Location
McCauley Mountain is a summit and ski resort in the Town of Webb, Herkimer County, New York. It is situated just outside of the village of Old Forge, in the southwestern area of the Adirondack Mountains. It is owned by the Town of Webb and operated for the benefit of the community who resides there. All school-age children in the town ski for free in this great area.
McCauley means a lot of things to many distinct kinds of skiers. What follows is NYSkiBlog’s perspective. Enjoy your skiing like no other in this very fascinating place.
History
Opened to the members of the public in 1958, it was the haven hill of Olympic skier Hank Kashiwa. If you’re a powder-hunting NY skier you should check out McCauley any time and you will never regret it. The mountain is in a good situation to view the lake effect snow that will never make it as far east as Gore. McCauley has a renowned base elevation and often gets more snow than Gore.
Enjoy watching McCauley weather all season, but recommended after a rainstorm, when the lake effect can bring it back to life more quickly than some larger mountains.
The entire mountain is served by a classic lift, a Hall double chair, that is kept as a museum piece. The hill’s 600+ feet of vertical skis are bigger than you may think or imagine. The front three — Helmer’s, Olympic, and DeCamp — are the real deal of this nature mountain like no other.
There is an expert terrain that is often left ungroomed. Helmer’s, the classic lift line, for your information, is never groomed. In addition, there is a magnificent amount of tree skiing. The biggest contiguous section, off Challenger, is a wide-open blast.
If all of this looks like an imaginable way to explain a small community hill, it is. While McCauley attracts the powder hounds in this area, it’s a warm family place that just happens to have good terrain and excellent snowfall.
Size
The summit of McCauley Mountain is at an altitude of 2,280 feet (690 m). The hill characterizes a 633-foot (193 m) vertical drop, 21 ski trails of between three and 5,000 feet (1,500 m), two T-bar tows, two rope tows, and one double chairlift. The bump rides and glades for experienced skiers, and easier trails for beginners are also available.
The Big Mountain fun
Great features at McCauley Mountain include top-notch grooming, designated bump runs and glades for intermediates and experts, double black diamond runs, and easier trails from the summit. The ski lift is open in the summer and fall for activities like mountain biking and rides in the chair lift. All this offers optimum viewing of this magnificent area.
It’s not how much mountain is needed for fun; but how much fun can be packed into a mountain! McCauley Mountain’s 633-ft vertical drop contains all the skiing boasted by ski areas three times its size. From long cruisers to steep bumps and glades, to double-black diamond challengers, McCauley has it all. Twenty-one slopes and trails up to a mile long, a double chairlift, two T-Bar lifts, and rope tows. Skiers moving out of the beginner ranks get a big bonus. McCauley Mountain provides accommodating trails from the summit.
Everyone gets up in skier country to enjoy the views which extend to Whiteface and Mt. Marcy in the high peaks region. It’s “big mountain” skiing without the long lift lines and high prices. McCauley has produced three Olympic skiers: John “Louie” Ehrensbeck, a veteran of two US Olympic teams; Hank Kashiwa, who was also the World Professional Alpine Skiing Champion; and Maddie Phaneuf, a current US Ski Team member who went to the 2018 Olympics.
Annual snowfall is 281 inches and has reached 400 inches. In addition to natural snowfall, the snowmaking and exceptional grooming at McCauley ensure the best possible conditions for over 100 days of skiing annually. Come play in the snow at the mountain or enjoy the Summer Scenic Chairlift Ride, when McCauley is also open for hiking, biking, and picnicking, with two playground areas.
Skiing at McCauley Mountain
At McCauley, newer and more conservative skiers are not relegated to the bottom of the mountain. The easier trails from the top give those skiers and snowboarders views of the High Peaks from up in the skiers’ alpine world.
McCauley is home to two Olympic skiers, John “Louie” Ehrensbeck and Hank Kashiwa. several other young skiers have grown up on McCauley’s diverse terrain, and have gone on to compete with the U.S. Ski Team.
Flow trails and climbing trails
20 different mountain bike trails serve all skill levels of mountain biking enthusiasts. There are single tracks, some of which are narrow and rocky, as well as technical, machine-built flow trails with large berms, rollers, and jumps for intermediate and advanced riders. There are also wider, multi-use trails that accommodate cross-country and alpine skiers during the winter.
For additional riding, McCauley’s trails link to the MTB network at Maple Ridge and more trails at nearby Nicks Lake. Free parking is available at the base of McCauley, and the trails access the village of Old Forge via the Maple Ridge Trail network.
Tobie trail
The TOBIE Trail is a 14-mile recreational pathway connecting Thendara, Old Forge, Big Moose, Inlet, and Eagle Bay. In addition to connecting these Central Adirondack communities, it also connects users to multiple-use recreation areas. Cyclists, hikers, cross-country skiers, and snowshoers enjoy non-motorized access to waterfronts, backcountry trails, shops, restaurants, and other attractions.
