Belleayre Mountain Ski Center UMP-DEIS

Home , Belleayre Mountain, Pine Hill (New York)

Appendix K Belleayre Mountain Historic Articles

!-'--,--- '- I BelJeayt~ I Opet,ed 1,1 IAt Form-ol Rites I I PINEHILL, N; ,Y,..,....Despite the I i prei"ailing lack'of SllOW thtough'- !out tbeeastern fHirt ofthe United i States, the $250;i:l00:6elleayre j MountaiiiSkiC~r'J.ter in the Cat..; 'I Skills \vas, recently, opehed Wb, en Lt. Governor Joseph P. Hanley Ipressed the tmttg1'lthat started operation of Nei,,',Y6rkstate's only chair .lift ,, 400 Skiei's Each HOlu'

./ ,el~i,a,S,~~,~l flb~1\,J~41i01::t te{~ni,~~ "summit at 3,325 feet, the chair' 'lli:ft~~;:verY'x:n:~e.rnin ,(le.si~nand: 1provIdes a smooth ,rIde' to Aoo-

'" Skiers,', per, hoil,"r. Ii1teimediat~:stu,,w tions enable the skiers to get off Iand on for the purpose of skiiiig ieither the gentle lower sections Of I, the, J1'Jountain ,or, the' In.ol'e steeper upper sections. 1 '---'--_--""""'"'---'--'~ IV Denver, Colorado, November 1, 1951 Number 1

I ISkiers to Fi nd IMany Changes !At Belleayre I PINE HILL, N. Y.-Belle-. ayre Mountain, loca~ed high in the snovvbowl of New York State's'Catskill Moul1tains, is entering its third season of operation after having re ceived extensive improve ments and slope - grooming during the summer months. Wind Damage Repaired Much of the work n' (he state owned development. n. '.1 ;aged by Superintendent Art Draper, has been centered around repairing I the damage wrought by the dis I astrollS wind and rain storm of !NO\'ember 1950. Giant ash trees, 'beeches, birches and maples that weee toppled across the trails into a snarled mass have been cut out Iand remc)\·ed. Brush piles and stumps have been burned, and ditches have been dug to divert heavy rains and melting snow fI'om washing out the trails. Grass I seed has been planted to smooth out rough scars and then covered by truckloads of hay, t The summer improvements also I induded the enlarging of loading I' areas at both the rope tow and ,platter-pull lift, and the hourly capacity of the chairlift has been increased. I Novices Trail Cut ' One new trail has been cut, and the former trails smoothed· out in j order to assure skiable conditions en~n after light snowfalls. The Inew trail is in the nature of a Iwork-road, but will provide a ,. genqe; downgrade. of nearly a mile and a half for Peginning :;;kiers.' rica's LatgestSkiil1g Publication Girclllatioll This IssHe 34,000 Copies me V December 1, 1952 Number 3

JeUeayre Mfn. Area Ready For Another Record Ski Season >-/PINE HILL, N. Y.-As soon as ~aBtwinter's snows disappeared, ;state employees at. the Belleayre "Mountain Ski Center in the heart "of New York's CatskilIMountains :began preparing the major devel ,Opment. for another record-break hig season. Last year, Belleayre 'recorded 94 days of skiing even ',!hOUgh the winter was not marked ,by unusually heavy snows. 1 , Truckload after truckload of dirt was hauled in to smooth the rope tow slopes, and a limited :'arnount of sod was transported to . . the top, of fhe mountain. Two ;tteight car :Ioads~about90 tOI1S ~-Cjf. lime were, spread on the slopes, '!~~I'Owed by ~ear1Y 11 tons of fer-I ' bl)zer and 1 rOO pounds of mixed I grass seed. .~-;.. _'--_..• OTS .,a. of general Interest

WE'RE PLEASED TO NOTE: lakes. According to the report, ex run down the trails. Well maintained tremely small doscs of thc cllemical trails and an efficient ski patrol kept (1) TIJat the Andrew E. Zimmer will kill the bloom-producing algae, but serious accidents to a minimum, aud Fish and Came Protective Association will not affect other plant growth in those that did come a·croppcr recell'cd of Richmond Coullty is in the process the lake. The compound was found prompt and skillful first aid. of conducting a conservation course for by University of \Visconsin botanists In late March the snow was still deep boys between the ages of 13 and IS. when they tcsted more than 300 sub on Bellcayrc, and Superintendent Instruction in various aspects of con stances looking for a substitutc for cop Arthur Draper believed conditions servation is being given by experienced per sulfate, commonly used as a lake would continue good for scveral more members of the dub, and 120 boys arc algaecide. weeks of operation. enrolled. Those receiving the highest The chemical, Science News Letter I marks in a written examination at the says, is apparently harmless to fish and KEEPING UP TO DATE i end of the course will be awarded a other organisms in the water. Addi I ten days' stay at our DeBmee Conser Two interesting bits of infonnation i vation Camp. tional tests, however, must be made to havc come to us from David L. Wood detennine its effect on fish and aquatic , (2) Lions Club of Fairborn, of Syracuse. One concerns a large hair 'n,c plants after long exposure. Unlike cop f Ohio (which seems to be an organiza cat killed by a member of the Fayettc per sulfate, the quinone chemical will I tion of unusual imagination) has so ville-Manlius Rod and Gun Club, shot not form a perm:mcnt toxic dcposit on licited otller Lions Clubs throughout in the vicinity of tJle Club. (1k Wood the bottom mud of a lakc. , the nation for "small gifts for each lady says this information is given solely in the interest of acquainting readers with who attends its Ladies' Night". By BUSY BELLEAYRE " way of answer, the Albany Lions Club the fact that these animals are to be ";, contributed a gift subscription to TilE From opcning of the season in late found in central New York.) The a CONSERVATIONIST. \Ve hope the proper November to March 15 this year, other is this: v Ohio Lioness gets it. BclIeayre Mountain Ski Center in the "Cnmdpa admits that chewing to (3) The Cannen Fish and Game Catskills (just off Route 28 ncar Pine bacco is a filthy habit, but defies any· Club has given a subscription to TilE Hills) had 85 days of good skiing. A one,!o prove that it ever started a forest CONSERVATIONIST to cach and every record season. fire. one of its mcmbers. Nearly 10,000 automobiles and buses LEECHES FOR BAIT (4) The Pawling Fish and Game brougllt 31,662 individuals to Belle Association (other elubs do tJlis too) ayre. TIle ski school operated by the If you want some new bait, try lists on its membership application Deparhnent and the c.1feterias and ski leeches. Our Ontario-St. Lawrcnce blank a subscription (optional, of shop did a good busincss. All weekends Fisherics District biologists base this course) to TilE CONSERVATIONIST, as were crowded and on thc biggest day, counsel on findings while working on well as an invitation to contribute to February 23d. over 500 autos were re the experimcntal northern pike tagging the fund to be uscd to send 'boys to ported turned back by the Statc Police program during the pike spawning pe our camp at DeBmcc. at the main highway. Skiers wele lined riod in North Sandy Pond. For all of which wc are very grateful. up el'cry weekend awaiting their tum A trap net was set in a South Sandy on the chairlift whirll hoisted them to Pond marsh area where mueh northern ALGAE-FREE WATER? the top of Belleayre Mountain for a pike spawlling activity had been taking place. It was necessary to find, if pos Now it's 2,3-dichloronaphtho-qui sible, to \Vh;]t extent other species of none. It's a chemical which Scicnce fish were feeding on northern pike News Lctter of March 8 says will make YOUR SUBSCRIPTION eggs. A number of bullheads, crappies To I!enew: Use opplicotion furnished. Moil for bettcr lake swimming. eo'bl Late renew"ls will miu SOme Issues. and some sunfish and suckers were According to the story, small lakes Chonge of Addre.., NQlify lour Po.1 Olfice. caught and examined. Nearly every 6sh may soon be made more pleasant for Nolify Ihls office on Form 2 -5 which m

PAGE 30 THE NEW YORK STATE CONSERVATIONIST, APRil-MAY, 1952

------'---' BELLEAYRE PACKER MAY PROVE BOO TO OTHER AREAS By ARTHUR G. DRAPER "Suicide" was the early morning And yet, about two hours after snoW report for Saturday, January that first report of "suicide" had gone 10, 1953, at the Belleayre Mt. Ski out, one of the trails was opened and Center in the heart of New York's the public was merrily riding the Catskill Mountains. A quarter-inch of chair lift and skiing down the moun glazed, unbreakable crust defied the tain. BelIeayre was one of very few sharpest of steel edges and the ability areas in the entire East that day to of the slickest skiers. Skiing on such offer skiing. a hard surface was an impossibilit)l. This seeming miracle was brought Ski boots couldn't break through about by the so-called Belleayre Snow that crust. A sledge hammer might Packer. The packer is, in effect, a have made an impression, but there wide-gauge, OliveT crawler tractor, weren't enough sledge hammers in the known as an DC-3. Long wooden slats entire county to do a job on even one attached to each of the tractor pads of the man).' crusted trails. give stability and buoyancy on the To make matter~ worse. t!le area snow and an extensive packing sur was crowded with skiers who looked face. The weight and power of the more and more woebegone as they little tractor broke up and chewed watched a couple of instructors slither that miserable crust better than 10,000 most ungracefully down a fairly gentle sledge hammers. Throughout the win slope. The day before, a snowstorm ter the packer performed yeoman serv . had raised expectations high and then vice for the betterment of skiing. After overnight carne the freezing rain that each snowfall, the tractor snorted up turned the top la~rer of new snow and down the trails leaving in its into a solid, solid crust. wake beautifully packed strips that

CliET ACKERLEY, WITH HlS BELLEAYRE SNOW PACKER, DOES THE WORK OF AN AllMY OF SNOWSHOERS IN AN HOUR ON THE PEEKAMOOS£ 1'R.AJL AT THE BELLEAYIlB MOUNTAIN SKI CBNTIUl. 76 A.MERJCAN SKJ ANNUAL AND SKllNG JOURNAl.

\X'OODEN SLATS ARE BOLTED TO REGULAR P.... OS OF OLlYER CRAWLER TRACTOR. ANGLE IROr-: PROVIDES TRACTION IN SNOW AND PREVENTS SIDE-SLIPPING. could not have been duplicated by an trails and performed an outstanding army of side·stepping skiers or two job. crawling up and down all but the armies of waddling snowshoers. very steepest slopes. In the fall, it What's more, skiers enjoyed these dragged sizeable logs and stumps packed trails. Rather than follow each through the \voods. And then, in win other like a Jot of sheep down a nar ter, with less than $100.00 spent for row rut in the middle of the trail, slats, bolts and angle iron cleats, the they skied over the whole trail, there tractor had its real test. by preserving the snow and keeping it Chet Ackerley, general mechanic at in good shape. The packing paid divi Belleayre, had dreamed up most of dends without question; for, despite the details for conversion of the skimpy snow conditions last winter, tractor into a snow packer. As a skier Belleayre ended the season wilh some himself he was a bit jittery about the 76 days of skiing. initial attempt to pack snow. The The Belleayre Snow Packer was first couple of minutes proved indis originally conceived in l\Iarch, 1952. putably that it worked and worked Three employees at the ski center well. went to a Conservation Department From then on, it was merely a ques Automotive Maintenance School and tion of adding refinements to the there had an informal discussion with packer. However, as a result of its Clyde Tinklepaugh of John R. Tinkle success as a packer, Chet didn't ski paugh, Inc., about the need for a as much as usual last winter. The tractor that could be used the year boys at Belleayre are only too con around on a moderately steep moun· scious of how the packer improved tain. Clyde Tinklepaugh enthusiasti skiing and lengthened the season, and cally agreed to let the boys experi now their hope is that the Albany ment with one of his wide-gauge, powers-that-be will approve purchase Oliver crawler tractors. During the of two or three packers. Maybe then summer it was used for mowing the they'll get in more skiing themselves. BELLEAYREMT. SKI CENTER OPENS IN RECORD TIME

By ARTHUR G. DRAPER

In the heart of the Catskills, the Belleayre Standing bare-headed on the speaker's plat Mountain Ski Center was officially opened form, though the temperature was well be with free rides on Saturday, January 21, by low freezing, the grey-haired statesman New York State's Lieutenant Governor added, "This mountain air blows the cob Joseph R. Hanley. A light covering of snow webs out of your head and the sin out hopefully reminded visitors that Belleayre of your heart." has an Eastern reputation as' a snow hole. The Belleayre Mountain Ski Center is Almost exactly seven months before the largely the result of area-wide enterprise, dedication, a laborer had sunk his axe into headed by the Central Catskill Association, a tree, felled it and started construction in pushing through (in 1947) a constitu work on the mammoth $250,000 project. tional amendment that permitted construc A Catskill dream that went back some tion of the development within the sacred twenty years ago to the days when Maltby confines of New York State's forest pre Shipp and Park Carpenter first tackled serve. Belleayre on skis began to come true. The present development is complete in Lieutenant Governor Hanley, who is a itself, but is in line for much greater ex beloved elder statesman in New York, pansion once public use has demonstrated waxed eloquent about the possibilities of additional appropriations are warranted. By Belleayre as a tremendous recreational de and large, Belleayre is a ski center for velopment. He pressed the button that skiers rather than fashion-wise snowbunnies. started New York State's only chair lift lts major trails average about three and then, with a big grin, proceeded to quarters of a mile in length. They have board a chair and head for the summit a maximum width of SO feet. Rocks and of the mountain. stumps have been grubbed and blasted to Conservation Commissioner Perry B. ground level. They have maximum grades Duryea, under whose jurisdiction the de on the upper sections that range in degrees velopment is administered, joyfully declared up into the twenties. Elsewhere there are a moratorium for the day on all ski lift trails much steeper, longer and more diffi tickets. Only the descent of darkness pre cult; but for the average recreational skier vented the whole 2,500 persons who at who knows control these trails will provide tended the dedication from riding the lift. fun along with a good challenge of ability. The lift is the focal point of the Belle Even the SaO-foot rope tow, with its ayre Mountain Ski Center. It starts at an slope-like trails, is no paradise for a sleepy elevation of 2,541 feet above sea level and, snowbunny. He's got to stay awake and in a distance of slightly more than 3,000 practice his side-slipping or snowplows feet, rises to 3,325 feet. With such a base preferably christies-for otherwise he'll sud elevation Belleayre has the distinction of denly think he's playing baseball and sliding starting off higher than any other develop to first base. ment in the East. New York State is pretty proud of its This meant little to Lieutenant Governor Hanley. He was more concerned with its new development. Up to now it has been being within l30-odd miles of the New rather quiet. about Belleayre. It was afraid York City throngs and of its being used the ski center was made of dream-like sub both summer and winter for, respectively, stance. But Lieutenant Governor Joe Hanley picnicking and skiing. pushed the button thap started the lift and "The -mountains," said the Lieutenant the wheels are rolling. The dream is a Governor, "make neighbors of us all." reality.

38 The main lodge at Ihe foot of the mountain Belleayre the Year 'Round Who says it shouldn't happen 10 a dog?

The chair lift operates OUNTAIN climbing is made easy Summer aTl/I IF ill/er Mthe year around at our Bellcayre Mountain Ski Center. In Winter skiers are whisked uphill by rope tows, aT-bar lift and New York's only chair lift. After the snow Itas gone, the tows and T-bar are put in mothballs, hut the chair lift continues through the Summer months and early Fall to carry sight seeing passengers up and down the mountain. In the last twelve months some 100,000 persons have taken advan tage of these facilities. During Summer months, the chair lift operates at a leisurely pace. Its rid ers include visitors from every Slate, organized camp groups, infants who ride in parent's arms, an occasional nono genarian. crippled persons and even a few blind people. They all seem to de rive pleasure from standing on the mountain top feeling the cool, fresh hreezes blow away city stuffiness, and merely gazing out on the forest covered mountains. Operated by the Conservation Depart ment. Belleayre is located in the Cats kill Park of tlte Forest Preserve. By New York Stale Thruway to Kingston or Saugerties it is a lllere three hours from New York City and only a couple

THE NEW YORK STATE CONSEIWATlONIST. DECDIBER_JANUARY, 1955.5(; The Summit Sheller et the terminus of the chair lift

Cafeteria main lodge

Safety is stressed in all skiing illstructioll

of hours from the Capital District. Pin· remind them of the Black Forest in Belle,lyre has the distinction of having pricking its location, Belleayre is off Germany. Late Summer brings in large tlte highest base elevation of any ski Route 28 at Highmount, between Pine groups of hay fever sufferers, whose centcr in the East-2,500 feet above sea Hill and Fleischmanns. sniffles disappear and rheumy eyes clear. level. From this point the chair lift Belleayre was opened to the public Toward the end of September, when rises almost 800 feet. With such an in January, 1950. It came into existence Fall foliage is approaching a fantastic, elevation, snow is reliable. Last ,Innter as a result of a State constitutional effulgent beauty, a new group of visitors produced 112 days of skiing-with a amendment permitting the Clltting on arrives to ride the chair lift to the sum· couple of weeks of unrecorded skiing ill Belleayre Mountain of 20 miles of ski mit and hike across neighboring moun· November. trails and the development of "necessary tains. And along in November the cars in its few short years of operation, appurtenances." Prior to the amendment, of hrighl1y clad hunters dot the parking Belleayre has helped change the eco there was considerable worriment ahout lot. but the chair lift is then (fortu· nomic life of many surrounding com desecration and despoliation of the For nately for the deer population) closed. munities. Where formerly hotels and cst Preserve. Nevertheless. even with its These iast few years it has been in boarding houses closed thcir shutters paved access road. parking area, rnstic teresting to note a definite increase in upon the arrival of Winter, they now shelters, lifts and sweeping trails, Belle the wildlife population at Belleayre. remain open and do a thriving business; ayre still fits harmoniously into the For Openings made in the hardwood forest in fact. the Winter season is now as long est Preserve. In fact, with 2.000 and for the now grass-covered ski trails have or longer than the Summer season, and 3,000 IJersons besieging the mountain in undoubtcdly served the wildlife as a from a lJllsiness viewpoint is not dis a single day, the most vocal cry pres super-market. Deer are a common sight. counted. It follows that snow reports ently is for further expansion of facili Bear tracks arc seen occasionally. Rac have vecome a lively topic of conversa ties. coon. woodchucks. gray squirrels. rab· tion. Belleayre is a development to which bits. weasels and ruffed grouse are fairly people retnrn time and again. Skiers in abundant. Porcupines are too plentiful; particular have a proprietary interest in believe it or not. they'll climb the steel ELLEAYRE ·has not only helped its the ski center and are forever offering chair lift towers and chew the rubber B neigllboring communities. hut. with Their free services for all kinds of off sheave liners. Why. no one knows. (Inci its year 'round operation as a recreational season and on·seasoll tasks. Snmmer vig.. dentally, although Belleayre has not and scenic attractiOll. has managed to itors, especially those with a European been set aside as a game refuge, De operate at a profit to the State. hackground, exclaim abom the beauty partment rules prohibit shooting within -ARTHUR G. DtuI'F.R, of the Catskills and how the mountains 1,000 feet of tlte lifts or other facilities.) Prindpal Park SII/wrilltendellt

PAGE 3 ~ I the back of the book orou' 0'

Conseryation camp fees up Fi-heries reeearch laboratories at La Belleayre skiing expanded NEW Jolla. Calif.. Ann Arbor. Mich.• Beau· A new novice area. con~tructed It I Ha\'ing held the line since the late fort. N.C., and Seattle, Wash., too, are The cost of nearly a haH million dollars. WI!' nf'arly completed. SdenO:-I "Forties," the Ikpartment now must opened to the public this winter ~ raise Ihe Boys' Conlle","alion Education Until a few years ago. the United Ilf'W 51 Belle1rrc Ski Center and is th,. fir« States was second only to lallan in ad\allc, Camp sponsorship fee. Where $25 u!ed major expansion of this popular "'intCf world fish production. Today it has /1;t"Ologi 10 eO\'cr a boy for a week, the cosl will recreation complex since it opened it now be $35 per boy per week-begin dropped to fifth plllce-topped by Japan. The 1950. The new facilities include I the U.s.S.R., Red China and Peru. dunune ning with Ihe 1963 season. double chair lift. lodge and cafeteria. Designed as a base for fisheries and and 1111 In an alleffil)! to improve the fJllality three new ski trails and additionnl pari oceanographic r<'~f'arch in the northwest (ormllii of the camp program. it is planned to ing locations. The double chair lift i! Atbntic "The Albatross IV" will chart Stale. hold the weekly enrollments at each approximately 3.200 fect long Wilh • the distrihution and abundance of The camp (there 8rc fOIlT of them) to not 414-foot vertkal drop and a callacilyof groundfish and scallops; study the en· incllt:" more than forty boys. Tl1anks to en· about 800 skiers per honr. The lhr!ll' vironmental factors which cause seasonal Ihi~ Ila l1msiaslic response to lhe program, week· !lew trails run the enlire lenl;:lh of lilt and long.term changes in fish stock~; CQn~j ..li ly enrollments have been approaching slope and are cleared to a muimllm collef:t data on the bottom organi'ml!! matl~. the sixty mark. but Ihis is just 100 many width of 80 fcet. which form the food supply of ground. \ ariou.. 10 do a good joh with availahle camp The base lodge contains a cafeteria fi~h; im'cstigate plankton population!! and r~ personnel and facilities. So. get your bids with a seating capacity of 200 pel"Sl:m. in early with Ihe Re,ional Su~nison 10 and oceanographic conditions generally. fi~t ~id room, ski !!I:hool office and !kJ '\fillen Complete research facilities pro\'ide \'i. Fi< insure a spot for lhe boy or boys you shop. La ..... ren want to sponsor. wet and dry laboratories. photographic In addition to the new novice dtl'eJop. for tile A word or Iwo about Ihe boys of your and electronic laboratories. an open deck ment, Belleayre Ski Center hll.5 15 ski choice. too. Please. for the boy's sake laboratory for examining fish immediate· Rin~ \1 trails. two rope tows. two T·bar lift!. I ~ure The l especially. be that he knows what Iy upon catch. and a variet}· of e1ec· 2.95Q..foot double chair lift wilh I ver sort of camp it i.j that he is interested tronic equipment such as underwater tical drop of 784 feet, a ski JOOgt and wa" tlr sonar. underwater tele\'ision, closed·cir· Ceoillgi in learning about the wise use of our maintennnce buildings. The entire !kiin~ natural resources; and really wants to cuit aboard·ship television and all complex can accommodate up to 10,000 aim to and g(' allf"nd a school type camp. For our sake, underwater eleClrOmac:netic log. Scien· skiers a day. \lick a boy of good character who is go tists can work in this safe and stahle Located in the Catskill Stale Pan. whil'h laboratory as it ploughs across the ~ur· n·..earrl ing to behave himself and get along with Bclleayre is a popular recreation 5po1 face of the sea and at the same time be thf' LIlli the others. for both winter lind summer touri~ i~ If you are not familiar wilh the Boys' able to studr ocean life and conditions With 72 days of skiinll: in 1961.M III"() Consen'ation Education Camp program. several hundred feet below them, reo nearly ]30.000 skiers used the Center'· -

PAGE 34 THE CONSERVATIONIST, fEBRUARY·MARCH. ltc STATE C ..--.,...... ,...... ,T"""--.-T'"'Ir------.,1 3 [ ,f

•

...... -- -

From border to border, New Skiing York State has more and better downhlll skiing areas New York than any other state. by Philip C.Johnson

,T he sun is shining and the ~ winter air is crystal clear. .§: To the north you can pick oul Mt. Royal in Montreal; to (he east is Mt. Mansfield and • the Green Mountains, MI. Wash ington if you look real hard; and spread out before you clearly vis ible are 39 of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks, snow covered and

(Above) A beginlling skier's class at Bristol Mountain, Canandaigua

(Left) Raci/IS dow/Ibm aI Ski Wil1dharn ill the Catskills (Facing page) It's 'lever too early to start.

majestic. On days like this there is no better activity for the aver age outdoor enthusiast than downhill skiing and no better place to appreciate the surround ings than from the peak of White face Mountain outside Lake Placid where just 12 years ago the world's best racers competed for Winter Olympic honors. Everyday is not like that, un fOllunately, and even when it is, everyone can·t be there of ~...... t __._~_.lL.- _ course. For the million plus New Yorkers who ski at least some A cloudy day at DEC'~ Be/leayre Moulltain times, however, the sport doesn't (Facing page) Riding the lift at Gore Mountain need perfection to be appealing. Kicking up some snow al Whiteface MOlmWin You can have aU the fun you can handle at small metropolitan areas § like Sterling Forest near Yonkers or f enjoy a family gathering western & New York style at clubs like the Buffalo Sitzmarkers which operates its own facility just 20 minutes from pro football's Rich Stadium in suburban Orchard Park. There arc more than 55 alpine ski areas in New York State; more places to downhill ski than in Colorado; in Utah or in Vermont and New Hampshire combined. These areas totaled more than three million skier visits last year, a remarkable count given the re gional recession, the Persian Gulf War and a weather whammy that included little natural snowfall and lots of warm, rainy, snow eating days. As a widespread recreational activity, skiing is a recent phe nomenon luring only a few hearty back country hikers until • the early thirties when the first ski lifts were developed. That was the heyday of the Adirondack - • ski train which sometimes hauled - ~,"'-. r - more than 1,000 people to the vil . .- lage of North Creek for a winter - weekend on the slopes. The first - real burst of popularity came af ter World War II when returning troops from the U.S. 10th Moun tain Division looked to develop their sport, and the Slate of New York became involved when leg islation passed in 1947 led to the opening of Belleayre Mountain on state forest preserve land in the Catskills in 1950. A year later a modest experi ment on the 10th hole of the golf course at the Concord ReSOil first demonstrated what would ulti~ mately become the backbone of the spall a generation later. Water " and air were mixed under pres- ~ sure one evening and people ~:""...-.__..._..._...... _...... :-:-..._...... _.;4.. made snow. A novelty at first, The ability to make mow has bee/I a lifesnverfor mOllY ski lodges in New York. some like the Slutsky brothers at Hunter Mountain took the growth of the ski industry in the fifties and sixties as an opportunity to expand snowmaking beyond the curiosity stage and as a result ef fectively weatherproof the sport and make it economically viable with or without the full coopera tion of nature. Today, modern computer driven snowmaking technology and snow farming and grooming techniques have combined to expand the ski sea , son from early November through April so long as tempera tures fall below freezing at least some of the time which is a sure t::: bet in these parts. ~ Skiing is a border to border ac- Downhill racing competitiOlI (/./ DEC's Belleayre Moul/lai/1 tivity in New York from Catamount in Hillsdale which straddJes the Massachusetts state line to Peak 'n letSget these bindi7lgs right./ '- Peak at Clymer just over the bor- >,r"• ~ der from western Pennsylvania. What chamcterizes most skiing in the state is access. A lot of people can get to the slopes without a major commitment of time and • effoll. Excepting Whiteface and Hunter, most areas in the state draw mainly a local or regional clientele, many of whom come from home and return there the same day. As a result one thing that has characterized skiing in the state from day one has been a nearby population base to draw on and as a result, a commitment to teaching. At big volume moun and her brorher Geoff were top of the ski slopes for the 14-to 24 tains like the 47 trail layout at r.lcers in the seventies along with year-old crowd. Holiday Valley south of Buffalo, Vicki Fleckstein from Syracuse The third major development Bristol Mountain near Rochester, and Billy Taylor from Buffalo. has been the deliberate effort to Gore in the Central Adirondacks, Television viewers will recognize cater to the needs of special audi Ski Windham in the Catskills and Saranac Lake's Lisa Feinberg from ences. At one time a fire in the the central New York cluster of her programs on ESPN. New lodge and an accent in the ski Song, Greek Peak, Labrador and Yorkers have also played a major ·school was about all the special Toggenburg, instruction is em role in the development of features an area felt obliged to phasized. But the tiny places do a freestyle skiing with Tom leRoy supply. Today nurseries at ski ar solid job in that area too; like from Albany one of the pioneers eas are commonplace and there Schenectady's Maple Ridge where of on-slope gymnastics and the are superb instruclion programs ski school director Freddie Ander Post sisters from Averill Park as for youngsters only. In some son has specialized in working women's freestyle champions in places such as Ski Windham in with "never evers" for the past 35 the seventies. the Catskills there are progrd.ms years to tiny Branding near Sodus Although not a champion com for senior citizens and for people on Lake Ontario that produced petitor, Averell Harriman who with physical disabilities. Fun rac world champion and current u.s. was the founder of the Sun Valley ing programs such as NASTAR are ski team racer Diane Roffe. Resort was a major backer of the commonplace today and there Ski racing was not a part of the sport as governor of the state in are special events from winter 1932 winter Olympic games at the fifties. He rode the first chairlift carnivals to Easter Parades at just Lake Placid but when it was up Whiteface Mountain as part of about every area. added to the list of events four [he dedication ceremonies there in Special activities aren't the only years later at Garmisch Germany, 1958. The lift broke down leaVing indication of a more skier-friendly New Yorker Dot Hoyt who later the governor stranded in mid-air business. Officials in the sport are went on to help design the ski for 90 minutes. much more attuned these days to trails at Belleayre and become the Recent years haven't been es special pricing arrangements like area's ski school director was pecially kind to alpine skiing in the cooperative sponsorship ar among the leading competitors. the state. Economic, demographic rangement with the Byrne Dairy But the early development of ski and meteorological trends have cooperative and several areas in ing was promoted mainly by Eu meant tough times. Central New York and discounted ropeans. Among the early trans But on the positive side, devel packaging of mid-week and plants who adopted New York opments in three areas give prom multi-day ski packages that are skiing was Toni Matt whose ise for a brighter future. now offered by just about evelY schuss of Tuckerman's Ravine in The first is the remarkable evo one. It doesn't make downhill 1939 remains an enduring legend lution in ski gear from snow skiing cheap but it does help. in the sport. He became the di making and grooming which have And people are smiling. Ski ar rector of the ski schools at Cata made the trail conditions more eas are stressing courtesy and co mount in the seventies through controllable and hospitable to lifts operd.tion. It is apparent from the the 1980 winter Olympics at which are faster and more efficient. friendly greetings in the service Whiteface. Also in the Whiteface Breakthroughs in clothing deSign lines to the helping hand patrols area for many years was the fa and materials not only make ski on most mountains today that ar mous Swiss ski champion later fashions more colorful these days eas are stressing customer ser college coach Walter Prager and bm warmer and more comfonable. vices and value to the customer. German contemporary Otto The second important step is It is not only clean air and Schneibs who on regular forays the industry's embrace of snow great scenery that counts these to the Rockies was one of the boarding, a development that days. But it sure is nice that New original Aspen, Colord.do skiers. doesn't please everyone but gets York has plen[)' of that ro go The best known New Yorker almost universal high marks from around too. e among male alpine competitors younger patrons who are now in the modern era is Hank enthusiastic about coming along Philip C. Johnson. a Clifton Park bas<--d fi· Kashiwa who grew up on the with their families to the moun nancial planner, has wriucn numerous rruga slopes of McCauley Mountain at tains. It has been an important zine articles on outdoor topiCS over the past Old Forge. Corning's Cathy Bruce step in maintaining the popularity 20 years.

The Comert!atiollisil/to'YSDEC - janual)' - fpbntary 1992 13 I.NY. GET-AWAY WEEKEND The Haunting Catskills-Haven for Hikers, Hunters and Skiers Less then three hours from by Maria Harding the the evening hayride and 1960s hustle of downtown style and everyone else who wants Manhattan, the folk singing hootenannies to put lofty Catskill in front of on a pair of skis. Mountains, which have the huge Cross-country ski been hearths in the several ing is another extolled in painting and in lodges option for enthusiasts. on the property which offer a verse, offer untouched forest pre Crisscross the trails that variety of accommodations, includ serves, ridge top views, and descend through the silent, a multi ing those for large groups. pristine tude ofyear-round activities. woodlands reminiscent of the forests Nearby, Belleayre Mountain is Whether for a day trip, weekend that grew 200 years ago. Then relax bright with color, and in the summer, or for longer visits, the Catskills, in the rustic lodges close to the roar its renowned "Music and the with their softevening shadows, ing fires or enjoy an outdoor barbe tree Mountain Sky" series brings contoured hillsides, magnificent name cue on the patio. fall performers from around the world. foliage and clear flowing streams, When the day is done, there's are still more a celebration ofnature meant to to be enjoyed. At the near byAlpine be enjoyed. by those weary from their lnn, visitors will partake of daily routines. a distinctly European experience. Perched Hiking trails, cross-country or on the side of a hill over looking downhill ski resorts, fishing in trout the Big Indian Valley, only 15 filled. streams, music under the stars, minutes from Belleayre. two large gourmet restaurants and welcoming chalets, each with 10 rooms, and one inns nestled. in woodland valleys tiny Ski Hut with two rooms, add up to make a visit to this land, well, magic. the charm oftheAlpine Inn. In the main Take for instance Frost Valley, a lodge, a giant living room and handy large fireplace I5-minute ride from Route 28 allow time to stretch out, in Oliverea, Ulster County, where watch the embers and rest after visitors come to enjoy the outdoors the days activities that may include hunting, and educational programs at the hiking and fishing. YMCA camp. 'fucked away in a val Innkeepers Erich and Edna Belleoyre Mountain Griesser ley surrounded by Slide, Double 'Thp are the second generation of the and Wildcat mountains, this 4,900 family that has owned the Swiss And there is nothing like the green acre preserve of meandering of inn for 60 years. Their attention spring as the trees renew to streams, waterfalls, them detail and their culinary wooded thickets selves, or a leisurely skills are and open walk down the well-documented. fields provides an out-Qf mountainside. doors utopia Also offered during As wonderful for families and friends, the snowless as nature is, the months, environmental Catskill many ofwhorn come back year after region is also a place ofvar programs, guided walks, eagle year. ied attractions. And what could watches, and flora and fauna be Frost Valley expedi more unique than a trip has it all. Winter tions are great to the latest enthusiasts learning experiences wonder of the will find premier cross for world, the World's children of all ages. In addition, Largest country trails, fine ice skating on the Kaleidoscope, which some day use areas are open for swim 16-acre lake, and the how seems to fit right in next to thrill of a ming, fishing and boating. the toboggan ride or the fun mountain skyscape. Located of snow During the winter, east of shoeing in the winter. downhill Oliverea, in the town skiers at Belleayre of Shandaken In will revel in a dif· at the Catskill the spring, summer and fall, ferent Corners, is this 60 kind of ski experience here. foot visitors camp out, cook over an open tower, constructed by local Located in the heart of the Catskill flame, hike the quiet trails entrepreneur Dean Gitter. where Forest Preserve on 'i'orever wildlife abound, wild" For more information view the stars at land, the mountain about night, learn and its 33 trails attractions in how to rock climb or par are expertly the Catskills, call: maintained by DEC and I-BOO-NYSCATS. ticipate in one ofthe many programs a haven, unblemished. by over-eom led by Frost Valley environmental mercialization, for parents educators. and chil Maria Harding is And, of course, there are dren, a Free-lonce wri~ From singles, teens, octogenarians Kingston, Ulster COIJOIy.

7 will showcase a new bigger and better Belleayre. Two new quad lifts, a new lodge, upgraded snowmaking and the development of new and extended trails will result in a 20 percent increase in ski able terrain. Ifthat is not enough, a tracked vehicle dubbed the "'Beast of Belleayre" now provides the more adven turous skiers and snowboarders access to ) the remote areas of the mountain. The upgrades and additions are financed though the commitment made by Governor George E. Pataki to provide $5 million in capital improvements for Belleayre. Operated by the Department of Environmental Conservation in the beautiful Catskill Forest Preserve, Belleayre, not just a winter resort, pro vides year-round recreational opportuni ties and serves as an economic linchpin for the central high peaks of the Catskills. Governor Palaki I

I also directed that $1.5 million from the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act of 1996 be used to improve sewage collection and -. ". treatment pro- p_ by Jin CIo.ytQn. ~ ",b~ .. noted grams at the N w state-operated facility as part of the long-term pro II yr gram to improve water quality in the region. Mount In Tow r boy th C t kill By Tony Lanza

I t's a brand new look for the oldest operating ski center in the Catsk.i1Js.Belleayre Mountain has undergone dramatic improvements over the past year in time for the 1999-2000 ski Improvements at 8eUeoyre amount to complete redesign of the mountain that entirely tronsforms the skiing and snowboarding season.I Belleayre Mountain's 51st consecutive season experience at the oldest active ski area in the Catskills.

30 The improvements amount to a complete redesign of - the mountain that entirely transforms the skiing and snowboarding experience at the oldest active ski area in the Catskills. "BeUeayre is now not only the oldest oper ating ski area in the Catskills: said superintendent Richard Clark," it's also the newest. Skiers familiar with BelJeayre will be amazed at the difference." The new quad, Tomahawk, will provide better access to the highest skiable peak in the Catskills. The new 5,000-foot Superchief quad makes the long awaited connection of the upper and lower mountain a reality. Roaring Brook, Belleayre Mountain's most popular run, now rides and skis an incredible 2.27 miles, the longest trail in the Catskills. The new configuration at Belleayre will promote better traffic flow for the users and provides better connections to various sections of the facility. New and e..ponded trails and lifts will chal· The most dramatic moment of the new expansion lenge skiers and snow had to be the sounds of the powerful Sikorski heli boarders at Belleoyre. copter hoisting the 51, 40-foot-tall, three-ton towers into place on the mountainside. The dramatic flying of the towers is the most emblematic event of the most aggressive, ambitious expansion in the resort's 50-year history. Mother Nature can sometimes be unpredictable and uncooperative, but two new 400-horsepower vertical pumps producing an additional 2,000 gallons per minute and 31,000 feet of new snowmaking pipe increase the mountain's snowmaking capacity to 92 percent of the trails. Improvements were not just limited to the outdoors. The new Longhouse Lodge is a multi-purpose building designed to relieve the pressure and Belleayre Mountain, on Route 28 in Ulster County, congestion of the Overlook Lodge. The contemporary was opened as a ski center in 1949 with five trails and longhouse structure is thought to be the symbol of a an electrically-powered rope tow. Belleayre made the new beginning for the Iroquois people. How fitting it news when they installed New York's first chair lift, a is that the new lodge, a building that will serve fami single chair rising 3,000 feet to the summit lodge. lies, ski clubs, and groups is named the Longbouse Residents recall how skiers would pitch tents outside Lodge. The new building brings the number to four the lodge so that they could be first in line for the lift. day-use lodges at Belleayre. Bigger and better, Belleayre Mountain continues to More improvements are scheduled for the next sea rank as one ofthe finest winter recreational facilities son. A new, expert-level trail will be opened in the in the Northeast. name of Belleayre's own Olympic ski coach, Dot Nevel, For more information: and expansion of the parking facility is planned. (914) 354-5600 Design and constuction management services for www.beUeayre.com these projects are being provided by DEC's Division of Tony Lonto is the assistant superintendent ond dire<:tor 01 skier services ot Operations with Belleayre's own staff constructing the Betleoyre Mountain Ski Center, operated by the Deportment of new trails and installing the snowmaking pipes. Environmentol Conservolion.