Why doesn't Whiteface service the summit with a lift?

Just wondering if it is in the future plans for whiteface to send a lift to the summit.  It is a crime to have all of that vert and not access it, especially the eastern side of the peak.  Any insight?

scottymac wrote

Just wondering if it is in the future plans for whiteface to send a lift to the summit.  It is a crime to have all of that vert and not access it, especially the eastern side of the peak.  Any insight?

1) it would probably put Whiteface over the constitutional limit on their skiable acreage; and 2) who has the money?

Spongeworthy wrote

scottymac wrote

Just wondering if it is in the future plans for whiteface to send a lift to the summit.  It is a crime to have all of that vert and not access it, especially the eastern side of the peak.  Any insight?

1) it would probably put Whiteface over the constitutional limit on their skiable acreage; and 2) who has the money?

both of SW's points are accurate but the real reason you can't build a lift to the summit is wind.  The darn thing would barely ever run mid winter when a N or W wind is blowing.  The summit lift stops just below that knob that protects it from the wind

You also would only have the slides to ski from the summit and you are never going to see snowmaking / grooming in there.

What they said.  Plus it might get a little crowded up there with the castle/atmospheric center and road.

There are so many better things for WF to spend its coin and political capital on.  Snow making on Hoyt's most immediately.  Retrofitting the ski racks on the gondi so that they accommodate today's wider skis comes to mind.  The Cloudspin Lounge could use a face lift.  I'm sure there's others.

And echoing what the previous poster said, you don't want to be on that summit when the wind machine is cranked up.  It's another world up there.

I think also New York has a limited amount of alpine tundra, some of which is on top of Whiteface.  The environmental agencies gave them a hard enough time when they did Lookout Mountain, I can't imagine they'd go for tearing up the summit.  

Frozen Forever wrote

I think also New York has a limited amount of alpine tundra, some of which is on top of Whiteface.  The environmental agencies gave them a hard enough time when they did Lookout Mountain, I can't imagine they'd go for tearing up the summit.

The APA and those eco nuts over at the so called ADK council (or what every they call themselves) would have a cow over that suggestion

Another thought is it's probably a terrible Idea to drop a lift off right there because of the number of inexperienced skiers who would take it. A lot of people will ride a lift without giving consideration of what terrain it services.

you are just majorly disgruntled. you old crumugen!

replying to ausableskier. the best skier on the mountain. i have to learn how to quote here!