LOCALadk Magazine

Left to right: Heike Yost, Betsy Kucipeck, Jim Kucipeck, Bert Yost LOCALadk 35 Story and Photos by Carolyn Walton Ski jackets have never had it so good. At Whiteface Mountain amid the Northwood bus, the mountain shuttles, the different state license plates, the red coats, the blue coats, the orange coats, and Whiteface Mountain General Manager Aaron Kellett's black coat is a crew of coats that accumulates more ski days than most — earning the envious respect of any- one who understands what it means to live here for the winter, what it means to be a skier. The first lift at Whiteface opens at 8:30am. Inside the lodge a group of seniors, hard to say how many, have been getting ready for their first chair well before that. At Whiteface, this group recognizes one another, first by their jacket and then by their face. If one of them hasn't shown up, a phone call or text is often sent. Imag- ine that — if you don't show up to ski for fun, someone will reach out looking for you. Bob Rafferty (69) moved to Lake Placid at 18 years- old. While he owned and operated a rafting business, he puts a great day on his skis above any other out- door day. Bob calls the senior group of aforementioned coats the "Gereatric Crew," or for those older than him and still skiing, "Senior Seniors." Woods McCahill (75), a "Senior Senior," can be found skiing with Bob and calls summer "the big thaw." Woods more often than not is in bed by 8:30pm and up before 6am to eat breakfast, stretch, then start his drive to the mountain. Bob and Woods ski from 8:30am until 10 but will stay until 11 if the snow is good and the sun is out. One would think this is enough skiing for the day. Not for these seniors. After lunch they go nordic skiing on their own in the woods near their homes. These two men are not alone in getting "double-ski" days, both downhill and nordic, but they just might have more than most. Bob paused after being asked how many days he gets the double-ski before his wife, Kerry Raf- ferty, quickly yelled from the kitchen, "Most days." Bad skis days don't exist to Bob and Woods, although Kerry was quick here too: "Wet snow guns, poor visibil- ity, and crowds." "Well I guess she's heard me complain," Bob said with a smile. He shared that even a bad day at Whiteface is an awe- some adventure. Although one memory of his was leav- ing the bullet proof ice on the mountain to go look at the literal ice jam on the Ausable River as "that would be more fun." There is more to the ski culture at Whiteface than weather complaints, although skiing in the Northeast offers plenty of fodder. When asked what ski culture at Whiteface is, Jim Kuci- peck (80) waved his hand and arm around his friends in the lodge while having lunch. "This is ski culture. We are." He later stated this particular group of senior coats is called the "Brown Bag-ers" as they bring their own lunch most days to midstation. Jim and his wife Betsy Kucipeck (75) have gotten 60 to 70 days of skiing in each season for the past 20 years. Bob and Woods, both from Lake Placid, put up close to 100 days. Jim and Betsy however drive from Tupper Lake leaving their house at 6:30am, stopping for cof- fee along the way and parking in the same spot at the mountain. Like Bob, Betsy feels there are no bad ski days, "You

• Cover