Creating the Gore Mountain Ski Center

Early in 1962, I was asked by Governor Averill Harriman to become a member of his Ad. visory Committee on Skiing. He wanted a group of citizens and skiers to help him decide on the wisdom and practicality of developing state-owned ski centers in the Adirondack and Catskill mountains.

A constitutional amendment had been passed by the required sessions of two successive legislatures and approved by the voters in a statewide election. The mountains designated were Whiteface and Gore in the Adirondacks and Belleayre in the Catskills. There were seven persons constituting this committee. In addition to me, there was Hal Burton of Long Island, Bill Roden of Trout Lake near Lake George, Ron MacKenzie of Lake Placid, Dean George Earle of Syracuse and, I believe, two others.

After the first meeting was convened, it became quite apparent to me that the main political purpose of the committee was to sanction the development of a new Whiteface Mountain Ski Center.

Following the 1932 Olympics, there was a ski development constructed on the eastern slope of Whiteface on Marble Mountain. This was a disaster! A beautiful, very large log building had been constructed at the terminus of a road on the slope facing Marble Mountain, a T-bar lift had been constructed, running from the edge of White Brook to the top of the Marble Mountain Ridge, and a number of twisting downhill trails had been es-tablished, along with some for cross country skiing.

The main problem with the site was that immediately after a heavy storm blanketed the slopes, the wind would start to pick up and it would blow most of the snow from the open slopes into the woods! Thus the Ski Center was a failure in every aspect.

A new site had been located on the other side of the mountain that would extend to the summit of Little Whiteface, with a separate trail going to the summit of the big mountain.
At our meetings it became apparent that little, if any, attention was to be given to a similar development at Gore Mountain or Belleayre. I raised a strong concern about the undue emphasis being placed on Whiteface, and insisted that the other two mountains be given equal consideration. I was particularly concerned about the Gore Mountain develop-ment, since I was aware of a great need for both the skiers of our region, as well as the economy of the North Creek area. I announced that I would oppose the Whiteface Mountain development unless some consideration was given to Gore. I was able to get a concession in this respect and was assured that Gore would receive committee attention, although its development would be delayed until che new Whiteface Mountain Center was established.

Meanwhile, several inspection trips were made to Gore by the committee. We went to the Gore summit, and then hiked down the slopes toward the North Creek Valley. All of the committeent, and then hiked down the stop with the potential for a wide variety of
The main problem with the site was that immediately after a heavy storm blanketed the slopes, the wind would start to pick up and it would blow most of the snow from the open slopes into the woods! Thus the Ski Center was a failure in every aspect.

A new site had been located on the other side of the mountain that would extend to the summit of Little Whiteface, with a separate trail going to the summit of the big moun-
tain.

At our meetings it became apparent that little, if any, attention was to be given to a similar development at Gore Mountain or Belleayre. I raised a strong concern about the undue emphasis being placed on Whiteface, and insisted that the other two mountains be given equal consideration. I was particularly concerned about the Gore Mountain develop-ment, since I was aware of a great need for both the skiers of our region, as well as the economy of the North Creek area. I announced that I would oppose the Whiteface Mountain development unless some consideration was given to Gore. I was able to get a concession in this respect and was assured that Gore would receive committee attention, although its development would be delayed until the new Whiteface Mountain Center was established.

Meanwhile, several inspection trips were made to Gore by the committee. We went to the Sore summit, and then hiked down the slopes toward the North Creek Villey. All of the committee members became much impressed with the potential for a wide variety of Mable terrain on the slopes of Gore and its satellite peaks, including Burnt and Black Mountains, It was decided that some meteorological data should be gathered especialy re-died to snow depth, wind patterns and snow persistence. I was asked to erect anemometers at key locations on the mountain in an attempt to Chamine the wind patents and leranged vith Ranger Chuck Severance of the Noted Gait sodont Rad patterns, and arrangede anemometers. With my son, Jim, I erected three-cup anemometers in areas that appeared to have wind problems to determine, if possible, how serious they were.

Despite our efforts, it became apparent that the Gore Mountain development had been assigned a low priority. It wasn't until the Whiteface Center had been virtually completed that it was possible to revive state attention to Gore Mountain. Part of this delay could be attributed to the onset of World War II, that greatly delayed most of the state's programs of this sort.

My last direct activity with the Harriman Committee took place in the spring, when Ron MacKenzie and a few others went from the summit of Gore over to Burnt Mountain, and thence down to determine snow patterns and the area of Gore best suited for its initial development. We designated the general region that subsequently was first developed, and were again very favorably impressed with the great potential.