New Lifts Coming to Belleayre, Gore, and Whiteface
Ian Wood
Get ready for a whole lot of new changes to the state-run ski areas of New York in the future. The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports that the Olympic Regional Development Authority Board of Directors (ORDA) approved more than $91.7 million in capital expenditures for Whiteface, Gore Mountain, and Belleayre. $11 million will be dedicated toward snowmaking and trail improvements. I imagine the taxpayers of New York aren’t too excited about footing the bill for these improvements, but at least it’s not as bad as the $850 million dollars taxpayers will likely shell out for the Buffalo Bill’s new stadium. Here are the new lifts and lodge improvements for the three ski resorts run by ORDA: Belleayre, Gore Mountain, and Whiteface Mountain.
Belleayre: More than $9 million dollars of projects at Belleayre will be centered around their lifts for the 2023-24 season. Lift 7 will be replaced by a brand new $6.5 million fixed-grip quad. The Belleayre Express will get a $1.7 million dollar refurbishment, which will add new operator houses and electrical systems. Lift 8 will get a $400,000 renovation that will also add a conveyor to help improve the loading experience.
Gore:Gores investments have already been announced, but here’s a brief summary. Nearly $20 million will go towards a new 18,000-square-foot base lodge in the North Creek Ski Bowl. The Hudson Triple, which services the North Creek Ski Bowl, will be replaced with a high-speed quad. ORDA also wants to replace the Bear Cub Poma with a fixed-grip chairlift. They will also add a treetop trolley/rail zipline ride that will travel up to 30 mph and features switchbacks and spirals along the way. Whiteface: Over at Whiteface, a $16.5 million two-stage detachable quad with an angle station will go from the Bear Den base area to the new mid-mountain Legacy Lodge. The new quad will help improve crowd flow and give another lift option for beginners who want to reach the next level of their progression. Image Credits: Whiteface Mountain, Gore Mountain, Belleayre
