Snowless Peaks Make Due for Ski Season

In today’s climate, it may not be until late January in upstate New York that winter finally picks up steam and covers the landscape in a blanket of white. Prior to that, rain may fall instead of powdery snow, frustrating skiers. What is a ski lodge to do?

In the Adirondack Mountain village of Lake Placid, resorts are promoting other “no-snow-necessary” activities such as skating and bobsledding. Even in unseasonably warm spells, the activity-refrigeration systems work, allowing both locals and tourists alike to skate under the stars.

“It’s just a very nice vibe that goes on there at night,” said Sandy Caligiore of the Olympic Regional Development Authority. “You’ve got restaurants right across the street in case you get hungry. There are hot drinks from the vendor on site.”

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Other popular options in a too-warm winter is swimming – indoors, and mountain biking; steadfast cyclists have to put on chains and race on the slick ground after the snow starts.

Scott Brandi, executive director of Ski Areas of New York, said snowmaking technology has improved so much that skiers in the city should always call or check online, even when the weather appears impossibly warm outside their windows. He noted that winter is long in the Northeast, with limited outdoor options for children, and parents should use every opportunity “to get them away from those damn video games.”

Most ski areas make snow, and some skiers will drive hours to find it, even when there are limited trails open. Others will wait, and if this season is anything like the last, good snow will follow. A Feb. 14 storm last year pummeled upstate New York with two to three feet of snow.

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