Trail Expansions You'd Like to See Happen

What are some new trails/glades you would like to see added at NY mountains?  I mean new trails on existing sections and not adding a new section to a mountain such as Burnt Ridge or Lookout Mountain.  Mine are below

Gore:

On Topridge, cut a trail on the other side of the lift.  I would love to ski in there some time.  I also think that maybe some glades could be added in there, but it faces south, so they'd never be open much.

Burnt Ridge has the problem where the lift capacity exceeds the trail capacity where an HSQ serves only 2 trails.  I have been there when the lift was running mostly full, and both Echo and Sagamore were more crowded than the East Side trails.  Another trail is scheduled to be cut to improve connectivity to the Ski Bowl, but I would love to see another to bring the trail count up to 4 on that peak reducing trail crowding and improving my favorite section of Gore for all.

Windham:

It would be cool to see them expand more into that valley between East and West Peaks.  They are already doing that with the new Wolf's Prey trail this coming season, and I would love to see them do some more trails on both the East Peak and West Peak sides.  Some more intermediate groomers on East Peak would be nice because there is only one green and a relatively hard blue on that peak.

Whiteface:

I say that they should cut the third Lookout Mountain trail to get more people to use that area.  I would also like to see some new trails added to looker's left of the Racer Chair near where the Gondola runs.

snoloco wrote

What are some new trails/glades you would like to see added at NY mountains?  I mean new trails on existing sections and not adding a new section to a mountain such as Burnt Ridge or Lookout Mountain.  Mine are below

Gore:

On Topridge, cut a trail on the other side of the lift.  I would love to ski in there some time.  I also think that maybe some glades could be added in there, but it faces south, so they'd never be open much.

Burnt Ridge has the problem where the lift capacity exceeds the trail capacity where an HSQ serves only 2 trails.  I have been there when the lift was running mostly full, and both Echo and Sagamore were more crowded than the East Side trails.  Another trail is scheduled to be cut to improve connectivity to the Ski Bowl, but I would love to see another to bring the trail count up to 4 on that peak reducing trail crowding and improving my favorite section of Gore for all.

i dont think a trail would work on the other side of TR3 without some series excavation. you would be skiing across the fall line for most of it. thats if you want it to loop back to TR3. one could possibly be made to the old gondi mid station but that would ruin some other fun runs....

The Bear Mountain->Old Gondy Midstation->Topridge Chair connection is on the old master plan:



I'd be into it. It would definitely allow easier access to some sweet areas that would never open to the public, but would be sweet to poach (haha, I can say that now!).

I looked it up on Google Earth and there is definitely a way to cut trails on the other side of the TR3.  However, I don't know how much grading would be required to do this.  I think that they could cut 2 trails over there pretty easily and still have the low density trail layout that Gore has.  Same thing on Burnt Ridge.  They could cut 2 trails, one between Barkeater Glades and Sagamore and one between Echo and Sagamore and still have a low density trail layout.  I kind of like the fact that the mountain actually has trails and isn't a high density trail layout like Hunter is.  It is weird being able to clearly see through the trails to the next trail.

mattchuck2 wrote

The Bear Mountain->Old Gondy Midstation

 hasnt seen any attention in awhile, lots of blowdown ,whippers. mt not fond of visitors there,may encounter repercussions.

freeheeln wrote

 hasnt seen any attention in awhile, lots of blowdown ,whippers

Noticed this.

Whiteface is one trail away from its nys constitutional mandated max

That trail will be in the lookout pod I'm told

After that all that can be added will be glades which will be great imo.  There are several sections that have tons of potential for that.  I'd love to one or several off  Parons Run as well as between upper cloud and skyward

Burnt Ridge at Gore like I mentioned earlier really needs more trail capacity.  Echo and Sagamore have been almost as crowded as Sunway is on a weekend.  Most of the planned trails have been added as glades which do not help the trail crowding issues.  Also, Echo is more of a connector trail to the main mountain as you need to take the Cedars Traverse to go back to the BRQ.  Burnt Ridge needs at least 2 more trails to bring it to the same density layout that the East Side has.  I am not saying they need to go to a high density layout like Hunter, but a couple more trails to spread out the crowds on that section would be nice.  They could either be converted glades, or completely new routes, but something is really needed to reduce trail crowding on that section.

NEVER,NEVER CONVERT A GLADE TO A TRAIL.

frk wrote

NEVER,NEVER CONVERT A GLADE TO A TRAIL.

It is going to happen next year with Abenaki.  That is scheduled to be made a trail to connect to the Ski Bowl from Burnt Ridge.

frk wrote

NEVER,NEVER CONVERT A GLADE TO A TRAIL.

That's what's weird about that Abenaki glade. If they're just going to convert it to a trail next year, what's the point? Why not just cut the trail now?

They were preoccupied with the AE2 construction and improving the snowmaking on Topridge both in terms of labor and money.  This trail will need to be open whenever the Ski Bowl is because it is an important link to the Ski Bowl.  Achieving this requires snowmaking which also costs money.  Glades don't have snowmaking, so that money was saved.  They will need to remove all the trees anyway that were removed to make it a glade, so they are just splitting the work into 2 years instead of one.  The steps to making a trail are cutting it and installing snowmaking.  They are doing some of the cutting this year, and the rest of the cutting as well as the snowmaking next year.  Windham is doing all the steps on their new trail this year, meaning that it was cut with snowmaking installed the same year.

mattchuck2 wrote

That's what's weird about that Abenaki glade. If they're just going to convert it to a trail next year, what's the point? Why not just cut the trail now?

I spoke to Mike about this.  He knew that if he cut a trail without snowmaking Snoloco would hammer him in the forums, so he decided to wait.

Harvey wrote

mattchuck2 wrote

That's what's weird about that Abenaki glade. If they're just going to convert it to a trail next year, what's the point? Why not just cut the trail now?

I spoke to Mike about this.  He knew that if he cut a trail without snowmaking Snoloco would hammer him in the forums, so he decided to wait.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

freeheeln wrote

mattchuck2 wrote

The Bear Mountain->Old Gondy Midstation

 hasnt seen any attention in awhile, lots of blowdown ,whippers. mt not fond of visitors there,may encounter repercussions.

I've rode somewhere that took me to the old gondola midstation with a group once before.  

Harvey wrote

mattchuck2 wrote

That's what's weird about that Abenaki glade. If they're just going to convert it to a trail next year, what's the point? Why not just cut the trail now?

I spoke to Mike about this.  He knew that if he cut a trail without snowmaking Snoloco would hammer him in the forums, so he decided to wait.

Remember this?

http://nyskiblog.com/forums/#nabble-td1887106

Starting as a glade is smart considering the trail limit in the state constitution. Considering the contour and the need to provide a reasonably safe way down to the Ski Bowl for those less skilled, they could later clear out the trees on part of the left side of the glade, leaving some tree skiing on the right and letting others experiment with the trees and bail out if they feel a little overwhelmed. Just leave Barkeater alone!

There definitely needs to be a few more lines cut on a couple of sections of Barkeater, especially at the end where everything is always skied off.

snoloco wrote

Windham is doing all the steps on their new trail this year, meaning that it was cut with snowmaking installed the same year.

Alternative interpretation: Windham is blowing the marketing opportunity to turn X amount of work into TWO marketing announcements or "improvements." Kidding. Sorta.

Reality: Windham can afford to do whatever they want (+/-) and their customers want groomers.

Serendipity: Gore has a customer base that digs NY's most extensive glade system.

Harvey wrote

snoloco wrote

Windham is doing all the steps on their new trail this year, meaning that it was cut with snowmaking installed the same year.

Alternative interpretation: Windham is blowing the marketing opportunity to turn X amount of work into TWO marketing announcements or "improvements." Kidding. Sorta.

Reality: Windham can afford to do whatever they want (+/-) and their customers want groomers.

Serendipity: Gore has a customer base that digs NY's most extensive glade system.

Some of Gore's customers do love the glades, while most of Windham's customers want grooming.  That still doesn't change the fact that the two trails on Burnt Ridge are overcrowded and that section needs some more trails to spread out the crowds.  Glades won't help that, trails with snowmaking and grooming will.  There is no reason that Burnt Ridge couldn't have double the number of trails it currently has and still keep all the glades, or if a glade was clear cut into a trail, that another glade could not be added.  Like I have said many times, Gore has a low density trail layout.  This gives them a lot of potential to add more trails.  Right now on the map, Burnt Ridge has only 2 trails and 4 glades.  It could easily be expanded to 5 trails and not loose any glades, or maybe only loose one to become a trail.

If a mountain has a high density trail layout like Mount Peter and Belleayre, and some of the Hunter front side do, the mountain will get windswept easily, and the trails will not be too different from each other.  Gore could easily make Burnt Ridge's trail count 5 (Abenaki, plus 2 new trails) and not feel like Hunter, and not loose all the glades.  

As someone newer to tree skiing, I personally prefer having the glades within sight of a trail because if you get hurt, there is an easier chance of patrol finding you if you are next to a trail.  I know some will not agree with me, but more trails on Burnt Ridge will definitely make this more true

snoloco wrote

the two trails on Burnt Ridge are overcrowded

 not even close to true

snoloco wrote

There is no reason that Burnt Ridge couldn't have double the number of trails it currently has

You mean besides the NY state constitution. Do you know what the current plans are for the three miles that remain within the limit?

Burnt Ridge is unique and so cool. So different even from the rest of Gore. There is nothing in the northeast south of Gore that is anything like the Cirque. Why does it have to be clearcut, blown with manmade and groomed?

Maybe ski it once before you make up your mind.