| I always have enjoyed myself
at Gore Mountain Ski Center in Johnsburg, but I have to admit that news
if a new trail added this year has me more excited than usual to go back.
Nope, it’s not a new steep, narrow trail to test
my skills and give me that adrenaline rush I sometimes desire –
it’s a relatively short little easy trail running from the Northwoods
Gondola.
You see, most of the time these days I ski with little
(albeit growing) kids – who are still a little daunted by the steeps
and bumps and narrow trails.
Although the terrain coming from the gondola isn’t
super-difficult, it’s pretty scary for little legs – and eyes.
So now Gore officials are unveiling Ruby Run, an easy
cruiser that will allow the family and me to enjoy the cozy, fun ride
up the gondola and a nice mellow cruise on easy trails all the way down
to the base lodge.
“Beginners will have over 2 miles of continuous
terrain and over 1,700 vertical feet,” said Gore Mountain Marketing
Director Emily Stanton.
And they’re calling it Ruby Run because it’ll
have a view of the garnet mines, Adirondack’s ruby.
My kids haven’t ridden on the Northwoods Gondola
other than one leaf-peeping adventure a couple of years ago. It’ll
be another fun thing for them to experience and further foster a love
of the sport that I love so much.
I assumed it also please those like the Adirondack Council’s
John Sheehan who criticized the mountain in the past for not having easy
trails from the gondola.
Telephoned Monday, Sheehan said he hadn’t heard
the news, but was happy about it.
“It’s terrific,”
he said. “In fact, we think the idea of connecting the Ski Bowl
to Gore is a worthy project.”
Sheehan said he’s excited for what the connection
can do for both Gore Mountain and North Creek, allowing people in town
to access the mountain without driving up the access road.
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Gore officials said Ruby Run
is part of a push this year to make the mountain more friendly to beginners.
In addition to cutting Ruby Run into the landscape, they
extended the beginner conveyer lift by 40 feet and widened and graded Bear
Cub Run.
By next season, they hope to finish turning the old gondola
building near the base lodge into a new learning center.
Gore General Manager Mike Pratt said gearing things toward
“the lower-level skiers and the families, we think will really complement
our long intermediate cruisers and good steep expert trails.”
Unfortunately, as I write this on Wednesday, it’s
pretty warm out, and has been for days.
Stanton said Gore hopes to begin making snow on Saturday
and hopes to be open the day after Thanksgiving.
“That’s our plan – weather permitting,”
she said. West Mountain Ski Swap
With the start of this column every year comes the annual
West Mountain Ski Swap, an opportunity for area residents to get inexpensive
but quality new and used ski and snowboard gear - and as always, it benefits
the nonprofit West Mountain Ski Patrol.
This year's event will be held in the ski lodge on Saturday
from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. abd Sunday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Those wishing to sell
their gear can drop it off at the main lodge on Friday evening from 5-8
p.m. or Saturday from 8-10 a.m. Twenty percent of the proceeds will benefit
the Ski Patrol. For more information, call 793-6606.
David Blow may be reached at davent67@hotmail.com.
Post Star staff writer Madeline Farbman contributed to this report.
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