Gore improvements....

[Tin Woodsman]

Thanks guys.

TA ... we've done a few items on driving at Harvey Road. This one called Drive Times to Ski Country ... has some information in the comments from a guy from Syracuse that may be helpful.

Tin Woodsman - as usual - a question right at the heart of the matter. I'm going to assume you mean - how many days can it be skied with lift service.

There are things that limit the number of days it will be open for sure.

Lower elevation - especially at the bottom of the run - makes snow harder to come by.

And ... access to Burnt Ridge is limited by a few different things.

Racing on Twister for one. I have asked Mike the same question nine ways to sunday.

"How can we access Burnt Ridge and Little Gore when there is racing on Twister?" You just can't. And racing is very important to Gore. It's not going away. (FYI I am 100% in favor of racing at Gore.)

Access to BR is also limited by the fact that the order of snowmaking is not going to change. Topridge, Ruby Run, to Sunway. The East Side, then the Summit, including the Dark Side, then the North Side. Burnt Ridge and Little Gore will come after all that is done.

So ... to answer the question ... I'm going to say in an above average, but not awesome year - like a B+ year - you could get 25+ days. Even that may be optimistic when you consider that midweek days get fewer lifts.

Great response. I hadn't even considered the other impediments to opening/accessing that terrain. That really stacks the deck against any sort of consistent access.

While I would definitely agree with the remainder of your post regarding having to take the extra terrain if it's available in the ADKs, one would think they would then make compromises around things like racing in order to maximize access to their shiny new toy when the conditions warrant it. Not necessarily eliminating racing, but rather moving it to another location in light of the new reality of their layout. The snowmaking will eventually catch up (at least on the trails - glades will always be an issue at that elevation for Gore) but you've got to try and mitigate other issues within your control. Not that I have an alternative location for racing mind you - just throwing it out there.

 

[Harvey]

With regard to Twister...

I asked Mike that question in our Gore Summer Update. It's in about the sixth section down from the top:

Harvey: We’ve heard that the requirements for racing dictate the use of Twister or Echo. Is it possible to use other trails for racing?

Mike: Topridge is certified for upper level Slalom. Twister is certified for Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super G, and entry level Downhill. Echo satisfies the standards for Slalom and Giant Slalom. We'd need to widen and modify other trails for them to use them for racing.

The answer is that Twister is very specifically configured to meet racing specs. Echo could be used for some of that racing but it also blocks the best routes to Burnt Ridge.

As Mike said above, other options would require significant trail widening, and still wouldn't totally resolve the issue.

 

[deadheadskier]

are there options for cutting new trails to get around the racing trail to the terrain it blocks?

 

[Harvey]

are there options for cutting new trails to get around the racing trail to the terrain it blocks?

I have also pressed Mike on this. Is there any way to keep racing high enough on Twister so that the general public could cross below the race?

And once across Twister, does the topography of the area that encorporates the Sagamore and/or Cirque glades allow for a catwalk to make the trek to Burnt Ridge?

No and no.

I should clarify - you can head to the other side on Cedars, but it's not ideal. There no way to carry speed, and it's quite flat.

And there is Pipeline. It's a back way to get from the North Chair to BR or Little Gore. It's pretty flat in parts. I'm told. I've never done it. It's only an official trail as of this year.

These issues can be considered vexing, or part of the romance of Gore. To me, when I look at that birthmark on lip of Cindy Crawford ... it's all part of a beautiful package. 8)