Cross Country Skiing at Garnet Hill Lodge

Programs | Rates & Season Passes | Ski Shop | Lessons | Rentals | | Kids Programs | Trail Conditions & Weather Map | Gore Mountain Skiing

Current Ski News & Conditions

Wednesday, Aug. 20th - It's seemed like Fall for the past few days but summer weather is returning with 80's predicted for the upcoming weekend. The weather should be fine for enjoying Garnet Hill's hiking and biking trails as well as the lake for canoeing, etc. We'd love to have you join us for a day, a week or weekend. Be sure to check our summer specials and book your room soon so you, too, can enjoy a true Adirondack experience.

Cross-Country Skiing Programs

Kids! Program

Kids learn in a different way than adults, and at Garnet Hill Ski Center we excel at getting kids to have fun on skis and getting off to a great start. The Kids! program is offered on weekends and holidays, from 10:30 to noon , for kids ages 5-12. We introduce skiing through group games and experiential learning. About half the lesson is used in this way, and the rest of the lesson includes a short ski tour. Our kids program is very popular and successful. Kids love it and so do parents! Click here for more info about our Kids program. Click here for more info about our Kids program.

Backcountry Skiing in the Adirondacks of NY

The Adirondack region near The Garnet Hill Ski Center offers some of the finest backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering trips found anywhere. The adjacent Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area contains almost 40 miles of mapped and marked trails. These routes offer day ski trips and multiple day winter wilderness adventures. In addition trails can be connected to frozen ponds, streams, and other winter only routes to provide an almost infinite variety of backcountry ski options. See Adirondack Ski Tours by Tony Goodwin for good route descriptions in the area.

Gore To Garnet Hill Backcountry Ski Adventure

For more adventurous and advanced skiers we offer an all day guided backcountry ski tour from Gore Mtn. back to the ski center. The trip usually begins with a shuttle bus ride to Gore Mtn., and then a chairlift ride to the saddle area on Gore. Depending on snow and weather conditions the guide will choose from a variety or ski routes - sometimes skiing all day at the higher elevations on Gore and Pete Gay mountains. Usually the trip entails some high elevation skiing with a gradual descent into the lower forests and a wilderness tour through the Vly and William Blake Pond ending at the ski shop.

These guided trips are usually run on the weekends. Rugged backcountry equipment is usually required (available at the ski shop to rent). An additional "what to bring" list is available to participants. In addition skiers should be more than beginner skiers and be comfortable skiing on ungroomed backcountry ski trails. The trip lasts all day with a 9 AM departure and returning by 4:30 - 5:00 PM. Cost is $45/person and includes guide service single ride lift ticket and shuttle bus.

Ski School

At Garnet Hill Ski Center, we have a ski school staff that is dedicated to helping you start off on the right foot, improve your skiing, and help you to have more fun on skis. We offer a full range of lessons, from beginner through advanced, including all types of nordic skiing. Your satisfaction is guaranteed! Check out more about our Ski School Programs at Garnet Hill Cross Country Ski Center.

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2007-2008 Rates & Season Passes Download the complete rate card

Garnet Hill Cross-Country Skiing Trail Passes

Juniors 5-12 years, Youth 13-17 years, Seniors 65+     Afternoon discount after 2PM only
Book of ten tickets (adult, transferable) $150

Cross-Country Skiing Season Passes 2007-2008  Download the complete rate card

Juniors 5-12 yrs. old, Youth 13-17 yrs. old, Seniors 65+, Family is parents and children under 18.
Purchase passes by mail to: Garnet Hill Lodge attn: ski shop, 13th Lake Road, North River, NY 12856. Make check payable to Garnet Hill Lodge. Passes may be purchased in person at the lodge or ski shop or over the phone with a credit card. (ski shop 518-251-2150) E-Mail the ski shop
Book of ten tickets (adult, transferable) $150

Ski Rental Rates 2007-2008 season    Download the complete rate card

Includes Skis, Boots, & Poles

Juniors 5-12 years, Youth 13-17 years
Skate or Metal Edge (mountaineering) rentals Adults $3/day additional
Specialty skis for lesson use only..$6.00
Skis only: Adult $14/day Juniors $9/day
Boots only: $2-5/day Poles only $2-5/day

Pulk Rentals

A pulk is a ski sled used to pull children around on the trails.
½ day.................$14
Full day..............$20

Specials at Garnet Hill Cross Country Ski Center    Download the complete rate card

Rentals, Trail Fee, & Group Lesson
Adult ..................................$44
Youth and Senior.............$42
Juniors..............................$30

Rental and Trail Fee
Adult............................$31
Youth/Senior..............$29
Juniors........................$18

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Cross-Country Ski Shop

The ski shop is the center of activity at Garnet Hill's Cross-Country Ski Center.  In addition to housing the ski center, the Garnet Hill Ski School and rental shop, the ski shop building also features a spacious day skier lounge with rest rooms and changing rooms.

The retail shop at Garnet Hill is the area's most complete cross-country ski shop.  Ski equipment is available for light touring, classic and skate skiing, and backcountry skiing.  Garnet Hill Ski Center sells cross-country skis from Fischer, Madsus and Karhu; cross-country ski boots from Alpina, Karhu, Salomon, and Alico; ski poles from Swix, Leki and Exel; and bindings from Rotefella, Salomon, and Voile.  The ski shop also stocks a complete supply of waxes, hats, gloves, socks and the latest cross-country ski fashions form Swix and Sporthill.  Skiers will also find a great selection of area maps and trail guidebooks, magazines, and books and videos on cross-country ski instruction.

A unique feature of The Ski Shop is the try before you buy; ski demo program.  Rather than guess about which skis, boot and binding systems are right for you, skiers can try out different models and sizes of skis to see and feel which ones work best.  Guests can deduct up to two day of rental fees from the purchase price of new equipment. Garnet Hill Ski Centerhas initiated the Kids trade-up program designed to keep children in the correct sized equipment as they grow.  Initial cost is $135 then a $15/year fee to trade-up to the correct sized equipment.

Take a look at our 2006/2007 Buyers Guide (Cant see the pdf? Download the latest version of Adobe Reader here)

For more Information Call 518-251-2150 or 1-877-MTN-BIKE or E-mail the ski shop

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Garnet Hill Adirondack Cross-Country Ski Lessons & Ski School

All Ages and all abilities including beginner lessons, telemark and ski skating lessons.

Garnet Hill Ski Center's school is a member ski school of Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA). Our ski school and ski lessons are a great step toward enjoying the sport of cross country skiing more.Improved ski technique improves your fun. We recommend a beginner group lesson for all first time cross country skiers. The ski school is also available for intermediate and advanced lessons including ski skating, telemark and backcountry techniques, and racing techniques.

At Garnet Hill Ski Center, we have a ski school staff that is dedicated to helping you start off on the right foot, improve your skiing, and help you to have more fun on skis. We offer a full range of lessons, from beginner through advanced, including all types of nordic skiing. Your satisfaction is guaranteed!

It's been proven by athletes that the best way to master a new sport is by learning it right the first time. If you develop good habits from the start, it will save you a lot of "unlearning" later, and will allow you to progress more rapidly to higher levels.

Beginner lessons are offered as group, semi-private, or private lessons. Intermediate lessons and specialty lessons, such as skate skiing and telemark lessons, are available as semi-private or private lessons.

Private and semi-private lessons can be tailored to your needs, and can include lots of focus in one area (i.e. downhill), or can be a "trail" lesson, where we ski the trails, using the terrain to practice different skills.

Ski School Rates & Information:

Group beginner lesson: $18/person
Kids! Program: $18/child
Semi-private: $30 per person (for 2 or more people)
Private: $45/person

 Beginner Group lessons meet daily at 10AM and 2PM
 Private and Semi-private lessons are by appointment
Kids! Program is 10:30-noon, Saturday, Sunday and Holiday weeks

Beginner Lessons

Beginner lessons are for those who have never skied at all, for those who have done downhill skiing but never cross-country, or for those who have skied some, but know they could use instruction on the basics and develop good habits. The following is covered in a beginner lesson:

Ski and pole fit/construction
Getting comfortable on skis
Balancing on two skis
Basic body position for skiing
How to fall down/How to get up!
Double poling
Basics of diagonal stride: weight transfer, balancing on one ski, push off and proper poling
Uphill techniques: herringbone and sidestep
Downhill techniques: Straight run, half wedge (snowplow), full wedge (gliding and braking wedge)
Using tracks, trail etiquette

In many beginner lessons, we can also move on to the wedge turn, and occasionally step turns.

Intermediate Lessons

The intermediate lesson is a more individualized lesson. We will work on refining the skills covered in the beginner lesson, correcting bad habits, and addressing individual needs. The goal is to increase efficiency and improve dynamic balence. The following is covered:

Diagonal stride:

Better balence and body position for more glide
More dynamic weight transfer
Refined poling technique
Stronger, more dynamic kick (pushoff)
Refined timing, rhythm, and flow

Downhill:
Improved wedge, moving to steeper terrain
Introducing or refining wedge turns (striving for greater control on varied terrain)
Step turns (often skate turns also)
Double poling is refined
Double pole with kick is introduced
Smooth transitions from one technique to another

Advanced Lessons

In the advanced lesson, we get down to the nitty gritty of energy efficiency and improved balence and dynamics. This lesson is for the serious skier who wants to refine his/her techniques and strive for a new level of speed, comfort, and efficiency. The instructor makes a detailed and critical analysis of the skier and gives necessary feedback. Specific skills are addressed as needed, and include all aspects of diagonal stride, double pole, and downhill technique.

Skate Skiing

If you want to learn or are frustrated with your attempts at it, a lesson is highly recommended! There is a lot involved in this technique that looks so easy when you see the experts fly by you. We introduce many different drills to help you improve each aspect of the technique. A beginner lesson introduces:

Weight transfer and body alignment in skate position
No pole work on flat terrain, working on balance and push-off
The V-1 skate- poling rhythm and timing
Putting it all together! (balance, poling, pushoff, etc.)
Diagonal V skate
Step turns and skate turns
Brief demonstration of other skate maneuvers: V-2, V-2 alternate, marathon skate

An intermediate/advanced skate skiing lesson would include:

Refining the V-1 and diagonal V skate

Introduce the V-2 and V-2 alternate skate
Refining skate turns (at higher speed)
Transitions from one skate maneuver to another
Refining rhythm, flow, energy efficiency
Addressing downhill technique for higher speed skiing

The Telemark Lesson

This lesson introduces the basic telemark turn, and can be done with most regular nordic equipment, although waxable skis are highly recommended. We spend most of the lesson without poles, going through a gradual progression and a series of exercises that results in a complete telemark turn. Proper body position is stressed. If time permits, we try to link turns. Equipment, terrain, and snow conditions are discussed. Individual issues are addressed.

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Ski Equipment & Rental Information

The Ski Shop offers a wide selection of cross country ski equipment, clothing and accessories. In the ski department we feature skis by Fischer, Atomic, Asnes, and Karhu. We carry a number of boot-binding systems including Alpina boots and Rotefella NNN -II bindings, and NNN-BC boots and bindings. In addition we sell Salomon Profil system boots and bindings, and the tried and true 75mm boots and bindings.

Today cross country ski equipment comes in many sizes and shapes. Each class of cross country ski equipment fills a particular skiing "niche." Light weight racing skis for competition, light touring equipment for groomed and packed trails, touring width skis for off trail, and metal edged skis for backcountry and telemark skiing. The latest advances in ski equipment are in the new "compact" ski designs - skis are shorter, lighter, and easier to use. (Many designs will fit in the trunk of the car!). Most of the equipment we sell is available to rent and "Try before you buy". We will deduct up to two days rental fees from the price of new equipment.

Look in our Buyer's Guide for more complete descriptions and pricing of the cross country ski equipment and accessories we sell. (Cant see the pdf? Download the latest version of Adobe Reader here)

Kids under 5 Free skiing and Free Rentals!!

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Kids! Ski Program & Kids! Equipment Trade-up

The Garnet Hill Kids! Ski Program is designed to teach cross country skiing to children through games, skills sessions, and by just having fun on skis. The basic direction of the program is an interaction of children together and with our staff to encourage learning basic cross country ski techniques. These techniques include diagonal stride, turning, stopping, how to fall and get up, and even skating technique. The Kids! Ski Program is taught 10:30AM - 12Noon. Our ski school is also available for private children’s ski lessons by appointment.

We know how those kids can grow! And we know the value of properly sized cross country ski equipment. We stock a wide variety of cross country ski equipment packages for children. As children grow we will exchange their outgrown equipment for proper sized equipment from