| Whiteface Ski Resort | |
|---|---|
| Location | Wilmington, New York USA |
| Nearest city | Lake Placid |
| Coordinates | 44°21′57″N 73°54′10″W / 44.36583°N 73.90278°W / 44.36583; -73.90278 (Whiteface Ski Resort) |
| Vertical | 3,166 ft (965 m) |
| Top elevation | 4,386 ft (1,337 m) |
| Base elevation | 1,220 ft (372 m)) |
| Skiable area | 314 acres (127 ha) |
| Runs | 87 total - 20% easiest - 43% more difficult - 37% most difficult |
| Lift system | 1 gondola 9 chairlifts 1 conveyor lift |
| Terrain parks | 5 |
| Snowfall | 230 inches (584 cm) |
| Snowmaking | yes |
| Web site | Whiteface.com |
Whiteface is a major ski area run by the Olympic Regional Development Authority. Known for its big-mountain skiing, Whiteface is consistently ranked as one of the top ski resorts in the Northeast. Whiteface was a site of the 1980 Winter Olympics, hosting the downhill, giant slalom, and slalom alpine ski events. It also regularly hosts major alpine ski events such as the U.S. Alpine Championships. Whiteface is a U.S. Olympic Training Site.
Whiteface has lift-serviced terrain from 4,386 feet (1,337 m) and hike-to terrain (The Slides) from 4,650 feet (1,417 m). With a base elevation of 1,220 feet (372 m), Whiteface has the greatest continuous vertical drop in the east at3,430 feet (1,045 m). This is higher than Aspen in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Killington, Stowe, Jay Peak, and Stratton in Vermont; Sugarloaf in Maine; Lake Louise in Alberta; and Mont Tremblant in Quebec. Its neighbor, Little Whiteface, tops in altitude at 3,676 ft (1,120 m). Whiteface has a total of 22 miles (35 km) of ski terrain, spread out over 87 trails. 314 acres (127 ha) of skiing area includes 35 in-bounds, off-piste double-black diamond wilderness terrain skiing on "The Slides" (conditions permitting), 85.5 acres (34.6 ha) of tree skiing, 35 acres (14 ha) of expert extreme adventure terrain. The Slides is an unmaintained wilderness area that is rarely open, due to safety hazards. They can only be accessed by hiking from the top of the Summit Quad. A new 13-acre (5.3 ha) terrain park referred to as the "Park N' Pipe" was added in 2000–01 with ramps, rails, and pipes.
Whiteface has a separate area for beginners known as Kids Kampus. In recent years there have been major improvements in snowmaking and grooming. Whiteface contains 87 trails accessible by one gondola, nine chairlifts, and one conveyor lift. Some 98% of the trails are covered by snowmaking, excluding the glades and the Slides. The Slides are double-black diamond runs that are usually only open at the end of the skiing season due to avalanche danger. They are between 35 and 40 degrees with high natural hazards (such as waterfalls, rocks, cliffs, trees, and variable conditions) vertically for over 1,250 feet (381 m). The Slides are considered to be one of the most challenging ski slopes that are marked on a trail map in the Northeast.
In summer, Whiteface Mountain offers gondola rides and mountain biking.
Read more about this topic: Whiteface Mountain
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