Adirondack Family Time™

By Diane Chase This weekend   Whiteface Mountain   will celebrate its last  The annual pond skimming contest will take place at the base of Whiteface on April 9th  with no entry fee required. Skiers and snowboards will try to gain as much speed as possible to "skim" across a man made pond to win prizes for longest distance, biggest and best splash and best costume. Pond skimming at Whiteface is not just for ticket holders. Spectators can access the event for free. For those in need of accessibility, the event will have a limited view from the sun deck. Pond skimming can be viewed from the gondola but tickets are required. 

Here is a list of Maple Farms. Call ahead to make sure that they are open. It is a wonderful way to welcome in spring in the Adirondacks. There are maple breakfasts, wagon rides and tours of farms. Besides plenty of opportunity to sample the maple products. Enjoy! 

“Frackenpohl Honors Brass Quintet” Recital and Reception 4:00 P.M. Sunday, March 27, 2011 St. Eustace Church This student brass quintet from the Crane School of Music in  Potsdam ,  NY  includes musicians Brian Masterson, Trumpet, Brianne Borden, Trumpet, Denise Peters, Horn, Shawn Cagney, & Michael Casey, Tuba.   ~ Donations Gladly Accepted, Proceeds Benefit the  Lake Placid  Educational Outreach Programs Program to include: La Peri Fanfare by Paul Dukas, arranged by Wayne Barrington Fire Dance by Anthony DiLorenzo Colchester Fantasty movts. 1 & 4, by Eric Ewazen Centone No. V by Samuel Scheidt Quintet No. 1 Op. 5 by Victor Ewald Exaltation by Brian Balmages

Gore Mountain is celebrating the last weekend of "Take Your Son Skiing" where all sons 19 and under can ski/snowboard for free with a paying adult Whiteface is open and will be celebrating SpringFest with a pirate themed weekend of activities McCauley Mountain is open and Friday is Crazy Friday where all tickets are $12 and tomorrow will bring on the Snowmaker's Ball. West Mountain is celebrating its Family Fun Day on March 26th with carboard sled races, pond skimming, BBQ and more. Big Tupper, Mt Pisgah, Oak Mountain are all closed for the season.

By Diane Chase Paul Smith's Retail Bakery Themes March 23  = Princess Day March 30 =  Chocolate April 6 = Cupcakes April 13 = Springfever April 18 = Easter (open two days for Easter) April 20 =Easter (open two days for Easter) April 27 = Daffest I have never managed to get to the Paul Smith’s College Retail Bakery when it is open. I have certainly managed to get to the shop when it is closed, peered into the window looking at the empty bakery shelves thinking if I had only remembered a few hours earlier. I am told the prices are more than reasonable and the 2 nd  year bakery students use this opportunity to showcase the skills they’ve learned toward earning their Associated Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts.

By Diane Chase Here are ten ways to enjoy Thurman New York (NY) Maple Weekend this March 12-13. With the weather starting to warm up, the sap will start running and it will be pancakes for everyone!  March 12-13, 2011 1) 9:00 a.m. Enjoy a pancake breakfast at Valley Road Maple Farm. (on Saturday and Sunday) 2) Grab your snowshoes or borrow a pair from Adirondack Gold Maple Farm and walk around the 35 acres of trails. 

My video skills are a work in progress but here is a video of the Lake Placid Toboggan Chute. Such a fun thing to do with or without kids around the Adirondacks! If you have visiting family or just go by yourself! Enjoy the fresh snow!

Lake Placid has the only indoor luge facility  The USA Luge team , headquartered in Lake Placid, gives free tours of their facility every weekday at 2:00 p.m.  Considering it is the official headquarters for the US Luge, it is an unassuming structure, more warehouse than office building. It’s a casual tour where athletes may be fine-tuning their sleds or watching videos of individual practice starts. The tour starts with a 20-minute introduction video that can jump-start anyone’s luge education. The movie is just as fast and furious as the sport.  The indoor facility, the only one in the US and one of seven in the world, is quite impressive. Athletes use three refrigerated ramps to improve their start techniques with the latest technology, shaving milliseconds off their time. There is even an opportunity to try out a practice sled (not to slide on) and find out how to steer using your legs to squeeze on the curved part of the runners (kufen), to direct the pod, the custom-formed

Ah, it is once again time to widen our classic film repertoire. For the 10th year the Saranac Lake Cabin Fever Classic Film Festival is back to introduce to some and reintroduce to others vintage films that impact the making of movies today. Films are carefully chosen and reflect a love for the genre. On Thursdays (with one Tuesday, March 22 exception) the series showcases either a drama or comedy. Last year the Cabin Fever Film Festival veered from its traditional path to just show movie shorts. That format introduced my children into the world of Our Gang, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and others. Now I plan on widening my older child’s imagination into the world of Alfred Hitchcock. The bonus is each full-length film is kicked off with a movie short or cartoon.

Travis DeValinger of The Equine Center has a team of Belgians hitched to the sleigh, ready for a trip around the Lake Placid Club Golf Course. A group gathers around while the horses are rested and watered. Travis takes this time to explain some basic information to those of us not in the horsey-know. Children stand around with mouths open as they watch these mammoth-sized animals gently nuzzle Travis for attention. He then explains the workings of the custom-made sleigh and lantern-lit options available to carry us over the golf course and back.

Season passes go on sale March 13th. Buy early and ski the rest of this season for free. Purchase passes at Whiteface mountain  in Wilmington New York or online starting March 13th. BTW, don't forget March 13th is also Super Sunday where adult lift tickets are only $35.00. 

A quick and easy Adirondack family activity is taking snowshoes or cross-country skis to Connery Pond. A longer ski is continuing on to Whiteface Landing.  Connery Pond is a beautiful cross-country ski or snowshoe. Located just 3-miles east on Route 86 from the Route 73/86 junction in Lake Placid. It is a level, easy path for any age.  Parking is just past the Connery Pond sign, on the right. Park and cross the highway to access the trail

Treat your little princess (or prince) to a weekend at the Lake Placid Olympic Center with Disney on Ice.  This is family time at its best!  So don't be discouraged by this warm weather, you can be back skiing the slopes of Whiteface tomorrow. Enjoy some inside activities and leave plenty of time to hit the slopes tomorrow! There are tickets still available! Times Friday, February 18: 7:00 p.m. Saturday, February 19: 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Sunday, February 20: 3:00 p.m. Monday, February 21: 2:00 p.m.   Ticket prices: $35 for rinkside seating $20 lower level seating $15 upper level seating