LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Be sure to catch the spirit of the holidays with a visit to the Whiteface Lake Placid, N.Y. region. Voted number-one for off-hill activities by readers of Ski Magazine, for 20 consecutive years, you’ll be sure to find something that will make for an unforgettable family experience.

A combination of Mother Nature and snowguns has made for outstanding skiing and riding at Whiteface Mountain, in Wilmington, N.Y. Recognized world-wide for having the greatest vertical in the east, Whiteface also offers plenty of terrain for all levels and abilities.

The mountain’s Kids Kampus is also a super way for everyone in the family to enjoy a great day at the mountain. The Bunny Hutch chair lift connects Kids Kampus to the rest of the mountain, and a shuttle service runs to and from the newly constructed, state-of-the-art Kids Kampus Lodge all day.

If the thrill of skiing the same alpine trails that were used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games isn’t enough then be sure to make a stop to Mt. Van Hoevenberg. There you’ll find the combined bobsled/luge/skeleton track and the Lake Placid Bobsled Experience. With a professional driver and brakeman, begin at the half-mile point on the track (the same one used by Olympic racers) and wind through Shady, Labyrinth and The Heart—turns known by racers the world over. You’ll feel the rumble of the sled’s blades passing over the track’s iced surface.

Plus on Monday, Dec. 31, from 5-8 p.m., guests can slide into the New Year with a one-of-a-kind luge racing experience. Under the direction of 1998 Olympic doubles luge silver medalist Gordy Sheer, “racers” will get a first-hand experience of tackling Lake Placid’s famous track. All of this will occur against the backdrop of live, music provided by Larry Stone and the Harbingers, food and beverages. Prizes will also be awarded to the top three overall “competitors.” Sliders must be at least 12 years old.

Many of the United States’ top ski jumpers will be soaring into the New Year when they compete in the annual New Year’s Masters Ski Jump, Friday, Dec. 28. This event is the third and final competition in the chase for the prestigious Art Devlin Cup. The Art Devlin Cup measures excellence over the July 4, Columbus Day and New Year’s ski jumps. Centerplate, ORDA’s concessionaire, will serve hot beverages and seasonal snacks at the base of the chair lift.

On Sunday, Dec. 30, Olympic and world champion figure skaters will take to the Olympic Center’s ice and perform in the Stars on Ice figure skating show, presented by Smuckers. This season’s tour makes history as skating icon Dorothy Hamill returns to the ice in what will be Kurt Browning’s final U.S. tour. These two legends will be joined by Olympic medalists Ekaterina Gordeeva, Ilia Kulik and Joannie Rochette, U.S. champion Ryan Bradley, British dance champions Sinead and John Kerr, Canadian silver medalist Shawn Sawyer and more.

Other activities during the holidays include skating on the legendary Olympic speed skating oval, a tour through the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, a gondola ride to the summit of Little Whiteface Mountain and a skeleton ride, also at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. Plus the whole family can cross country ski at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, where more than 50-kilometers of ski trails await.

And if all of this isn’t enough ORDA has two more ski resorts that will offer even more skiing and riding, plus other activities. Gore Mountain, in North Creek, N.Y. and Belleayre Ski Resort, in Highmount, N.Y. will have terrain open for all levels and abilities.

For more information about all of the events and activities at ORDA’s venues, visit www.whiteface.com.

— ORDA —
Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.