Skiing | Running | Hiking | Biking Paddling | Triathlon | Fitness | Travel FREE! JANUARY 20,000 CIRCULATION CAPITAL REGION • SARATOGA • GLENS FALLS • ADIRONDACKS 2011 PHOTOS BY SHAWN COMBS/HIGH ADVENTURE SKI & BIKE Visit Us on the Web! AdkSports.com CONTENTS BACKCOUNTRY SKIING 1 Backcountry Skiing Resort Skier’s Guide to Backcountry 2 Alpine Skiing & Snowboarding A RResortesort Skier’sSkier’s GuideGuide Ski Deals Abound by Eric Schillinger 3 Cross-Country Skiing f you live in the Northeast, chances are good that you fall into one of SKI TOURING Youth Skiing in New York Itwo categories this time of year: people that dread the onset of winter, First, let’s look at the most mild of the different styles of backcountry 4-7 CALENDAR OF EVENTS skiing, ski touring. Ski touring can be best described as cross-country and those who can’t wait to get out and play in the white stuff. If you’re 9 Running & Walking like me, you can’t wait for winter, and celebrate at the fi rst sign of snow skiing in more rugged, wooded terrain. Gear for ski touring is most similar in the air. Of course, I am not alone. Every year thousands of hearty New to cross-country ski gear, but touring skis are typically wider and stronger, Reading on the Run and boots are stiffer and heavier. Typically, ski touring doesn’t involve a lot Yorkers take to the snow covered slopes of the Adirondacks to ski and 10 Athlete Profi le of elevation change and these skis work best on fl at to rolling terrain. snowboard. Most of those people do so in the conventional way – that is, A good example of a classic ski tour is the trip from the Adirondak Speedskating with Petra Acker they ride a chairlift or gondola to the top of the mountain for lap after lap Loj to Marcy Dam. It’s certainly more rugged than cross-country skiing 11 Snowshoeing & Cross-Country Skiing of great ski runs at the resorts. on a golf course, but there’s no serious mountain climbing or descending New Winter Loop at Chase Lake As of late though, there’s been a small but growing group of enthusi- required. If you’re interested in climbing and skiing down the trails and 12 asts who prefer to avoid the crowds and costs associated with resort ski- slides accessible after you get to Marcy Dam however, you’ll need to Around the Region News Briefs ing, and instead seek to “earn their turns.” Ski touring, alpine touring, and graduate from touring skis to a full alpine touring ski setup. 12 From the Publisher & Editor ski mountaineering are each names you may hear thrown around with the ALPINE TOURING 13 The Non-Medicated Life concept of backcountry skiing. Here we’ll review the differences between Alpine touring or “AT” for short, takes the concept of ski touring and Treating Sleep Apnea the three standards of self-powered adventure skiing, and discuss gear throws in rugged climbs and descents, and serious risks not associated and safety precautions to take into account with each. See BACKCOUNTRY SKIING, 8 ᮣ 14-19 RACE RESULTS • Adventure • Backpacking • Bicycling • Canoeing • • Duathlon • Environment • Fitness • Health • Hiking • Running • Bicycling Hiking FREE SAVE THE ADMISSIO DATE! SSUMMERUMMER EEXPOXPO N! April 16 & 17 • Saturday 10-6 & Sunday 10-5 Saratoga Springs City Center, Saratoga Springs The Capital Region’s Outdoor Sports, Health/Fitness and Travel Expo! Featuring 100 Exhibitors, Sales, Demos, Clinics, Kids Activities & More AdkSports.com • (518) 877-8788 Duathlon • Fitness Health PHOTOS BY BRIAN TEAGUE • Kayaking • Mountain Biking • Orienteering • Rock Climbing • Rowing • Running • Swimming • Trail Running • Triathlon • Walking • Wilderness Skills • 2 Adirondack Sports & Fitness Bromley Mountain has their Sun ALPINE SKIING & SNOWBOARDING Mountain Club discount card that offers a free lift ticket for joining the club and $10 off every all-day ticket you buy. Family Fridays give discounts for ski/ride families ($15 off per kid for each paying adult), while Ski Deals college, military, special needs, and handi- capped skiers also receive discounts. “Lift & Lunch” Tuesdays cost just $49. Vermont’s Ski Vacation package is available at Bromley and other Vermont resorts featuring “dis- ABOUND counts, packages and deals to make your skiing as affordable as possible.” Stowe Mountain has a year-round Point Card ($75) that lets you buy dis- at the counted and promotion tickets at vari- ous times throughout the season. Get 15- percent off discounts with the Vacation Rewards Program and receive an extra Resorts fl ex-day ticket when you purchase four or more consecutive days. Visit Stowe’s cal- endar to see any discounts planned for the by Ron Farra SHAVING THE STEEL ON WILD AIR. days you will be skiing or riding there. COURTESY OF GORE MOUNTAIN Smugglers’ Notch “Always has a bar- gain for you,” says Karen Boushie. Some ith the cost of skiing reaching Cola promotion lets you to enjoy a $38 $45 (except Feb. 17 and 24). On Thursdays, examples include 50-percent off Women’s new heights, savvy skiers are lift-ticket when you bring any unopened members of the military, police, fi re, EMS Wild Wednesday (Mom’s get half-price busy searching out discounts Coca-Cola product to their ticket win- and their family receive 25-percent off tickets and 50-percent off childcare), Buy- W One-Get-One-Free for Northern Friends and deals for skiing at their favorite ski dows (except Feb. 23). tickets. With a Combo Ticket, you can Tuesdays, College Turn-On Thursdays centers. Customers can pay up to 18- Willard Mountain offers a $45 ski/ride ski and/or tube for $34 for adults, $26 for ($29), and Business Card Monday for 15- percent more at ticket windows. Online package with lift and lessons for fi rst-tim- juniors (6-12 years), and seniors (65-69 percent off. There are also weekly specials, purchases made seven days in advance ers and $68 lift and lesson package for oth- years). Seventy-plus skiers are free. military discounts, and half-price tickets offer deep discounts and you can then go ers. An all-day ticket is just $38 for adults Hickory Ski Center has adult skiing/ available at Smuggs. straight to the lift line avoiding a wait at and $34 for juniors. Half-day is $32 adults boarding tickets for only $45. Teens ski/ Okemo Mountain has “So many ways the ticket window. Here is the latest infor- and $29 juniors, while night skiing is $25. ride for $35 while juniors and seniors pay to save on lift tickets that the online page mation for ski and snowboard ticket deals “TGIF Tickets” include rental for $35. The just $30 for an all day ticket. Seventy-plus sometimes gets unruly, but keep scrolling and discounts at 11 regional ski areas. Tuesday Night Adult Program is only $20. skiers are free. More information about for the best deals,” says Bonnie McPherson. Gore Mountain and Whiteface offer West Mountain has a variety of lift deals and discounts can be found on There are half-price tickets for military, dis- a series of discount cards. The Empire and lesson programs at discounted pric- Hickory’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. counts for teens and children, multiday tick- Card ($89) for adults, Student Card ($79), es including a Lift & Lunch Ticket ($271), Jiminy Peak has “Special Deals” ets for skiing three mountains, “After 2pm” and Snowball Card ($59) for juniors. With Kids Friday ($324), 60-plus Seniors ($324), listed online. Purchase its Value Card at tickets, and Sunday and Monday “Solution” these cards the fi rst and sixth day are free Racing ($271), Masters Series, and Twilight $45 and receive $15 off the price of a lift tickets. It’s $10 off for Big Game Sunday then all additional days are 15-percent Skiing ($350). Monday & Tuesday nights ticket every time you ski or ride at Jiminy. while the Monday Morning Quarterback is off the regular price. Whiteface also offers are only $17 with the GO West Card. West Purchase before Feb. 28 and receive a $1 per total game points. discounts for three Super Sundays at $35 offers season passes in “6-Pack” ($222) free ticket for skiing in March. Value Card adult, $30 teen, and $25 for junior tickets. and “12-Pack” ($444) versions, and you holders receive $10 off lessons plus a free Ron Farra ([email protected]) lives in “Gore Mountain offers discounted tickets can ski/board daily for two hours ($27), ticket after six times at Jiminy. There are Saratoga Springs and enjoys snowshoeing, or free ski passes when fi ve or more ski- four hours ($37) or eight hours ($42). also multi-day ticket discounts including skiing, hiking, biking and kayaking. He is ers/boarders sign up through its Friends Oak Mountain has the Thursday Pair a free night ticket, and day, night, week- the co-author of Winter Trails New York: Program,” said Gore’s Emily Stanton. Pass where you bring a companion and end and twilight passes are available at Cross-Country Ski & Snowshoe Trails The “Why Not Wednesday” with Coca- ski/ride for four hours for $35 or all day for seasonal rates. with his wife, Johanna. 6.,,1* %2$5',1* 78%,1* Since 1941 ',1,1* SKIS 'D\ 1LJKW SNOWBOARDS SNOWSHOES Ticket 6 Packs and Gift Cards! XC GEAR Use gift cards for lift tickets, tubing passes, SKIWEAR rentals, lessons, even lunch or dinner at The West Side Grille! Ski Tuning & Rentals Six packs of tickets for skiing, boarding or Complete Expert ServiCe tubing, use them yourself or give as gifts.