There is a sense of power and control that I can seem to only find in skiing. As the crisp fresh air burns my lungs and I walk funny in my ski boots, a little shift happens in my mind and my outlook. When you get two little sticks to bring you safely over hardened snow at steep angles, you feel invincible. The rush of adrenaline that gets you down one run and has you racing to the lift to do it again is something I have never felt anywhere else. I am no longer the cautious mom who is petrified to walk through parking lots with her kids. Or the vigilant parent on the playground pulling my kid off the climbing equipment. I am free and relaxed and wanting to push myself higher, steeper and faster. As a kid growing up only a few hours from the White Mountains I knew that feeling well. But as I grew older, life changed, and the Mountains always seemed too far away. I thought that feeling was lost to me forever.
A few weeks ago, if you would have told me that I would have found a reason to pass the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Green Mountains of Vermont in pursuit of the Adirondacks of New York I would have told you that you were crazy. But after my daughter, Aliana, and I ventured the six hours to enjoy the natural beauty, the activities and time together we cannot wait to get in the car and go back. It is worth the drive.
As you leave the main highway of route 87 and start out on the lesser highway of 73 the natural beauty of the mountains rising around you is unmatched. The ride into Lake Placid was a little slick due to an icy rain that plagued our travel. The cautious me was nervous as the road wrapped around Giant Mountain and Hurricane Mountain on narrow twisting roads. But, our trek was rewarded as the sun broke through the clouds and we were in a breath-taking river valley with Upper Cascade Lake on our left and a mountain edge on our right. The vista was something out of a storybook.
Aliana is always one for adventure. She loves to explore the world around her. She would have loved to pull off 73 and explore any of the trail heads all afternoon. Although we didn’t run free in the woods we did explore the natural wonder of High Falls Gorge. We strapped spikes onto our boots and went out on the icy but beautiful trails. The power of the river was amazing. Aliana and her new friend (a publisher and her daughter from PA) loved exploring and learning about the Gorge and Adirondack State Park. High Falls Gorge is open year-round and has lots of activities for the kids including a scavenger hunt with great prizes. The natural beauty of the Adirondack State Park can be seen and enjoyed all year long.
My little adventurer and I did not stop with the natural beauty of the Adirondacks. There are so many other activities to take part in beyond just hiking. We arrived early to Hotel North Woods and our room wasn’t ready. So we stepped out of the hotel and walked along mirror lake, which is the lake that the Village of Lake Placid sits on. The small downtown of Lake Placid offers shopping, restaurants, ice-skating and the Olympic Center and Museum. We could have spent the whole weekend within walking distance from our hotel.
But we didn’t drive all the way to Lake Placid to shop and visit the natural beauty. We were there to ski! It had been a long time since I strapped on ski boots and pointed my toes up to de-lift. Aliana had never been on skis. The idea of skiing the “greatest vertical drop in the east” was a little daunting to me and thrilling to my adventurer. When we arrived at Whiteface it was impossible to get a sense of how big this ski center is. There are three mountains, 11 lifts, and 87 trails. Our instructors were incredible. They taught in a way that showed their love of skiing and of Whiteface Mountain. Once I got a few tips it started coming back. I started to feel the snow move out from under my skis as I moved my ankles from side to side. I started to gain back the control and the power I once had on skis. Before lunch I was swishing down the mountain, a little sloppy but in control. The trails at Whiteface are steep but the confidence in my guide Eric helped make them fun and exhilarating.
There was so much I loved about our visit to Lake Placid but my favorite part was the time I got to spend with my daughter. The drive that seemed insurmountable when thinking about it was a joy because we chatted the whole ride there about our excitement for the trip and the whole ride home about what we loved about the trip. Seeing my daughter’s face light up with wonder as she learned about how the Gorge was formed. Hearing the pride in her voice as she told her dad and brother about how great she did on skis. There are a lot of things I might forget about this trip, like how I lost my room key after only being there an hour, but there are more things that I am going to remember forever. Like how I thought skiing was a thing of my past, but this trip changed it to a thing that I can see doing with my daughter for years to come.
Lake Placid is a year-round destination and we were so blessed to spend breakfast with the owner of Hotel North Woods learning about all that the small town nestled in the mist of big mountains. My family is planning a trip back this summer because it is worth the drive.
We are thankful for the Lake Placid businesses that hosted us during this trip but all opinions are our own.
Thank you to
the Cabin Grill at Hotel North Woods
