The ADK Tour de Ski: The New York Nordic Series That’s Bringing Everyone Together in the Adirondacks

The ADK Tour de Ski is a six-venue, citizen-focused cross-country ski race series now in its third season, deliberately designed for every age and ability, from 3-year-olds to skiers in their 80s. The event began three years ago when local venue directors decided to unite the region with one series.“The goal of the series is about trying your personal best and providing participants the opportunity to gather in the wintertime to create a community,” Julianne Stemp, consortium spokesperson and a Cross-Country Ski Coach with the New York Ski Educational Foundation (NYSEF), told SnowBrains in an interview. The race series runs from December through March, promising a thrilling challenge for ski enthusiasts.

The Adirondacks have deep roots in winter sports, having hosted the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid, New York. That seed created a culture in a region where the winters are known for being long and cold. “Folks really embrace the outdoor recreation and the celebration of winter, and it just creates an opportunity for you to connect with other people, and I think that’s part of what I really loved about the Tour de Ski,” Stemp said.

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The ADK Tour de Ski is designed to take advantage of each of the six venues’ strengths, and includes events ranging from classic ski races to a skiathlon. Races are citizen events with separate youth and adult categories; youth are run by school grade. Participants can register for individual races or the full series; overall series points leaders (male & female) win an overnight stay at Garnet Hill Lodge. Registration for the ADK Tour de Ski is $25 for adults and $5 for youth, opening two weeks before each race.

The first event at Mt. Van Hoevenberg is an official Junior National Qualifier for New York/Eastern region athletes. The race series ends at the Paul Smith’s Visitor Interpretive Center, which is the official NYS Nordic Championship venue, has a big trail network, and hosts the longest race (25 km marathon). The series also expanded to Garnet Hill Lodge this year, which is nestled in the Southern Adirondack Park.

Another venue is Dewey Mountain, which is owned by the town of Harrietstown. It hosts the Sprints Under the Lights race for the series and also the Empire State Winter Games, New York State, Empire State Winter Games, and it has as well. “These events unite all these little Nordic venues in the Adirondacks,” Jason Smith,  a founding member of the ADK Tour de Ski, told SnowBrains in an interview. 

“As a race organizer, this has turned into such a fun event to host. You really see the XC community come together and support each other. Some are there for the competitive side—but mostly folks are out there racing against themselves, trying to improve. The camaraderie reflects that spirit,” John Gillis, a founding member and ADK Tour Consortium Director for the Tupper Lake Frenette Sr. Recreation Trails, told SnowBrains in an email. 

The ADK Tour de Ski attracts a wide range of skiers and has grown in popularity since its inception, and the participation numbers have also increased accordingly. At Dewey Mountain alone, 150 kids participate in its programs every year. Kids as young as 3 years old take advantage of the opportunity to learn to ski and participate in the “Shufflers” program. Tuesday night races are a big hit and regularly draw 70 to 90 elementary, junior high, and high school kids. However, the race series doesn’t just attract children. “We have ‘Little Lollipoppers’, and we had a participant, a master skier who was in their early 80s last year, who came out and classic skied; it’s a very wide range,” Stemp said.

The series relies on volunteers and the network of support and enthusiasm it has fostered. “Volunteers are the glue to the heartbeat,” Stemp said. “This particular series is really built on volunteership. It would not function without those folks.” The series gives money back to venues for donuts, hot cocoa, hand warmers, lunches, and whatever keeps volunteers happy in the cold. Parents are also key to the success of the ADK Tour de Ski and are very active in supporting it because their children often race in the series.

This event truly embodies the community of cross-country skiing and offers a great opportunity for skiers to gather, compete, and celebrate the sport. The 6-million-acre Adirondack State Park is the perfect location for the race series. The ADK Tour de Ski is on a mission to bring the Nordic ski community together, highlighting the richness and diversity of the Adirondack venues. “In Europe, the World Cup is like seeing the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the U.S., it’s a little-known thing…That just unites Nordic skiers that much more because they are part of this selective, small group of people,” Smith said.

Race Schedule: