Props to Gore

Not an Unofficial Networks fan, at all (they make a habit of using our images without permission), but I think this worth a mention:

https://unofficialnetworks.com/2019/05/28/top-5-radar-ski-resorts-north-america/

Somebody posted it in AZ and I found myself expressing strong support for what Gore is. I do like the place a lot.

Gore is the perfect local mountain. Near enough, lots of variety including some genuinely difficult terrain, complicated enough that locals can always avoid the tourist crowd, long traverses that discourage snowboarding, and frequent and predictable management screw ups to complain about.  Cheap beers at Gigi's at the end of the day. What more could you want?

mm

Milo Maltbie wrote

. What more could you want?

150"/year more natural snow

MC2 5678F589 wrote

Milo Maltbie wrote

. What more could you want?

150"/year more natural snow

I have a plan for that.

Place a series of dams on the Moose and Raquette Rivers. Build pumped storage hydro plants to continually circulate water to prevent freezing. Cheap power and an instant snow belt will appear to the east. IT's win-win. Gore will be the Alta of the East.

Or just move to Salt Lake City.

mm

It's too bad that that giant lake to the north west isn't right next to Gore. With that kind of uplift and lake effect Gore could maybe have that 300+ inch snow fall seasons.

It would be different if it was changed.  

What would AZ Ski Bowl be like if it was moved to the Wasatch?

Plattekill is already the Alta of the East.  (According to Powder Mag at least).  

Gore can find another mountain to emulate.

I saw that posted a while back. Gore is decent but it takes a lot of natch to make it great. Snow making gets it open and provides the access but you need lots more natural snow. Jay is the Alta of the east - albeit small.

I guess Jay has the most snow like Alta, and is known for the pow trackout frenzy.  Still they seem different to me. Maybe it's the waterpark, ice rink, events and non-skiing stuff.

I disagree that Gore requires a lot of snow to make it great. Gore rarely gets a lot of snow. We tend to get in the trees after 40 inches or so. Unlike the Catskills, the rock in the Adks is very smooth.

Average seasons are down to about 120 inches now. That's not much.  Maybe you mean "a lot for Gore?"

Harvey wrote

It would be different if it was changed.  

What would AZ Ski Bowl be like if it was moved to the Wasatch?

It would have a lot more reliable snow and probably be overlooked by the majority. Snowbowl ain’t know bird or Alta.

I get where you were going with that though. It is nice being an AZ back country skier, when we get snow at least. I don’t want any part of a busy ski area powder frenzy any longer. That stuff sucks imo.

In a way, an areas downfalls can be its qualities depending on how you look at it.

raisingarizona wrote

In a way, an areas downfalls can be its qualities depending on how you look at it.

Plattekill certainly gets tracked out a lot quicker these days after a storm...

raisingarizona wrote

In a way, an areas downfalls can be its qualities depending on how you look at it.

That's Gore for sure.  One thing I say about Gore... "if it was Stratton, it would be... Stratton."

Marcski wrote

Plattekill certainly gets tracked out a lot quicker these days after a storm...

That's true, and maybe I am to blame for some of that.

Still though...


5 days later...


https://nyskiblog.com/plattekill-five-days-later/

Harvey wrote

I guess Jay has the most snow like Alta, and is known for the pow trackout frenzy.  Still they seem different to me. Maybe it's the waterpark, ice rink, events and non-skiing stuff.

I disagree that Gore requires a lot of snow to make it great. Gore rarely gets a lot of snow. We tend to get in the trees after 40 inches or so. Unlike the Catskills, the rock in the Adks is very smooth.

Average seasons are down to about 120 inches now. That's not much.  Maybe you mean "a lot for Gore?"

Gore gets really good usually in Feb after they have built up a good base. 120 inches of snow with rain events that wipe a lot of it out is not a lot of snow in the end.

Snow Ridge is the Alta of the East as far as deep lasting pow is concerned , period , end of statement , case closed , . and as always THANKS LAKE ONTARIO !

No doubt. For all 2.5 turns worth.

Contrary to what Powder Assassin claimed, I believe Jay and NoVT gets more snow than Snow Ridge at the highest elevations.

Jay may or may not get more snow but the quality it gets is very good. It can be a hockey rink at the top but once you get in the trees it’s very nice. However, Jay has many east coast problems, it’s not very big, there is limited “good” vertical and it’s hard to get to. As a comparison, Alta-Bird has enough terrain to keep you busy for 2 weeks, the mid/late winter snow is prime, the vertical will wear you down and it’s easy to get to.

That tram is kind of a silly lift to keep maintained at Jay. They could do better with more high speed chairs breaking up different portions/pods and eliminating the super flat run out. Just my opinion but it makes sense to me.

The tress are pretty good and to be honest, I only visited once while I was staying at Smuggs and dang....there was a noticeably more substantial amount of snow at Jay than in the Notch.

I only skied Jay once (for 3 days).  

Here is some heresy from Harv:

I have to admit I agree about the tram. We waited 45 minutes, it's a crowded ride to the top.

The terrain and snow up top is very cool, and we had a fun run on Green Beret (I think). But it killed a lot of the day.

Would like to hear what SBR thinks.

Gore has been off the radar since they broke ground in the early 1960s. Big props to ORDA for keeping the crowds away.