Malone, NY, Mar 15, 2013 — With cold and snow back in the forecast, skiers and snowboarders will have a little more time to carve their last turns of the season.

It's been a comeback winter for a North Country ski area that had long gone neglected. Titus Mountain, outside Malone, has new local owners, a new lodge, new trails, and a burst of energy.

Titus is one of a shrinking number of ski areas that play an important role in teaching people to ski.  Go to full article

Mar 15, 2013 — For every ski area that's survived, like Titus Mountain or Mt. Pisgah in Saranac Lake, there are dozens of ski hills that didn't.

Jeremy Davis has been documenting them all over New York and New England. He's researched the stories of more than 700 lost ski hills. He's written several books about them, including Lost Ski Areas of the Southern Adirondacks.

Davis told David Sommerstein he became interested in ski areas of the past as a boy, when his family was taking a ski trip to New Hampshire. They drove by an abandoned ski area.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Jan 10, 2013 — Let us take a moment to appreciate our recent snow-covered landscape.

In Canton, loads of skiers take advantage of the St. Lawrence University golf course for a quick outing. And...lucky for us...the trail scoots right through NCPR's backyard.

David Sommerstein has this postcard from a lunchtime ski.  Go to full article

Sep 25, 2012 — The state Olympic Regional Development Authority continues to rebound from a bad winter, according to financial reports released last week.

As of July 31, ORDA's revenues were running about $600,000 ahead of 2011. ORDA President and CEO Ted Blazer said numbers for the 2012 summer season increased over last year by about a quarter of a million dollars. Visitation is up by about 11.6 percent, and revenue is up about 12.35 percent.

Meanwhile, ORDA has already made some investments at the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center, located in Highmount in the Catskills. ORDA officials say they're ready for the upcoming ski season there.  Go to full article

Lake Placid, NY, Dec 16, 2011 — For those in the skiing business, this year's relatively warm temperatures and lack of snow are spelling trouble. Ski areas typically open around Thanksgiving and when there's no snow on the ground, they make it.

But it's been too warm for snowmaking. Ideally, it should be about 10 degrees. So many areas in the northeast have been forced to delay opening. Others have been operating at reduced capacity. And that's hurting the bottom line.  Go to full article

Lake Placid, NY, Dec 07, 2011 — Seventy years ago today, a group of young skiers climbed Whiteface Mountain to build the first racing shelter at the top of what is now known as Wilderness Trail. Later that day, they came down the mountain to find out that Pearl Harbor had been bombed by the Japanese. Many went on to join the military in the early years of World War Two.

Whiteface will honor the men on Sunday with a special ceremony that will include lectures and historical displays. While most of those pioneers of alpine skiing on Whiteface and that fateful day are gone, their stories and memories live on through their children and friends. Todd Moe has more.  Go to full article

Lake Placid, NY, Jun 06, 2011 — The state Olympic Regional Development Authority may add a third downhill ski center to its venues before the winter season.

ORDA officials are reportedly in talks to take over operation of Belleayre Mountain Ski Center in the Catskills.

Chris Knight reports.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Mar 11, 2011 — As rain and sleet and mud make us pine away for spring, let's take a moment to acknowledge what we've had - more than two months of a snow-covered landscape, an opportunity to scoot out for a cross-country ski pretty much anytime, anywhere.

In Canton, loads of skiers take advantage of the St. Lawrence University golf course for a quick trek. It's right in North Country Public Radio's backyard. David Sommerstein has this appreciation of the lunchtime ski.

NOTE: As alert listeners have told me, the cross-country ski trails are maintained by volunteer Pete Ames, chief engineer at the Best Western, on his own time. Thanks a million, Pete!  Go to full article

Wilmington, NY, Nov 26, 2010 — Whiteface Mountain ski center in Wilmington will open for its 53rd season today. Snow guns have been making snow at the Olympic mountain since mid-November. Whiteface is scheduled to have three trails open for skiiers and snowboarders today. Chris Knight visited the mountain earlier this week and talked to officials from the state Olympic Regional Development Authority, which runs Whiteface, about the upcoming ski season.  Go to full article

Apr 30, 2010 — The state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has awarded the village of Saranac Lake a $600,000 matching grant for a new T-bar lift and trail system at the village-run Mount Pisgah Ski Center. Saranac Lake Mayor Clyde Rabideau made the grant announcement at a press conference in the Mount Pisgah ski lodge. Supporters say the grant will help turn the ski center into a year-round recreational facility. Todd Moe has more.  Go to full article