Why You Need to Visit Whiteface Mountain Right Now
Whiteface mountain is located in the heart of the Adirondack mountains. Whiteface mountain is an AWESOME hike in the summer and an AWESOME ski mountain in the winter. Having been to both, I can confidently say, that both are worth your while.
Whiteface mountain hike and Whiteface mountain ski resort are both located in Wilmington, New York. However, they are in two DIFFERENT locations. Later, in this post, I will be explaining where both are located, and where best to stay.
You will also learn in this post, about Lake Placid, Whiteface mountain hike, things to do in the summer, Whiteface mountain ski resort, things to do in the winter, and more!
This post is all about Whiteface mountain.
Whiteface Mountain:
Location & Where to Stay
Whiteface mountain (both the hike and ski mountain) are located in Wilmington, New York. Wilmington is about 4 and a half hours away from NYC, about 2 hours from Burlington, VT, about 4 and a half hours from Boston, and a little over 2 hours from Albany, NY. Whiteface is a GREAT day trip from Albany or Burlington, or a great weekend getaway from any of the cities listed.
I would HIGHLY recommend staying in Lake Placid, New York, which is about 20 minutes southwest of Wilmington. I would suggest staying in Lake Placid compared to Wilmington because it offers SO MUCH MORE to do than Wilmington does. Wilmington has a population of almost 800 where, Lake Placid has a population of a little over 2,000.
There are many different things do while here, two of the most popular things being hiking Whiteface and skiing/snowboarding at Whiteface. However, both of these are in two different locations. Whiteface mountain hike is located in Wilmington, however, from Keene Valley, NY, you will take (or keep) right onto NY-9N. Then in 6 miles, keep left on Springfield Road, then in 5.5 miles you will turn left onto NY-86. You will stay here for about .9 of a mile, then take a slight left onto Reservoir Lane. Finally, the destination will be on your left in .2 of a mile. I parked on the road, when I hiked Whiteface. Or you can follow this link for exact directions.
Alright, now for where Whiteface mountain ski resort is located. From Keene Valley you will keep right (or slight right) onto NY-9N, then in 6 miles, keep left onto Springfield Rd. After 3.6 miles, you take a left onto Fox Farm Road. Then turn left onto NY-86 in .9 of a mile, then a right in .9 of a mile, then another left in .3 of a mile, then the destination will be on your right. There will also be signs for Whiteface mountain ski resort. Or you can click this link for more exact directions.
I usually park in the nearest parking lot from the road, but to be closer to the lodge, you will want to park further up. Depending on if it’s a weekend or weekday, will determine your parking spot, and the time of morning. I recommend on a Saturday, getting there absolute latest, 8:30am, if you want decent parking. Also, if you get “far away” parking, they have shuttles or a nice walking path from the farthest lot.
{Related Post: Lake Placid New York}
Whiteface Lodge, Lake Placid, NY
Whiteface Lodge, Lake Placid, NY is a great (expensive) place to stay if you want a more luxurious stay while in upstate New York. The Whiteface mountain lodge is located in Lake Placid, New York. The lodge is a great place for families, as they offer movie nights, that are mostly kid friendly. They also offer yoga classes, swimming, fishing, ice skating rink, bowling, and more.
For a more affordable place to stay, you can stay at the many different AirBnBs located in Lake Placid. There’s also many different vacation rentals on Vrbo, TripAdvisor, and Booking.com. Some other great hotels are the Crowne Plaza Lake Placid, the Golden Arrow, the High Peaks Resort, and many more.
If you want an even more rustic experience or cheaper option, than camping is always a great alternative! However, if you do not enjoy being cold, then I would ONLY recommend camping in the summer months (June-September). Some great places to camp near Lake Placid are, the Adk Lodge, John Brook Lodge, and many different HipCamps.
Whiteface Mountain Summer
Okay, visiting Whiteface Mountain in the summer, is SUPER fun!! I HIGHLY recommend hiking Whiteface mountain hike, NOT the ski resort in the summer. The view from whiteface mountain is INCREDIBLE! It oversees the whole area.
This is rated as a HARD hike, so please DON’T hike this if you are a BEGINNER hiker, or you have never hiked before, you will NOT have a good time. On its own, Whiteface is about 10 miles with an elevation gain of 3,618ft, and with Ester (another High Peak, 46er) it is about 13 miles. If you are completing your 46ers, then HIKE Ester too, but if you are not interested in the 46ers, ONLY hike Whiteface. In addition, Whiteface is New York’s 5th highest mountain standing at 4,867 feet tall.
If you don’t feel like hiking or you are a beginner hiker, then you can drive up the mountain. However, I HIGHLY recommend hiking it BECAUSE once you hike above the road, it’s AMAZING!! Truly, I would recommend it to EVERYONE who can, it’s SOOO beautiful. And, it is ANNOYING to see everyone who drove up the summit, while you but in so much effort hiking to the summit.
And that brings me to my next point, yes, the hiking summit is the same summit that the access road (Whiteface Memorial Highway) will bring you too. Also, it costs money to drive up the road, about $20 per person. The access road is open daily from May 20th – October 10th from 8:45am until 5:30pm.
On the other hand, another place you still can visit in the summer is Whiteface mountain ski resort. But, the activities offered are different from the winter. In the summer, you can mountain biking, go on a gondola ride, disc golf, and more activities that you can find here.
Some other great hikes you can do near whiteface mountain are Mount Jo, Bear Den, Cascade Mountain, Big Slide Mountain, Algonquin Peak, Gothics, Mount Marcy, Mount Haystack (HaBaSa Loop), and SO MANY MORE. Here is a link with SO MANY MORE hikes to do in or near Lake Placid, NY.
{Related Post: My Journey to Becoming a 46er & Where to Find the Best Hikes in New York}
Whiteface Mountain Winter
Now, in the winter, you want to be at Whiteface Mountain ski resort, skiing or snowboarding. When there is snow, the ski resort is open, typically from end of November/beginning of December to end of March/beginning of April. Whiteface mountain has the greatest vertical in the east at 3,430ft, 90 trails (mostly intermediate), and 299 acres of skiable terrain. In addition, you can find a Whiteface mountain trail map here.
Now, I will say, in my opinion there are two main negatives when skiing/snowboarding at Whiteface mountain. They are the ice and the funnel. Because of the way Whiteface is situated, it is prone to wind and getting windswept. In addition, all the trails funnel to the SAME place. Thus, the trails at the bottom of the mountain are WAY too crowded and QUICKLY get skied off. Also, all the trails at the bottom are beginner trails, so this is even more intimidating for beginners because you’ve got, at times, many different people skiing towards you, QUICKLY, which can be really scary if you are knew to skiing or snowboarding. Thus, I would recommend this ski mountain for intermediates to experts.
Now, that all being said, when Whiteface DOES have snow, it is SUPER fun! Especially, the trails at the top of the mountain, for all you advanced skiers and snowboarders. You just have to hit Whiteface on the right day. Also, Lake Placid is a really fun town to stay at.
Whiteface mountain also offers a couple different backcountry programs for skiers and snowboarders. If you are more of a beginner to backcountry skiing, than the Whiteface uphill program is great for you (only offered in the winter). In this program, you skin up the whiteface access road (the same one you can drive up), then ski down. Now, for experts, Whiteface mountain offers their famous, Slides. The Slides are located beyond the top of the Summit Quad, where you will have to hike past to get to. There is no snowmaking on these trails and they are for EXPERT skiers only. They are ALL double blacks, so please know your skill level and have the appropriate gear (avalanche protection).
Lastly, in the winter, you can still hike up Whiteface mountain. However, if you want to do this hike, you will have to park where the hike is located. You will NOT be able to access the hike from the ski resort or from the access road (Whiteface Memorial Highway). So, just know where you’re going based on the activity you want to do.
And that wraps up our post about Whiteface mountain. This is a great hike for advanced hikers, and a great ski/snowboard mountain for intermediate to expert skiers/snowboarders. In addition, Lake Placid is a GREAT town for anyone wanting to spend some time at Whiteface mountain and its surrounding areas.
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