I got a very good day of skiing at Gore Mountain; I have not skied Gore before so it is always nice…read moreto explore a new mountain. Getting from my hotel in Lake George to Gore was easy enough. At Gore I ended up parking in one of the more distant parking lots, but a shuttle was right there to deliver me to the base area. A short walk to the lodge where you can settle in and get geared up. There are baskets to store your bag and the lifts are nearby. A bit of a delay at the start of the day as they were still getting the trails and lifts ready. Then there was a single lift running for about 1 hour so the lines were fairly long; when they finally got the gondola and the upper lifts running the lines disappeared and the day became much more enjoyable. Gore has a bunch of different areas, I got through most of them, although I did not get to try the Burnt Ridge and North Creek areas, but did find plenty of nice runs. I spent the day on Blue and groomed Black runs and had a great time. Overall I enjoyed my day skiing at Gore Mountain, if you are in the area it is a good place to ski, probably not worth a long trip to ski, but certainly worth a visit. Gore and Whiteface use the same RIF card so if you have one it is well worth getting a day at each of them.

I unfortunately didn't have the greatest experience Gore could offer due to external factors none…read moreto Gore's fault. I definitely want to come back again and redeem my time here because I'm not a quitter. My boyfriend and I had come up to Gore on Friday the 13th in December 2024 no less. So maybe that's where all my bad luck came from ? PARKING There's a ton of parking, but coming later in the day results in parking far. It's quite a walk to the main lodge and kiosk when you do. Parking is free! PRICE I can't talk about price because my boyfriend works in the industry and got our tickets through his line of work. SNOW CONDITIONS Packed base, icy, mind your tailbone. I would highly recommend starting on some easy greens just to get the feel of the conditions. I've only been snowboarding for 2 years, but have had over 150 hours on snow already and 45ish days. But at the start of the season, everything is new ish again. My boyfriend is an experienced rider. Riding for over 10 years, way more days and hours than I have, and had his start in Colorado. I asked for greens just to warm up, while I do ride on blues, I was riding on a new board and it didn't end well for me. Failing to plan is planning to fail after all. I wish I got a trail map at the beginning, and they should be widely more available to find. Not everyone has great cell service in the mountains. While at the top, near Saddle Lodge, it starts off green, at the beginning of the season there's not many runs open and soon I found myself on a blue on a very playful and new board. It threw me in for a loop since my last board was VERY stiff. The complete opposite! During my second lap of the day I fell wrong and whatever was in my kangaroo pocket jabbed my rib. I couldn't get down on my own due to the pain and nausea and ski patrol had to bring the toboggan. I hated it. I hated having to cut it so short! Gore was a dream mountain of mine and I didn't get to experience it fully. My expectations for myself became defeated. Swallowing that pill was hard. I will be back towards the end of the season to reclaim my experience. After I have more practice on my new board. I just bought another one, which is in between both the stiff and very playful board. SKI PATROL I want to thank Zac for staying by me and my boyfriend while I tried to get myself down. I really didn't want to quit. I'm not a quitter but my boyfriend did say, "it's better to quit now and ride another day than make it worse and be out all season." After thinking about it and how dizzy and nauseous I was I gave in. Just knowing I had the support was reassuring. Zac was also very calm and reassuring. Once I made up my mind to that I couldn't go further on my own, he brought me down with the toboggan. I never rode on a sled before in my life, and it was fun, but let's definitely not make it a habit! It's been almost a month now and my ribs are 99% better. It was an intercostal muscle strain. It hurt like hell for a week and a half, but I rode again at a smaller mountain the next day because we didn't want to end the trip early. I had better runs, no falls, despite the insane amount of pain. GIFT SHOP I had a very lovely chat with the lady who works in the gift shop. I bought many Gore Stickers for my scrapbook! She and I bonded over our love of scrapbooks, and I know that's not something snowboarders regularly do. Mainly stickers go on helmets and boards, but I love them on & in my scrapbook. Pricing is definitely a little more than average. But the stickers are amazing quality so worth it! They also sell just about anything you would need in the shop at the base area lodge. We bought one of those screwdriver sets. OVERALL I highly recommend saving the PDF version of the trail map to your phone for easy access ahead of time before you go anywhere near the mountain. The views are out of this world!! Gore is definitely a place to ride and check out and I will be back with a better updated review!

I have never been to McCauley to ski, so I really can't comment on what it's like for that. I did…read morecome for mountain biking. I found the maps that were posted to be very confusing and frankly the trails I rode were not particularly well marked. I feel like it's got a ton of potential, but it was a pain to try to navigate without trails being clearly marked. The interesting thing was that I saw an experienced rider heading in to the trails, I picked her brain a little and even though she had been there a number of times - she said that the trails are difficult to navigate. I was disappointed In that, but the terrain was pretty awesome. I just get a little frustrated when I can't find my way around. If you are going to ride here - I would strongly recommend downloading the app Trailforks, which I did after getting VERY irritated by not being able to find trailheads. I hope you're time riding here is better than and easier to navigate than mine.

Drop my kids off at the nearby waterpark and decided to go up the mountain for a ski lift chair a…read moreride up the mountain for some spectacular views. Too bad it was overcast and very hazy on this particular day I went but the views would be outstanding in the fall colors of got to be beautiful. I will be back with the family next time I know they will enjoy it.

Royal Mountain is a small mom & pop mountain nestled in upstate New York. It's only open on…read moreweekends, holidays, and school breaks from 9am to 4pm, but it was perfect to try out after Friday the 13th on Gore and my intercostal muscle strain. PARKING Plenty of free parking, lots of off-roading. TICKETS & PASSES I had my reservations about the quality of Royal due to the prices of tickets and passes. Super affordable! Adult all day was $60. THE MOUNTAIN & SLOPES I first learned about Royal Mountain after meeting Billy, a ski patroller there, while my boyfriend and I were at Gore. He invited us to check out Royal so we wouldn't leave empty-handed after a rough time at Gore. He knew I had been struggling there, psyching myself out, and assured me I would have a much better time at Royal. He was right--I'm not going to lie, I reclaimed my confidence at Royal and was able to take it easy without further injuring myself. Billy's enthusiasm for the mountain was undeniable. He showed us around, and it quickly became clear just how much love the community has for Royal. Everyone helps run it together, and it was so well-kept. Every inch of the mountain was covered in snow--so much snow! But I wasn't surprised since this was Upstate New York. I had my reservations at first, based on previous experiences with smaller, family-owned mountains, but Royal exceeded my expectations. Billy had us start on the bunny slope, assuring us not to judge it by its name. He spends a lot of time on it himself because, unlike most bunny slopes, this one is different--way more fun. He wasn't wrong! Once I felt confident enough to ride without straining myself too much, we explored more of the mountain, riding ski lifts and different trails. For a Saturday, it wasn't too crowded, which was perfect. I'm not a fan of crowds--not just as a snowboarder but in general. Crowds make me feel claustrophobic, like I can't even hear myself think. Watching Billy interact with the kids on the mountain was heartwarming. They trusted him completely--he was their guide into the world of snowboarding. You could tell he knew exactly what he was doing. At some point, he left us to explore on our own while he accompanied the groms down some much more difficult terrain. I wasn't about to follow, not with my intercostal muscle strain. I could still ride, but strapping in took nerves of steel. I've had this same strain before, but never from something as cool as a snowboarding mishap. This was also my first time riding back-to-back multiple days in a week, but I love snowboarding too much to give up! Needless to say, I had the best time thanks to Billy and his recommendations. I hope to come back one day and really enjoy the mountain--especially without any injuries! FOOD & BATHROOMS The bathrooms were awesome. They had character. Everything was so well-kept and had slice of history shown with the decor. I also noticed that each bathroom stall was equipped with a toilet seat for the little ones, if it was needed! That's so amazing and thoughtful! The food & refreshments were affordable and tasted amazing. Everyone was so kind! GIFT SHOP Although there isn't much of a gift shop, Royal still had vinyl stickers to choose from FOR FREE! I loved it! Very much so appreciated! OVERALL I had a really pleasant experience at Royal Mountain and cannot wait to do it again. I definitely want to explore the mountain some more, when I come back. I will be 100% healed and ready to take on any of the trails. I hope to run into Billy again because he's definitely an amazing guy and clearly, you can tell, the community thinks so too! I was going to give this mountain a four out of five star because I fully believe everything can be bettered upon BUT I can't really think of anything quite wrong with the mountain. It's well-kept, well-loved, and a great hidden gem! The website is gorgeous too! Easy to maneuver. I can find everything I was looking for. Not just anyone can attain this high level of professionalism!

Small yet fun and challenging mountain. Friendly staff comfortable lodge, nicely groomed trails …read more.. all around a great ski stop.

Poor tubing conditions. Unsafe, unprofessional staff. Never experiened anything like it. Just pay…read moremore and go to West. They are a professional operation.

My daughter wanted to celebrate turning 16 by snowboarding with her friends. I initially called a…read morevery popular ski resort in Massachusetts. Their website boasted of offering accommodations for small groups of 15. When I called, I was told that our group was too small for a group rate and even if I had extra attendees because the weekend we chose was a holiday weekend, a group rate would not be available. I then called a popular ski resort in the Catskills, who were less helpful than the resort in Massachusetts. I finally called Willard. The lady I spoke with walked me through the entire registration process for my party. When we arrived, we found very helpful and friendly staff. One staff member even helped me convince my daughter's very reluctant dad to try snowboarding. The staff distributing the rental equipment were equally pleasant and helpful. The snowboarding instructors went above and beyond to ensure everyone had a great time. They quickly individualized lessons according to how quickly our snowboarders grasped concepts. My group left the mountain, with the hope of returning! Thank you staff of Willard for an amazing time and making my daughter's 16th birthday memorable.

Excellent place. Not crowded. In the middle of nowhere!! Nice slopes, comfortable chalet and…read morewell-maintained. A long drive from Cleveland, OH in a VW Bug in 1968!! Bob Deacon/Jay Hawkins

Not my favorite place. We went there for the terrain park because they said it was open and it…read morewasn't. The mountain is beautiful but I didn't like how everything is separated so much. Just not for us.

Ski venture is a private ski area that is run and operated by its members! In order to go skiing at…read morethe ski area you need to be a member and pay a yearly fee for your family to become a member! The club takes only a certain amount of families in every year allowing the club to stay private to the members.

I've skied here for about 40 years. Prospect has consistently the best snow in the western mass/…read moreNew York capital District area. The trails are gorgeous, challenging and the place has tons of character as does the staff! Definitely worth the drive! Look forward to being able to warm up in the lodge again after hitting the trails hard. Hopefully that will be an option next year. They do a good job of keeping it Covid safe in the meantime.

Prospect is a wonderful place to ski. Though it is farther away for me than places in the…read moreBerkshires, it is worth the ride because, especially this winter, it often has more snow and better conditions. It has an extensive and diverse trail network with a good mix of flats and steeper sections of varying length and pitch. Most trails have set tracks and a groomed area for free-form and skate skiing, and the staff does a nice job keeping the trails in shape. Its history as a downhill facility is evident in the old-time charm of its lodge, a post-and-beam building with basic, comfortable amenities including a hot wood stove and a kitchen staffed by friendly folks. There is a comfortable, relaxed ambience, and the staff are always friendly and welcoming.

What a beautiful mountain!…read more As an adult first learning to ski, I found Whiteface fairly intimidating. Just the drive in with its sweeping views of the east slope landscape is awe-inspiring. As an Olympic mountain with the greatest continuous vertical drop in the eastern US, this ski mountain has so much to offer for all levels of outdoor enthusiast. The Bear's Den area is the perfect launching point for little ones, new skiers, or those who prefer to warm up with an easy slope. If you're ready to jump in, there's a series of greens, blues, blacks, and more that can be accessed from their main lodge area by a gondola and several chairlifts to the mid and upper mountain. Even on busy days there's so many miles of trails that it keeps the crowds spread out to a degree. Can the lift lines get excessive? Sure. But if you're not picky, you can ski around (or stick to the upper mountain) and you can get a decent amount of runs in. Great mountain to level up on. In the past year I've graduated to some of their blues and finally made it to their highest lift (at 4,386 feet!) to soak in the amazing views of the surrounding Adirondacks. I've hiked many a mountain in summer this height but it was rewarding to catch a ride to the top and make my way down on skis. I appreciated the trail matrix available this year to gain a better understanding of which blues are easier and which start to verge on black so that I don't find myself in an overly uncomfortable situation before I'm mentally ready to do so. While all skiing is generally expensive, I feel you get a pretty good bang for your buck. Great facilities with a mid-mountain lodge. Fun events to watch if you catch them on a day you're already on-mountain. I caught both giant slalom and slalom this last trip. I'm clearly no expert but, I'm a fan of this location and am grateful to have the opportunity to ski here a couple times a year when in the area. I will have to hike it sometime to appreciate all that the non-winter season has to offer.

I have been trying to ski Whiteface for a while, usually one thing or another prevented me…read more Luckily this time I got a full day of skiing. Getting to Whiteface from my hotel in Lake George was easy; parking ended up being easy since I choose to park at the Bear Den Lodge area so I ended up almost to the lodge. I picked up my lift ticket RFID ticket from the electronic dispenser with no problem; by buying online in advance I got a discount price. The lodge was nice and even had racks available for free bag storage. I do appreciate that getting to the lodge and from the lodge to the lifts without having to climb steps. Overall the logistics were great for getting onto the mountain at the Bear Den area. The biggest downside I encountered was that the lifts were delayed almost 1 hour so that the groomers could redo the mountain since there was an ice storm overnight. I do have to call out the lift operator who kept us informed and entertained during the wait; it was much appreciated. Once the lifts were running there is one lift that gets you from the Bear Den area which is the beginner's area to mid-mountain and access to the rest of the mountain. Once I got skiing, Whiteface lived up to its Iceface nickname both early in the morning and then later in the afternoon. I was glad that they had regroomed the slopes so the skiing was good for most of the day. 3mmit and Lookout Mountain. I got to ski all 3 areas and really enjoyed myself. Little Whiteface was a bit limited since they had closed a whole face and one lift for race training. The Summit of course puts you up high and provides the choice to ski quite a few different trails and you can go to mid-mountain or the full 3000+ vertical to the base area. Lookout Mountain was opened later than the other areas and then was closed again for a while for regrooming; I was a bit disappointed by this since I found the Willmington Trail to be some of the best skiing on the mountain. A great long intermediate trail with fun twists and turns and variations in the slope, I would have taken a couple more runs on this trail if I had the chance. I really enjoyed skiing Whiteface, it is the largest vertical for any Eastern ski area. The lift system works well and navigating the mountain is not too hard. Having hosted the winter Olympics there is plenty of challenge and variety. Prices are reasonable, especially if you buy your tickets online and in advance. Because Lake Placid is a bit remote the lift lines were short. As long as the weather cooperates Whiteface is a great place to ski or ride.

We had a great stay at Alpine Lodge in North Creek. We rented two rooms -- the 2-bedroom Eagle's…read moreNest and the 1-bedroom suite -- and both were great. Daphne, the manager, was very helpful when I called and also with all of our back-and-forth texts. At one point, my niece accidentally double-locked the bathroom doors, and housekeeping couldn't get them open. Totally our fault, but the hotel still refunded our late checkout fee without me even asking, which was really nice of them. It's honestly such a charming place. This was my second time staying there -- I was there about 10 years ago and loved it then too. I'm already looking forward to going back next year. The location is also perfect if you're rafting with North Creek Rafting Company. It's about a 5-minute walk, which made things really easy. The Eagle's Nest had plenty of space for breakfast and just hanging out comfortably. I really don't understand the 1-star reviews. I guess you can't please everyone, but we had no complaints at all. Thanks again, Daphne!

Staying at the Alpine lodge gives you a big ole welcome home Adirondack style. The owner took a…read moreclassic Adirondack motel and updated everything with great attention to detail. The rooms were extremely comfortable and quaint. We enjoyed the common spaces that included a fire pit with a charcoal grill. There was a lovely outdoor structure with a stone fireplace and seating area that was being used by another couple. The lounge inside had a lot to offer and made us feel at home. If I'm Back in the Adirondacks I will be seeking out the other venues that the Weekender company has to offer.