Adirondack Sports February 2024

ALPINE SKIING & SNOWBOARDING
FEBRUARY 2024 11
◀ HARDY SKIERS USED
ROPE TOWS IN THE 1930S
AT WHAT IS NOW GORE
MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT.
SWC
▶ SOME SKIERS IN
THE OLD DAYS WOULD
GO STRAIGHT FROM
THE SKI TRAIN TO
TRUCKS THAT WOULD
CARRY THEM UP THE
MOUNTAIN. SWC
▶ THE NORTH CREEK
SNOW TRAIN IN
1935. SCHENECTADY
WINTERSPORTS CLUB
North Creek Snow Train
Gore Celebrates 90th Anniversary
This season marks the 90th anniversary of the
Snow Train that brought skiers to North Creek,
kickstarting generations of winter tourism in the
area. Business owners, historians, and ski enthusiasts are
commemorating this historic event.
The North Creek Snow Train’s inaugural voyage in
1934 transported 378 skiers from Schenectady to North
Creek, launching the region’s winter sports tourism
attractions. Today, in a broad collaboration, the town of
Johnsburg, Gore Mountain, Tannery Pond Community
Center, North Creek Depot Museum, Johnsburg Historical
Society, Revolution Rail Co., Cunningham’s Ski Barn, ski
enthusiasts, esteemed historians, artists, devoted residents,
and local business owners all unite to honor the
rich legacy of this remarkable train.
Throughout the snow season, an array of curated
events will illuminate the vibrant history and cultural
significance of the North Creek Snow Train. These
events include walking history tours of the train station
and North Creek Ski Bowl, screenings of vintage films,
presentations, concerts, artwork exhibitions, fun races,
and commemorative giveaways, among other activities.
Barkeater Chocolates is making a Snow Train chocolate
bar, and Upper Hudson Coffee is labeling the Roosevelt
Roast with the Snow Train logo.
In addition to the schedule of events listed below,
additional details are in development, and more information
will be forthcoming.
All history enthusiasts and aficionados of winter sports
and recreation are encouraged to explore the schedule
of events to find a path to immersing themselves in this
remarkable journey through time. Discover the story of
how the North Creek Snow Train became an indelible part
of the “Ride Up, Slide Down” era of Adirondack history
and the catalyst for generations of winter enjoyment at
Gore Mountain.
History – The origins of skiing in the Adirondacks trace
back to as early as 1903. As this new adventure-filled sport
gained popularity through the 1920s and early 1930s, the
1932 Winter Olympics held in nearby Lake Placid ignited
a fervor for winter sports throughout the region. One that
prompted Vincent Schaefer of Schenectady to organize
efforts to bring Snow Trains to North Creek.
His group lobbied various railroad companies to
establish trips to potential ski areas, including North
Creek and the burgeoning Ski Bowl. The Olympics also
inspired leaders of the American Legion in North Creek
who built several ski trails on Gore for skiers who arrived
via the Snow Train.
On March 4, 1934, the Delaware and Hudson Railroad
Company sent the inaugural Snow Train northward, carrying
nearly 400 skiers from Schenectady to North Creek.
This affordable round-trip adventure, priced at $1.50
(equivalent to $34.70 today), was met with tremendous
enthusiasm, transforming North Creek into a cherished
skiing destination. By 1936, snow trains were departing
from Albany and New York City as well, ushering in an era
of increased tourism that significantly bolstered the local
economy during the Great Depression.
Though the Snow Train era eventually concluded
during World War II, its impact on the history of skiing
remains indelible. Today, we commemorate this storied
past and the enduring legacy of winter sports in North
Creek and at Gore Mountain.
▲ THE NORTH
CREEK SNOW
TRAIN IN 1936.
Schedule of Events –
February 10 at 7pm at Tannery
Pond Center – Old Ski Movie
Night from the 1930s to the
1950s presented by the Depot
Museum. February 17 at 7pm
at Tannery Pond Center – Jim Schaefer presentation on
Schenectady’s Women of Winter: Frederica “Freddie”
Anderson, Pioneer Ski Instructor and Lois Perret
(Schaefer), RN, The First Aid Committee (Ski Patrol)
1933. February 22 at 7pm at Tannery Pond Center –
Johnsburg Historical Society presentation on the WWII
10th Mountain Ski Division.
March 2-4 – Gore Mountain will be celebrating the first
Snow Train to arrive in North Creek. March 2 at a time
to be determined – Ski Bowl Snowshoe presented by the
North Creek Depot Museum. March 3 at 1pm at Tannery
Pond Center – Johnsburg Community Story Recording
Session and launch of Audio Walking Tour of North Creek.
For more information about these events and to stay
updated on the schedule of activities, please visit Tannery
Pond Center’s Schedule of Events: tannerypond.org.
We encourage you to join in celebrating this historic
milestone, reliving the era of the North Creek Snow
Train, and embracing the enduring spirit of winter sports
in North Creek and at Gore Mountain. Details are subject
to change, so check the Gore website for up-to-date information:
goremountain.com.