Amazing how much work goes into cutting new East Coast trails. Must cost a ton of money.
New Whiteface Terrain
- Thread starter jamesdeluxe
- Start date
Sharon
New member
Great thread guys. I don't spend much time on FTO or any ski forum in the summer...too many daylight hours where I'm busy windsurfing, boating or mtn biking.
Just my 2 cents on the subjects discussed regarding WF
1. The red spruce is so dense it cannot be skied, which is why there is not much tree skiing at WF
2. The High Country Glades deserve a black diamond...while somewhat widely spaced, they can become mogully and there are rocks and other obstacles. Easy for an expert...not so easy for a novice. Intermediates will definitely be challenged. It is almost as steep as Wilderness, with obstacles. Very nice and fun glade. 10th mtn is ok, but has double fall line. Don't love it. The scrub at the Summit while not "trees" is quite fun to ski. There are places between Skyward and Cloudspin that you can have fun in.
3. WF is definitely not a tree-ski mecca...it is tall, steep and wide in most places to make BIG turns at high speeds. It is a racer's mountain.
4. The conditions are horrid half the time (hence the moniker "Iceface"), decent 30% of the time and very good 20% of the time (in my experience)
5. I've found that going to WF in the late spring is the best bet...you can get powder, corn, soft snow, groomed snow, ice or whatever...but your chances for decent conditions are better in late spring than any other time of the year.
6. Great pix posted...expecially the colorinfrared image during leaf-off. Really shows the dense conifers and where there is potential for glades in the hardwoods.
7. That new trail looks pretty awesome
8. Can't wait to ski the new glades...I suspect there will be some significant thinning necessary
9. Last season was one of the better seasons at WF according to my friends who live in LP
10. Next season, how bout we have an FTO gathering at WF. Would be silly-fun to all ski that place together and then discuss it ad nausea over a few UBUs...
Just my 2 cents on the subjects discussed regarding WF
1. The red spruce is so dense it cannot be skied, which is why there is not much tree skiing at WF
2. The High Country Glades deserve a black diamond...while somewhat widely spaced, they can become mogully and there are rocks and other obstacles. Easy for an expert...not so easy for a novice. Intermediates will definitely be challenged. It is almost as steep as Wilderness, with obstacles. Very nice and fun glade. 10th mtn is ok, but has double fall line. Don't love it. The scrub at the Summit while not "trees" is quite fun to ski. There are places between Skyward and Cloudspin that you can have fun in.
3. WF is definitely not a tree-ski mecca...it is tall, steep and wide in most places to make BIG turns at high speeds. It is a racer's mountain.
4. The conditions are horrid half the time (hence the moniker "Iceface"), decent 30% of the time and very good 20% of the time (in my experience)
5. I've found that going to WF in the late spring is the best bet...you can get powder, corn, soft snow, groomed snow, ice or whatever...but your chances for decent conditions are better in late spring than any other time of the year.
6. Great pix posted...expecially the colorinfrared image during leaf-off. Really shows the dense conifers and where there is potential for glades in the hardwoods.
7. That new trail looks pretty awesome
8. Can't wait to ski the new glades...I suspect there will be some significant thinning necessary
9. Last season was one of the better seasons at WF according to my friends who live in LP
10. Next season, how bout we have an FTO gathering at WF. Would be silly-fun to all ski that place together and then discuss it ad nausea over a few UBUs...
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
.
i'll show......
i'll show......
Patrick
Well-known member
That type of terrain is first rate and among the best that can be found. You don't go to WF to ski the trees like you don't to France to drink the beer. That's not their specialty, you find better trees and beer elsewhere.Sharon":5tuil3d7 said:
Sharon":5tuil3d7 said:
Great race conditions. My batting average is somewhat better, however I do make most of my WF trips late season. Rarely had a bad day at WF, however I do agree that sometimes I was happy when my edges were sharp.
Sharon":5tuil3d7 said:
You've already agreed to that!!!
I'll definitely try to be there if there is a gathering. Late season (ie. late March or early April when odds that the Slides are open greatest. 
highpeaksdrifter
New member
1. Location of Lookout Mountain
Northeast of the Whiteface Summit
Or Skiers left of The Slides
Reclaiming the old Cloudsplitter Trail that was part of Whiteface in the 1950’s
2. Lookout Mountain Triple Chair
Lift Elevation:
Base: 2,400 feet / 731 m
Summit: 4,000 feet / 1219 m
Fixed Grip Triple Chair
Uphill capacity: 1,700 skiers per hour
Travels 500 feet per minute
Total ride time approx 8 ½ min.
Vertical Rise: 1,560 feet / 475 m
Slope Length: 4,125 feet / 1257 m
3. Trails opening winter 2008-09:
The Wilmington Trail: 1 Intermediate trail with snowmaking -- 2.0 miles or 3.2 km of newly cut trails + .5 or .8k existing trail = a total of 2.5 miles or 4 km to the base 11 acres
*Trail attributes: Meandering wilderness trail offering gorgeous views of the town of Wilmington and the Wilmington Wild Forest
Lookout Below: Expert trail off of The Wilmington Trail that will bring skiers to the base of the Lookout Mountain Triple 1/5th mile, 3 acres
*Trail attributes: Ski tips balance over the drop into this amazing trail, as you enter you will be shouting “Lookout Below!”
Hoyt’s High: Expert trail beginning at the top of the Lookout Mountain Triple Chair
4,182 FEET 9.1 ACRES 8/10 MILE
*Trail attributes: This name was the first to be unveiled at last years Ski Sweater Ball honoring Whiteface Veteran Ski Patroller Jim Hoyt Senior. Jim Hoyt Senior has been employed at Whiteface for over 50 years.
Trail has a long and consistent expert pitch
Sugar Valley Glades: 63.5 acres 4277 feet / 8/10 mile
*Trail Attributes: Hardwood forest full of maples, construction in progress
4. Miles/Acreage when Lookout Mountain is completed
**18 Current miles or 29k at Whiteface /
**3.73 or 6k / 32.3 acres will be added when Lookout Mountain development is complete
**Maximum number of trails allowable is 25 miles or 40.2k
1 more expert trail is in the line up to be completed in the upcoming years on Lookout Mountain
5. Porcupine Lodge: Lodge built in 1949 and measures 25’ x 60’
The Lodge will be refurbished in the upcoming years as a warming hut for skiers and riders.
Located a short traverse from the top of the lift
Northeast of the Whiteface Summit
Or Skiers left of The Slides
Reclaiming the old Cloudsplitter Trail that was part of Whiteface in the 1950’s
2. Lookout Mountain Triple Chair
Lift Elevation:
Base: 2,400 feet / 731 m
Summit: 4,000 feet / 1219 m
Fixed Grip Triple Chair
Uphill capacity: 1,700 skiers per hour
Travels 500 feet per minute
Total ride time approx 8 ½ min.
Vertical Rise: 1,560 feet / 475 m
Slope Length: 4,125 feet / 1257 m
3. Trails opening winter 2008-09:
The Wilmington Trail: 1 Intermediate trail with snowmaking -- 2.0 miles or 3.2 km of newly cut trails + .5 or .8k existing trail = a total of 2.5 miles or 4 km to the base 11 acres
*Trail attributes: Meandering wilderness trail offering gorgeous views of the town of Wilmington and the Wilmington Wild Forest
Lookout Below: Expert trail off of The Wilmington Trail that will bring skiers to the base of the Lookout Mountain Triple 1/5th mile, 3 acres
*Trail attributes: Ski tips balance over the drop into this amazing trail, as you enter you will be shouting “Lookout Below!”
Hoyt’s High: Expert trail beginning at the top of the Lookout Mountain Triple Chair
4,182 FEET 9.1 ACRES 8/10 MILE
*Trail attributes: This name was the first to be unveiled at last years Ski Sweater Ball honoring Whiteface Veteran Ski Patroller Jim Hoyt Senior. Jim Hoyt Senior has been employed at Whiteface for over 50 years.
Trail has a long and consistent expert pitch
Sugar Valley Glades: 63.5 acres 4277 feet / 8/10 mile
*Trail Attributes: Hardwood forest full of maples, construction in progress
4. Miles/Acreage when Lookout Mountain is completed
**18 Current miles or 29k at Whiteface /
**3.73 or 6k / 32.3 acres will be added when Lookout Mountain development is complete
**Maximum number of trails allowable is 25 miles or 40.2k
1 more expert trail is in the line up to be completed in the upcoming years on Lookout Mountain
5. Porcupine Lodge: Lodge built in 1949 and measures 25’ x 60’
The Lodge will be refurbished in the upcoming years as a warming hut for skiers and riders.
Located a short traverse from the top of the lift
jamesdeluxe":1rl4x0ep said:
From the Daily Enterprise:
Helicopters to pour foundation for Whiteface’s new chairlift
POSTED: August 5, 2008
WILMINGTON - Helicopters will be flying in buckets of concrete all day today and Wednesday at Whiteface Mountain to pour the foundation for the new Lookout Mountain Triple Chairlift.
The public is welcome to view the action from the base lodge or take a Cloudsplitter Gondola ride up to Little Whiteface for an aerial view. The Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway provides a different perspective.
They put up a slideshow of trail construction photos:
http://www.whiteface.com/newsite/onmtn.php
Someone on Snowjournal posted numbers for Lookout Mountain... doesn't sound bad at all:
-- New lift: 1,560 vertical feet.
-- If you ski from the top of the new lift down to the base, that'll be 2,750 vertical feet: 2,200 from the new trail and about 550 on existing trails.
http://www.whiteface.com/newsite/onmtn.php
Someone on Snowjournal posted numbers for Lookout Mountain... doesn't sound bad at all:
-- New lift: 1,560 vertical feet.
-- If you ski from the top of the new lift down to the base, that'll be 2,750 vertical feet: 2,200 from the new trail and about 550 on existing trails.
Sharon
New member
I'm wondering if the new lift is going to give access to the slide that is closest. That narrow slide looks like it would be a hoot to ski. I'm sure the locals will figure out a way to get there from the new lift. Unfortunately, the forest is so dense up there that even a short distance may not be easy to negotiate.
I am looking forward to going up there and checking it out.
I am looking forward to going up there and checking it out.
Def discussions going on about adding access to slides from LookOut Mtn. It's really a short hike from top of lookout out to the Memorial Highway and then up to the Wilmington turn where a short, desending traverse could bring you to top of Slide 4.
Also be an excellent idea to move the slide access down riva ridge to the entrance to the "outlaw trail" so it eliminates the backup right at the summit drop and also adds a bit of vertical to the hike to weed out those that need weeding out... ](*,)
Slides at WF should be open 20-30 days a season. Best sking in there comes w/ the early clippers in DEC. If it was ski packed early and often it would be skiable lots more...
gonna be fun this year w/ two pods to access from.. the slide nazis [-X ](*,) are gonna have a hard time keepin out the poachers! :sabre fight:
Also be an excellent idea to move the slide access down riva ridge to the entrance to the "outlaw trail" so it eliminates the backup right at the summit drop and also adds a bit of vertical to the hike to weed out those that need weeding out... ](*,)
Slides at WF should be open 20-30 days a season. Best sking in there comes w/ the early clippers in DEC. If it was ski packed early and often it would be skiable lots more...
gonna be fun this year w/ two pods to access from.. the slide nazis [-X ](*,) are gonna have a hard time keepin out the poachers! :sabre fight:
