WILMINGTON, N.Y. (WCAX) – After facing scrutiny for construction violations before a major mountain biking event, the Olympic Regional Development Authority has been working to fix the issues and prepare Whiteface Mountain for ski season.
Opening day draws near at Whiteface Mountain as natural and artificial snow continues to pile on the steep slopes.
General Manager Aaron Kellett said they plan to open most areas Saturday. “Probably be the best conditions we have opened on in awhile,” Kellett said. “We have a really loyal group of skiers and snowboarders out there that really don’t want us to close ever. So, you know, we are happy to get them back.”
The mountain won’t have beginner terrain this weekend, but Kellett said they hope to expand to the Bear Den area next weekend. This weekend will welcome intermediate and expert skiers.
Whiteface’s winter recreation comes after ORDA spent the last month remediating the mountainside following the UCI Mountain Bike World Series. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation required them to have a corrective action plan before opening for ski use because their final plan for the biking event wasn’t approved.
Kellett said they’ve restored areas where there were large jumps and turns just a few months ago, but more work remains. “We are still working on how we are going to move forward with the wooded areas. They have all been stabilized. We’ve reseeded and mulched all of the areas where there were bikes, and the leaves fell on it pretty quick, and it is snowing on it now, and we will work on any compliance,” Kellett said.
DEC officials said remaining remediation work includes the restoration of areas outside of the mountain’s unit management plan, and that they are reviewing ORDA’s proposal.
