How to Enjoy a Skiing Vacation in Ellicottville, New York

Ellicottville is a small town in New York. It has less than 2,000 year-round residents, but when winter provides a healthy dusting of snow on the slopes, the town accommodates a vibrant skiing community. Surrounded by other ski resorts, learning how to enjoy a skiing vacation in Ellicottville, New York, is a fun alternative to the usual Colorado ski trips. Best of all, Ellicottville has two separate ski resorts to choose from.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet access

Holiday Valley

1. Make the time to check out a map of the 56 slopes and 3 lodges that are found in the Holiday Valley ski area. For 2008, the projected opening date is November 28 (see Resources below).

2. Book a room at the Inn at Holiday Valley. You may do so by calling the reservation hotline at [phone]. There are other beautiful locations in and around Ellicottville, but only this particular inn offers season early birders 2 free lift tickets. Later on in the season, children will stay and ski for free with their paying parents (see Resources below).

3. Pick out Clubhouse Chalet that contains the Creekside Lodge if you need to purchase tickets and are also looking for children’s and adults’ skiing schools. From there you may access the Cindy’s Quad lift, School Haus beginning skiers’ area and the Mardi gras express lift (see Resources below).

4. Opt for the Yodeler Lodge if your want to access the Yodeler Quad chair lift and also need to buy tickets.

5. Choose the Tannenbaum Lodge if you are in need of the services offered by the adaptive ski program or if you want to avail yourself of the Tannenbaum High Speed Quad chair lift. The adaptive program is perfect for the visually impaired and also the physically or mentally handicapped. Do not arrive without making a reservation! Just call ahead to [phone] and reserve your spot (see Resources below).

6. Ski the Chute, Edelweiss, Yodeler, Champagne, Falcon, Eagle, Raven, Hoot Owl, Moonshadow, Devil’s Glen, Firecracker, Pipeline, Foxfire, Maple Leaf, Cross Cut, Snoozer, Swiss Twist and Happy Glade slopes if you are an advanced skier and can handle the black diamond runs. Stick to the Candy Cane, Sugar Plum, Spruce Line, Raccoon Run, Snowledge, Boardwalk, Catwalk, Explorer, Lower Woodstock, Frostline, Days’ End, Holiday Run, Snowbird, Woodpecker, Fiddler’s Elbow, Slippery Streets, School Haus, Tannenbaum, Laurel and Punch Bowl slopes if you are a novice skier. The Wall run should only be attempted by expert skiers.

HoliMont

1. Familiarize yourself with the HoliMont skiing area. There are 50 slopes and nine lifts. The overall ambiance is calm and quiet, and since on weekends only members are welcomed onto the slopes, the number of skiers is greatly limited. This is the perfect time to enjoy plenty of skiing without the crowds (see Resources below).

2. Join the HoliMont ski area. If you decide to ski there as a non-member, you are only permitted access on weekdays. Those ready to join are urged to call [phone] and inquire about the various membership packages currently available.

3. Secure lodgings in Ellicottville. Call the Chamber of Commerce at [phone] to inquire about currently available hotels and also possible open vacation rentals that may have registered with the Chamber (see Resources below).

4. Ski Greer, Early Bird Glades, Twisty Christy, Sunrise, Cascade, Irish Whiskey, Wild Turkey, Punch Bowl, Razorback, Fall Line, Snowbird Glades, Downspout, the Jump, Sunset Glades, Wild Thing and Slingshot if you are an expert skier. Novices should stay on the Sky Way, Upper Goat Path, Lullaby Lane, Slow Poke, Homerun, High Road, Gully Road, West Connection, The Ridge and Sunset runs.

5. Enjoy a meal at the chalet and fortify yourself before heading back to your lodgings in town.

Tips & Warnings

• Wearing a helmet while skiing is greatly encouraged.

Resources

• Visit the VacationRentals.com website to secure your lodgings in Ellicottville.
• Log on to the DiscoverOurTown.com for accommodations in Ellicottville.
• Learn more about Ellicottville and its surrounding areas via the Ellicottville-NY.WorldWeb.com website.
• The HoliMont website explains all the activities skiers can plan on enjoying.
• Check out the Holiday Valley site for everything having to do with the public ski area.