Whiteface. The sacrificed one.

[Neil]

Whiteface Castle and the Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway were Depression Era public works projects similar to the New Deal WPA projects that followed. Construction on the toll road began in 1929, after passage of a necessary amendment to the state constitution, with a groundbreaking ceremony featuring then-New York State Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt. Eventually costing 1.2 million dollars and ending within 300 vertical feet (90 m) of the summit the roadway is 5 miles long (8 km) and features an impressively steep 8% average grade. Officially opened July 20, 1935, in a ceremony featuring Roosevelt, by then President, the highway was dedicated to veterans of the Great War.

Whiteface is seen by many wilderness proponents as the sacrificial mountain. Ie. it has all the crap concentrated on it, thereby leaving all of the other mountains in a more pristine state. Whiteface has a paved road and a parking lot near the summit, and "boasts" a large ski area. It has a building right on the summit: pure wilderness sacrilege to be sure. One of the nice things about Whiteface is skiing the (closed) road in winter. 5 miles of 8% grade followed by a walkway/staircase to the summit and a fast ski out makes for a nice change from the typical difficult hiking trails and bushwhacking.

It usually takes 2 1/2 hours to cover the 5 miles. The 8% grade is steep enough that my waxless skis required a longer special blue wax pocket and 3 applications. As you climb, the forest changes before your eyes. Mixed hardwoods at the bottom, then balsam and birch and finally very tightly spaced and stunted spruce trees that finally give way to bare rock.

300 feet below the summit, at the castle, we removed our skis, put on warm dry clothes, goggles, face masks and micro-spikes and slowly trudged the final 300 of elevation gain to the true summit. The wind wasn't ferocious but it was very strong. The rime ice was 6 inches thick and friable. It formed on our clothing, goggles and hair.

After a snack and pictures we headed down, put the skis back on and had a blast skiing down the 8% grade. We averaged around 10-15 mph. Given the right conditions (ice or hard pack) I'm sure you could get up to around 30 mph - if your crazy and have heavy-duty touring gear.

PICTURES

 

[adktyler]

I'm glad that you had some wind. It was such a warm day, you probably would have drenched yourself in sweat were it not for the cooling affects of that nice breeze!

 

[DreamFarmer]

Nice pics Neil ! You really captured it.

I love "my face is frozen". LOL