Gore, Lake Placid Start Planning For a Pandemic Ski Season

An early artist's rendering of what the new mid-station lodge at Whiteface Mountain might look like.

Expanded drop off areas, more outdoor dining and touchless lift ticket sales are among the changes in store for the state’s Olympic Regional Development Authority’s Whiteface, Gore and Belleayre ski areas this winter.

As ski resorts nationwide are planning in earnest for the upcoming 2020-21 season, almost all are reconfiguring things in order to guard against the COVID-19 pandemic.

ORDA President and CEO Mike Pratt outlined just a few of the changes in a recent letter, stressing that they have also made lift and trail improvements in the areas as well.

At Gore, they are replacing two lifts, increasing snowmaking capacity, and making terrain improvements.  A new Midstation Lodge at Whiteface, replacing the one that burned down last November,  is under construction, along with  installation of a new quad chairlift at the Bear Den area and several snowmaking updates.  The mountain’s Cloudsplitter Gondola has also received 60 new cabins, new drives, and a new motor.

 Read the full story at TimesUnion.com