Mt. Van Hoevenberg

New and Improved for All

By Bob Underwood

Welcome to the new and improved Mt. Van Hoevenberg. ORDA and New York State have embarked on an overhaul and update of the facilities for Nordic and sliding sports. This new effort will benefit racers, spectators, and recreation skiers alike.

Most of Mt. Van Hoevenberg is located in the Adirondack Park Forest Preserve and constrained by the Forever Wild provision of the State Constitution. This has prevented ORDA from further development and changes to bring the facility up to World Cup racing standards. Back in the early 1990s there was a push to create a paved track and add snowmaking around the existing biathlon range area. This area is located in the forest preserve and these upgrades never came to fruition.

Lake Placid, the village that hosted the 1932 and 1980 Olympics could no longer host World Cup events as trails could not be widened and snowmaking was not allowed. Over the years ORDA has worked to try to bring back World Cup events to the Olympic Region. Adjacent to the Nordic trails sits the sliding track on land that is part of the Town of North Elba. The bobsled track and surrounding areas have been developed as they are located on land owned by the North Elba and not subject to the same limitations.

ORDA developed an ambitious plan to build world-class Nordic race trails in a small area on this town land. This enables the five kilometers of new trails to have the required width, snowmaking, a new biathlon range, and even a paved roller ski loop. This brings the ski center up to international standards for cross country skiing and biathlon. This along with a new multiuse lodge have been fit into a small area around the existing bobsled, luge and skeleton run.  

ORDA has already booked the 2023 World University Games, as well as the NCAA Skiing Championships for 2023. They hope to attract World Cup events in the future.  

These facilities will benefit not just the Nordic racer, but recreational skiers as well. ORDA has added a new and improved lodge that offers a restaurant, bar, full ski shop and rentals. The new facility includes locker rooms, a fitness center, climbing wall, and the new Cliffside Coaster ride. The new coaster is the longest mountain coaster ride in the USA and follows the 1980 bobsled track. The Cliffside Coaster will add a new dimension to visitors to Mt. Van Ho for those who want a different experience.

The expanded lodge will be welcomed as over the years the old lodge has been filled to overflow on most weekend days. The addition of an overpass bridge allows the facility to run races and have recreational skiing with no overlap. The lodge offers separate areas for racers and the recreation skier. Recreation skiers can watch the racers and then head out for a ski on their own.

Reliable snow has been a problem for many ski areas over the years. This year, snowmaking started up for the first-time in over 40 years since the 1980 Olympics. Snowmaking will ensure good conditions for all, thanks to the new 3.5-million-gallon reservoir, and over 170 snow guns. Snow can be made and pushed and moved out onto the older existing trails as well to enhance the trail system we all love.

I had the pleasure of skiing on the new trails and manmade snow on opening weekend and it was extraordinary. The improvements bring Mt. Van Hoevenberg to a whole new level of facility and excitement. Make sure you get up to Lake Placid and enjoy all the excitement that is offered by the new and old at Mt. Van Hoevenberg.

Bob Underwood (underdogracetiming@gmail.com) is the executive director of NYSSRA Nordic, NYS High School Nordic Ski Coordinator, and an avid skier and outdoor enthusiast. When he’s not enjoying the outdoors, you can find him timing a race for his company Underdog Race Timing.