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NORTH CREEK---The Gore Mountain Ski Area in North Creek, Warren County, will receive $7 million to expand and upgrade trails which will increase the vertical drop of trails on the mountain and allow the facility to attract and accommodate more skiers.
"There is no better place to spend a winter day than skiing in the Adirondacks, and with this new investment, Gore Mountain will be able to attract a greater number of skiers and offer an even more exciting skiing experience," Gov. George Pataki said. "Gore is a top-notch ski area that can be enjoyed by novice skiers and experts alike, and we have made significant investments to improve facilities, expand programs, and promote the local economy. I am proud of what has been accomplished at Gore Mountain and am glad to provide an additional $7 million funding so that it will continue to be an excellent skiing and tourist destination."
The $7 million will allow the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), which operates the Gore Mountain Ski Center, to create seven new trails totaling approximately six miles and increase the vertical drop by 2,300 feet on Burnt Ridge, one of the three peaks on the mountain. As a result of this expansion, Gore Mountain will have the 8th greatest vertical in the Eastern United States. In addition this project will add approximately 60 acres of various levels of terrain and will include a new high speed quad lift, snowmaking, and other infrastructure improvements at Burnt Ridge, which faces east and is located just north of the Gore Base Area.
The plans were developed by staff or ORDA and Gore over the past five years, and were part of a Unit Management Plan (UMP) approved by the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) in the spring of 2006.
Over the past 12 years with Pataki as Governor, Gore has received approximately $27 million in State assistance, including funding to use the Hudson River as a water source for snowmaking and add a gondola, create trails at Bear Mountain, and enhance snowmaking capabilities.
Earlier Friday, Pataki announced $3 million for a rail link between Saratoga and North Creek, which will spur additional tourism and provide easy transportation for people to travel from the Capital Region to Gore Mountain and other North Country destinations.
Since 1995, Governor Pataki has provided approximately $70 million to upgrade ORDA facilities, helping to ensure that the North Country is home to world-class sporting events. A report prepared by the Technical Assistance Center, SUNY Plattsburgh, found that the economic impact of ORDA's facilities and operations in 2004-05 was more than $323 million in the counties of Essex, Warren, Franklin, and Clinton, and more than $356 million statewide. 12-15-06
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© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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