This morning, seeing the snow pack in the woods and wishing for new powder, I was reminded of the many hours I’ve spent skiing on the Tug Hill Plateau. There are times when I wish, for skiing purposes, that I had moved from Vermont back to upstate New York. While they have not had their usual dumping of snow yet, there'll be a lot before long from Lake Ontario, the generator of the Tug Hill snow.
The snow-making prowess of Tug Hill is well-known to XC skiers, snowmobilers, drivers who run the gauntlet on I-81 from Syracuse to Watertown, and of course, to the hardy souls who live there. All it takes is a westerly wind, an unfrozen Lake Ontario, and the gentle uplift of the plateau and prodigious dumps of snow are possible. For example, several years ago, the National Weather Service reported that the Town of Parish had received 100 inches (more than 2.5 meters) of snow over a seven day span, while the village of Redfield received 141 inches (more than 3.5 meter) of snow over a ten day span. It’s not uncommon to be skiing or driving under blue skies and suddenly run into a whiteout.
Much of the land on Tug Hill is public forest. Local volunteer groups, funds permitting, groom and set tracks but many of the trails are multi-use. I broke into XC ski racing here, several decades ago, at an event called the “Try-It”, which aptly describes the “come on up and try the snow” atmosphere of Tug Hill skiing and ski racing. This years freestyle race is January 16, 2010. The premier ski race each year is the Winona Forest Tourathon, a true 
citizens race using traditional technique. This year's event, in 12.5k, 25k, & 37.5k lengths, is scheduled for March 6th. (Registration is limited to 175 skiers for safety so register early.) The terrain at Tug Hill is relatively easy with no hair-raising vertical drops. And you’ll always find snow -- lots of it. (Note: One option for groomed trails and good skiing is the Osceola Tug Hill Ski Center.)
Accommodations are rather limited but there are several lodges and motels. Salmon fishing is also popular so they may be filled with salmon anglers. Watertown and Syracuse have many options and relatively close by.
Like most skiing done away from ski centers, you never quite know what you’ll find for trail grooming or track setting (it’s all volunteer) until you get there. It’s smart to bring several pairs of skis, if you skate and ski traditional, and not worry that the the trails are not manicured. You very well may meet snowmobilers on the wide trails, or get passed, as I have, by teams of sled dogs training for their upcoming races. What you will find at Tug Hill is solitude, interesting but gentle terrain for skiing, and lots of snow. Why not Try-It?
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The snow-making prowess of Tug Hill is well-known to XC skiers, snowmobilers, drivers who run the gauntlet on I-81 from Syracuse to Watertown, and of course, to the hardy souls who live there. All it takes is a westerly wind, an unfrozen Lake Ontario, and the gentle uplift of the plateau and prodigious dumps of snow are possible. For example, several years ago, the National Weather Service reported that the Town of Parish had received 100 inches (more than 2.5 meters) of snow over a seven day span, while the village of Redfield received 141 inches (more than 3.5 meter) of snow over a ten day span. It’s not uncommon to be skiing or driving under blue skies and suddenly run into a whiteout.
citizens race using traditional technique. This year's event, in 12.5k, 25k, & 37.5k lengths, is scheduled for March 6th. (Registration is limited to 175 skiers for safety so register early.) The terrain at Tug Hill is relatively easy with no hair-raising vertical drops. And you’ll always find snow -- lots of it. (Note: One option for groomed trails and good skiing is the Osceola Tug Hill Ski Center.)Accommodations are rather limited but there are several lodges and motels. Salmon fishing is also popular so they may be filled with salmon anglers. Watertown and Syracuse have many options and relatively close by.
Like most skiing done away from ski centers, you never quite know what you’ll find for trail grooming or track setting (it’s all volunteer) until you get there. It’s smart to bring several pairs of skis, if you skate and ski traditional, and not worry that the the trails are not manicured. You very well may meet snowmobilers on the wide trails, or get passed, as I have, by teams of sled dogs training for their upcoming races. What you will find at Tug Hill is solitude, interesting but gentle terrain for skiing, and lots of snow. Why not Try-It?If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment and subscribe to my RSS feed or by email to ensure you can enjoy the latest post(s).
