Industry News
There are more ski resorts in the state of New York than any other and all of them have something different or unique about them. New York had 52 active ski resorts during the 2022/23 season according to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). The more well-known ski resorts in New York are Whiteface Mountain, Gore Mountain, and Holiday Mountain. These are larger mountains that are destination resorts and attract a lot of guests throughout the season. However, New York has a lot of smaller, independently-owned ski resorts as well. These are the resorts that locals love to visit and call their hometown mountain.
Mt. Pisgah Ski Center is one of those resorts that is not large by any means but has that small-town vibe to it that everyone loves. It is nestled in the Adirondack Mountains and is just eight miles away from Lake Placid. It has no gondolas, trams, or chairlifts and its only lift capability is a single T-bar for the whole mountain. It is the pure definition of a small-town ski resort that is less than 2 miles away from the charming village of Saranac Lake. It is a symbol of grassroots mountains that continue to strive in an era of independently owned resorts being acquired by larger conglomerates.
Quick Facts and History:
- Founded: 1950
- Peak Elevation: 2,061 feet
- Base Elevation: 1,760 feet
- Skiable Acres: 15
- Trails: 6
- Vertical: 329 feet
- Lifts: 1 T-Bar
- Lodges: 1
The mountain is owned and operated by the Village of Saranac Lake with support from the Friends of Mount Pisgah and Parks Manager, Andy Testo. It is the true definition of a community ski resort and has a great local vibe to it. The mountain has six trails: one beginner, two intermediate, and three advanced which are all serviced by a single T-bar lift. Some people would not consider going to a ski resort that offered those numbers, but they would miss out on finding that one thing every skier and snowboarder loves which is that great atmosphere and vibe that an independently-owned ski resort is known for.
The mountain may not have the verticals and number of trails that other resorts have, but it has character. This is driven by the residents and locals of Saranac Lake who formed a group that is a volunteer-based group that takes on snowmaking volunteers, ski lesson sign-ups, lodge rentals, and new projects. It truly brings the community together and is a place where you can hit the mountain, leave your bags in the lodge, and not worry about someone stealing your gear.
Mt. Pisgah is a great little ski resort that brings people together for community events and functions. It is a staple in the Village of Saranac Lake that allows guests to ski the mountain for as little as $17 a day! The mountain is not large by any means, but it is fun to ski and can get fast depending on the conditions. It also offers night skiing, which is more of a novelty to other ski resorts located in the upper Northeast. This makes it a great option for children who want to get a lot of quick runs on the mountain after school.
The two days I visited Mt. Pisgah, the temps were seasonably warm and it rained a few days before I arrived. The mountain held up well and conditions were a little icy the night I skied Mt. Pisgah for the first time. The icy conditions made the mountain fast and it was a lot of fun to ski down the 329 feet of vertical. Riding a T-Bar for the first time in decades was also an unforeseen surprise and it brought back fond memories of my youth.
The town is filled with great shops and restaurants and sits right off of Saranac Lake making it an absolutely beautiful place to visit regardless of what season it is. Something very appealing is that almost everything in the Village of Saranac Lake is within walking distance or a short drive from town. If you are planning on visiting Saranac Lake in the winter plan for extremely cold temps and dress appropriately. Although it was very warm in early March when I visited, it normally can get severely cold in this part of the country and is in fact one of the coldest areas in the United States.
There are plenty of great places to stay in the Village of Saranac Lake which is an easy five-minute drive to Mt. Pisgah. The Saranac Waterfront Lodge is a great choice that gives visitors the convenience of being close to attractions in town and also close to Mt. Pisgah. The Saranac Waterfront Lodge sits right off Lake Flower’s Pontiac Bay in Saranac Lake and is a non-smoking and dog-friendly hotel. It allows guests access to boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, hiking, and other outdoor activities.
On March 2, the Village of Saranac Lake hosted the Saranac Lake 3p Race which consists of six events that individuals and teams competed in. The six events were skinning or snowshoeing 0.4 miles up Mt. Pisgah, biking 4.3 miles, trail running 3.1 miles, biking 1.4 miles, paddling 2.4 miles and running 1.8 miles back to Mt. Pisgah for a combined total of 13.4 miles. The event brings members from all over the region together to compete and support one another.
Keith Kogut won the individual race with an overall time of 1 hour, 30 minutes, and 20 seconds to complete the 13.4-mile race. It was the second year the Village of Saranac Lake held the competition which is the only one of its kind East of the Mississippi. Over a hundred athletes competed in the race individually or by team according to race organizers and will hopefully grow larger in the future. The participation numbers should increase in the future for The Saranac Lake 3P Race because it is one of those events that will draw athletes from all over because it is a unique, challenging, and fun event.
Events like the Saranac Lake 3P Race attract people from all over to participate and compete in such a unique and challenging race. One of those people is the most successful German Biathlete ever, Andrea Henkel Burke. She is a former German biathlete who went to four Olympic Games and won 2 gold medals, 1 silver and 1 bronze. She was the first woman in Biathlon who won gold in all four individual races (long distance, sprint, pursuit, and mass start). During 16 years of racing at the World Cup level, she won 46 times, finished second 38 times, and finished third 22 times in individual or relay races. In 2007 she won the Big Crystal Globe for the Overall World Cup title, as well as the Small Crystal Globe for the long-distance discipline title. Burke now lives in Lake Placid and works as a fitness coach and personal trainer.
We live in a world full of numbers and some skiers and snowboarders will throw numbers at you when describing a mountain like elevation, skiable acres, trails, etc. but you cannot put a number on a mountain’s vibe and character. Mt. Pisgah is indeed small when crunching the numbers and the locals at Mt. Pisgah do not care about that. Some ski resorts are blessed with high elevations, great snow conditions, and great terrain, but lack one of the most important characteristics most true skiers and snowboarders seek in a mountain. That characteristic is having a great vibe and atmosphere that small, independently-owned ski resorts offer and something that larger mountains have lost.Â
Mt. Pisgah has that vibe and atmosphere and is a great choice for families, children, and people just looking to get away from the big mountain prices, congestion, and noise. The ski industry has changed a lot over the last few decades and many independently-owned resorts no longer exist. There are a lot of skiers and snowboarders who miss that and feel the ski industry is losing its soul. If you are traveling to or through the Adirondacks then Mt. Pisgah and Saranac Lake are great places to visit that still have that small-town charm to it.
For more information visit Mt. Pisgah’s website.
