THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2014

THE SARATOGIAN

SKI SCENE

Warm weather
not a major
concern
By Dick Healy
For The Saratogian

We generally get a day or

two of warm weather in ski
season, often accompanied
by rain. It doesnt normally
come in December. This
week was a surprise.
Most skiers call this
blimp in winter the January
thaw. Rain, however, isnt as
bad as it seems once mountains have built up ample
snow base. Grooming machines can quickly work wet
hard- packed surfaces into
skiable, granular or loose
granular condition, keeping
mountains up and running
until the thaw is ended.
There will be holiday skiing at most eastern resorts.
It is always best to check
with the mountain of your
choice before heading out.
There is big news in the
regions Nordic Ski World.
Lapland Lakes Nordic Vacation Center in Benson,
has been sold. According
to Lapland s Ann Hirvonen,
wife of Laplands founder/
owner, Olavi, The new
owners, Kathryn and Paul
Zahray, formerly of Matawan, N J had been Lapland customers for over 17
years
Sugarbush Resort in
Warren, Vt. announced

it has made Significant

changes to its uphill travel
policy this winter. For example, skiers and riders are
permitted to hike or ski before and after operating
hours at both mountains
on designated trails. The
policy states, Those interested will be required to
pick up a free uphill travel
pass from Guest Services
prior to the first time they
skin or hike. The pass will
be valid all season. Sugarbush will host a forum in
Castleton Pub on Saturday,
Jan 11 to share the policy
with the community.
You can get more information and a full description of what to know before skinning or hiking at
Sugarbush, plus a review of
the rules skinners and hikers must adhere to, by visiting (winter trail use policy) on Sugarbushs website.
If you havent visited
Sugarbush, and its sister
mountain, Mt Ellen, lately,
youre in for a real treat. It
has some of the best-maintained trails in Vermont. It
also has a rich skiing history. Renowned Olympic
skier, Stein Eriksen, one ran
its ski school, and it hosted
to the mens and womens U.
S. National Alpine Championships in 1970.

NEW YORK SKI REPORT

Belleayre: Tue 4:52 pm MG machine
groomed 12-45 base 24 of 50 trails 48%
open, 7 of 8 lifts, Mon-Fri: 9a-4p Sat/
Sun: 9a-4p
Brantling Ski Slopes: Mon 7:36 pm loose
granular machine groomed 5-17 base 2
of 9 trails, 23% open, 2 of 6 lifts, MonThu: 4p-9p Fri: 4p-10p Sat: 9a-9p Sun:
9a-5p Dec 24: 9a-5p Dec 25: Not open Dec
26: 9a-10p
Bristol Mountain: Mon 4:15 pm MG
machine groomed 10-36 base 15 of 34
trails 45% open, 4 of 6 lifts, sm Mon-Fri:
9a-10p Sat/Sun: 8a-10p Dec 24: 9a-4p
Dec 25: 12p-6p
Buffalo Ski Club: Plan to Open 1/2
Dry Hill: Sun Reopen 12/24 MG machine
groomed 6-30 base 1 of 7 trails 15%
open, 1 of 3 lifts, sm Wed-Fri: 5p-10p Sat:
10-10p Sun: 10a-5p Open Wed-Sun
Four Seasons: Tue 6:07 am packed
powder machine groomed 2-10 base 3 of
6 trails 50% open, 2 of 2 lifts, sm Thu/Fri:
5p-9p Sat/Sun: 12p-4:30p Dec 24: 10a-5p
Dec 25: Not open Dec 26-Jan 4: 10a-5p
Open Thu-Sun
Gore Mountain: Tue 3:11 pm wet granular machine groomed 10-28 base 33 of
103 trails 33% open, 16 miles, 192 acres,
5 of 15 lifts, sm Mon-Fri: 8:30a-4p Sat/
Sun: 8:30a-4p
Greek Peak: Tue 3:09 pm loose granular
8-26 base 12 of 32 trails 38% open, 4 of
8 lifts, Mon-Thu: 8:30a- 4pFri: 8:30a-10p
Sat: 8:30a-10p Sun: 8:30a-9p
Holiday Mountain: Plan to Open 12/27
Holiday Valley: Tue 3:31 pm MG machine
groomed 6-22 base 18 of 58 trails 32%
open, 7 of 13 lifts, sm Mon-Fri: 9a-10p
Sat/Sun: 8:30a-10p Dec 24: 9a-4:30p Dec
25: 12p-10p
HoliMont: Plan to Open 12/25
Hunter Mountain: Tue 3:15 pm wet
packed snow machine groomed 12-48
base 43 of 58 trails 75% open, 6 of 10
lifts, Mon-Fri: 9a-4p Sat/Sun: 8:30a-4p
Kissing Bridge: Plan to Open 12/26
Labrador Mountain: Mon 8:58 am MG
machine groomed 4-24 base 6 of 22 trails
28% open, 2 of 6 lifts, sm Mon-Fri: 9a-9p
Sat/Sun: 9a-9p
Maple Ski Ridge: Mon 3:15 pm MG
machine groomed 1-30 base 3 of 8 trails
38% open, 17 acres, 2 of 4 lifts, sm TueFri: 3p-9p Sat: 9a-9p Sun: 9a-4p Dec 24:
9a-4p Dec 25: Not open
McCauley: Mon 8:23 am packed powder
machine groomed 12-22 base 8 of 23
trails, 35% open 2 of 5 lifts, sm Mon,
Wed-Fri: 9a-4:15p Sat/Sun: 9a-4:15p
Open Wed-Mon;
Mount Peter: Mon Reopen 12/26 MG machine groomed 10-30 base sm Mon-Thu:
9a-6p Fri 9a-9p Sat/Sun: 8:30a-5p
Oak Mountain: Sun Reopen 12/26 hard
packed machine groomed 6-24 base 7
of 22 trails 37% open, 2 of 3 lifts, sm Fri:
9a-4p Sat/Sun: 9a-4p Open Fri-Sun
Peekn Peak: Mon 8:17 pm packed
powder machine groomed 12-30 base
15 of 27 trails 56% open, 3 of 10 lifts, sm
Mon-Thu: 9:30a-9p Fri: 9:30a-10p Sat:
8:30a-10p Sun: 8:30a-9p
Plattekill: Tue Reopen 12/26 MG machine
groomed 10-20 base 5 of 38 trails 2 of 4
lifts, sm Fri: 8:45a-4:15p Sat/Sun: 8:45a4:15p Open Fri-Sun Dec 26-Jan 4: open
Royal Mountain: Tue 6:24 am wet packed
snow machine groomed 6-30 base 8 of 16
trails 50% open, 2 of 3 lifts, sm Sat/Sun:
9a-4p Dec 24: open Dec 25: Not open Dec
26-Jan 2: open Open Sat/Sun

Sawkill Family Ski Center: Plan to Open

12/26
Snow Ridge: Sun Reopen 12/26 packed
powder machine groomed 24-24 base 5
of 22 trails 23% open, 3 of 6 lifts, sm Sat/
Sun: 10a-4p Open Sat/Sun
Song Mountain: Mon 9:01 am packed
powder machine groomed 6-46 base 14
of 24 trails 59% open, 2 of 5 lifts, MonWed: 10a-4p Thu-Fri: 10a-9p Sat/Sun:
9a-4:30p Dec 24: 9a-4:30p Dec 25: Not
open Dec 26: 9a-12a;
Swain: Tue 4:30 pm wet granular machine groomed 6-30 base 9 of 30 trails,
30% open 3 of 5 lifts, sm Mon, Fri: 9a-9p
Tue-Thu: 4p-9p Sat/Sun: 9a-9p Dec 24:
9a-4p Dec 25: Not open
Titus Mountain: Mon 4:53 pm MG machine groomed 18-40 base 50 of 50 trails
100% open, 8 of 10 lifts, sm Mon-Wed:
9:30a-4:30p Thu/Fri: 9:30a-10p Sat: 9a10p, Sun: 9a-4:30p
Toggenburg: Mon 12:42 am MG machine
groomed 10-48 base 4 of 25 trails 16%
open, 3 of 5 lifts, sm Mon/Tue: 9a-4:30p
Wed-Fri: 10a-7p Sat/Sun: 9a-4:30p
Tuxedo Ridge: Sun Reopen 12/26 packed
powder machine groomed 12-24 base 3
of 9 trails 34% open, 1 of 2 lifts, sm MonFri: 1p-9p Sat: 9a-9p Sun: 9a-5p
West Mountain: Mon 11:07 pm MG
machine groomed 12-24 base 3 of 30
trails 10% open, 3 of 5 lifts, sm Mon/Tue:
3p-9p Wed-Fri: 10a-9p Sat: 8:30a-9p Sun:
8:30a-4:30p Dec 25: 12p-4:30p Dec 26-27:
8:30a-9p Dec 28: 8:30a-4:30p Dec 29-Jan
3: 8:30a-9p
Whiteface: Tue 9:40 am 2 new wet
granular machine groomed 15-26 base
50 of 86 trails 58% open, 13 miles, 136
acres, 8 of 11 lifts, sm Mon-Fri: 8:30a-4p
Sat-Sun: 8:30a-4p
Willard Mountain: Tue Reopen 12/26
packed powder machine groomed 6-12
base 4 of 14 trails, 29% open, 2 of 6 lifts,
sm Tue/Wed: 4p-9p Thu: 12p-9p Fri:
10a-9p Sat/Sun: 9a-4p Dec 26-31, Jan
1-02: 9a-9p
Windham Mountain: Tue 3:28 pm wet
snow 40-43 base 43 of 52 trails, 81%
open, 14 miles, 222 acres, 5 of 12 lifts,
Mon-Thu: 9a-4p Fri: 9a-8p Sat: 8a-8p
Sun: 8a-4p
Woods Valley: Tue 6:27 am MG machine
groomed 10-20 base 6 of 14 trails 43%
open, 3 of 5 lifts, sm Wed/Thu: 4p-9p Fri:
10a-9p Sat: 9a-9p Sun: 9a-4p Dec 23-24:
9a-4p Dec 25: Not open Open Wed-Sun
Cascade XC: Tue 7:00 pm loose granular
machine groomed 16-16 base 9 miles
Mon-Fri: 9a-5p Sat/Sun: 9a-5p
Cunninghams Ski Barn XC: Fri No Recent
Information hard packed machine
groomed 6-8 base 6 miles Mon-Fri: 9a-4p
Sat/Sun: 9a-4p
Garnet Hill Lodge XC: Tue 8:57 am 2 new
wet packed snow machine groomed 3-9
base 14 of 34 trails, 25 miles Mon-Thu:
9a-4p Fri: 9a-5p Sat/Sun: 9a-5p
Lapland Lake XC: Tue 6:35 am 1 new
packed powder machine groomed 3-7
base 15 of 17 trails, 21 miles Mon-Fri:
10a-4:30p Sat/Sun: 9a-4:30p
Olympic Sports Complex XC: Tue 8:15
am 1 new wet packed snow machine
groomed 4-8 base 15 of 15 trails, 31
miles Mon-Fri: 9a-4p Sat/Sun: 9a-4p
Osceola Tug Hill XC: Tue 6:53 am wet
snow 4-6 base 18 of 18 trails, 25 miles
Mon-Fri: 10a-5p Sat/Sun: 10a-5p Dec 25:
Not open

COMMUNITY SPORTS BRIEFS

Skidmore College Exercise
and Nutrition Study: Dr. Paul
Arciero, Director of the Human Nutrition and Metabolism
Laboratory and Professor of
Health and Exercise Sciences
at Skidmore College and his research team are conducting a 12
week exercise and nutrition study
at Skidmore College.Participants
must be healthy and currently
exercising men and women
between the ages of 25-55 years
old. Dr. Arciero and his team
will be conducting the study at
Skidmore College beginning in
January 2015.
If you or someone you know may
be interested in volunteering to
be a participant in this exciting exercise and nutrition study,
please attend an information
meeting on January 6 from 7-8
p.m. in Gannett Auditorium on
the Skidmore College campus.
Please e-mail Dr. Arcieros research coordinator, Matt McCrary
at jmccrary@skidmore.edu or
parciero@skidmore.edu and let
him know you plan on attending.
The study will be limited to 60
participants. All participants who
successfully complete the study
will be compensated $150.
Saratoga Blue Streaks Alumni

Basketball Game: The Saratoga

Springs Boys Basketball Booster
Club will host the first annual
Alumni Basketball Game on Dec.
27 at noon. All Saratoga basketball alumni are invited to play, the
honorees at this game will be the
1988 team which won the Section II championship, regionals
and made it to the state semis.
The public is welcome to watch.
For more information contact
Ty Stacey at 366-0067 or
acccoach@aol.com.
First Night Saratoga 5K Run:
The 17th annual First Night
Saratoga 5K Run, presented by
Saratoga Arts, will be held on
Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 5:30
PM. The race is limited to 1,500
registrants. Awards are given to
the top three male and female,
plus age category awards.
Registration fee is $30. Register
on-line at www.saratoga-arts.
org for further information call
584-4132.
Capitalland Boys Lacrosse
Program: Capitalland Lacrosse
will be running boys lacrosse
programs this winter on starting the week of Jan. 4 running
through Feb. 22. For more information go to capitallandlacrosse.
com or e-mail Chad@capitallandlacrosse.com.

26 shirts
FROM PAGE 1

like that, said the Bills

fan. Buffalo Magazine,
back in September did a
piece on us and they interviewed some of the people
that weve helped and one
mom said Weve only met
Del face-to-face once, hes a
member of our family. And
that choked me up. Thats
a big thing to say.
Reid has done everything in his efforts to keep
26 Shirts completely local,
from partnering with a
Buffalo-based t-shirt company YouAndWho, which
takes care of the printing and donations side of
the project, to the artists
who design the shirts and
to the beneficiaries each
shirt supports. With Dan
Gigante and YouAndWho
behind the production of
the shirts and the monetary side of the operations,
Reid is able to control the
creative side of the project
working behind each tshirt design with the beneficiaries, players and artists.
The first shirt designed
to kick off the 26 Shirts
campaign on Nov. 11, 2013
was centered around Bills
wide receiver Marquise
Goodwin and benefited
Amber Lunn, a two-yearold girl in Buffalo diagnosed with retinoblastoma.
It just all came together
so perfectly and somebody
came forward with a design, Reid said. The shirt
was well-liked and we sold
a bunch of them, and we
were able to raise some
money for the Lunn family. It has just kind of snowballed from there.
While 26 Shirts has been
a huge success in western New York, some of the
Buffa-love has even made
its way to the Capital Region. Local artist Sean
Pruso designed the 19th
of the first 26 shirts in volume one a Bruce Smith
themed t-shirt.
As soon as Del had an-

PHOTO PROVIDED

Buffalo Sabres forward Matt Moulson shows off his

Bruce Smith themed 26 Shirts t-shirt designed by
Albany-native Sean Pruso.
nounced that he was going
to embark on this project,
I sent him a message letting him know that whenever he needs me that I was
available to design a shirt,
Pruso said. He already had
some designs in queue, so
I just kept reminding him
that I was available to do a
design whenever he needed
it. He didnt have a Bruce
design yet in the queue so
that was an easy one to
go for because I had been
working on that.
Prusos Bruce Smith
shirt was such a success
that it sold the third-most
shirts at the time of its retirement, selling 247, and
12th overall.
Sean did a great job,
Reid said. I was excited to
work with him. Ive known
him (for the past couple of
years) and it was great to
actually work with him on
a design after being friends
on Twitter for so long. That
was really cool to be able
to do that, and we have another design that were going to be working on in the
future.
Not only has Pruso gotten involved with 26 Shirts
as an artist, but Lathamnative Kyle Sharp and UAl-

bany senior Schwartzberg

have helped the cause by
each purchasing multiple
shirts.
I really like the shirts,
Sharp said. Im a big Sabres and Bills fan, so anytime you can get cool shirts
like that its always cool to
get those.
This is going towards
a great cause helping people in need. Its one thing
to buy team merchandise
and have it go to the team,
but any chance you get to
kind of contribute and help
people out who really are
in need is kind of nice to
see that money go towards
something like that.
Reids 26 Shirts has been
such a hit, that the campaign has already hit its
second year and is branching out to its second city
looking to release their first
shirt in Chicago by the end
of the year.
Chicago being the thirdlargest city in the United
States, having so much
material and subject matter available to us it was
kind of a no-brainer, Reid
said. And we already had
the leads we have with artists and stuff like that.
Reids ef for ts have

| SPORTS | 5
C

even grabbed the attention of some of the professional athletes in Buffalo.

Bills kicker Dan Carpenter matched the donation
of every shirt ordered on
Giving Tuesday and donated 10 autographed photographs to be sent to 10
random people who ordered shirts that day. Carpenter isnt the only Buffalo
athlete that has joined in to
support 26 Shirts efforts.
Each week Sabres forward
Matt Moulson covers the
cost of three random customerss purchases.
The NFL gets such a
rap, the players get such a
bad rap, and there are some
bad apples in the NFL.
There are some bad apples in society, Reid said.
Thats all it is, its just a
reflection, a magnification, of society. There are
some good players, some
guys with some big hearts.
Some guys that understand
the position theyre in and
they want to use it and just
maximize their celebrity
status to give back. For every Ray Rice Ive got a Dan
Carpenter, a Matt Moulson
and a Thurman Thomas to
match you.
At the end of the day, the
people from 26 Shirts and
folks in the Buffalo sports
community are just trying
to make a difference in the
lives of those who need it.
I think weve seen
this year that the Buffalo
(sports) community is always there for each other,
Pruso said. With everything that happened with
Jim Kelly, the sale of the
team, the emotion that
went with the sale of the
team knowing that they
were going to stay, the way
people helped each other
out in the snow storm and
the stories you hear about
that and then the whole
Darryl Talley thing.
Its just a testament of
what Bills fans are. Every
fan base can say Oh, were
the best fans out there. I
dont know, maybe Im biased, but I think the Bills
fans are the best.

LOCAL ROUNDUP

Case goes for 36 against Schuylerville

Staff Reports
sports@saratogian.com
@SaratogaSports on Twitter

to a 69-51 win.
Jessica James added 13
points for the Witches, and
Sabrina Whitehouse netted 10 of her own.
Schuylerville was led
by Raegan Woodcocks 19
points. Emily Vallee spotted 10 for the Black Horses.

Alexis
Case picked up right
where she left off in Greenwich girls basketballs first
meeting with Schuylerville. Case finished with
36 points Tuesday night, SHENENDEHOWA 60, TROY
matching her point total 35 >> Sydney Brown refrom the first meeting be- corded a double-double in
tween the two teams on the Lady Plainsmens 60Dec. 6, to lead the Witches 35 win over Troy, Tuesday
SCHUYLERVILLE >>

night. Brown had 20 points

to go along with 15 rebounds on the night. Carly
Boland finished with 15
points and nine rebounds.
Shenendehowa is now 6-0
in the Suburban Council,
and 7-0 overall. They play
Bishop Kearney on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. as part of
the Amsterdam Holiday
Showcase hosted at Amsterdam High School.
Troy was paced by Kianna Pattersons 14-point

per for ma nc e , including four 3-pointers in the

game.
SCHENECTADY 35, BURNT
HILLS-BALLSTON LAKE 27

Yatatiana Tirado led the

Lady Patriots over Burnt
Hills-Ballston Lake, 35-27,
Tuesday night. The sophomore finished with a teamhigh 10 points. Molly Gallagher led the Spartans with
a game-high 11 points.
>>