Western New York Back-Country...Does it Exist?

jstalz

jstalz

New member
I am from Cleveland, and I do a lot of skiing in New York. Particularly Holiday Valley, which is alright, but im looking for some new terrain around the area. I've read up on a few back-country ski-able areas in eastern new york in the Adirondacks, but haven't found anything easterly.

Has anyone experimented with finding some ski-able terrain outside of the resorts in western New York? As long as it is accessible by snowmobile, its accessible to me.

-JStalz
 
Yeah, I am certainly not implying that there will be anything phenomenal to ski outside of the resorts in New York, I would just like to know if there is any skiable terrain accessible by snowmobile as opposed to chairlift.
 
I certainly hope to find something before setting out, but if I do not find anything my buddies and I will certainly have some exploring to do. Im thinking if we just snowmobile near the resort area in the same "mountain/hill range" we may find some skiable terrain.

Who knows what the outcome will be, but I am certainly always down for an adventure.

-JStalz
 
there are some spots south of hvalley, ill have to get back to you where i cant seem to think of them right now
 
You could try Blumont. It's a ski resort that closed down in the early 90's. I don't know if that classifies as "backcountry" but in WNY.... take what you can get.
 
cleveland valley riders! yea but theres nothing that your going to find anywhere by holiday valley.. there a few good powder runs but nothing that you need to acces with a snowbmobile
 
Tug Hill is great for snow, Snow Ridge is the hill up there, people say they ski the back side of it and it is decent. There are a couple books out about Backcountry in the East, I would look into them. I know around NH MA and VT there are trails and BC other then Tucks. Adirondacks are a very rocky mountian range, I have heard so some people hiking the High Peaks and skiing them.

 
i too live in NY and i would like to find some backcountry to try, the thing is, the steepest hills are where you find the resorts. Sure you can probably find some good hills for this somewhere near where you are, but most likely there will not be enough snow or too many trees unless you head north.

This year i am going to look for steep clifs next to highways that i can ski on if there is decent powder.

good luck and share your findings
 
back when i skied there i would ski poverty hill its on the drive in from buffalo youll see it bout three minutes away fromholimont holiday valley i think theirs a roa that goes up to the top wich is unplowed so you could snowmobile up
 
ha ha, i have thought about just hiking up the backside of HV, seems doable.... its pretty dense though, i may have to try it this year, last WNY winter before i move west
 
Grew up skiing WNY.

Ditch the snowmobile idea and there is plenty to ski. Also, there is NO need for for a sled to access stuff in WNY. You're talking runs with a few hundred feet of vertical. Bootpack or skins make more sense. Plus sled access REALLY limits your options to about nothing.

That said, I have skied Bluemont which is an abandoned ski area in Delevan, NY. The trails are getting grown-in, but there is plenty of stuff to ski there still.

Also, just get creative, there is plenty of short lines that could be real fun 48 hours after the a storm when the ski areas are all tracked up.

Biggest issue I see is being low impact because a lot of stuff will be on private property. Be respectful, and keep your impact negligable.
 
isnt tug hill on a plateau? meaning very limited lines because its just one mound of a hill and then flat for miles?
 
that might be your best bet the rest of the area is pretty starved for snow you'd hit stuff under it and lots of sled trails around the plateau but i dont really remember any hills that steep sooo find a topographic map maybe online
 
look at a map for lost resorts in the area, meaning hills that closed. they're usually the best for skinning, that's what i do in the southern vt area, i.e. haystack
otherwise just drive around and look for cool lines, sometimes power line clearings are good, make sure there's a lot of snow tho, those tend to be super rocky.
i cleared out a small line near me under some power lines, starts with a jumpturn in to the edge of a cliff, then you hop the side of the cliff about 8 feet (the front would be about 30, never had enough snow and i've never cleared the saplings out from the landing) and then get about 5 big turns down to a smaller air and then straight out
 
Yeah, Sun Valley. I heard that the kid who's dad owns that land has a bunch of booters built there. It's pretty steep.

Denton in PA is pretty close to back country for a functioning resort because there is so much lift accessible trees and back chutes that don't get skied by the few people that go there, that's all from what i hear by the way. Both places would be sweet to hit up. If your going to like Sun Valley tell me cause i'll try an go adventure it.
 
just skip it and come to the Adirondack area.
Northern in particular is better but any where close to the vt border is good
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top