The snow is abundant, the days are sunny, and Gore Mountain events are hot.

Max out your snow enjoyment at Gore Mountain with a choice of events which feature special programs, focused learning, and money-saving offers.

 

MLK Weekend

A two-day Holiday Camp over MLK Weekend is designed for children aged 4-12 years. They can learn, or advance in, skiing and snowboarding. Get them started off right with these all-abilities classes, or help them stretch their skills with personalized instruction.

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Bolster your child's confidence with a program which will include the child's lift ticket, lunch, and supervision each day. This lets parents get some trail time and maybe even some together time.

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On Sunday, February 14, there will be a Torchlight Parade and Fireworks Spectacular. Enjoy great views from the sundeck as the dusk comes alive with a torch run and fireworks (as seen in the header photo, above.) Open Pit Grille and Food Court will be serving refreshments, with live music and apres-fun at the Tannery Pub.

Pick Your Focus

It's not only the children who can enjoy weekend clinics for skill building. Gore has For Women Only weekends for ladies 18 and up.

Gore's best women instructors will help you with personal goals and challenges. It includes breakfast, lunch, video analysis, gear discussions, lots of trail time, and the opportunity to wrap up the first day with a complimentary wine and cheese party.

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The second day is all about building on the tips from the certified coaches, working on turns, and even some synchronized skiing and riding to really keep those moves in the groove.

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Gore does not neglect anyone as more weekend classes include an Intro to Telemark or a Trees and Steeps Telemark clinic. Go advanced with Glades & Glory and Master the Mountain.

All classes repeat throughout the season. Choose your level and choose your weekend.

Wait, there's more

Remember, every non-holiday Wednesday of the season is a $48 lift ticket when you bring any unopened Coca-Cola beverage. It's Why Not Wednesdays!

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Present the ticket sellers with any unopened Coca-Cola product, which includes Dasani water, Minute Maid, Nestea, Barq's, or Canada Dry and you'll save! Mid-week lodging deals will also have you saving big.

Beat the crowd and have more of the mountain to yourself.

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There's more mid-week fun on Monday, January 29, with the Gore Mountain Restaurant Race on the recreational race course.

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It's a way of supporting your favorite restaurants and watching some thrilling competition. The race will take place on The Arena on a dual slalom course with red and blue gates.

This event promises lots of fun whether you race ($5 to register and $5 dining coupon for participating) or just want to cheer the racers on.

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We know you can't wait!

Find a place to stay. Fuel up at Gore or one of our many dining spots. Find out more about Gore.

 

The Newcomb Winterfest is more than a celebration of all things winter, it’s also a glimpse into life in the Adirondacks. The free event happens Jan. 13 in Newcomb from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

 

Ruth and David Olbert, owners of Cloud-Splitter Outfitters, explained that life in the Adirondacks doesn’t end when it gets cold. Instead, people adapt. And skis help, too.

 

“It’s truly a lifestyle because we live it, we don’t just do it on weekends,” Ruth said. “We play together and we live together. It’s the way life is in Newcomb and it’s intriguing to some people, and that’s why we do this event.”

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Visitors don’t have to be hardened mountain dwellers to get into the pro-winter spirit. That’s where Winterfest comes in. Anyone with an adventurous curiosity can try cold weather endeavors like fat tire biking, ice fishing, and cross-country skiing.

 

 

No prior experience is required; on the contrary, beginners are encouraged to sample it all.

 

“That’s why we do this, to kind of help people gently get to know these activities, and to show them it’s OK, they can handle it,” Ruth said.

 

Fat tire biking

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This is exactly what it sounds like: bikes with really wide, knobby tires that are especially good for riding over snow.

 

David says the bikes are not built for speed, but they are faster than walking.

 

“They’re not great for going fast, but the thing about fat tire bikes is they have so much floatation, they’re really good on anything that is a soft-type surface, like snow or sand,” David said. “Basically, any surface that a traditional mountain bike would sink into more.”

 

The wider tires also give the bikes better traction. Right said that makes them popular for riding across frozen ponds, something younger people especially enjoyed last year.

 

 

“We were at Lake Harris Bay, so the 16-, 17-, and 18-year olds were riding out on the ice,” Ruth said. “They were really having a great time. They’d leave, ride out, come back, then do it again, so they were really enjoying that.”

 

Ice fishing demos

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Ever wonder what it’s like to ice fish? At Newcomb Winterfest, you can find out.

 

Ice fishing demos outline the sport from start to finish, and include a review of the equipment necessary to partake in the sport.

 

“The guy who does it, Jason Richards, is really good at communicating with people who have never done any of this, so he’s perfect for this” Ruth said. “It’s a complete set up.”

 

 

Ruth said Jason hits everything, including how to drill holes, how to set up a tip-up, and how to put bait on a hook.

 

 

Cross-country skiing

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It’s true, you need gear to cross-country ski, but it’s easy to try at Winterfest.

 

That’s because Ruth and David use hok skis. They’re short and wide, which makes them feel more secure, kind of like a cross between snowshoes and cross-country skis.

 

“My sister-in-law, she is a non-skier and she’s really nervous about it,” Ruth said. “She tried the hok skis last year at Winterfest and she bought two pairs for this year.”

 

Hok skis also have a universal binding, similar to a snowboard binding, so any boot can be strapped into them. The undersides of the ski have integrated mole hair, making them able to ascend hills.

 

“They can go up almost any hill,” David said. “If you’re in the High Peaks, on the real steep sections, you’d have to switch to snowshoes, but with a universal binding like that it’s easy to just throw your shoes on, then go back to the skis.”

 

 

Everybody plays together

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Other Winterfest happenings include self-guided tours of Camp Santanoni — an Adirondack Great Camp that’s accessible by snowshoes or skis in the winter, and sled dogs, food, a bonfire, tubing, snowmobile rides, and downhill skiing and snowboarding.

 

And once the sun goes down, everyone congregates at the Newcomb Central School gym for live music and square dancing. Like anything at Winterfest, no prior experience is required to square dance — a few people will even be on hand to guide newbies.

 

The event is, after all, about community and trying new things, and everyone is encouraged to join the fun.

 

“The one thing that always stands out to me is the age difference in the people doing things together,” Ruth said. “At last year’s square dance, I think the youngest person was 6, and the oldest was probably 79 or so. Everybody plays together.”

---

 

Why not make a weekend out of Winterfest? Stay nearby, then use those new winter skills in the backcountry!

One way of knowing what people love about the Schroon Lake Region is what they share with each other.
With that in mind, here are the Top Ten things people think about... when they think about us.

History, fishing, and pie

The top most-shared blog of 2017 was about North Hudson history, which includes a fun video about Frontier Town. Our blog, A Day in North Hudson, covered the rise, fall, and possible new rise, of this early theme park.

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There's also the fantastic family hiking and the amazing Adirondack Buffalo Company. Yes. real buffalo.

The next one was about Schroon Lake's favorite diner, Pitkin's: A taste of home. Fantastic breakfast with all the fixings, their own Michigans, or dinner with those homemade desserts, like peanut butter pie or rice pudding.

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Come on in and make yourself to home.

The third blog was about the great fishing in the area, Wild places, wild fishing! It featured an interview with an Adirondack Guide and a DEC wildlife biologist to find out some of the best places to find the fish.

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Of course, the fishing is fine all the year 'round, whether the water is "hard" (frozen) or "soft" (not frozen.)

Water, water, everywhere

Our next three top shares are all about the lakes and rivers.

The blog Kid Hikes Near Water shared some of our favorites for getting the younger ones on a hike with a lovely payoff at the end. Of course, we are spoiled for choice, here, as seen in this shot from Newcomb.

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One of our followers, Richard Gallagher, brought us this lovely photo of Blue Ridge Falls, a spectacular, and spectacularly easy, hike with big waterfall action.

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Thank you, Richard. What a reminder that spring hiking is especially good for this kind of roaring river photo opportunity.

Our next contender was this shot of fall on the shores of Schroon Lake.

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From the fantastic foliage to the tasty eats downtown, this is a great place to be at that most enjoyable time of year.

Thrill of summer

Our final four top shares celebrate the sheer beauty of the area, like this one of fall just beginning in North Hudson.

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One of our bloggers caught this fun reminder of how nature is all around us in the Adirondacks.

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I love this fall picture from one of our most enjoyed photographers, Sharron Hosley Tyrrell, who revels in capturing our loveliness.

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Thank you so much, Sharron!

Coming in tenth is a blog called Celebrate Summer in Schoon.

Which we do, we do. And we hope you do, too.

Some of our most shared posts were videos. Enjoy them on our Schroon Lake Region Facebook page, and feel welcome to follow us.
We don't believe in depriving you of anything.

Come and stay with us. Enjoy a meal with us. Win a stay with us.

In the midst of the forever-wild Adirondacks, there is a grand entrance to The Fitness Trail, located in Newcomb, New York, just off of Route 28N. It's a great tune-up trail for your body and mind to prepare for the winter running season.

If the trailhead is not plowed you can take the turn into the nearby boat launch to find a parking spot.

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The Fitness Trailhead parking lot might not be plowed.

Tune-up for Winter

No matter how conditioned and in running shape you may be, winter trail-running involves ever-changing and unpredictable terrain because essentially, you’re running on a trail with footing you can't see.

While its beauty may be undeniable, questions arise: how deep is the snow, is it packed, is there a rock jutting out or a bulging root just beneath the surface of this freshly-fallen blanket? Being early in the season, it’s the terrain underneath this natural crystalline magic that we’ll be running on today.

For me, The Fitness Trail is short and sweet but throws at you just about every type of terrain you can encounter even on an extended run — which is why I refer to it as a tune-up.

It's a reminder to me and my body that running with an informed intelligence of the terrain in tandem with proper footwear can tip the overall experience in your favor for enjoyment, exercise, and safety for both the novice or expert trail runner.

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Upon exiting my vehicle, the first thing I do is inspect the conditions — underneath this powder in the parking area is a thin layer of ice. Now, to a point, our body’s design allows for the many deviations in terrain like uneven surfaces, loose rock, the many twists and turns, and slippage. But with a simple addition of equipment like a traction cleat you can reinforce and enhance natural body preparedness into super-human confidence with no bulkiness to hamper your natural stride.

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This is the bottom of the traction cleat.

There are many different brands of traction cleats that slip on and off fairly easily and have ample elasticity to slip over your favorite running or hiking shoes. Today, the snow is not deep, so I opt for my summer running shoes, but I have hiking/running shoes on standby in my trunk just in case. I prefer the type of traction cleat that includes velcro strips for adjusting and tightening. In this in-between time of year, these will suffice, but snowshoe weather is quickly approaching.

Suit up and gear up

The proper apparel, clothing, and equipment make for a safe and enjoyable adventure, my backpack is always filled with backup; dry socks, gloves, lip balm, water, beef jerky, cell phone, etc. Teeming with visitors and locals alike in summer and fall, you may find you have the trail all to yourself — as I do today.

Warm-ups and being focused and ready are taken seriously on The Fitness Trail.

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These signboards demonstrate the warm-up exercises.

You want your body and mind hitting on all cylinders. These exercise tablets with instructions remind me of the importance to stretch, and prepare the body and mind, so I decided to err on the side of caution and walk the first part of the trail informing myself of trail conditions before full gallop.

You’ll come to a side road at the start of the trail, slow up, and remember to look both ways before crossing.

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Meltwater can turn to ice and lurk beneath the snow.

Pictured above on the right, meltwater creates small rivulets underneath the surface of the snow. I saw it mid-stride and was able to miss it, but as I have forewarned, what you see is not always what you get when winter trail running. To the left in my overcompensation to miss the water, I hit a small patch of ice — only my traction cleat kept me from falling.

Warming up

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The blur of beauty as I pick up the pace.

The traction cleat gives you just enough bite into the terrain without hindering your stride. Next test... We’ve all seen the road signs warning us, “Bridge Freezes First.”

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My traction cleats keep me upright and running over an icy bridge.

Footbridges are no exception. Here, in full stride, I felt my footfalls shimmy and slip on contact, a sheet of ice under the snow. Luckily my underconfidence told me to slip on my cleats which kept just enough positive traction with the icy surface.

The trail opens up to views of Lake Harris shortly after the footbridge.

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Here the cleats bite in and liftsup the snow almost taking the terrain with me.

My second trip around the loop and I can eat hills like candy! I'm going out of my way to find obstacles and hurdles to jump over. Beast mode, anyone?

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I elect to jump over fallen tree debris rather than run around it.

After this tune-up, I know the conditions are not ever going to be perfect, but my clothing and apparel decisions and my equipment choices give me a distinct terrain advantage and confidence, but never overconfident.

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I run back to my vehicle and set the GPS to discover one of the many trails for an extended run just down the road!

No need to let the Adirondack winter keep you from the trails! Plan to take a run here in the gorgeous Schroon Lake Region, then reward yourself with delightful dining and comfy lodging.

If you like to quilt, you will love Aunt Polly's Material Girls.

This charming shop, tucked along the scenic shores of the Hudson River, is a crafter's delight. Wonderful fabrics, plenty of notions, specialty tools, and local wool are all available at this full service quilting shop.

Though I am not a crafter or quilter, I do enjoy the end products. This place helps anyone see the appeal.

So much color

The idea of sandwiching a layer of padding between two layers of fabric is a very old one, as seen in the origins of the word "quilt" from the Latin "culcita," meaning "a stuffed sack." It is a noun, meaning something to keep us warm in bed, and also a verb, as in the act of making one.

Proprietor Maggie prides herself on providing good value. She buys her fabric on sale and passes the savings on to her customers. The choices, and variety, are staggering. Just looking over the sumptious colors and patterns is a visual feast. Whatever the occasion, or whoever the recipient, there is probably something here that would fit exactly.

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Quilting fans recognize three types of patchwork. There are the whole cloth quilt, known as counterpane, where the fabric sheets are all of a piece and the design comes from padded or corded stitching.
Next there are applique quilts, in which smaller pieces of fabric are sewn onto a larger background fabric. This was a step up in elegance.

The third one is what most of us think of, known as the pieced, or patchwork, quilt, where pieces of fabric are stitched together to make a pattern. The patchwork quilt was a "utility" quilt meant to be used in daily life, while the applique quilt was a way of showing off a woman's skills.

A patchwork quilt was first a way of getting another use from worn out garments, but then turned into a kind of family history, and an heirloom to hand down from generation to generation.

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This helps explain why I saw so many themes in the fabrics I would have never would have thought of, like American Presidents, scenes from history, and lots of nature themes. Especially Adirondack.

My grandmother was an expert seamstress, famous for visiting "the big city" and coming home to recreate the latest fashions on her sewing machine back on the farm. Sadly, I did not inherit this particular skill.

The last time I tried sewing a button on my winter coat, I sewed the button to the coat, the coat to my pants, and all of us to the couch.
I am not allowed to sew on buttons any more.

So much local

There are delightful gifts to be had in various sections of the store. PIllows, charming bags, mysterious quilting tools, and yes, actual quilts, are all available. These are made by local crafters, and would make wonderful gifts.

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If you have a knitter on your list, prepare to have them jump up and down when they open their gift of local wool. Upper Hudson Woolery is from right in the area, and you can buy it as skeins, or ask about something that has already been made from it.

Happy, spoiled, sheep lead to happy, spoiled, gift recipients. Talk about putting a face to the story. Here they are.

Get to know your wool.

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One summer, I tried to learn knitting from my other grandmother, who was a known expert. But my little square was always lopsided and by the end of my summer's visit my grandmother admitted defeat. I just could not keep the tension right, even with the "cheating" known as a crochet hook. Fortunately, my mother is gifted, and keeps us all in lovely scarves each winter.

So it is not like I cannot appreciate fine crafting.

So much choice

I asked about quilts for sale, and was very impressed with the beauty of the quilt below. Maggie spread it out on a bed in a spare room to let me photograph it in all its lovely glory.

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There was something adorable around every corner. I may be especially vulnerable, since I cannot make my own. There was jewelry, handmade stationery, and the elusive coin purse, which is so hard to find as a quality item.

There are lots of threads and specialty tools available. They also come in gift sets, as seen below.

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One holiday season in grade school we got burlap and yarn and big plastic needles to learn embroidery. I did a sunset and the teacher said I had a "real love of color."
So be assured that even someone like me, with a very craft-challenged background, had a wonderful time at this shop.

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Do try to visit sometime. You are sure to feel welcome.
Pick some lodging. Arrange some dining. Explore the shopping.

To a lot of people, winter is not a season for fun. But maybe... you just haven't gone to the right place, or tried it in the right way.
Sometimes, it can be amazing to simply shift your perspective.

Fun bundling

There's a saying in the Adirondacks that goes, "There's no bad weather, only bad dressing for it." I have found this to be very true.

A warm coat that covers your whole torso, attention to shutting down drafts with proper scarving and gloving, boots with thick socks, and a flattering hat does a lot to keep us warm and cozy — while still allowing you to enjoy the invigorating air and gentle sounds of winter.

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In addition, a lot of our winter weather is much less chilly than it looks. The alpine climate has dry air, which does not conduct the cold. A sunny day with no wind means coat open and sunglasses on, in great comfort.

Don't look at the temperature number. Look at what the trees are doing. The still air of winter keeps the chill enclosed, just as the moisture in the air has been locked into the frost, snow, and ice.

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See what you're missing by lurking indoors during the chill?

There's a special diamond brightness to the Adirondack winter landscape. To see bare trees sparkling against a clear blue sky is something we can only truly experience by getting outdoors and taking it all in.

Add the right elements to your wardrobe choices and you might be surprised by how warm and happy we can be, to the point where you can loosen up and shed layers as your bodies adapt.

Find out more about dressing for the weather with the blog Sledding Fashion.

Consult an expert

Another good tactic to get started is to attend a fun event designed to get the most out of winter. For instance, you can attend Newcomb's Winter Fest to enjoy guided activities with a bunch of great people.

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Gore Mountain is a great place to get started. Even if that is from the very beginning.

Rent the gear you need, from easy snowshoeing, to exploring trails on cross-country skis, to racing down the mountain. There are all kinds of levels to try.

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There are places to warm up, eat, and socialize all over the complex. By moving from one activity to another, from indoors to outdoors, you never push comfort boundaries. It's ideal for a mixed group of enthusiasts.

The ones who are already involved in winter fun can indulge as much as they want, and the ones who want to enjoy snacks and a good book by the fire, can indulge as much as they want. Everybody can have a good time at their own speed.

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Even something like ice fishing is a lot warmer than you might think. The winter days that are great for ice fishing create a kind of balanced weather where it's actually warm, out there on the ice. The bright sun of February and March and the insulating qualities of ice make for a lot of comfort along with the fun activities.

Another fantastic winter outing is also easy to learn, and that's snowshoeing. Cloudsplitter Outfitters, the Adirondack Interpretive Center at Newcomb, and Natural Stone Bridge & Caves have snowshoes available and many groomed and well-marked trails to explore.

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Once you are comfortable on snowshoes, most trails that can be explored in the summer becomes a whole new trail in the winter.

Another Adirondack motto is to not let the weather stop us.

Take it easy

There's another enjoyable aspect to having a fun time in the winter. I'm talking about hearty food and lots of it.

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There are some wonderful diners, bistros, and pubs to satsify that special winter appetite. It's not only the fun activities that are burning up our energies, it is also our body keeping us warm. This creates a demand for fuel, and a happy, questing, appetite is the result.
It's a very special, very alive, feeling to pile into a booth and see that everything on the menu looks so good. That winter meal, where you're enjoying your body warming up while having so many options to build a new fire in your internal furnace, is one of the delights of this season.

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I understand. I didn't used to be a winter fan. And then I moved to the Adirondacks.

If you haven't enjoyed winter before, maybe you should try our version. It is so much better.

Choose cozy lodging. Pick some indulgent dining. Enlist the help of a guide.

Submitted by Guest Blogger: Troy Thomas

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After a blend of hazelnut/chocolate coffee and a hearty, thoughtfully prepared, ham and cheese omelette breakfast, I set out early for my outing. Not five minutes into my journey, poised on the side of the road is a doe, regal in its timid stance, waiting to cross the road.

I am grateful she saw me and I her. I remind myself that deer move from dusk until dawn, and this silvery blue autumn cloud cover has stretched the dawn hours on this crisp morning.

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So now, with a heightened sense of things that only nature can provide, I conclude that in the Adirondacks you are constantly reminded that what you see is not a statue or a billboard — it is real, it has breath, and this is its home.

Back to nature

My alertness, fed by coffee and in no small part the suddenness of the deer sighting, I safely pull over onto a provided lookout. Everywhere I glance is a painting.

I capture a frosted tree, its branches bending to a wind that is not there, as if frozen in a more tumultuous time.

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There’s a picturesque drive from any direction as I travel through time. My destination, the Adirondack Interpretive Center in Newcomb, was once part of New France.

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Like all border towns, a mystery, on the edge of some map, but it’s that edge that keeps these places alive, the cliche trading post scene in westerns or adventure films to gather up supplies and obtain tips and knowledge of the local dialect and terrain for the trek ahead.

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A historical intrigue is piqued in my imagination, but for now the sun breaks through, evergreen reflections dazzle and silver frosted reeds burn into a gold mist.

Choice of trails

The Adirondack Interpretive Center (AIC) is located at 5922 Route 28N in Newcomb, New York. There is ample paved parking. The trails at the AIC welcome dogs, but here in particular a sign asks that you leash your four-legged friends to protect nature’s other animals, like the beaver and geese. A laminated note at the trailhead I chose tells me that beaver have built a dam under the bridge, and the east end has flooded and is now impassable without proper footwear.

After looking down at my shoes, the original plan is ditched. I sign in and turn around to set my sights on Rich Lake and the other Peninsula Trails, its moss covered entrance only a few steps away. I decide on the Rich Lake Trail, so I follow the red markers. Each trail has its own color coded markers to follow.

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It’s time to stretch your legs whether you have two or four. The trail descends into a rich-smelling wood, and upon crossing a bridge I catch myself smiling for no apparent reason. I’m a child again, enjoying abundant rock, fallen trees, and lacy hemlock.

Is it any wonder that a cooped-up dog leaps onto all fours at the word "walk." It just feels good, it’s fun. How many times as a child did I hear from a parent, “Get outside and play.” Now looking back, it's not bad advice.

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The Rich Lake Trail is only a mere 0.6 mile warm-up trek, but with payoffs around every corner as time slows. I gaze onto Rich Lake, with Goodnow Mountain in the distance.

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Clubmoss, hollyhock, goldthread, partridge berries, and hemlock present nature’s deconstructed Christmas tree. The frost creates a holiday mood.

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Partridge berries.
My lungs take in and exchange the fresh, clean air that feels measured out and dialed in specifically for me. I find myself actually taking time to breathe, a natural instinct I catch myself forgetting to do at the gym or indoor home workout. I spend a lot of time in my life sitting, but here my gait corrects and quickens, and my endorphins surge into noticeable positivity as I move on through my sun-speckled path.

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Hemlock held in nature’s A-frame.

I try not to deprive myself of this. I adjust my footwear from hiking sandals in summer, hiking shoe or boot in fall and spring, to snowshoes in winter. I round the path, and what appears to be an ancient monolith or maybe a giant dinosaur tooth towers into view.

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Laminated information cards along the way quell my romance with archeology and prehistoric dentistry. That is how I know this rock was placed here by a glacier only 13,000 years ago.

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I’m 6-foot-2, you do the math.

Choice of stops

Park benches are along the way to sit and experience the view in slow, deep fashion. Always vibrant greens and blues and their reflections are to be discovered long after the autumn peaks.

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Launch into nature, engage your body and mind, set your imagination and your spirit free. Just off the path, stop and explore the banks to see new sights at every turn, like the mirrored clouds seen here, or a fallen birch tree’s glowing white bark in the sunlight just below the surface of the water.

The Rich Lake Trail and Peninsula Trails and all others here are 1 mile and under. This makes it easy to tie them all together for an extended hike, which will warrant that beautifully put together picnic basket I now have in my mind.

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I stop and look ahead and see more lake views and plenty of sunlight ahead for this day. Invigorated, I decide rather than make my return trip a backtrack I will continue on and complete the loop instead, thus extending my hike. I pause to soak up some sun and drink my favorite bottled water. I feel different, on a molecular level. My lungs are not the same pair I brought with me, something about this mountain air regenerates me.

I can return to my life, significant other, family, friends, job, hobbies, passions, all with a renewed sense, see everyone in a new light, the light I bring to the table now shines brighter on them as I bring my new light into the totality of all the light in my life. I can look with better eyes now.
I trek on.
Start your rewewal with a lovely stay. Stoke up for another hike with a fine meal. There is so much great hiking.

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This week in other ADK related news:

Sit, coast, ride

Grinch be gone

Naughty or nice

Cold-weather options

Old genes

Duck, duck, goose

If it's winter, it's about Gore Mountain Ski Resort. This season should be even more exciting, with a number of improvements and expansions throughout the resort.
Skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing; whatever your winter sport, chances are you can enjoy it even more at Gore.
In 1934, the first snow train brought 378 winter enthusiasts to North Creek where they skied this natural bowl of snow. Now, groomed trails offer alpine skiing, a half pipe and boarder/skierX earthen course, Nordic skiing, and snowshoeing.

More winter fun

Gore got its name by being overlooked. "Gore" is the reference to unsurveyed territory, and the area of Gore Mountain was left off early maps of the Adirondacks.
But it is certainly not overlooked now. Except in the scenery sense, of course.

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Gore Mountain has expanded their snowmaking with an eye to their environmental impact. They have replaced older guns with higher efficiency items that use less energy. Gore's latest ground-mounted solar panels on 20 acres are ready to offset 85% of the mountain's energy use. Other strategies are their use of locally produced food when possible, revamping trails for better energy conservation, and recycled trail development of the historic North Creek Ski Bowl.

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This is how Gore earned the Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental Excellence, the industry’s most prestigious honor for recognizing resort environmental programs.
Nine sides of four peaks have been developed for downhill, glade skiing, skiboarding, and a Nordic system, with 11 trails and increased snowmaking and grooming reach.

More ways to take a break

The process of taking a break for food, drink, and fireplaces has been upgraded. From the past, we can warm up in a yurt.

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For the future, the mid-mountain Saddle Lodge is explanding to more than double its previous size. There is a choice of full service or a food court, and those floor-to-ceiling windows, with their views of the Adirondack High Peaks to the north, continue providing some gorgeous vistas.

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Above, Saddle Lodge is even more fun now.
Below, the construction process.

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There's also a complete renovation of the original 1967 gondola unloading station at Gore’s summit, Straight Brook Lodge. There will be restrooms, vending machines, and a warmup and socialization area. But Gore's history is still there in the retention of most of the original structure and lift machinery.
Gore knows there's more than one way to warm you up, too. Their chef's chili won a recent Bands and Beans competiton, which drew entries from all over the Southern Adirondacks.

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The Northwoods Lodge building has a larger rental and repair shop, with increased rental and demo fleet inventories.

More kid stuff

This coming season will also see an expansion of the children’s Mountain Adventure program facilities.

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This full service kids program covers instruction and specialized rentals to children from 4 to 12. There's also a Start and Learn To Snowboard program for first-time skiers 13 and older. There's a new 150-foot long Greenway Conveyor, a moving walkway to take beginner skiers and riders uphill with ease and confidence. Choose from two-hour sessions all the way to all-day adventures.

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The Mini Learning Park is for beginner skiers and riders, ages 4 to 6, with specially-sized, small snow features. These encourage younger children with their balance, control, and foot movements. It makes for faster skills, letting them ride lifts sooner and explore trails happily. Let your child join a group based on their abilities or ask about personalized coaching.
From six months to 6 years of age, non-skiing children can stay at the Bear Cub Den day care at the resort.

Fun doesn't end

Ski all day and into the night if you wish. Gore has twilight skiing, too. A Gore Mountain lift ticket will include same-day access to twilight skiing at the North Creek Ski Bowl. Have fun under the lights, serviced by the Village Chair, hang out at the yurt, and consider the new Nordic Center or the Village Slopes with half pipe and boarder/skierX.

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They also have a podcast that help you keep up with the snow forecast. On weekends there are massages at the base lodge, with special ski emphasis, like the "Pine Knot Remover" and the "Un-Twister." All this and shuttle service, too.
It all adds up to a lovely day you won't want to end. But it will be there tomorrow.
Choose some cozy lodging. Enjoy more before or after-ski dining. Read our blog about local shopping with Two-in-One Shopping Sampler!

 

The weekend of November 18 and 19 is going to be a special one for hunters. Gift and treasure hunters, that is. This is the weekend for both Holiday Craft Fairs, one in Schroon Lake and another two-day fair in Newcomb.
Craft fairs might be my favorite place to shop for gifts for people I love, and to find things I love.

I love wearable art

I tell my husband he lucked out, in many ways, of course! But I am not a woman who longs for expensive jewelry.
I am easily pleased with some beautifully crafted, and unique, items. My favorite is earrings, since I have less of a tendency to catch them on things (necklaces) or bang them on things (rings.) Craft fairs are my perfect hunting grounds, because my earring budget will stretch further, and I get some things that suit my unique style.

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This was some of the jewelry available at Newcomb Day this summer. My favorite earrings all came from craft fairs.

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The pine cones (left) are beautiful for any occasion, and the "Tree of Life" (middle) is both mythology and Adirondack-appropriate. The purple shells (right) are real Wampum, crafted by a Native American artist.
The joy of what an artisan brings to their work is reflected in its styles and colors. This isn't mass produced stuff at all. It is the opposite, where someone cared enough to make it, and then passed it on to someone who cares enough to wear it.

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For a sense of style that is all our own, the special items crafters make are going to be just the flair we need for special occasions, or that accessory that becomes a favorite.
There's also the more traditional art to hang on the wall or display on a shelf, or works of art that hold or display stuff, like the pine-cone-themed objects in the header photo. That would be an easy choice for me gifting my mother-in-law, who lives elsewhere, but loves to be reminded of the Adirondacks.

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I recommend a craft fair gift for anyone who loves the Adirondacks, and yet cannot be here as often as they would like. It's a great way of bringing some of that "lake and forest feel" home.

Appropriate for everyone

Some things are just the right size and shape for everyone. I like cute homemade soaps because everyone needs to wash up, and they are a wonderful quality that pampers our skin.
I once gifted a friend with one she put in her guest bathroom. But not for long. She called me, laughing, saying she would just have to go to the next craft fair with me. "I keep telling myself it's for looking, but it feels so good I'm showering with it."

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Another nearly universal gift I have discovered at local craft fairs is many varieties of homemade jam. This is another instance of crafter quality making an entire planet of difference with the fresh local fruit, made with care. There are also flavors not found in grocery stores, like strawberry rhubarb or peach raspberry.

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I have to be gluten-free, but have figured out I can still have jam on slices of sharp cheddar. It's actually better. All kinds of similar treats can pop up in our famers markets, which double as craft fairs, too.

Another thing about such gifts is they have to be used. From morning shower to morning toast, such gifts are enjoyed day after day, as long as they last.
On the other hand, for some things, I don't want to use them.

Too gorgeous to use

I hauled home these finds last summer from Newcomb Day, and my husband revealed a basic misunderstanding. "What nice potholders," he said. "I hope they don't get too messed up being used in the kitchen."

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"They will not," I said. "Because they are not for grabbing hot pans. They are for sitting in front of the books in the bookcase and being fabric art."

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It turns out these potholders are based on the art of Cicely Mary Barker, who first published her work in 1923. I am completely capitivated by these whimsical matches of accurate botany (Ms. Barker would get specimens from Kew Gardens, a botanical garden in southwest London) and models from the children in her sister's private kindergarten.
Likewise, I have some throw pillows I got from craft fairs that are too nice to stuff behind my back or let the cats sleep on. Finding one-of-a-kind things can mean not using them if that is going to spoil the interplay of color and light that drew me to them in the first place.

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Here are two autumnal themes that appear in my living room in fall to add some seasonal color in places they won't get sat on.

It's all a form of art I can afford and enjoy and gift to others.
I can't wait for the next craft fair.
Choose a cozy place to stay. Indulge in some feasting. Explore all of our shopping.

The extraordinary twin history of Tahawus and Newcomb is being celebrated in a new museum, The Newcomb Historical Museum.
This town-wide endeavor included the complete restoration of the bungalow that houses the museum, a "kit home" that was put up in the early 1920s. Inside, the decorating and displays swing from very early in their history to the post-WWII developments that had a great impact on the town.

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It all adds up to a charming experience.

Ghost town refugees

Their latest exhibit is “Mining in the Mountains: The Tahawus Story.” It celebrates their first round of collating and archiving over 20,000 photographic images, all from the ghost town of Tahawus, a company town of the National Lead mining enterprise that started in 1941.

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Many people are not aware of the extent of the mining operations that took place in the Adirondacks, and the impact they had on the population. At the turn of the last century, companies would recruit right off the New York City docks, bringing such diverse populations as Hungarian, German, Syrian, Swiss, Lithuanian, Russian, Columbian, Norwegian, Japanese, Spanish, Irish, Argentinean, Welsh, Italian, and Finnish miners working with their North American-born counterparts, who were from early colonies with Dutch, British, French-Canadian, African-American, and Native American roots.
The composition of the Adirondack Mountains is mineral rich, from the gorgeous garnet of the southern Adirondacks to the high quality iron from Lyon Mountain in the far north. In Tahawus, titanium, a post WWII "wonder metal," was the impetus to renewed mining efforts. This was an important ingredient for American space technology.

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As the mine faded, so did the town; however, this story has a happy ending in that many of the buildings, and most of the people, moved to the eastern outskirts of Newcomb in 1963, in what is now Winebrook Hills.

As a result, almost nothing of the mining village remains visible without some hiking and exploring. This exhibit gives viewers a photographic opportunity to view the community buildings and the mines as they once existed. From aerial photos to community celebrations, glimpses of this once-vibrant community live on at the museum.

For more about this amazing event, read the blog post, The moving village of Tahawus.

Adirondack town

Even in an area known for deep forest, high mountains, and remoteness, Newcomb had a bit more of all of these. This resulted in a relatively late town development compared to other settlements. On March 15, 1828, the town formed from tracts previously designated as part of Minerva and Moriah.
Lumbering, mining, and the "sporting life" became the town's industries. Back then, the phrase Adirondack Sportsmen did not mean organized sports like baseball or horse racing. Then, it was the enjoyment of the forest, with hiking, hunting, fishing, paddling, and other outdoor activities prominent in the hunting lodges and gentlemen's clubs of the time.

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The Tahawus Club began life in 1876 as the Preston Ponds Club, referencing the three small sheets of water north of Lake Henderson. This was possibly the first such venture in the Adirondacks, sparked by a son of the daughter of Archibald McIntyre, who owned Adirondack Iron and Steel Company and leased the club their land. This proved so popular the club incorporated at the Adirondack Club in 1877 and then, in 1898, the Tahawus Club.

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It was so popular among the movers and shakers of the time that this contrbuted to the ways the area passed into lasting fame, such as the construction of the celebrated Great Camp Santanoni and currently with the Teddy Roosevelt Weekend each fall.

Always there is the reminder of the woods, the animals, and the closeness with nature that characterized life in the Adirondacks.

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Find out more about how history interacts with nature in the blog post, A hike through history.

History every day

Do not miss the Bissell Room. This snapshot of one family commemorates a special grant from this mercantile family who was woven into the life of the town the way this velvet and silk quilt, the work of Annabelle Stone Bissell, blends many different elements.
Family photos, clothing and accessories, and other tokens of the past make for a warm and cozy place.

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It is a reminder that, then and now, Adirondack life is not quite rural and not quite urban. Instead, it occupies a unique place where there were far more professions than farmer, since the terrain was so challenging for typical agriculture. Instead, settlers "farmed the forest," harvesting their living from the lumber and wildlife in the area, and coming together in towns which had similar amenities to city life, such as electric lights and running water.
The influence of the highest levels of society visited and created a demand that skilled labor could provide, from the finest cuisine to the most skilled handmade crafts.

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I am always fascinated by extensive records from when they were kept by hand and quill pen on paper.
Here, history isn't a relic of the past. Everyone can live there, just in the course of their usual day.
This museum had a great first season and will be open again in the spring. Be sure to put a visit on your "must see" list.
Choose a fun place to stay. Enjoy our dining. Those wishing to explore nature as the first Adirondack visitors did can visit the Adirondack Interpretive Center.
The book by Leonard Gereau, “Tahawus Memories 1941-1963: The Story of a Unique Adirondack Hometown,” is available for purchase through the museum.