Whiteface Terrain Question

Coach Z wrote

I use that lift pretty often
It's the most wind sheltered lift in the Mt and it almost never has a line unless everything else is on wind hold.

You can not get to the top if lower northway from Mt run.  There is a cut there but it has not been used for around 15 years.  You can take Burtons which is just below the mid station lodge.

I think I know the cut you're referring to.  It's called Burton's on the trail map, but I think it's signed as Tomcat on the mountain.  In the exact location you describe.

Tomcat is much lower than Burtons

About 20% of your ski days are going to dominated by how deal with wind.  Get used to that idea.

Coach Z wrote

About 20% of your ski days are going to dominated by how deal with wind.  Get used to that idea.

Unless you go to Gore.

I've been to Gore on windy days.  Wind still affects where you ski at Gore but there are more aspects so it's easier to get out of it.

I'll probably ski Gore on days where it looks like Whiteface will be mostly shut down for wind.  It's only happened once where I was at Whiteface on a day when there were mass wind holds.  Only Kids Kampus, Bear, Mixing Bowl, Facelift, and Freeway were open at first.  My mom doesn't ski WF black diamonds, so we couldn't go past midstation on Freeway, and the Facelift had a 20+ minute wait.  They did eventually open Summit, Lookout, Mountain Run, and gondola, but LWF was broken all day, so the gondola line was ridiculous.

I know the layout of the mountain very well, but I haven't figured out all the quirks yet, nor what the best daily routine is.

I'm guessing at this point, I'll go up the gondola first, then ski the LWF chair as it opens right away.  Work my way through both the Summit and Lookout sections, and then use The Wilmington Trail to return to the base for lunch and avoid the crowds on Valley.  If it's a day when I don't want to go to the bottom for lunch (holiday weekend), but still want to ski Wilmington or SVG, I might go up Lookout right at 9, ski to the base, and use the Facelift to get back up as it doesn't line up as quick as the gondola.  I could also do the same basic idea to get a top to bottom run in early.  In afternoons, I'm thinking I'd ski the Freeway section after racing was mostly done, and then go back to anything that was skiing really well in the morning.

I recommend coming to the forum to bitch about it.  It is, after all, a time honored tradition.

We Gore skiers hold our heads high and comfort our Whiteface friends, with hardly a thought about our great tree skiing and legendary horizontal.

Sno, I can sense that you are excited about the winter and skiing at Whiteface.   Don't worry about the race program, realize that it helps pay for the mountain and take advantage of that lift when things are busy.    I almost feel like you are rushing to get through the day, and ahead of the curve.   And while I and others here do that as well, take some time to make some turns.   You will discover some great vertical glades if you look for them.  

BTW, if you show up at mid while I am out there grilling, introduce yourself.  I may have an extra lamb chop/piece or meat for you.

The mountain is going to take a while to open.  Enjoy Skiing Essex when it opens.  It will be filled with large bumps.   Later, it will flatten out.  Take the time to ski down Victoria as it opens....more bumps.   When the guns are on Mountain Run, Wilderness and Thruway, and Patrol drops the rope, hit those trails.  You wont be able to see much, you will be covered in snow, you will sweat your a$$ off, but you will have a great time.  Then you get to repeat the process as they open up the Summit and then Lookout Mountain.

But try not to bitch and complain.  You are too young to be bitter.  You have a lot going for you.

I love the "horizontal" line.  Very funny.

Wilmington trail is always best in the morning as the narrow sections get skied off quickly.  I always seem to prefer Hoyt's in the afternoon though it may just be a matter of how I ski the Mt.

My norm is Gondi to approach and upper Wilderness if open.  Then lap mid station off LWF.  Go to line up then head to summit and Wilmington trail before lunch.

Grillman wrote

I love the "horizontal" line.  Very funny.

X2
That is hilarious

horizontal
Winter air in snow tires
Funny stuff

Grillman wrote

Sno, I can sense that you are excited about the winter and skiing at Whiteface.

Totally right.  Hard not to be excited about more than tripling the vertical at your home mountain.

I always try and see all of the particular mountain I'm skiing on a given day.  It's just the way I do things.  I try to see every aspect of the place.  I even do that at the places I'm familiar with.

This is a double entendre that (maybe) only Gore skiers will fully understand. Glad to brighten your day, however you took it.

I've followed the snow report for quite a few seasons, but I never caught what the midweek lifts typically are.  Is LWF typically open during the week?  I ask because I'll likely have a few midweek days at WF this year.

no.  and its walk right on the Gondi.  petit homme!

For whatever reason I thought that they used to run it midweek.  I guess they stopped when NYSEF started paying them to run Freeway midweek.  Instead of spending the same $$$ on midweek lifts, they let NYSEF save $$$ for them.

How often is Hoyt's typically groomed once it opens?My impression is that it isn't typically groomed, but is after freeze thaws and usually just prior to president's weekend.

Thats about right. Best trail on mtn!

ScottyJack wrote

Best trail on mtn!

I concur.  Snowtribe, open it before February!!