LOCALadk Magazine

Welcome to Winter. Welcome to the Slides. The marketing staff of Wilmington, NY's Whiteface Mountain ski area ran a clever bumper sticker campaign several years back which aptly describes the feeling of steering off of Rt. 86 into the resort's main entrance. Written in all capitals beneath the resort's logo is one word: GULP. While Whiteface boasts 87 trails stretched across three peaks and the largest vertical drop east of the Rockies, it's the series of imposing granite slabs plummeting from the summit ridge which will dry out your throat in a hurry. Here's a complete guide to help you prepare for your adventure in the Slides, the Northeast's most thrilling, and GULP worthy, lift-access terrain. Background BETA Often described as being the product of avalanches, the Slides were in fact formed decades ago by massive spring landslides which ripped loose when topsoil became saturated after periods of heavy rain. Five skiable slides, numbered 1-4, can be readily accessed from Whiteface's Summit Quad lift.The youngest of the bunch is Slide 2b, commonly referred to as "Irene," which ripped loose during the spring of 2011, months before Hurricane Irene eventually barreled through the Adirondacks. Once exclusive off-piste terrain only accessible to those willing to hike in at their own risk, the Slides' 35 acres of skiable terrain have always fallen under Whiteface Mountain's "Intensive Use Agreement" with the state of New York. Matt Levenson, the resort's Chief Risk Management Coordinator, has been with the Whiteface Ski Patrol since 1989. Matt explains that in 1998 the resort took the bold step of opening the terrain to the public. "Before '98 the only way you could enter the Slides was by bushwhacking in from the Veterans' Memorial Highway. We saw a way to open the terrain to our public in a safe and controlled way." An entrance traverse was cut from the top of the Summit Quad, an exit traverse was created to funnel skiers back onto the piste and— presto—the Slides were officially open for business! While many resorts in North America offer access to backcountry terrain, the Whiteface Slides are unique in that they're challenging, unmaintained slopes located within the ski area boundary. Levenson adds, "Many resorts manage the way users access the backcountry, be SLIDE ON OVER! An insiders guide to Whiteface Mountain's most thrilling terrain Story by Dave McCahill Photo by Kim Verstringhe 24 Winter 2014

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