The Scene
Anyone who says there's no big mountain skiing in the mid-Atlantic is forgetting about the 3,000-plus daunting feet of vertical at Lake Placid. Sure, there's some fine intermediate terrain, but coming here to cruise is a little like heading to Yankee Stadium for the food.
The Slopes
Big Whiteface features Cloudspin and Skyward, which served as the men's and women's downhill courses back in 1980. Mountain Run, a black groomer that runs under the lift, is an open invitation to exhibitionists, while Wilderness has been a stop on the World Cup mogul tour since 1985. But if you're a true expert and you visit during a good snow year, don't leave without skiing Empire. It's narrow and dizzyingly steep, and since there's no snowmaking or grooming, what you see is what you get.
Vital Stats
Vertical drop: 3,430 feet
Base elevation: 1,200 feet
Top elevation: 4,867 feet
Trails: 76
Lifts: 10
Skiable acres: 225
Beginner terrain: 18 percent
Intermediate terrain: 38 percent
Expert terrain: 44 percent
Snowboarding: Full facilities