New York, Usa
Whiteface
300 acres, 89 runs at Lake Placid. East's greatest vertical drop, 1980 Olympic venue, ORDA-operated.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
28 Nov 2025
Closes
19 Apr 2026
Days open
142
Annual snow
13ft
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Whiteface Mountain's summit reaches 4,649 feet, dropping 3,430 vertical feet to a base at 1,220 feet across 89 runs spread over 300 acres near Lake Placid, New York. Terrain splits 44 per cent intermediate, 25 per cent advanced, 24 per cent beginner and 7 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 150 inches. Eleven lifts, including five quad chairs and a gondola, serve the mountain alongside three double chairs, one triple chair and two surface lifts.
Whiteface Mountain holds the distinction of offering the greatest vertical drop of any ski area east of the Rocky Mountains, a defining feature that has anchored its reputation since the mountain's Olympic era. Its Lake Placid setting, steeped in Winter Olympics history, gives Whiteface a genuine international profile among American ski resorts.
Construction of a new, larger ski destination began in 1957, and Whiteface Mountain Ski Center officially opened on 25 January 1958, relocating skiing from the original 1948 Marble Mountain site. A first major expansion in 1966 brought the mountain's vertical drop to over 3,200 feet, and a second expansion costing 14.5 million US dollars further prepared Whiteface to host the alpine skiing events, downhill, giant slalom and slalom, at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.
In 1981, New York State placed responsibility for maintaining, managing and promoting the Lake Placid Olympic venues under a single organisation, the Olympic Regional Development Authority. Under ORDA management, more than 26 million US dollars was invested in expansion and improvements between 1998 and 2008. Adult daily tickets run from 79 to 109 US dollars.
3,428ft
Vertical
89
Runs
300 acres
Skiable
13ft
Annual snow
The Terrain
89 runs across 300 acres skiable
Whiteface spreads 89 runs across 300 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 44%, with 21 beginner runs to find your feet and 28 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
89
runs
89 runs across 4 grades
Beginner21 runs · 24%
Intermediate39 runs · 44%
Advanced22 runs · 25%
Expert6 runs · 7%
Time it right
When to visit Whiteface
The 2025-26 season at Whiteface Mountain ran from 28 November 2025 to 19 April 2026, a roughly twenty-week season, among the longest in the Northeast, supported by average annual snowfall of around 150 inches. This substantial season length and snowfall total reflect the mountain's considerable elevation and Adirondack setting.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to the mountain's varied terrain across its full 3,430-foot vertical drop. Whiteface's Olympic heritage and Lake Placid setting draw a genuinely international visitor base alongside strong regional Northeast visitation, supported by the SKI3 season pass shared with fellow ORDA-operated Gore Mountain and Belleayre.
As one of three state-run ski centres under the Olympic Regional Development Authority, Whiteface benefits from coordinated investment and marketing alongside its sister mountains. School holiday periods and the broader Lake Placid tourism calendar bring substantial visitation throughout the season, supported by the village's extensive Olympic-era visitor infrastructure.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations and Whiteface's Olympic legacy is not confirmed in available resort information. Since ORDA assumed management in 1981 following the 1980 Winter Olympics, the mountain has continued to build on this international sporting heritage each season. Whiteface's status as the East's greatest vertical drop remains its defining seasonal draw.
Season 2025 - 2026
28 Nov 2025
Opens
19 Apr 2026
Closes
142
Days open
13 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Whiteface, and where to stay
Whiteface Mountain sits near Lake Placid, New York, in the Adirondack High Peaks region, with a base elevation of 1,220 feet and a summit at 4,649 feet across a 3,430-foot vertical drop over 300 acres. This setting places the resort within one of the most storied Winter Olympics venues in American history.
Lake Placid, host of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, provides extensive lodging, dining and Olympic-heritage attractions within a short drive of the mountain, giving Whiteface a uniquely rich base-area visitor experience. The broader Adirondack High Peaks region surrounds the resort with extensive additional outdoor recreation.
New York State Route 86 provides direct access to the resort from Lake Placid village. Winter driving conditions in this high-elevation Adirondack setting can include substantial snow and ice, and the route is well maintained given its role connecting Lake Placid's Olympic venues. There is no direct public transport service to the mountain itself, though Lake Placid offers local transit options.
Adirondack Regional Airport in Lake Clear, and the more distant Albany International Airport, serve the broader region, with Whiteface's Lake Placid setting drawing visitors willing to travel for its combination of Olympic history and the East's greatest vertical drop.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Whiteface, powered by Stay22.
Good to know
Frequently asked
When is Whiteface's ski season?
Whiteface's season typically runs from November 28 to April 19, roughly 142 days, weather and conditions permitting.
How much skiable terrain does Whiteface have?
Whiteface has about 300 acres skiable across 89 runs.
How many lifts does Whiteface have?
Whiteface operates 12 lifts in total.
How much snow does Whiteface get?
Whiteface averages around 150 inches (12.5 feet) of snowfall per season.
Where can I buy Whiteface lift tickets?
Lift tickets for Whiteface can be purchased directly from the resort online, or in person at the ticket office. See the full pricing breakdown on the lift tickets page.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Arosa to Replace 40-Year-Old Hörnli Lifts With New Gondola and Chair
Arosa's Hörnli sector is getting its biggest overhaul in decades. The 1986 gondola and 1994 chairlift linking toward Lenzerheide are both being replaced, with capacity up, tower count down and a new base station lower on the hill. At roughly CHF 67 million, it is the largest single investment Arosa Bergbahnen has ever made - and the target opening has already slipped a year, to December 2028. Here is what is changing, and why the timeline moved.
20 Aug 2026
Sundance Mountain Resort Is Getting a New High-Speed Quad and More Back Mountain Terrain This Winter
Sundance Mountain Resort's back mountain is finally getting a proper lift. The Electric Horseman Express opens for 2026-27, unlocking a new bowl next to Bishop's Bowl and three expert gladed chutes across roughly 105 fresh acres - on top of the Storyteller ridge run that debuted in preview form last season. It's Sundance's biggest expansion since 1985, and it turns a three-lift slog into a single six-minute ride to Bearclaw Summit.
19 Aug 2026
Levi and Ruka Confirm October 2 Opening on Farmed Summer Snow
Finland's Levi and Ruka open for the 2026-27 season on October 2, more than seven weeks before most of Europe sees a lift turn. Neither resort is waiting on autumn snowfall - both are skiing on snow buried since last spring, insulated through the Finnish summer and dug back out for opening day. It is not a shortcut. It is a decades-old system now spreading from the Arctic Circle to Idaho, Utah, Vermont and Colorado. Here is how snow farming actually works, and why it is catching on.
19 Aug 2026
Nassfeld Invests €13 Million in New 6-Seater Chairlift for 2026/27 Season
Nassfeld is putting €13 million into a new 6-seater chairlift, the Tressdorfer Almbahn, connecting Sonnleitn with the Tressdorfer Alm from December 2026. It replaces three ageing drag lifts and will run through summer too, from June 2027, moving up to 2,500 people an hour on the roughly three-minute ride. It's the latest step in Carinthia's largest ski resort building out a genuine year-round offering, following last year's Gartnerkofelbahn gondola.
17 Aug 2026
Stelvio Glacier Suspends Summer Skiing, Leaving Continental Europe Without a Lift-Served Slope
Italy's Stelvio Glacier has pulled the plug on summer skiing from August 15. It was the last lift-served ski option left standing in continental Europe, and now there's none. Operator SIFAS pointed to persistent heat, storms, and a snowpack that simply wasn't refreezing overnight anymore. The cable car keeps running. Whether skiing comes back later this summer depends on the weather turning - and right now, nobody's promising anything.
15 Aug 2026
Maverick Mountain's Only Chairlift Destroyed as Sand Creek Fire Tears Through Montana Ski Area
Firefighters saved every base building at Maverick Mountain, Montana, but the resort's sole chairlift didn't survive the Sand Creek Fire. Owners Erik and Kristi Borge say the lift is "most likely" out for the 2026/27 season after flames tore through the mountain on August 8. The wildfire has since grown past 27,700 acres with zero percent containment. It's a gutting result for the tiny, one-lift operation near Dillon - though the lodge, groomers and equipment all made it through untouched.
15 Aug 2026
Fairmont Niseko: New Luxury Resort Revives Stalled La Plume Site for Early 2028 Opening
Fairmont is bringing its second Japanese property to Niseko, and this one's got history. The 165-room resort will rise on the site of the stalled La Plume project, which collapsed into bankruptcy in 2025 before J-Will Partners bought the site for redevelopment. Set between Mount Yotei and Mount Annupuri, it's slated for an early 2028 opening - putting it in play for the 2027/28 season. Expect two restaurants, a spa, onsen bathing, and a kids' club, a short drive from Niseko Village and Hirafu.
12 Aug 2026
Saas-Fee Closes Its Glacier to Summer Skiing as Heat Wave Drags On
Saas-Fee is closing its glacier to summer skiing from Monday, August 10 - the second major Swiss resort to shut in under two weeks after Zermatt suspended operations on August 1. Persistent heat and warm nights that won't let the glacier refreeze are behind the call, per Saastal Bergbahnen. That leaves Italy's Stelvio as the only glacier ski area open in the Alps. Reopening could come as early as August 17, though nothing's confirmed - and racing teams are already looking south instead.
8 Aug 2026