In the News

What’s New, on and Off the Slopes
JOURNEYS | SKI GUIDE 2010
By LIONEL BEEHNER
Published: New York Times December 13, 2009

Those hoping for shorter lift lines and emptier ski lodges may be disappointed this winter. Sure, the recession may scare off some fair-weather skiers. But cheap flights, discounted passes and fewer blackout days on ski-and-stay packages will lure even the thriftiest of skiers — not to mention the earlier-than-expected snowstorms that buried the West last month. A bad economy may also mean more bankers-turned-ski bums.

Still, don’t expect your favorite ski mountain to look too different from past seasons. Most resorts did not roll out expensive new lifts and lodges, but rather just tweaked around the margins. New trails or bowls? Not many this winter.

There are exceptions, of course. A few resorts in Utah and Colorado are opening luxury condos and faux Alpine villages with Trump-like aplomb. But those were green-lighted before the economy hit the skids. Not all upgrades require multimillion-dollar investments. Old stalwarts like Jackson Hole, Wyo., for example, have jumped on the iPhone bandwagon with a new app that offers up-to-the-minute ski conditions and GPS tracking.

Here’s a roundup of what else is new at North America’s ski resorts this season.

East

A recession, the thinking goes, keeps skiers closer to home. That is good news for Eastern ski resorts. Though not many new trails were cut, the region still has some tricks up its sleeve.

In New York, Gore Mountain (518-251-2411; www.goremountain.com), an unpretentious resort in the heart of the Adirondacks, is opening a snazzy Ski Bowl Lodge this season to replace a rundown one, but salvaged the original fireplace. The mountain also opens a steeper, wider half-pipe at its Ski Bowl Park.

Up in Tupper Lake, Big Tupper (www.skibigtupper.org) folded in 1999 after financial difficulties. The mountain is set to reopen Dec. 26, thanks to a staff of 60 volunteers. Its $15 lift ticket feels very 1999.

Not since Woodstock has so much holistic therapy hit upstate New York. Zen-minded skiers can relax at Belleayre Mountain’s meditation, yoga and tai chi courses, all part of its new “snow therapy” program to avoid injuries (845-254-5600; www.belleayre.com).

In Vermont, après ski at Stratton (802-297-4000; www.stratton.com) just got sweeter. The day lodge at the Sun Bowl Adventure Center now stays open late for after-parties at its spiffy new Loft bar, which offers nice mountain views. Families, on the other hand, may appreciate the new four-lane snow tubing park at Sun Bowl.

And at Stowe Mountain Resort, expect to be pampered at the new Front Four Private Club (802-760-4700; www.stowemountainlodge.com), a palatial three-story penthouse at the Stowe Mountain Club at Spruce Peak. The club’s 34 luxury suites come equipped with full-service kitchens, flat-screen televisions and a private lounge, with top units fetching a cool $5,519 a night.

Mohonk voted among top ten spas in the United States
Mohonk Mountain House is truly a national treasure and one of the great hotels in the United States. This year it’s rated as the 8th best spa in the United States. Read more about Mohonk. (Click on spas, then click on Continental U.S. & Canada)

Saugerties: One of the coolest small towns in America (pop. 5,000)

Shop owners extend the welcome mat

Don’t be surprised if you’re invited into someone’s house the minute you set foot in Saugerties, 100 miles up the Hudson River from New York City. Richard Frisbie operates Hope Farm Press & Bookshop out of his converted living room (15 Jane St., www.hopefarm.com). “We’re the book capital of the Hudson Valley,” says Frisbie, who often shares anecdotes from some of his 3,500 books, which focus on the region. It’s not uncommon for other shop owners to extend the welcome mat, too. In their two-story 1826 building, chef-owners Marc Propper and Michelle Silver serve homemade brown-sugar ice cream at long, wooden farm tables downstairs at Miss Lucy’s Kitchen; upstairs they rent out two warmly inviting apartments, each with a kitchenette (90 Partition St., www.misslucyskitchen.com, rooms from $150, desserts $7). Saugerties can feel so much like home for weekenders that some have made it official. On a mushroom-foraging trip in the Hudson Valley, friends Mark Grusell and Juan Romero decided to plant themselves for good and opened Love Bites Cafe, a cozy, 16-seat café with an open kitchen that serves dishes like coconut-carrot French toast with vanilla-citrus butter (85 Partition St., 845/246-1795, $7).
—Thisbe Nissen, www.BudgetTravel.com

NEW YORK, Aug. 31 PRNewswire — The Open Space Institute (OSI) and Wallkill Valley Land Trust (WVLT) have extended the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail by a full 11.5 miles, nearly doubling its current length. The groups announced today the acquisition of approximately 65 acres of the former Wallkill Valley Railroad in Ulster County, which will now provide a nearly continuous recreational trail that runs through the towns of Gardiner, New Paltz, Rosendale and Ulster, and on to Kingston.

The two groups acquired the railroad bed from Ulster County, which had acquired the lands through tax foreclosure in April. The railroad bed, known locally as the Rosendale rail trail, includes the iconic 940-foot-long railroad trestle over the Rondout Creek in the hamlet of Rosendale that was constructed in 1895 and which connects the Shawangunk Ridge to the Binnewater Lakes region.

Now extended, the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail will run almost continuously for 23.7 miles, providing recreational access for walkers, runners, equestrians, birders, bicyclists, and cross-country skiers. The rail trail will connect the hamlet of Gardiner to the Village of New Paltz and the hamlet of Rosendale, and will afford its users outstanding views of open farmlands, the scenic Shawangunk Ridge, and the limestone caves of the Binnewater Lakes region.

The parcels were acquired jointly by OSI's land acquisition affiliate, the Open Space Conservancy, and the Wallkill Valley Land Trust. The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail Association and the Town of Rosendale will cooperatively maintain the trail. OSI and WVLT have now launched a fundraising campaign to finance improvements over the length of the trail and to finish decking the railroad trestle in Rosendale, making it safe for public use.

In the late 19th century, the Wallkill Valley Railroad was a major lifeline to towns like Rosendale. It ferried fresh produce and vegetables from the farmlands of Ulster County to the streets of New York City. It also served as a commuter railroad for passengers traveling along the Hudson Valley. For more than a half-century, the railroad supported business and tourism, provided jobs and created a critical economic link between upstate and downstate.

The Town of Rosendale has committed to the work of restoring the trail and expanding the recreational choices in Rosendale, said Town Supervisor Patrick McDonough. "The rail trail, which has been privately owned and made available to the public for the past 30 years, is entering a new phase of its existence," he said. "I'm looking forward to working with the Wallkill Valley Land Trust and the Open Space Institute to develop a plan for the future of the rail trail. With easy access to the Mohonk Preserve, our many historical resources and our central business district, the rail trail will be a great asset to our community, both for recreational purposes, and to help bring more people into town to play, eat and shop."

Opening up the Wallkill Valley Railroad bed for public recreational use has long been a priority in the New York State and Ulster County Open Space plans. It is also a priority in the Ulster County Non-Motorized Transportation Plan, which aims to create a green infrastructure that reduces fossil fuel consumption, encourages more physical activity, and makes it possible to create economic growth at the same time.

"The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail" ties together two landscapes that OSI has been active in for many years: the preservation of the Shawangunk Ridge, and the protection of scenic farmland in the Wallkill Valley," said Joe Martens, OSI's president. "This addition to the existing Wallkill Valley Rail Trail will allow hikers, bikers, equestrians and others to enjoy the open fields and quaint villages and hamlets in this beautiful landscape. I also want to thank Ulster County Executive Mike Hein, Commissioner of Finance Paul Hewett, and the Ulster County Legislature for their vision and foresight in setting aside the Rosendale Rail Trail for public use and enjoyment."

In the next several weeks OSI expects to acquire the 107-acre "Giant's Ledges" parcels, which will be added to the almost 7,000-acre Mohonk Preserve. The extended rail trail will brush up alongside the additions, just south of Rosendale. Each of these conservation efforts helps revitalize downtown Rosendale as a key tourist destination.

The Wallkill Valley Land Trust purchased the New Paltz and Gardiner sections of the Rail Trail in 1991, creating the first 12.2 miles of the pathway.

"The Wallkill Valley Land Trust and The Rail Trail Association are truly excited about the plans for the extension of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail from the New Paltz/Rosendale town line to Kingston city limits," said WVLT Board President Bob Taylor. "When this new section of trail has been restored the total length will be over 23 miles, linking the growing state and national network of rail trails. We are very grateful to Open Space Institute, the Ulster County Legislature, and the Town of Rosendale for their support in enabling us to acquire the properties that make this project possible. There is much ahead but we look forward to opening this gateway of recreation and conservation to our community."

The Open Space Institute protects scenic, natural, and historic landscapes to ensure public enjoyment, conserve habitats, and sustain community character. OSI achieves its goals through land acquisition, conservation easements, regional loan programs, fiscal sponsorship, creative partnerships, and analytical research. OSI has protected more than 100,000 acres in New York State. Through its Northern Forest Protection Fund and Conservation Finance Program, OSI has assisted in the protection of an additional 1.7 million acres in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Georgia. Please visit www.osiny.org for more information.

Wallkill Valley Land Trust promotes the voluntary preservation of farmland, significant habitat, water quality and scenic views in Southern Ulster County for the benefit of present and future generations. The Land Trust's goal is to fully serve the land conservation needs of the eight towns in its service area: New Paltz, Gardiner, Shawangunk, Lloyd, Plattekill, Marlboro, Rosendale, and Esopus. WVLT works to strengthen public sensitivity to environmental issues, to conserve our community's environmental heritage, to encourage environmentally sensitive growth and to support the local agricultural economy. To date, Wallkill Valley Land Trust has protected nearly 1500 acres of land, and currently has eleven additional properties in the works. To support this or other conservation efforts in southern Ulster County please visit www.wallkillvalleylt.org.

SOURCE Open Space Institute