Oak Mountain Ski Area....lost again ?

[Riosacandaga]

I didn't know where to post this...
Anybody know if Oak will be open this year ? I remember reading something in the Hamilton County News about tax problems. I did a google search and found nothing. So does anybody know, is Oak lost ?

[redhawk]

I haven't heard anything. I would doubt it, the county has dumped so much money into it to keep Tom in business it's pathetic and I doubt if they would let it go down for taxes.

Once I feel a little better I'll go see my neighbor Keith Taylor. He's a big time skier and is on the ski patrol and usually up at Oak.

[southernadkhiker]

No, it is not going anywhere. It's actually thriving. About 2 months ago I read in some in some adirondack mag that there going to build a brand new lodge with a top-of-the-line workout area, fitness center,and I think a pool too. I cant remember where I read it, but, I know I did

[Riosacandaga]

Not here..

http://www.nelsap.org/ny/ny.html

I've skied some of these and they're fun. A nice alternative to backcountry and a whole lot less crowded and cheaper than lift serve.

[Riosacandaga]

"Shakey Ground"

Latest from Hamilton County News..... nothing ...well a little ..
I'd heard that this season was in jeopardy due to insurance cost but the Hamilton County News reports that its the 'weather'.

[southernadkhiker]

I take it back riosac, I read in the week of august 16-22 in the hamilton county news, that McCauley mountain was getting a makover for this coming winter. My mistake.

[Riosacandaga]

Yeah it didn't make sense what with the new Acorn lodge. I hope Oak opens and stays open. I like skiing there and the people. Unfortuanetly it's not starting off so good. I would have expected them to be open by now.

[Slamdog]

I have a camp just down the road from Oak, and was up last weekend. A lot of speculation right now on what's going to happen. They had closed up the Acorn Rest/T"Bar" a little while ago due to lack of business. A couple of the Germain boys have apparently taken jobs out of the area, leaving many to wonder what's up. They (a number of people including Pataki) put a ton of money in there the past few years, including snowmaking upgrades and repairs. Dug a couple of ponds to supply water for it as well. I'll give the gang a call up there and try to provide another update soon. It would be a shame to see the new quad chair go to waste.

[redhawk]

I wouldn't be surprised if they did go under. Norm always had to do things "his way" which was not necessarily the right way. Same with Tom, I kmopw he had some restaurant experience but not nearly the expertise to run a top notch restaurant.

I was employed there the first year they had the tubing installed and worked the top of the tubing area. I went to the website of the company that sold the tubes and got a whole list of the "do's and don'ts" of tubing and enforced them. I also kept a pretty tight rein on "horseplay" at the top and kept a safe flow of traffic going down the slides. A couple of times I pi**d off a couple of Norm's friends by not letting them do things they wanted to do when it would endanger them or others, like tubing down the slide drunk and standing up. In all the time I was there, we never had an "incident" or accident.

Anyway I got called in and given a lecture by Norm about "embarrasing his friends". I explained the circumstances and that it would endanger them ot others and he told me that it was his business and he would run it the way he wanted and that I would do it his way. As he waited for a reply and I just turned for the door he asked me where I was going and I told him home, that he could do what ever he wanted but that conscience dictated that i couldn't work for him under those conditions. That was on a Sunday.

Later that day there was a collision at the bottom of the area that was caused because othe person on top of the slide wasn't making people wait until the person ahead of them reached the bottom. Two people went to the hospital. By weeks end the ambulance had been there three times.

It's a shame because basically they are nice people.

[kwc]

opening day

Oak Mtn Ski Area opens on Saturday, Dec 24 ... 9am - 5pm.
Closed Christmas
Open 12/26 - 1/2 from 9am - 8pm

Special next week ... buy one lift ticket and get one free (12/26 - 12/30)

lift tickets are $28 ($22 for a 4 hour ticket)

[Riosacandaga]

nice ! , ....thank you kwc