Industry News
There are a lot of great ski resorts spread throughout the United States from the East Coast to the West Coast and everywhere in between. There are even ski resorts located in the southeast area of the country in the states of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia. The U.S. is home to a total of 480 ski resorts according to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), which is down from 546 ski resorts from the 1991/92 season. Most of the ski resorts are independently owned or operated by a larger conglomerate. However, there is one state that owns and operates three ski resorts making it the only one in the U.S. that can say so.
The state of New York owns Whiteface Mountain, Gore Mountain, and Belleayre Mountain, which all are currently being run by the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA). It was created to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. Besides running the three ski resorts, ORDA also operates the Olympic Center, Olympic Jumping Complex, and the Olympic Sports Center which are all located in Lake Placid. New York has the most ski resorts in the country with a total of 52 ski resorts.
Related Article: Ski Resort Ownership: Who Owns Which Mountain Resorts?
Located in the Adirondacks, Gore Mountain is New York State’s largest ski resort boasting a vertical drop of 2,537 feet, 119 trails, 14 lifts, over 400 accessible acres, and four peaks. It first opened in 1964 and it installed New York’s first gondola three years later in 1967 which remained the state’s only gondola until 1999. Gore is also home to the Rumor, which is one of the steepest trails in the East with a 25° angle.
Whiteface Mountain hosted the 1980 Winter Olympic Games and stands at 4,867 feet high which is the state’s fifth highest mountain. It is about 13 miles away from the historic town of Lake Placid and is located in the Adirondack Mountains. It boasts the East’s greatest vertical at 3,430 feet, has 94 trails, 299 skiable acres, and 12 lifts. Whiteface Mountain is also home to the Slides which is an area that is off-piste and is only accessible with permission given by the ski patrol team. The Slides are not always open throughout the season but the best time to check them out is during the spring.
Belleayre is located about 2 1/2 hours away from New York City and first opened in 1949 and is the only ski resort that has a gondola in the Catskill Mountain. It is the smallest of the state-owned resorts and has an elevation of 3,429 feet, 63 trails, a vertical drop of 1,404 feet, 175 skiable acres, and 8 lifts. Although it may be the smallest out of the three, Belleayre boasts some great skiing for all skiers and riders. The mountain offers great parks, glades, bumps, and a run that is over 12,024 feet long.
New York’s $16 billion winter tourism industry is big business and the state has invested millions in improvements and upgrades at its resorts recently. Tourism Economics released a report on the 2022/23 fiscal year which stated that spending and revenues yielded a direct economic impact of $341.8 million. It also stated that the Olympic Authority’s operations support 3,414 jobs and generate $25 million in local and state taxes. The $341.8 million includes $63.6 million in indirect expenditures, $77.5 million in induced expenditures, and $200.7 million in Olympic Authority operations and visitor spending. “We have invested more than $550 million in our winter sports facilities, upgrading our infrastructure, preparing them for ski season, and giving them the lift they need ahead of the World University Games. I am thrilled to welcome visitors back to the slopes and encourage everyone to join us next year in Lake Placid for one of the largest winter sporting events in New York State history,” said New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul.
The Olympic Authority has more than 50 events scheduled for the 2023-24 winter season, including World Cups, World and National Championships, Junior Nationals, Eastern Cups and Championships, and youth hockey tournaments. It will also host the men’s Continental Cup ski jumping at the Olympic Jumping Complex and the World Figure and Fancy Skating Championships at the Olympic Center. “The return of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup is a testament to the work that has been done to modernize the Olympic Authority’s venues and return them to world-class competition standards,” said Olympic Authority President and CEO Ashley Walden.
New York is home to some great ski resorts that offer skiers and riders to experience all different types of mountains and terrain. With being home to the largest number of ski resorts in the United States, it will not be hard to find a mountain you will enjoy in New York.
For more information visit ORDA’s website.
