Those who grew up skiing at the Cazenovia Ski Club, New York, know that all it takes is a T-bar, a rope tow, 100 acres, and 500 feet of vertical drop to be able to ski anywhere. The motto among members of this small private ski area near Cazenovia, New York, just 30 minutes from Syracuse is, “If you can ski Caz, you can ski anywhere in the world.”
I was six years old when my dad took me on “the big hill” for the first time. At that point, I had never gone higher than the mid-station and wasn’t allowed to ride the lift by myself. My 60-pound body was not nearly enough to weigh down our 70-year-old T-bar made of wood and aluminum. That day, I went down King’s Run for the first time ever, which I then boasted to all of my family. I had made it down my first steep at the club.
What I was able to do at this place for all of my childhood is something I cannot take for granted. As a third-generation skier at the Caz Ski Club, my dad and extended family were grateful to see their kids having the same old-school skiing experience as when they were kids. About 200 members belong to the club.
On any given weekend during the winter, you’ll find the same scene: Parents flooding the deck outside of the A-frame lodge, listening to music and drinking beer while watching their kids take lap after lap. As a kid, you’d find me building a jump with my friends or trying to find an off-piste route we would claim as our own. Like many small mountains, the Ski Club has its hidden gems among the locals. One of these includes an unofficial trail named “Phone Booth” as there is an actual phone booth standing along the tree line. A route that my friends, brothers, and I are particularly proud of is “Grouse Patch.” The trail name originated from an encounter my brother Drew and I had with a grouse during an off-trail venture. A mother grouse was defending her home by charging us and beating us with her wings. This left us motivated to come back and claim it as our own territory. After some time, the trail received the name and its own sign.
Another aspect of this hill I am grateful for is the fruitful winters of the 2010s. The town of Cazenovia is in close proximity to lake Ontario which often sets the stage for some massive lake-effect snow storms, especially throughout those years. Whatever amount of snow the town received overnight, there was always twice as much at the club. Two-foot pow-days were something my friends and I grew accustomed to, and snow days were our holy grail.
I have lived in Denver for my college years, but nothing will compare to my experience growing up skiing in Cazenovia. After all, it gave me the ability to ski anywhere.
Awesome article Max!
Some of my best days on snow have been riding laps on that T-Bar.
The soul of skiing is alive and well when it snows in CNY!
Max