Diamond Trail difficulty at Whiteface & Okemo

[NYSnowflake]

I am going to ski Whiteface this Sunday and I have only skied there once before- a year ago. How difficult are the single diamond trails there compared with Stowe, Hunter, Mount Snow Etc? Any suggestions of easier to harder diamond trail progressions at Whiteface?

I am also going to Okemo on Saturday. I have found their single diamonds to be lovely! Blind Faith, Vortex, World Cup, Muellers Run are all a blast! I see they are opening some double diamonds- anything out there scarier than Clair’s Way or Racers Edge at Hunter? I am in an explore the whole mountain mood.

 

[ski diva]

I am going to ski Whiteface this Sunday and I have only skied there once before- a year ago. How difficult are the single diamond trails there compared with Stowe, Hunter, Mount Snow Etc? Any suggestions of easier to harder diamond trail progressions at Whiteface?

Okemo is a cruiser mountain: The single diamonds there are much easier than the single diamonds at Whiteface and Stowe.

 

[NYSnowflake]

@ski diva - What about Big Bang and Rolling Thunder double diamonds at Okemo? Still fairly cruisery and approachable?

 

[ski diva]

@ski diva - What about Big Bang and Rolling Thunder double diamonds at Okemo? Still fairly cruisery and approachable?

I don't know how you ski, but when they're not bumped up -- as they often are -- they're fine.

 

[NYSnowflake]

I don't know how you ski, but when they're not bumped up -- as they often are -- they're fine.

Cool thanks it looks like their grooming one of them. The other one is not groomed. I would just take it slow and easy if I went down the bumps.

 

[Randi M.]

We tend to ski Whiteface in late December, when the mountain isn’t fully open. But a good progression would be to start with Victoria and/or Parrons Run. Both challenging blues, and each are really fun in their own way, and a good way to test if you are ready for Whiteface blacks. Then head to the bottom half of Essex — ask any experienced skier and they will tell you how to get there — then the top of Essex, and then Mountain Run and its offshoots. The key thing with Whiteface blacks is the ice — do Mountain Run and its offshoots earlier in the day, when the sun is warming the snow. They are popular and ice over as the day goes on, especially on overcast days. Essex is always cloudy so it matters less when you ski it.

Have fun! Whiteface is special — the history and authenticity is like no other mountain. And Lake Placid is amazing, too.

 

[Mary Tee]

We tend to ski Whiteface in late December, when the mountain isn’t fully open. But a good progression would be to start with Victoria and/or Parrons Run. Both challenging blues, and each are really fun in their own way, and a good way to test if you are ready for Whiteface blacks. Then head to the bottom half of Essex — ask any experienced skier and they will tell you how to get there — then the top of Essex, and then Mountain Run and its offshoots. The key thing with Whiteface blacks is the ice — do Mountain Run and its offshoots earlier in the day, when the sun is warming the snow. They are popular and ice over as the day goes on, especially on overcast days. Essex is always cloudy so it matters less when you ski it.

Have fun! Whiteface is special — the history and authenticity is like no other mountain. And Lake Placid is amazing, too.

I am an intermediate skier and I ski mostly blue runs at Whiteface, and only do the blacks when conditions are really good... as you said, Mountain Run in the morning, especially when groomed is fun.
I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say the bottom half of Essex...Lower Northway? Which is a blue trail, not a black. Also, Wilmington Trail is a great, fun "dark" blue with lots of double fault lines. It likely was not open in December, but is great fun!

 

[NYSnowflake]

Today was a blast! Thank you for the suggestions! My friend/guide took me to Parrons on the second run and Skyward on our third run! We had a turtle vs. snail “slow race” to the bottom! That was such a beautiful and fun trail. Wilmington Trail had gorgeous views, but it was very icy. Mountain Run had moguls but they were nice and soft!

 

[Randi M.]

You can c

I am an intermediate skier and I ski mostly blue runs at Whiteface, and only do the blacks when conditions are really good... as you said, Mountain Run in the morning, especially when groomed is fun.
I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say the bottom half of Essex...Lower Northway? Which is a blue trail, not a black. Also, Wilmington Trail is a great, fun "dark" blue with lots of double fault lines. It likely was not open in December, but is great fun!

You can cut into the bottom half of Essex from Excelsior - when you come around that first sharp bend just off the gondola, if you keep going across the traverse instead of dropping down to the left it puts you about halfway down Essex.

 

[Mary Tee]

Thanks, I know where you mean now.