Gore Mountain

Gore mountain is a great ski area. As stated on their website, they have the biggest ski resort in New York, with 110 trails and over 12 ski lifts. Gore is a family friendly mountain encompassed with greens, blues, and many black diamonds. In addition, they have over 25 glade trails, which are all mostly diamonds, but some are not as difficult as their signs claim. Specifically, the Otter Slide and Tahawus glades, are more intermediate glades than others.

Gore has eight major lifts/regions of it’s mountain. If you are looking for beginner terrain, you likely want to stay on the double Sunway chair. This lift has a mid-station you can get off at if you want a smaller run, as well as, a longer trail at the top of the lift. There is also a magic carpet and puma lift next to the Sunway chair, if it is truly your first time skiing or snowboarding.

Then there is the Gondola and the Adirondack Express II. The Gondola seats about eight people while the Express seats four. For really cold and windy days, you definitely want to ride the Gondola because the Express sees a ton of wind on windy days. However, if you do not wish to wait in long lines and have your personal space taken from you, then the Express is your chair. Underneath the Gondola, is a trail called Wild Air, which is usually turned into a giant terrain park for all you park junkies and as well as, lower sleigh ride (which is accessible through the Express lift). The Gondola brings you a little higher than the Express, and drops you off at the Topridge Triple chair, while the Express drops you off at the Northwoods Quad and the Saddle Lodge.

 The Topridge Triple Chair has some great diamonds off it, such as, Topridge and Uncas. And if there is enough snow, the trail underneath the Topridge chair, is also a lot of fun. You can also take a crowded blue trail, Pine Knot to the Straight Brook Quad or a green, Ruby Run, and that will bring you to the Saddle Lodge and Northwoods Quad.

While the Northwoods Quad, is the slowest lift on the mountain, if it’s not too cold, the runs there are quite fun. Tahawus, Sleeping Bear, Powder Pass, and North Star usually have fresh powder on them, after a nice snowfall, or some moguls/bumps! I found they are some of the most underrated trails of the mountain, for nice cruisers.

There is a trail you can access underneath the Northwoods Quad that will bring to the highest lift on the mountain, the High Peaks Double chair, or the Dark Side. If you travel underneath the Northwood Quad, you will find you can veer to the right or continue straight. If you want to go to the Dark Side, continue straight, if not, veer to the right. The Dark Side chair has no greens, but a lot of diamonds and glades. This is where you’ll find the most difficult trails on the mountain such as Lies, Upper Darby, Lower Steilhang, and the Dark Side glades.

Rumors is the only double diamond missing from this list (also, the Dark Side glades is only a diamond, but should be a double diamond). You can only access Rumors, through the Straight Brook Quad. This run is always bumped up and has a major headwall to begin with, after that even though the run is fairly steep and crowded, it isn’t that bad after the headwall. In addition, the Straight Brook chair has other nice trails, like, Chatiemac and the Chatiemac glades. Hullabaloo and Lower Darby are nice subtle diamonds as well, but are on the Dark Side of the mountain.

The last major section of the mountain, is Burnt Ridge. There are a couple ways you can access it. The easiest, is to go on a trail, named, Twister, which you can get to from the Express chair. And about two thirds of the way down on the left side of the trail, there will be a little shot through the woods. This shot, you will see, connects you to another trail. The other trail is Echo, and that is where you want to be. Once you go through the shot, you will be on Echo, and you will continue on that trail until you see the Burnt Ridge Quad (then you know you have arrived at Burnt Ridge).

However, you want to gain speed on Echo, because there is a little bit of a hike/skate, if you are on skis. Sorry, if you are on a snowboard, it might be a little walk for you all. However, it’s not too long, but it is a decent flat. Once you get pass the flat, there is some really good glades at Burnt Ridge. The Barkeater and Boreas are really great glades. As well, if you want to get a nice workout, Sagamore usually, has great moguls. You can also access the Tahawus glades from this lift. The Tahawus glades will bring you back to the Northwoods Quad, where the Express and Saddle Lodge are, at the top of the Northwoods Quad.

And those are the eight major ski lifts/areas at Gore Mountain! I have grown up skiing at Gore, and I love it. I think there is a great amount of trails, but not so many that you can easily get lost. Also, Gore offers many challenges, as well as many family fun runs. Whatever you are looking for, give Gore a try, because I know you will find it!