WILMINGTON, N.Y. --- Family, turkey, football on the big screen and carving a few turns at Whiteface Mountain. That’s how a lot of skiers and riders spent their Thanksgiving Thursday, taking in opening day at the Olympic Mountain, in Wilmington, N.Y.

Whiteface opened for the 2015-’16 season with six trails and two lifts, and before gathering around the dinner table for laughter and joy, with loved ones and friends, plenty of people spent a few hours at the mountain to include Andrea Dawson-Delis and her son, Alex, from Lake Placid, N.Y.

“We’re just excited to have snow and the conditions are great,” said Andrea. “We’re wrapping it up at 11 and we’ll have family and friends coming over, so we’re trying to get in as many turns as we can before we have to go home. We’re psyched, it’s a good day.”

Andrea and Alex, and almost 400 skiers and riders made turns Thursday on Excelsior, Summit Express, Upper and Lower Valley and Fox. The Mixing Bowl was also open for Parallel from the Start and Learn to Snowboard beginner programs and lessons. 

“The whole staff is always excited about opening day. As a ski resort we try to open as early as we can, we have loyal, diehard skiers and riders who love this mountain and they’re all amped up to be here,” remarked the mountain’s general manager Aaron Kellett. “For the most part, we’re skiing and riding on man-made snow, there’s a little bit of natural snow that’s fallen over the last couple of days, but the majority is man-made.

“We got a couple of cold nights and we were able to use our high powered snowmaking system to make up a whole bunch of snow in just a couple of days.”

High clouds kept the morning temperatures fairly cool, in the lower and middle 40’s and conditions were listed as packed power and variable. Tomorrow, Kellett says that he expects that the Face Lift quad chair will be running.

“The first day of skiing is always exciting. It’s either me with my friends, or me with family, but we always come out for opening day. It’s great, it’s fantastic, winter here is all about skiing,” added Liza Amirault, from Upper Jay, N.Y., who was skiing with her father. “I love to ski, it’s one of my favorite things to do and winter’s my favorite time of year, just because of skiing.”

Lift ticket prices for tomorrow are Lift tickets are $64 for adults, $52 for teens and seniors. Juniors can ski and ride for just $42. Trails and lifts are subject to change this weekend, so log onto www.whiteface.com before heading out to the mountain.

Gore Mountain plans to kick off the winter season late morning on Friday. Guests can enjoy the popular 1.25-mile Showcase trail serviced by Adirondack Express II, the resort’s newest and most luxurious lift.  Showcase is for intermediates and experts and descends 1,500’ vertical. Snowguns are also at work on the Sunway, 2B, Lower Sleighride and Arena trails, so skiers and riders should look for Gore’s snowmakers to be expanding terrain as quickly as temperatures allow. 

Opening weekend ticket prices are just $38 for adults, $29 for teens, and $20 for juniors when guests donate a non-perishable food item at the window. 

Belleayre Ski Resort, in Highmount, N.Y., expects to begin operations, Friday, Dec. 4.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority President and CEO Ted Blazer said, "ORDA ski resorts spent the off-season discovering new ways in which they could enhance customer service, from the time guests arrive at the resort, to when they pack up their skis and boards at the end of the day. Through new technology and communication between the staff and guest, we've greatly improved and personalized our customer service, with the overall goal of creating customer loyalty and growing skiing and riding to the millennial market."

Town of Wilmington Supervisor Randy Preston said, “The skiing conditions are absolutely fantastic. I think the staff at Whiteface has done a great job and it’s a nice shot in the arm for the economy because the people are starting to filter in.”

Jim Amirault, Upper Jay, N.Y., said, “It’s a beautiful day, it couldn’t be better and there’s a lot of snow and the conditions are excellent, I’m excited. I’ll make a few run, and then have a little bit of turkey, the day’s going to be awesome.”

Photos from opening day at Whiteface (Courtesy of ORDA/ Whiteface Lake Placid) can be found HERE.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.