Whiteface cheap lodging - Wilm or LP late Jan

Hi Everyone,

I need advice on cheap but somewhat nice lodging near Whiteface (think 'Heads in Beds' in North Creek).  My wife and are thinking of taking four nights around Gore or WF.  I have a preference for WF on this trip: I have been to Gore once and liked it a lot, but since I haven't been to WF, I wanted to check it out. Also, I think I would prefer close to WF, and then drive the 15 min or so (it seems) to LP when we want to.

The thing is, tickets are cheaper at WF right now, but it is hard to pass up on the cheap cost of lodging at heads in beds near Gore (you can get a queen bed at what is basically a no frills clean place for 50 a night).  

Also, if we end up going to Gore, it would be starting Jan 21 ish.  Is that late enough for most of the mountain to be open?

Thanks in advance - really appreciate all of the guidance here.  This blog rocks.

Check this place out

http://www.wildernessinnadk.com/

Scotty turned us on to this place a few years ago. Cabins are clean and reasonably priced, maybe a mile from WF.

Restaurant kicks ass too!

There is a place in Wilmington called Cadunce.  New owner, pretty cool people and they are going through the place room by room refinishing it.  They have a couple units that can handle a family and the rates are right down your alley.  I would book early, when people see what's going on they are going be pretty booked.

DomB wrote

Also, if we end up going to Gore, it would be starting Jan 21 ish.  Is that late enough for most of the mountain to be open?

Skiing Gore anytime during Christmas week is a bad idea as they never have nearly as much open as Vermont mountains do.  You'll be spending plenty of time in lift lines and when you finally get to the top, will be stuck on a fraction of the mountain with lots of bad holiday skiers who have no idea what they're doing.

I went to Gore on MLK weekend last year and it was great with all lifts open (except high peaks which caused a rope evac the day before).  Skied mostly off the AE2 as it didn't have a line and the runs were in great shape.  I also went there during Christmas week one year that the entire mountain was open.  It was extremely crowded and sucked until I made it to the ski bowl.  Couldn't imagine the chaos if half the mountain was open.  Watch the website very closely before deciding to go there anytime before February.  I've seen Burnt Ridge and the Ski Bowl remain closed up until almost February or into February and you don't want to be there on a mid season weekend if they aren't open.

Whiteface usually has a lot of trouble opening the Lookout chair within a reasonable period of time (it doesn't open till mid January or later).  However it is typically more open than Gore is for much of the early season.  They also do far better with midweek terrain than Gore.

Bottom line is to always watch conditions very closely for both mountains and do not book far in advance.  Knowing you're going to have all of the mountain open and have a great experience is going to be well worth any extra cost IMO.

If going to Whiteface I am going to recommend the Hungry Trout.  Not only does it have really really nice rooms and comfortable beds its relatively cheap at around ($110 per night).  You can also ask the owner for a price with ski tickets.  It also has an incredible restaurant/bar with some of the best trout I have ever eaten.  Ask for the cajun spiced trout.  Its not always on the menu but the chef will make it for you.  Its incredible but not cheap (~$20) but its a must eat at least once.  I promise you that you have never eaten fish like this before.  

Claude

DomB wrote

Also, if we end up going to Gore, it would be starting Jan 21 ish.  Is that late enough for most of the mountain to be open?

Snoloco probably has the data on this from the last few years. When I saw your post I hoped he would detail it. Instead he chose to rant about Christmas, while providing data only for one year.  Interesting to me that sno makes the point that one time the Ski Bowl had the best skiing. See how that works? The more terrain you have the better chance there is that something will be good. Even without 100% snowmaking, high speed chairs and luxurious lodges.

I digress. My unscientific wild ass guess on terrain by Jan 21: In an average year Gore is probably 70-80% by that date.  I think there is a small chance that the mountain could be fully open by that date.  There is also a chance that a really bad weather event could have it down to 50% at that time.

Thanks guys - this is all very helpful.  

We booked WF for this one - two 3/4 day tickets for 102 each - pretty good deal.  It looks like they have extra sales until Oct 31 if anyone is considering where to go and price is a factor.  (Assuming you don't have a season pass or are willing to pay to see a place or the pass doesn't include WF).

Thank you guys also for the lodging recs - very helpful.  Any others are appreciated.  

Best - Dom

PS - 70 pc open at Gore would be fine with me - the place has so much skiing.  My home mountain (first time ever for one) will be Shawnee in Poconos (I know it is really a small hill).  I got a pass cheap and my 4 yo boy got one free under the height limit (46 in.) barely.  We're going to try to figure out eventually where our home mountain will be.  We're flatlanders on Long Island (though people don't realize some places on LI have significant hills like where I live), so I think longer term Belleayre or Gore will be good options for combination of terrain/crowds/price/teaching.  

PPS - Harvey - last year I did the Master the Mountain 2-day clinic.  My group instructor was Ed M. - a really nice guy and great instructor.  He said he sees you there a lot - though I am guessing this blog has made you kind of 'famous' (in a good way) around there.  

I've often found some very good rates midweek at Hampton Inn in LP. Certainly earlier you book, the better. Not sure if you're going weekend or not. Weekend rates always jacked up, but for last several years we've made a midweek, mid-January trip to WF made possible by ~110/nt or so rate. I know you indicated a place close to WF is preferred, but the vibe in LP is fantastic and well worth it in my opinion. Hampton is virtually brand new, rooms are great, pool, breakfast included, right next to LP Pub and brewery and the skating oval, across from dogsledding on lake, etc, etc. My pulse always quickens a bit when we check in there.

And as harv mentions, take sno's input with a grain of salt. Both mountains have great terrain and when 100% open either are great choices. But in a leaner snow year, variety makes a huge difference in the experience. No knock on WF, but I've found that 50% open there can mean a lot of that terrain is the same skiing experience. Most of that will be off the same couple chairs, on the same face of the mountain, on trails right next to each other with comparable pitches and views. At Gore 50% open means you may only have a handful of trails open in each "pod", but the pods all offer significantly different experiences because of the different mountains and aspects they're located on.

Have fun and we'd love to have you make either WF or Gore your home mountain (away from home)!

http://cadencelodge.com/

Book now.  The owners are renovating.  They will have half the rooms complete when they reopen in Dec.  Best rate, nice continental breakfast.  New rooms will be comfortable, clean and new!

+1 on Cadence Lodge

Congratulations on booking your trip.  If your looking for another place to eat ScottyJack recommended Liquid and Solids in LP and I must say it was an amazing culinary experience.  I am also going to recommend Lake Placid Pub and Brewery which has really good beers on tap and the food is pretty good too.  

I am not sure why I am all about the food today but whatever :)

Also mid-mountain lodge is a great place to have a beer.  The atmosphere is amazing.  What other places would have guys with hibachi's cooking lamb chops.  What a great place Whiteface/LP is.  I wished I lived there.  

Claude

Harvey wrote

DomB wrote

Also, if we end up going to Gore, it would be starting Jan 21 ish.  Is that late enough for most of the mountain to be open?

Snoloco probably has the data on this from the last few years. When I saw your post I hoped he would detail it. Instead he chose to rant about Christmas, while providing data only for one year.  Interesting to me that sno makes the point that one time the Ski Bowl had the best skiing. See how that works? The more terrain you have the better chance there is that something will be good. Even without 100% snowmaking, high speed chairs and luxurious lodges.

I digress. My unscientific wild ass guess on terrain by Jan 21: In an average year Gore is probably 70-80% by that date.  I think there is a small chance that the mountain could be fully open by that date.  There is also a chance that a really bad weather event could have it down to 50% at that time.

My data from the past 4 years just like you want.

14-15 Season:
BR opened 1/8, Ski Bowl 1/16

13-14 Season:
BR opened 1/4 and 1/5 and then closed until 1/25.  Ski bowl opened 2/8

12-13 season:
BR and Ski Bowl opened on 12/28.  Ski Bowl closed from 1/14-2/10 and BR closed 2 weeks in late January/Early February.

11/12 season:
BR opened 1/20, ski bowl did not open.

From the past 4 seasons, BR would be open during the time you want to go 3 of the 4.  The Ski Bowl only one of the 4.

I can't talk about LP without putting a plug in for Big Mountain Deli and Creperie on Main St. Fantastic sandwiches and wicked variety.

Lisa G's is another solid bet for a sitdown meal. LP Pub and Brewery is good, but the menu is fairly standard pub-fare. Both Lisa G's and Liquids/Solids have some unique offerings and twists to make the meal more memorable.

The cottage: Affiliation with Mirror Lake Inn scares off a lot of folks price-wise, but the cottage is actually pretty reasonable---pricier sandwiches and smaller selection, but setting is awesome---small, cozy, and overlooking frozen Mirror Lake with the doglseds and pickup ice hockey.

It's odd, actually. Seems like every time we make a trip to LP we plan the trip length around being able to hit our favorite eateries....

The North Pole is Wlimington is reasonable and I have heard good things about Cadence.  Hampton Inn is in a great location right next to Lake Placid Brewery and across the street from Mirror Lake.

For eats
Lake Placid Brewery
liquids and solids - best food in placid but you need to be adventurous .  Not a good place for Kids.
Desperados good Mexican
I avoid Main Street restaurants they are touristy and pricey

In Wilmington I prefer Wilderness Inn over Hungry Trout.  The service is always really slow at the Trout.  Sit in the Bar at Wilderness and order the steak sandwich off the pub menu.  It's a nice sized hand cut my strip on toast points with fries and onion rings for $13.

By late Jan WF is close to 100% open on snowmaking trails.  Woods may be iffy depending on the year.  The negative us it can be pretty cold.  For a vacation experience especially mid week you can't beat the LP Wilmington area.  Plenty to do besides skiing.  

Thanks, Coach.  As an aside, the trip is my wife and me, no kids on this one.  

I would say my wife is a level 4 skier, and was wondering what thoughts you have for instructors for her at WF?  We were thinking that it would be good for her to get a 2 hr private early the first day to brush up and get tips to get more comfortable and practice.  Partly because we have young kids (almost 5 and almost 2), she hasn't skied in 3 years.  Also, in terms of her skiing tendencies, she tends to lean uphill when she is nervous, causing herself to fall.  Any thoughts much appreciated.

Dom
I sent you an email with some questions.   Get back to me via email and I can help you find the right instructor for your wife