WILMINGTON, N.Y. — The 2014-’15 skiing and riding season got underway at Whiteface Mountain, in Wilmington, N.Y., when the mountain’s Cloudsplitter Gondola started spinning at 8:30 a.m., Sunday morning, Nov. 16. Skiers and riders loaded the eight-passenger gondola where it carried them to the summit of Little Whiteface and the six open trails that took them back to the base for another run.

The Olympic mountain is now closed and will re-open Saturday, Nov. 22. Full-time operations are slated to begin on Friday, Nov. 28.

Photos courtesy ORDA/Whiteface Lake Placid.

— 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.