Best US Ski Towns

[Harvey]

2,000 vertical one block from my house, but too low for skiing unfortunately.

I wasn't proposing that as an absolute metric, just trying to come up with a zone for how people think around here.

Warrensburg is about 20 miles from Gore, 25 miles from here. Beyond that terrain flattens out. In the other direction Indian Lake is about 15 miles from here maybe 20 from Gore. That seems like the limit in that direction. South, maybe Speculator or Wells (Oak Mountain), to the north Newcomb.

I'm not using Gore because it's the center of our universe, but because many here would know of it. It is the center of our economy though. Indian Lake doesn't have a grocery store, the reason North Creek does, is clearly Gore.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Indian Lake doesn't have a grocery store, the reason North Creek does, is clearly Gore.

Your forum has been discussing North Creek's unique situation for years. How accurate is the AI summary below?

North Creek has seen ongoing development tied to Gore Mountain and the surrounding recreation economy but it hasn’t “exploded” into a fully built-out, ski-town destination in the way some other resort towns (e.g., North Conway, VT/NH or Lake Tahoe, CA/NV) have. The reasons are a mix of infrastructure limits, ownership/management structure, planning challenges, and the nature of the Adirondack region:

1. Insufficient wastewater/sewer infrastructure for supporting larger lodging and commercial projects.​

• A long-planned new lodge and associated amenities were delayed for years because the Town of Johnsburg lacked a wastewater system capable of serving them, which in turn held up permits and investment. NYS Olympic Authority+1
• Recently, ORDA (the state authority running Gore Mountain) began building its own treatment system to move around this constraint, but this kind of workaround reflects how basic infrastructure gaps have constrained growth. adirondackexplorer.org

2. North Creek is a hamlet (small village) with a relatively small population and limited commercial base — and while Gore Mountain is the major economic engine, the village isn’t owned or operated by a resort developer the way in major ski towns:​

• The ski area and the historic Ski Bowl are operated by the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) in partnership with the Town of Johnsburg, not by a private resort company with strong incentives to build hotels, condos, and year-round attractions. Wikipedia
• This public-sector structure means that development often moves at a slower pace with more bureaucratic coordination required (state, town boards, Adirondack Park Agency, etc.).

3. North Creek and Gore Mountain sit within the Adirondack Park — a vast protected area with strict land-use/environmental regulations.​

Big resort-style development requires Adirondack Park Agency (APA) approvals (beyond local zoning), which adds time, complexity, and constraints on what can be built.

• This regulatory context is one reason why multi-phase plans for things like Ski Bowl Village and expanded ski terrain have taken years and several permit rounds to move forward. Front Street Partners

4. Rather than a single, rapid boom, most growth has been incremental and phased:​

• Over the past decade+ Gore Mountain expanded trails, installed gondolas/lifts, and connected multiple peaks — which has gradually increased skier visitation. Wikipedia
• The North Creek Ski Bowl area has been undergoing redevelopment with a new lodge, lift upgrades, and a year-round zip coaster, with construction now underway and projected to finish in 2025 — something that could be a catalyst for further private investment. NYS Olympic Authority+1
• Land transfers and approvals for additional ski terrain and amenities have been secured, but full build-out of proposals like lodging and residential ski-in/ski-out communities is still a multi-year process. Front Street Partners

5. North Creek is relatively remote compared with larger ski markets and doesn’t yet have the critical mass of lodging, dining, and entertainment that attracts big destination tourism dollars.​

• Gore Mountain attracts many day-trippers from the Northeast, but destination overnight tourism that fuels big resort-town growth (hotels, condo developments, après scenes) is less established, in part because of infrastructure and investment scale.

 

[berkshireskier]

Interesting story in yesterday's NY Times (Saturday, Dec. 13) about the proposed $3 billion base development at Killington. We'll see if the development company can get all of the necessary approvals from local authorities and the state of Vermont to build out such a huge new base area.

 

[takeahike46er]

Your forum has been discussing North Creek's unique situation for years. How accurate is the AI summary below?

…

I’d be curious to hear Harvey’s take as someone who’s now living in the Crick.

As someone who grew up skiing Gore, and having lived in and just outside the Blue Line many years ago, the summary seems pretty accurate to me. I’d maybe take issue with 5. Since the Northway went in, it’s actually not physically all that remote. Culturally though, it feels worlds away from Lake George and Queensbury to the south.

Number 3. is the biggest reason why Johnsburg and the Adirondack region is the way it is. Laws and regulations favor the environmental concerns of those outside of the park over the needs and concerns of the residents. As a result, there’s few jobs and many live in poverty. Without access to jobs, many young adults and growing families are forced to live elsewhere, populations are declining and communities are dying.

IMO, the residents of The Park deserve greater control and autonomy over what happens in their region. I’m all for protecting the environment and preserving ecosystems, but there needs to be a better balance that allows for more types of outdoor recreation, tourism, and industry. Until that happens, I don’t see much changing regionally or in North Creek. Hopefully, I’m proven wrong!