Whiteface Mountain Revisited

We returned to Whiteface Mountain 3 times while I was visiting. We are stubborn folk and no mountain was going to defeat us. Especially not one we could drive up. But Whiteface and fate had other plans. With a mountain this big it can make it’s own weather. After our first zero visibility try we returned on another sunny day. As we approached the bottom of the mountain we could see that the summit was hidden by clouds. No point in wasting another $30.00 toll. We headed off to find lunch.

Tail o the Pup

Located in Ray Brook NY, the Tail O the Pup is a BBQ restaurant with lots of outdoor seating. It was chilly when we were there but we wanted to give it a try so we decided being a little cold was acceptable. Note to self- next time toss a jacket in the car. I had a bit of trouble with the name of the restaurant. What do puppies have to do with BBQ? If the name was Tail o the Pig I’d imagine cute little curly pig tails but a Pup? We gave our order. My brother ordered the fried scallops I went with the BBQ ribs. The scallops were the winner. They were so juicy and they were huge! For a BBQ place my ribs were a disappointment. They didn’t come close to being “Fall off the bone”. They had a nice flavor but I’m not a fan of having to fight with my food to eat it. Next time we go there I know what I’m going to order.

Third Time’s the Charm

Or so they say. So we gave Whiteface one more shot. This was an absolutely beautiful day. Sun shining and only fluffy clouds in the sky. No fog banks, no storm clouds. How could we miss? This time is wasn’t the weather that stopped us. No it was fate or New York’s road construction crews. When we got to the entrance to the toll road a line of cars was turning around. A sign said- “Road Closed for Maintenance”. Ok we’re done. Three strikes you’re out! and all those cliches. We’ll save Whiteface for another trip.

Whiteface Gondola

But all was not lost. As we drove away we spotted the Gondolas running up the side of the mountain. We might not make it to the summit on one but we’ll make it close to the top. So that was how we salvaged the Whiteface adventure. Enjoy the views from 3/4 of the way up. Imagine what you’d see from the top.

Puzzle update

I continue to make slow but steady progress

What I Did on My Lake George Summer Vacation

How many remember those back to school essays- What I did on my summer vacation? Well I figured that was a good title for this post. Covid has slowed vacation travel to a crawl, a drip, a puddle. I’m so lucky I have family in the Adirondacks. But as I mentioned in my last post I met up with my brother and we headed to a campground where our RV was waiting for us. This is a different kind of vacation for me! No luxury time share condo this time. But at least we aren’t in a tent.

Lake George Escape

I’m not knocking camping in a tent. I’ve done it before and it’s great fun. They even have something called “Glamping” where the tents are elaborate and rival that of a sheikh but it has been a long time since I went roughing it. I’m happy we have the RV as a middle ground. Our RV is set up at The Lake George Escape Campground. I think it’s Warrensburg, NY but the actual address says Diamond Point. The first order of business was to prepare the Fire Pit for visitors. The second was to take a stroll down to the beach so I could see where the canoeing, kayaking and tubing took place. Just in case I was feeling frisky.

Whiteface Mountain

The next morning We decided to take a drive to Whiteface Mountain. Whiteface is located in the town of Wilmington about 13 miles from Lake Placid which is most notably remembered as the venue for the 1980 Olympic hockey game known as the Miracle on Ice. It amazed me that I had never been through Lake Placid considering I grew up in the area. We cruised the town so I could get a look at the Olympic Stadium and the ski jumps from the winter Olympics. I am such a tourist!

But back to Whiteface. We never expected we’d have such a time getting up the mountain. Whiteface is the 5th highest mountain in New York State and part of the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. On a clear day the summit offers 360 degree views of the Adirondacks and even glimpses of Vermont (and if it’s very clear) Canada.

Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway takes you to within 300 ft of the summit. Be prepared it’s a toll road. The fee was $30.00 when we made the drive. Whiteface Castle dominates the summit. To get to the tip top you can take a .2 mile trail or a 242 ft tunnel that leads to an elevator. But we never got to experience either. At the start of the road a big sign said 0 visibility. We went up anyway. The elevator was not running and we were in the very heart of the clouds. This was truly Zero Visibility.