NY Ski Area Closing Dates (2011)

I thought we could group all our mountain closing info in one thread. Post what you know below, and I'll incorporate it. If your info is unofficial please note it. If you know the date that a lift-served mountain closed or is closing please post it.

Mountain	Closing Date	Status
Belleayre	4/10	(closed)
Big Tupper	3/27	(closed)
Brantling	3/15	(closed)
Bristol Mountain	4/3	(closed)
Buffalo Ski Club	3/13	(closed)
Catamount Ski Area	3/27	(closed)
Cockaigne Ski Area	3/20	(closed)
Dry Hill Ski Area	3/13	(closed)
Gore Mtn	4/17	(closed)
Greek Peak	4/10	(closed)
Hickory Ski Center	3/27	(closed)
Holiday Valley	4/10	(closed)
Holimont	4/17	(closed)
Hunt Hollow	4/3	(closed)
Hunter Mountain	4/10	(closed)
Kissing Bridge	3/27	(closed)
Labrador Mountain	3/11	(closed)
McCauley Mountain	4/3	(closed)
Mount Peter	3/20	(closed)
Oak Mountain	3/13	(closed)
Peek'n Peak	3/27	(closed)
Plattekill	4/10	(closed)
Royal Mountain	3/21	(closed)
Snow Ridge	3/27	(closed)
Song Mountain	4/10	(closed)
Swain	4/2	(closed)
Thunder Ridge	3/13	(closed)
Titus Mountain	3/27	(closed)
Toggenburg	3/20	(closed)
Tuxedo Ridge	3/19	(closed)
West Mountain	4/10	(closed)
Woods Valley	3/27	(closed)
Whiteface	4/17	(closed)
Willard	4/3	(closed)
Windham	4/3	(closed)

Does anyone know if Gore/Face has a date that is the absolute earliest it can open and close? I've heard of some mountains where that is the case due to insurance/park requirements and was wonder if ORDA plays the same game.

NYS does not have "closing dates", unlike areas out west such as Snowbird that use USFS land and have leases to use them.
Gore and Whiteface basically look at the amount of cover that exists as well as the weather outlook. Usually the only people at Gore and Whiteface during the week this time of the year are pass holders, so it doesn't make economic sense to stay open, and thus Gore and Whiteface are now targeting April 10 for closing of mid-week operations, and hopefully Easter weekend for closing.

Shaman's got it right.  I sent off a note to Bruce and Mike to see what they are thinking. Both are on the same page. It's really a "business" decision and it's all weather dependent.

Factors that determine closing are basically coverage, and skier visits.  Neither guy could predict those two things but the thinking is currently:

Whiteface is planning on going with a full schedule through 4/10 and weekends after that date.

Gore is planning to go to least 4/10, weather permitting. Weekdays are TBD.

Neither guy really wanted to commit to anything, and I promised to cover the above in weather and skier visit disclaimers. This isn't set in stone, and while the foreseeable future looks pretty "cold" as Jason has mentioned, the extended temp forecast could turn on a dime.

Anybody see Adirondack Weather Site's comparison of snow cover for this date last year vs today? Pretty stark contrast:

Harvey44 wrote

Anybody see Albany Weather Examiner's comparison of snow cover for this date last year vs today? Pretty stark contrast.

Where can we see one? Link please.

The Bird doesn't have a fixed closing date..
Alta does, so does Jackson Hole....

Anyone know why they closed with all this snow?

Reliable sources are reporting that this will be the last week of weekday skiing at Gore. After this coming Sunday, Gore will operate for two more weekends and close on April 17th.

3 more weekends of skiing, I like that. High Peaks chair reportedly open tomorrow, that's more good news.

They probably aren't making enough money.

Once March rolls around, the people who are buying lift tickets start thinking there is no snow left. It's pretty amazing when people are astonished by the fact you can still ski in mid March, let alone April. Usually around early to mid March everyone skiing are just season passholders.

The official response from Big Tupper:

"Snow cover was becoming an issue.  We had planned to close at the end of March so this was only one week early."

Willard is closed. They may re-open for this weekend if the potential snow storm Friday delivers.
The Saratogian ran a nice article yesterday in which they  mention WF being up 15% in skier visits over last year.  That's good news.  I wonder if Gore saw a similar increase.  The article also hints at Gore and WF remaining open beyond April 10.

Memo from MP issued to all departments at Gore yesterday read "rumors of closing for midweek skiing next week are untrue."

Official response doesn't make sense, friend of mine skinned up from the parking lot last week and said the coverage is amazing.

Woods Valley is closed, their last day was 3/27.  McCauley's website says their last day will be 4/3.

Windham's last day is April 3. Belleayre: April 10.

Dry Hill is closed per Dry Hill's www site and they announced they were closed on facebook "Is now closed for the 2010-2011 season. Thank you to all our customers. See you next year.
March 18 at 7:35am"

Not on your list
Maple Ski Ridge - last day of skiing was Sunday 3/13
on facebook "We are closed for the season" March 17 at 12:33pm

Ski VT has a nice press release with closing dates for VT mountains
http://www.skivermont.com/about-us/press-room/press-release/id/199

Interesting to note how well the Vermont ski areas communicate with their valued customers. Gore and Whiteface could take a lesson from this press release! Why does it always have to be such a big secret? Is it a secret or is it indecisiveness? All they need to do is make a #!#!#! decision and go with it.

Agreed.

If Gore can make it till Easter, that's always a big factor or goal. After that it's shut 'er down.

adkskier wrote

All they need to do is make a #!#!#! decision and go with it.

I disagree with this.  If you want a fixed date from Gore and Whiteface now, you might get 4/10. The reason both hills are "undecided" is that they are trying to extend the season as long as possible.  

You can see in the "cold spring" thread that hardcore skiers are hoping their mountains won't close before spring skiing really happens.  If the goal is to stay open as long as there is snow - something that can't be predicted - Bruce and Mike are playing it right. If they came out now and said Easter (4/24) and they didn't make it, they'd probably get a load of crap for it.

Given the choice between a definite 4/10, or a maybe on 4/17, I'd take the later. You can call it indecisiveness. I see it as flexibility.  From that press release it looks like there's a decent chance that the only VT hills that will stay open past Gore and Whiteface are Sugarbush, Jay and Kmart. I'll take it.