supposed to mean?  Have you been to Plattekill?  

I'm not much of a numbers guy, I think if you get too wrapped up in that you might be missing the point. Ironically I'm in school now and taking algebra courses, my god is it brutal for me! Platty has a solid 1000 vert of sustained pitch. It is right up there with any sustained pitch for 1000 vert at any of the larger ec ski areas or damn near close enough. What it doesn't have are the lines, attitude, and overall crowds of weekend warrior types straight out of the city (the doughy Joey factor).

I have never skied at Whiterface or Gore but looking at the trail maps and google earth the sustained pitches are not that far apart. Coming from living in the west now for 20 seasons having a sustained pitch of around 30 degrees for at least 1000 vert is something I look for for pow skiing. It's sort of the magic # to me, it's about the amount I need/like to get into a really good flow state. Having less crowds also equates to more pow skiing.

Side note/question, Don't a lot of those areas high up on WF get blown out during big storms?

One more thing, are you guys watching the models for the next storm coming your way? It looks like Plattekill might be in line for a smashing!

Glade Runner wrote

What is that supposed to mean?  Have you been to Plattekill?

I was wondering the same thing. It's not like GR assigned that designation to those trails. He merely uses it to indicate which trails he was referring to.