Gore Mountain Timeline

A storied history of innovation.

1967 Old Red Gondola

Take a look below at just some of the milestones and celebrated occasions over nearly 90 years that have established Gore as the premier snow sports experience in the Northeast!

  • 1934  The first snow train, carrying 378 winter enthusiasts, arrives in North Creek at 10:30 am from Schenectady on March 4. The round-trip fare was $1.50. Ski Patrol at Gore Mountain was formed, one of the first of its kind, and served as a model for patrols all over the world. Lois Perret was the leader of the volunteer first aid committee. “Be careful, and think while you ski.”
  • 1946  3000′ t-bar is installed at the North Creek Ski Bowl, servicing 830 vertical feet.
  • 1964  Gore Mountain is developed, featuring a j-bar, a t-bar, and for the more advanced, a double chair, the longest lift in the East.
  • 1967  The first gondola in New York State is installed at Gore Mountain. It remains New York’s only gondola until 1999.
  • 1976  Gore Mountain installs its first snowmaking system on four trails: Sleeping Bear, Sunway, Showcase, and Cloud.
  • 1984  Gore Mountain installs the “Adirondack Express,” a high-speed triple, the only lift of its kind in the Eastern US.
  • 1995  “The Rumor” opens on February 9. This trail has 70% pitch and is one of the steepest trails in the East, designed for experts only.
  • 1996  Gore Mountain taps the mighty Hudson River for a snowmaking water source and quadruples snowmaking capabilities.
  • 1999  The Northwoods Gondola replaces the 1967 “Old Red Gondola”. The high-speed eight-passenger lift is named SKI Magazine’s “Best New Lift” and transports guests to the summit of Bear Mountain.
  • 2002  The Topridge Area is introduced on Bear Mountain, including a lift and four new trails. Providing service from the Straight Brook Valley, Topridge transforms the Gore Mountain experience.
  • 2003  The North Creek Ski Bowl is opened by Gore Mountain for lift-serviced tubing.
  • 2006  “Ruby Run,” a new beginner trail off the Northwoods Gondola is added, offering beginners 1700′ vertical feet and 2.2 miles of continuous skiing and riding.
  • 2007  Gore Mountain opens the new Northwoods Lodge. “Village Chair,” the first-ever aerial chairlift at the North Creek Ski Bowl, is installed for day/night skiing and snowboarding.
  • 2008  New terrain serviced by a high-speed quad opens on Burnt Ridge Mountain, increasing Gore’s vertical to 2300′.
  • 2011  Gore Mountain opens the “Hudson Chair,” completing its Interconnect with the Historic North Creek Ski Bowl on Little Gore Mountain, and further developing its fourth peak of terrain.
  • 2014  The 1984 Adirondack Express is replaced with an all-new luxurious and high-speed detachable quad.
  • 2016  Gore Mountain’s 14,589 solar panels go live on the grid and offset 85% of the mountain’s energy use. The all-new Nordic Center at the North Creek Ski Bowl opens featuring a 5k trail network for cross-country skiers and snowshoers. This well-designed pod of terrain featuring snowmaking, lights, and grooming serves as a competition venue and hub for community fun.
  • 2017  Gore Mountain unveils significant expansions and renovations to four lodges for a brand-new mountain experience, top to bottom. The updated Northwoods, Saddle, and Straight Brook Lodges are open for the 17/18 snow season with the completion of Base Lodge construction in 2018.
  • 2018  Major overhauls to the snowmaking infrastructure including a brand-new pump house and energy-saving equipment allow Gore Mountain to significantly increase its snowmaking capacity.
  • 2019  Gore Mountain introduces new RFID lift access gates and reloadable SKI3 Cards for direct-to-lift convenience.
  • 2020  The Sunway and High Peaks Chairs are replaced with new quads with unloading areas located farther up the mountain. Gore Mountain’s reservoir receives a massive expansion allowing enough water to maximize snowmaking capacity.
  • 2023  A brand-new alpine trail, Backwoods, opened on Burnt Ridge Mountain. This intermediate-rated trail offers a more direct and convenient route to Little Gore Mountain and the North Creek Ski Bowl.
  • Early 2024 The Bear Cub Conveyor-Load Quad was upgraded from the previous Bear Cub Poma Surface Lift.
  • Late 2024 The Northwoods Gondola cabins are replaced with new Leitner-Poma 8-person cabins. These new cabins have wider baskets to better accommodate modern skis.
  • 2025 The new Hudson Chair, a high-speed detachable quad, is opened at the North Creek Ski Bowl. The new lift is a part of the Ski Bowl Project, a project that also includes a new lodge and summer attraction (coming soon!).