mikesathome
New member
I did a western NY ski area tour this past weekend (Jan 5th -8th_) I backed out of the driving to White Face as I just didn’t want to make the drive. Here is the TR
Day one (non-skiing)
Rays Indoor MT Park in Cleveland, OH. I wanted to flash back to my childhood BMX days so I thought a stop at Rays was in order. This place is in a old factory building and is 110,000SQFT of ramps, rocks, logs, jumps, nothing made of dirt. (they do have an out-door track in the summer) 3 hours of jumping and pumping tracking around this place kicked my butt, and I needed to get on the highway to maybe ski the night session at Holiday Valley, NY. I checked into the Inn at Holiday Valley by 7pm and had a nice ski in ski out room (50 steps from the sunrise lift) but I was still tired from the indoor bike park so dinner and hot tubs sounded better, it was snowing well and HV was blowing snow like crazy, NWS was calling for 2”-4” over night
fun parking at RAY's
Great Rentals at RAY's
Lot's of skinnys to play on
Full set of Pictures found here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47872936@N ... 797327906/)
Day two (Holiday Valley)
Woke up to the sounds of snowmobiles and snow guns, and 3” had fallen over night. Headed to the free breakfast and choked it down, grabbed two coffees and headed back to the room. . On the slopes by 9:30am and everything was packed and groomed powder except for the sunrise area, this whole side was a little ICY. Skied till 12:30 and caught some lunch at the café near the clock tower (great cinnamon buns) Headed back to the hill for a few more hours, no lift lines the entire day, and it was snowing on and off enough to pick up 1” – 2” more. Skied till 3:30pm and headed to the car. Drove into the town of Ellicottville and picked up previsions. Drove around to scope out the towns restaurants and bars, and HoliMont ski area that I planned to ski on Friday. Checked into the Tamarack lodge around 5pm, unpacked everything and was back on the hill around 6pm for another few hours of still packed power night snowboarding, still NO LIFT Lines! Called it a night around 8pm, ordered room service from the huss brew pub house (Buffalo Wings are A+) and was in the hot tub by 9:30pm. The few time share owners I talked with were very nice, and offered beer, and 2 for 1 lifts (and I took them up on both offers)
Early Morning ride up, snowing and snow gun fog
The base
If you know the town, you know this bar
Reminds me of Copper MT, CO base area
Full set found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/47872936@N ... 797357698/
Day three (HoliMont Ski Area)
This private on the weekends (Saturday/Sunday) open to the public (Monday thru Friday) was my 39th ski area I have ever visited, and what a fun time it was. HoliMont Skis a little smaller than it’s in town rival HV. I started out at 10am with a new 3” – 5” of Lake Erie Snow and basically an empty parking lot. They opened some Trails that have been closed since the January 3rd thaw, and they were ride’n really good, some areas had a foot of very light Lake Effect snow from top to bottom. Skied till 3pm, with snow falling heavy late in the afternoon and into the evening.
Anyone ski in this town?
Nobody around!
Small Homemade AVVY
Full set found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/47872936@N ... 671758845/
Day three (Night Skiing Holiday Valley)
7pm and Still snowing hard and the slopes were in perfect packed powder condition. The hills were the busiest I had seen them all weekend. Skied a few hours and headed to the bar for some playoff football. After a few beers I skied back to the condo and packed up for the outdoor hot tubs. The Tamarack Lodge has a nice outdoor pool and hot tubs.
Day Four (Peak’n Peek)
On my drive back home, I figured why not check out another new place, so Peak’n Peek was the best option, not far off the highway 90, and also getting lots of Lake Effect. For 400VERT they really have a lot going on. Really nice looking terrain parks (one with a full size bus to jump or grind) Also looks to be a rather snowmobile friendly area, with a parking area and trails right across from the hill. First time I have ever seen the dual lifts (two lifts right next to each other, maybe there’s a name for that?)
Peek was open wall to wall and packed powder conditions, it was the first time all weekend where the wind was a little annoying.
getting close to P&P
chair lift congestion
I didn't jump it, but I did grind it a few times
Good powder in the trees
From the main base area
Full Set Found Here http://www.flickr.com/photos/47872936@N ... 671832533/
Day one (non-skiing)
Rays Indoor MT Park in Cleveland, OH. I wanted to flash back to my childhood BMX days so I thought a stop at Rays was in order. This place is in a old factory building and is 110,000SQFT of ramps, rocks, logs, jumps, nothing made of dirt. (they do have an out-door track in the summer) 3 hours of jumping and pumping tracking around this place kicked my butt, and I needed to get on the highway to maybe ski the night session at Holiday Valley, NY. I checked into the Inn at Holiday Valley by 7pm and had a nice ski in ski out room (50 steps from the sunrise lift) but I was still tired from the indoor bike park so dinner and hot tubs sounded better, it was snowing well and HV was blowing snow like crazy, NWS was calling for 2”-4” over night
fun parking at RAY's
Great Rentals at RAY's
Lot's of skinnys to play on
Full set of Pictures found here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47872936@N ... 797327906/)
Day two (Holiday Valley)
Woke up to the sounds of snowmobiles and snow guns, and 3” had fallen over night. Headed to the free breakfast and choked it down, grabbed two coffees and headed back to the room. . On the slopes by 9:30am and everything was packed and groomed powder except for the sunrise area, this whole side was a little ICY. Skied till 12:30 and caught some lunch at the café near the clock tower (great cinnamon buns) Headed back to the hill for a few more hours, no lift lines the entire day, and it was snowing on and off enough to pick up 1” – 2” more. Skied till 3:30pm and headed to the car. Drove into the town of Ellicottville and picked up previsions. Drove around to scope out the towns restaurants and bars, and HoliMont ski area that I planned to ski on Friday. Checked into the Tamarack lodge around 5pm, unpacked everything and was back on the hill around 6pm for another few hours of still packed power night snowboarding, still NO LIFT Lines! Called it a night around 8pm, ordered room service from the huss brew pub house (Buffalo Wings are A+) and was in the hot tub by 9:30pm. The few time share owners I talked with were very nice, and offered beer, and 2 for 1 lifts (and I took them up on both offers)
Early Morning ride up, snowing and snow gun fog
The base
If you know the town, you know this bar
Reminds me of Copper MT, CO base area
Full set found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/47872936@N ... 797357698/
Day three (HoliMont Ski Area)
This private on the weekends (Saturday/Sunday) open to the public (Monday thru Friday) was my 39th ski area I have ever visited, and what a fun time it was. HoliMont Skis a little smaller than it’s in town rival HV. I started out at 10am with a new 3” – 5” of Lake Erie Snow and basically an empty parking lot. They opened some Trails that have been closed since the January 3rd thaw, and they were ride’n really good, some areas had a foot of very light Lake Effect snow from top to bottom. Skied till 3pm, with snow falling heavy late in the afternoon and into the evening.
Anyone ski in this town?
Nobody around!
Small Homemade AVVY
Full set found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/47872936@N ... 671758845/
Day three (Night Skiing Holiday Valley)
7pm and Still snowing hard and the slopes were in perfect packed powder condition. The hills were the busiest I had seen them all weekend. Skied a few hours and headed to the bar for some playoff football. After a few beers I skied back to the condo and packed up for the outdoor hot tubs. The Tamarack Lodge has a nice outdoor pool and hot tubs.
Day Four (Peak’n Peek)
On my drive back home, I figured why not check out another new place, so Peak’n Peek was the best option, not far off the highway 90, and also getting lots of Lake Effect. For 400VERT they really have a lot going on. Really nice looking terrain parks (one with a full size bus to jump or grind) Also looks to be a rather snowmobile friendly area, with a parking area and trails right across from the hill. First time I have ever seen the dual lifts (two lifts right next to each other, maybe there’s a name for that?)
Peek was open wall to wall and packed powder conditions, it was the first time all weekend where the wind was a little annoying.
getting close to P&P
chair lift congestion
I didn't jump it, but I did grind it a few times
Good powder in the trees
From the main base area
Full Set Found Here http://www.flickr.com/photos/47872936@N ... 671832533/
