Garnet Hill Lodge (The Adventure)

'Thousand Words

2012-02-25T04:47:00.002-08:00

Sometimes I am a complex Ski Director of many words.

Sometimes a simple picture says a whole lot more...

What does this picture say to you?

Presidents' Week Cross Country Skiing

2012-02-19T09:11:00.001-08:00

Over the weekend Jay and Adam took some nice video of the ski conditions here.

On Wednesday, our new friends Dave Nuding and his buddy Patton serenaded everyone in the dining room with some great playing and singing.

On Saturday, Mindy and I took a ski down to the lake that was a lot of fun. Here are some pics:

Thirteenth Lake

Interesting Tree

Trail signs

Encounter others on the Trail while it snows

Ready to go

Going to the Lake

Out on the Lake

One Snow white Thirteenth Lake

Back at the Ski Shop

Out on the snowy trail

President's Week at GHL after Champagne and Chocolate Valentine's Day

2012-02-15T18:11:00.000-08:00

And so we're gearing up for President's week now. We have a variety of events planned for the week. Our trails continue to hold up for skiing and we're optimistic that we'll get some additional snow coming in by the weekend.

Things get kicked off on Friday the 17th with the Adirondack Blue Grass band playing for us from 7 to 9pm.

On Monday the 20th: OTTG Penny Readers 2:00pm to 4:00pm (Family Room) Several actors from our local Our Town Theater Group will read a selection of interesting tales (appropriate for ages 13+).

Wine Tasting – Suhru Wines – 4 – 6 p.m. -- $10 per person. Wine Makers Russell & Susan Hearn will be here to talk about their North Fork Long Island Vineyard, we’ll serve some light hors d’oeuvres and taste the wines. Richard Annis of Martin Scott Wines will also offer a taste of several by-the-bottle offerings from our wine list. Reservations Requested.

Tuesday, February 21st: Milda Burns – 4 – 5 p.m. She'll talk and entertain us with her colorful recollections about the history of the area, going back at least a few years but we can't say exactly how many.

Wednesday, February 22nd: OTTG Penny Readers return 2-4pm

Thursday, February 23rd: Milda Burns – 4 – 5 p.m.

Friday, February 24th: 9:30am Naturalist Judith Harper will lead a trek to William Blake Pond; OTTG Penny Readers 2-4pm; and 6pm to 9pm Singer and Guitarist Jen Gadway will perform at the Lodge.

Saturday, February 25th: Wine Tasting – Suhru Wines – 4-5 p.m.

Valentine's Day

And we had a wonderful evening at the Lodge on Valentine's day. More than 80 great people celebrated with us for dinner and a number stayed for the night. Here are a few pics taken by Mary Irene Lee with her group of friends from Minerva, NY.

Jack and Judy Vanderwalker

Frank and Carol Herbst and mother Florence

Mary Irene and Robbie

Yours Truly Serenading at the piano

Carol and Florence

Carl and Shirley Olden

Cliff Welz and Pat Conner

Don and Mindy

2012-02-09T17:38:00.000-08:00

Today is our two month anniversary of running the Lodge. It's a big day for us. We've done a lot in those 2 months, and we've learned how much more there is to be done.
Here are just some of the things we've done. Guests may be aware of some but most things are behind the scenes. They're not in any special order, just the order that they occur to me.

Hired and trained a staff of 30.
Cleaned the premises from top to bottom.
Painted.
Got the Ski Shop up and running.
Got the grooming equipment and vehicles fixed and ready.
Got all the necessary insurance in place.
Redesigned table settings with new plates, tablecloths, silverware and glasses.
Cleaned out cluttered rooms and closets
Created menus and wine lists
Established staff procedures and standards for service and room cleaning.
Established an accounting system
Obtained a temporary liquor license
Established a long list of suppliers for food, fuel, soda, beer, wine, utilities, repair services.
Established a payroll system
Fixed numerous problems with plumbing, electrical, heating, security and kitchen systems.
Established a credit card processing system
Established a computer network
Fixed broken appliances
Winterized pipes and plumbing
Set up and executed advertising and marketing plans.
Established a music system.
Decorated for Christmas.
Redesigned the dining room layout and flow.
Redecorated porches and dining room

So we're proud of what we've accomplished and our guests have been very happy and complimentary of what we've done, but we know there's still a long way to go. And I know there are things I've left off the list and there are lots of things we don't know we need to do yet. But in another few months I'll write down another list of things we've accomplished and then a few months after that another list. And so on...

Hold Outs

2012-02-09T10:23:00.001-08:00

Contrary to what many people may think (those seeing grass in their front yards), there is still snow around to ski on, and a good bit of it just so happens to be right here at Garnet Hill. Not bragging, mind you -- this season is definitely not one to brag about. Just fortunate for our location, elevation, and grooming. We are amongst a few North American Nordic ski center hold-outs with still ski-able conditions. And it has been really pleasant with nice snow, even nicer guests and experiences, and the refreshing charm of being in the heart of the Adirondack mountains.

This season has been fun, but it has also been one with frustration on many fronts; grooming carefully to make nice conditions but trying so hard to not lose any precious base, watching weather forecasts and seeing potential snowfall events repeatedly downgrade, watching the warm sunlight which brings warmth and lightness of heart also eat in to our precious ski base. All of these things are so incredibly impacting in the delicate balance of creating and maintaining the ski conditions you expect from us, and weathering the lack of, well, weather.

Through it all, there have been many more great moments. Seeing people enjoying themselves on the trails is great. Skiing and talking with you all, taking photos and shooting video is fun and pleasantly social. Hearing all of their stories on the Roger's Road shuttle is enjoyable. Teaching lessons and witnessing skiers improve moment by moment is incredible, especially since they'll remember the instructional points in every ski thereafter. Watching the future develop in front of our eyes with the regional school racing teams in training and at the race we had is inspiring and fulfilling in so many ways, and a reward to us knowing that they'll grow into better students, citizens and individuals though their intense efforts and team structure.

All of this is possible because you are able to get out on snow, get to ski, get out into the Adirondack wilderness here and get to create your own adventures and make your own tracks. We are lucky to have you visit and lucky to have nice conditions for your enjoyment. We'll hold out for more snow, and it looks like some is indeed coming our way for this weekend. More great skiing and more great adventures to behold. Believe it -- we have snow, we have good skiing, and you'll have a great time. We'll see you out on the trails!

Moose Run Groom

Softening Afternoon Snow -- Bobcat Trail

Taking a break during Skate lessons with expert instructor Adam (in black)

Last ride of the day -- Roger's Road Bus

Ski Race

2012-02-03T07:35:00.000-08:00

Yes, at Garnet Hill Lodge

we have snow on the ground

and buses in the parking lot

and kids in the Ski Shop

and kids outside the Ski Shop

who like to cross country ski and compete in races.

Cross Country Ski Race Held at Garnet Hill Lodge - 2/2/12

Good Bye Friend, Hello Friend

2012-02-01T16:07:00.000-08:00

As you may or may not have witnessed on skis, we have been blessed the last couple of weekends with great skiing. Really, I mean really nice mid-winter conditions, grooming and snow surfaces, thanks due to the little snow cycle we were in and our veteran groomer Dale Monthony. Watching the weather, however, we knew some rain was coming and we had done all that we could to prepare and insulate our precious ski-base, including closing the trail system for Wednesday. Sure enough, some precipitation had come in the overnight, raindrops dripped off the roof, rain soaked into our fresh packed powder snow, rain dampened my normally impenetrable spirit (just a little). No such thing as wet powder -- it was wet, plain and simple. Working in the quiet shop, I was encouraged when the local Senior Snowshoe group of about 25 came in for their planned hike. They were unaffected by the weather, and I liked that -- they are a vivacious bunch of kids at heart. They organized and filtered out in groups onto our snowshoe trail system and it became quiet again. Too quiet -- I was glum, in the dumps, I was saying goodbye to the wonderful winter powdery conditions we so thoroughly enjoyed just 24 hours previous, like saying goodbye to a close friend.

Sitting at the computer doing my work, I was intermittently aware of the tap tap tap outside, the relentless quiet drip of water off the roof, steady as a metronome. Though the rain had stopped, it was still warm and snow was melting on the roof panels. My mind and eye were drawn away from the tasks at hand, looking outside throughout the day, doing ski shop-guy kinds of things but wanting to be doing ski-guy kinds of things, lamenting the transformation of all of that nice soft fluffy powder. While working through the tasks of answering emails, ordering products, getting race details set, sanding parking lots and other such things, my mind kept wandering, drifting way off over the ridge just outside the shop walls. Toward the end of the day it was bleak as I lost all concentration. The draw was inescapable -- it was time to go.

At times when my restlessness gets the best of me, I often make haste and head for the hills. As I caved into my desire to ski, I figured the best soft snow would be on the backcountry Botheration Pond loop via William Blake Pond -- it had just been transformed to mashed potato snow, perfectly ripe for my Madshus Epoch backcountry fat skis. Now, being the responsible ski-shop guy that I am, I do my best to preach preparedness and safety to all skiers. Being the restless ski-guy that I am, I just grabbed my trusty backcountry skis and split. No water, no backpack, no headlamp; just jeans and a light in my heart -- just the kind of stuff that makes my friendly Forest Ranger Steve shake his head... I wasn't even sure what time it was, other than that it was time to go.

I had been itching to get into the backcountry for some time now. I've often said that one of the greatest things about our little slice of Adirondack heaven here is our proximity to the wilderness area. Though we do have an exceptional groomed Nordic ski trail system, beyond our facility is yet more opportunity for you for boundless adventure on skis and snowshoes, right from our door! It is a special place to me, and climbing up past William Blake Pond, soft camber skis gripping the wet snow and springing me forward, the feel underfoot was wholly different from my skating skis on our groomed trails. It was soft, it was heavy, it sloshed off the tops of my skis and enveloped the wide baskets of my poles as they sunk through, the canopy of trees overhead welcoming, opening a line of sight as I crested the beaver pond just above William Blake. Skiing back here is uniquely different: singletrack width, dips and rises, obstacles to navigate, different technique and different skis. At it's element, it is sliding around on skis. In the moment, it is the deep flex of the skis through dips and off-cambers, crossing a frozen pond, bounding uphill, slicing through trees downhill milking speed and momentum from the undulations of the ground. Boundless tract, pushing the confines of your abilities and imagination, stretching the apexes of turns and slinking though rock outcrops and decision-making, the smell of pine and snow and moss on trees.

At the intersection for Halfway Brook Trail, I've got to either go for it or turn around. Turn right and I am committed to a nearly 5 mile trail that would bring me out to Old Farm Road intersection ( and still over 2 ski miles away from the shop from there). Turn around and I'll be disappointed that I gave up. The trail to here has had pretty good coverage at this point, except where the pines were thick. Going forward would be more of the same, with less and less light. I take that into consideration and press onward, slinking into a sequence of really fun mellow downhills with nice turns and gentle climbs. I have skied this trail so many times in the dark last season, it's familiar flow and feel like a good friend rediscovered. Though thin of cover and with a little more challenging obstacles, I do my best to remain in control on the technical downhills with good line choice and reactions. One mistake and I'll really know I am out here by myself. A few more technical sections later and I begin to second guess my decision. Atop a scratchy descent with rock features to navigate, I finally decide to pull the plug and turn back. It is getting too late, and the consequences are too high (like missing a fabulous dinner in the Lodge from Chef Andy!). And, after all, I have to maintain control and be safe and responsible (and get back for grooming in the AM).

During my return I stop on the ice on the beaver pond. Clearly the weather is changing. The wind had been picking up the whole time and is now howling, moody low clouds are rushing by. There is an intensity, an urgency to it all. Where I had ascended just an hour ago in just my shirt, I don my jacket and sleet pellets bounce off of the stiff weatherproof fabric. The snow had been minutely changing in feel as well, tightening ever so minutely with the incoming descent in temperature. Standing there watching the trees wave overhead, listening to the wind weave its way through the pines, the world around a constant morphing change in its stillness. I shiver -- time to depart, climb up past the Hooper Mine for a look at the mountains beyond, then complete the loop back to the shop. Winter has so many faces here, so many places to become sweetly lost within, so much to absorb and experience and just be.

Winter temperatures have returned overnight after yesterday's brief warmup, and we're back to work this morning. Dale has been out grooming again since first light, and says the snow is tilling up nicely. Today (Thursday 2/2) we're hosting an invitational High School ski race featuring the regions finest athletes -- lots of action and lots of spectator access. We'll also begin running Roger's Road bus pick-ups this weekend, so you'll get to ski all of our lower terrain with a guiltless ride back, conditions permitting. Please call the shop for details. Through the weekend we are expecting nice temperatures, a little new snow Friday and Sunday, and lots of sun scattered about for your adventure. With winter conditions, expect great skiing and snowshoe trekking conditions and lots of room to spread out upon our extensive ski and snowshoe trail systems. When you're done, sink back into the ski shop fireside couch with a bowl of hot chili or soup, or complete your Adirondack adventure with a fireside dinner in the Lodge. A few cozy rooms are still available should you want to stick around a while (if so, pack your headlamp for night skiing).

Now, since I've got you primed for backcountry trekking with my little after work adventure, we do have a fine selection of Madshus and Fischer backcountry skis and packages available with pleasant discounts that will get you out there. And back. And we've got the terrain to use them in. You see, the adventure never ends when you are up here. Yes it is sliding around on snow on skis, but it is something much more than that. It is the light in your heart it produces -- that feeling that you belong here, the lift in energy and elation upon snow as your skis glide forward. Make your own tracks, create your own adventure!

By the way, Dale did see his shadow this morning, so I have assured him of many more weeks of grooming...

The Tailings -- which way do you want to go?

Forest Reveal at the Beaver Pond

Moody skies on the way back, winter pushing back in.

South rim of the Hooper Mine.

Sweet Solitude

2012-01-26T17:13:00.001-08:00

If you've read my earlier posts, you know that I like to go out to ski at night a lot. There is something special about slinking about after dark in the wilderness that I really enjoy, and most of the time it is with a group. This winter has been pretty lean as far as snowfall is concerned, so when it started snowing today just before closing, my spirits perked up as I knew I would be skate-skiing tonight, Thursday night, all by and for myself. Looping out at dusk via Old Faithful Trail upon a velvet bed of fresh new powdery snow, it was clear that conditions underfoot were really nice. It was also obvious that the Johnsburg Ski Team was skiing hard in their training earlier this afternoon as their tracks were telltale -- wiiiide, long strokes of V-2 skating strides and chopped up snow from braking and turning where Bobcat Trail's downhill crosses Old Faithful eluded to the speed and intensity of their workout. But, tonight, it was just me and the trails and the falling snow. I proceeded to casual skate out and back on Andy's run and up Blue Jay Way, then back to my cottage to drop a layer and put on a headlamp -- I was inspired!

Looping out Old Faithful brought me to Bobcat again, and I descended that to Trapper down into Harvey's Tailings. In the dark, it was a kind of white-out as my powerful light illuminated the driving snow, blinding my progress. The falling snow was stinging my eyes as I picked up speed, and I had to really concentrate on the feel underfoot. Down in the Tailings I decided to ascend Lower Duffany's Run and take Lower Solitude toward the Sugarhouse trails. Gliding though Solitude's thick canopy of towering hemlock, birch and pine is such a beautiful thing; doing it by myself in the night always becomes a little eerie, however. There are noises down there, strange ones, real or imagined movements in the woods and energy that causes the hair on the back of my neck to stand at attention. There are always tracks, and the occasional sets of eyes glowing from the woods, the yellow piercing sharp eyes of coyotes being the most startling. I know they are just watching, though...

Back to Trapper trail and the long climb back to the shop. The snow was blissful and invigorating, silently falling and muting the sound and softening the glide of my trusty old skis. Ascending Trapper is an exercise in form -- form maintains momentum, form leads to efficiency, a shadowy form moving not so far off in the periphery of my headlamp turning it's head and blinking reflective eyes! Stopping to listen to the soft sound of paws pattering through the snow, barely discernible over the sound of my heart thumping from exertion and excitement. Back to the task at hand and back up to Old Faithful, animal tracks crossing my tracks in the snow, strange noises from animals not seen calling out from not so far off in the dark. The woods are alive, and whole 'nother world all around here at night.

Skiing can be such a workout, but it is also such a great opportunity to commune with nature on so many levels. Tonight's motivation was driven purely by the elation brought on by the falling of new snow. From our youth through to adulthood, that magic never ceases -- it only gets more powerful! I just hope it continues to pile up through the night bringing some much deserved accumulation to us for the morning. We shall see. (Ed. Note: It did not last, alas we got rain...)

Come on up and make your own tracks -- we'll see you out on the trails.

Night skiing, snow falling.

Personal powder solitude on Lower Solitude.

Tracks in the powder that were not there when I'd passed earlier.
What could it be?

Perspectives

2012-01-21T19:59:00.000-08:00

What is your perception of this cross country skiing thing? Slinking about with friends on the groomers? Skating around at maximum heart rate and drilling technique technique technique? Or is it the silent solitude of backcountry trekking? Whatever your passion, there is always another tweak, another adventure, a whole new perspective to unfold around the next corner. Sharing that amongst friends is what I like most about being here, the collective energy and discovery of being in the woods, on snow, on skis.

This past Saturday night I went skiing with friends and season pass holders Peter and Beth after a fabulous dinner together at the Lodge. While sitting around the big stone fireplace plotting our strategy, it occurred to me that the options were limitless, right from here --no driving. The Plan: a late night ski down to and across 13th Lake to make echoes, then ski out to Elizabeth Point and return via Old Farm Road, no matter that it was nearly 10 below out! We set off into the dark down to the beach headlamps blazing, the world around a glistening white surreal winter scene fading to deep night outside the periphery of the beam, crisp air frosting your cheeks, gliding through the trees down to the lake. At the beach meant lights off, and we set out across as our eyes adjusted to the deeply purple moonless starlit sky. Overhead the Milky Way shimmered in a slushy state of frozen suspension, twinkling sharp blinking stars all around. There hung Orion, one of the Dippers, bold planets and an epic horizon ringed by Big and Little 13th Mountain, and the Balm of Gilead Mountain and unspoiled by light and sound pollution. Whooping out sharp loud yelps resulted in tremendous echoes far back into the mountains and all the way down around the lake. There is something spectacular about standing deep in the belly of the valley out on the middle of frozen 13th Lake, those mountains towering about and marvelling at the breadth of the clear sky during a windless silent still frozen evening. It is the under weight of the universe at these moments that you fully experience our remote wilderness splendor.

Skiing out the few miles to Elizabeth Point was wonderful natural light night lake navigation, gliding silently slinking along, feeling your nostrils freeze shut for a split second as you inhaled deeply. We paused numerous times to search the sky and make more echoes, seeking the familiar landmarks to guide our progress, chuckling at how our speech became more comical as our faces got colder. Climbing up and out to the Old Farm Road created comfortable warmth and lead to the nearly effortless night glide back to the start. Everyone had their own perspective of our little adventure: mine came while ascending Hagan trail to Andy's Run, experiencing the frost on my collar tingling my cheeks and watching my breath turn to frozen vapor as it whisked upward through my headlight's beam. It is amazing here, and sharing it all with friends is the best part of being here!

Come on out and make your own tracks, freeze them into your memory and breathe in the splendor of our wilderness location while spreading the winter joy. And don't forget to pack your headlamp -- the fun never stops here, and the Ski Director never sleeps...

Peter and Beth on Bobcat Trail, plus a Skullbuster bonus

Old Faithful Trail flyer

Skiing in full swing

2012-01-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

Well it's been a busy week or so. Last weekend we had a good snow and the trails were in great shape and the skiers were all very happy and excited about everything. Then came some rain and wind that rendered the trails not so good, but still skiable. Then last night we got a couple of more inches of fresh powder so we're in good shape for some great skiing this weekend.

In addition to some great pictures we are planning to add video of conditions and activities here at the lodge and out on the trails.

Here's a few from today:

That's me.

And that's Mindy

Doesn't she look good?

And here's the dork.

More tomorrow!

New Adventures in Snowfall

2012-01-19T09:34:00.000-08:00

Late night winter weather advisories are always seriously watched by me, hoping any accumulation would add to our base and help to extend our season and just help out. We've had a pretty crazy mix of weather and I knew this past Tuesday's storm would be coming in wet and possibly changing to sleet/freezing rain. I always check right outside my kitchen window first thing in the morning, first light. Imagine my surprise, then, when getting up and getting a drink, bleary eyed and crooked with fatigue that morning that I would be greeted with an unusual and not predicted powder storm. Perhaps I interpreted all the national weather forecasters' interpretations wrong. Perhaps the incredible professional local weathermen (accuweather and weather.com, which I use, are good for general but oftentimes not detailed enough for our daily local) were wrong for once; an Adirondack anomaly. Perhaps instead of looking to the forecasters for weather this morning, I should have checked atop my 'fridge. For when I opened my eyes, and the 'fridge, I was greeted with the lightest most puffiest fluff powder first thing. First light and first tracks -- unfortunately they were in my house and looked like footprints -- the tracks were from my bare feet and the vacuum became my snow blower as fluff powder was actually just full, open, bag of flour.....

As I've said in the past, life is one big adventure here at Garnet Hill. Be it on site or off site, our proximity to so much and such diverse Adirondack recreational opportunity really is incredible and being able to return to the warm cozy fireplace at the Lodge overlooking 13th Lake is the perfect recharge. We are all here for the adventure, and there is so much to choose from.

One adventure we don't have a choice in, no matter how much we'd like, is the weather. Sometimes it is our best friend (like when it is dumping powder), sometimes not (like when it is 28 degrees and sleeting), but like an old friend, it is always there. This season has been tough weather- and snowfall-wise, but we have been luckier than most with getting snow and nicely skiable conditions partly due to our elevation of nearly 2100', and partly due to our luck. For skiing, it is definitely due to our phenomenal veteran groomer Dale Monthany. He is the best, and we are fortunate to have him -- Dale's been able to work magic with less than ideal snowfall to create great skiing all around here, and our guests are happy.

For this weekend looks like we'll luck out again and get some more snow to top off the foot or so that we got last week. It will make for more phenomenal grooming, and more phenomenal skiing. Get your skis waxed, gear packed, and get set for your own new adventure! And you can tell us about it at the fireplace...

High road or low road?

First light at 14 below in the Tailings.
Second Pond backcountry trip.

Friends or not, it is always a race!

Experience

2012-01-13T20:51:00.000-08:00

While writing this at midnight tonight, the winds are howling outside and the temperatures have swung from 34 degrees this morning to single digits tonight. We've received nearly a foot of snow over the past few days, and we have been skiing like crazy in the driving snow. We've snowshoe'd, skied the groomers by day and out in the back country at night, and then across the lake last night. I've been out with local friends, lodge guests, and by myself. For all of us skiing an on snowshoes, we are all having fun, enjoying the wilderness setting here, wholly taking in the experience. That is what we provide -- an experience for you be it enchanting moonlit skies, catching falling snow on your tongue, whooping it up downhill on skis or simply reading a book by the grand fireplace in the lodge. We are so pleased that deep winter has returned to the Adirondacks with all of it's splendor, and we want you to experience it, too!

As you can imagine, it has been quite a ride the last few days with regards to weather. The new snow and climate shift is such a welcome sight, and the overall buzz and level of activity at the shop is electrifying. Seeing so much snow pile in and hanging in the trees is just the snow fix that we all needed. Sharing it with all of our old and new friends is what makes us happy.

One woman who has more experience than pretty much anyone is 85 year old firecracker and local historian Milda Burns. Milda is a wealth of local historical knowledge, culture and folklore, and she frequently gives talks at the lodge. With respect to how intertwined we are in the local garnet mining and logging industry, Milda will enchant you with her tales and historical display -- it is up to you to determine the authenticity of her folklore. Be sure to catch Milda next time she comes up.

Mid-winter conditions here at Garnet Hill, and hot soup and chili await you in the shop! Come and get it...

Seniors or not, it's always a race

Milda holding court Late night fun in the back country

Groomed for your pleasure!

2012-01-10T15:23:00.000-08:00

One thing that is nice about our little place in the Adirondacks is it's proximity to the (not so) secret stashes. We had to pull one out today as a little Monday scouting mission revealed skiable snow not too far away! Our guests were thrilled to be out on skis on nice soft snow, and a 9.5 mile trek was the the perfect way to loosen up the ski legs. For their first day on skis, they were all very happy.

Rhyme Ice in the High Peaks.

Making tracks, laughing like kids.

No slide, no fun -- glide wax time.

Taking in the view.

We made it! Time for lunch...

What is it about Garnet Hill Lodge?

2012-01-07T06:25:00.000-08:00

"What is it about Garnet Hill Lodge that interested you and convinced you to want to purchase the property"?

Since taking over the property in early December I've gotten this question quite a lot in various forms.

The answer is a little bit difficult to express because the full answer is not quite simple enough to state in just a few sentences and partial answers seem inadequate. So over time and in installments, I'll try to answer the question here and then maybe just point people to the blog anytime I'm asked in the future :)

As a preamble to why I wanted to own and run the Lodge I should say a bit about myself growing up and getting to know this area.

My Dad's parents in Germany

After growing up in Germany and emigrating to the US in 1929, my dad first came to Johnsburg in 1947 driving a 1945 Willys Army Jeep he had purchased in a Brooklyn shipyard after winning a lottery for the right to buy it for $400 dollars. The $400 dollars he'd saved up through serving in the army in WWII. After visiting the Johnsburg area several times, he settled on a 200 acre property that had been a working farm in the early part of the century. He purchased that for $800 with the help of his soon to be bride, (Mom) who worked as a seamstress in Manhattan at the time.

They're very small but these photos are

of my parents on their honeymoon in the

Adirondacks and then a later picture of

my sister Laura as a girl.

Jump ahead about 10 years to Staten Island, NY and along came me as the 5th child of the family in 1959. I don't know if my mom took me up to the camp the first summer but here is a picture of me and my older siblings my second summer. (Left to right: Roy, Laura, Fred and Carl). My younger brother Vic wasn't around yet.

So that's how it was. The family usually came up and spent the 2 weeks of vacation my father had at the camp, doing quite a bit of work to keep things maintained and adding a few amenities such as indoor plumbing. But there was always lots of other things to do: hiking through the woods, playing army, cooking food on the wood fire, hanging out in the bunkhouse, going for rides and climbing Crane Mountain.
My Mom was born, raised and has lived on Staten Island her whole life. She's now 93 and staying in a nursing home there. She taught in a special education program in the NYC school system for 20 years.

Picture of me, Dad and younger

brother Vick on a walk in the woods

Meanwhile I and my brothers would also accompany Dad on weekend trips, taking a Trailways bus on Friday night from Manhattan to Glens Falls where the old Jeep was kept in a rented garage. Then we'd drive up Route 9 at midnight with the canvas roof down if it wasn't raining or freezing, and pass through the flashing lights of Lake George at a top speed of 35 mph with the headlights barely able to reach a hundred feet in front and arrive at the camp in a mist at 2am to settle down for a brief sleep.

(Tonight my neighbor Joyce Virgil came by the Lodge for dinner with her husband Mark. Joyce and her brother Andy, who is the same age as me, were two of the best friends I had growing up in the summer here).

From then on through high school and college I spent quite a bit of time up here. My dad and I, along with my brothers managed to build a house ourselves which is quite comfortable to live in now, and over the years I've acquired a fair amount of equipment to maintain and enhance the property. I've reopened old farming and logging roads and cut new ones where needed and cleared several of the fields that used to be there.
The property is in a low lying area with great soil and so has plenty of water and several large brooks running through it with the accompanying beavers and other wild life.

The field with a winter sunrise

My nephew Joe driving the Jeep with my buddy Seth

The same field in summer driving the Jeep through.

In my next post I'll talk more about my music background and my career in software development.

Relief

2012-01-06T19:18:00.000-08:00

This season is like a relief map -- it has had it's ups and downs for sure. There seems to be a return to more seasonable weather looming here shortly -- forecasters are forecasting it, and we're hoping for it. With conditions all over the place and not the kind of January Adirondack snowpack you'd normally expect, we've been able to put more attention toward our snowshoe trail system. If you've not checked it out yet, there are some very good loops withing our property, criss crossing the ski system in many places. The change in perspective is very neat if you are used to the ski trails, and when you realize where you're at it is such a cool experience. See for yourself -- strap some on!

We re-open again for skiing in the morning. Conditions are packed powder skiing on thin early season covereage. Unfortunately not enough snow out there for track-setting. We recommend that you have an intermediate or higher level of ability. We've been massaging the new snow for the last two days to compress it to our frozen base, and it looks pretty nice (see photo below).

Shop doors open at 9:00am for tickets, rentals and retail. Ski packages are 10%ff, and we've got comfort snacks and soft goods to purchase as well. See you there!

Snap

2012-01-04T06:17:00.000-08:00

Being at Garnet Hill presents a myriad of opportunity to commune with nature. There is so much to do and see here in the Adirondack wilderness that it can be mind boggling.

Yesterday's temperatures were really cold, like Adirondack winter cold, finally! A clear atmosphere and the polar plunge of a cold-snap atmosphere makes for clearly beautiful conditions. While doing trailwork, I ventured down to the lake for the first time this season for a look-see. It is such a stunning setting down there, the basin of this big mountain valley ringed by Big and Little 13th Lake Mountains, Hour Pond Mountain and the Balm of Gilead Mountain. Directly across the lake from the beach, the waterfall is freezing up nicely -- at that spot you can blast a hearty "whoop" down-lake, and the echo bounces around off of these mountains and comes back around behind you! Try it. Yesterday I was a little timid to venture out too far, but far enough to take in the beauty, winds, and sounds. Beautiful sounds of the wind ripping past, spiraling up mini snow-cyclones, glistening in the cold dry air. Sounds of the ice cracking and shifting, the snap of the plates adjusting, slightly shifting like a slumbering giant.

With zero sound and light pollution here, the night sky is often filled with a plethora of stars. Setting my alarm for 3:15am brought me out for the peak of last night's Quadrantid Meteor Shower! Walking the trail system at night by starlight is beauty to behold. The world seems to be held in a state of frigid suspension. But there are subtle shifts and movement, animals, a world alive outside your periphery. With a clear atmosphere and temperatures below zero last night, every little sound seemed amplified. The squeak of snow, crackling or twigs, the loud snap of standing trees splitting in the bitter cold as their frozen sap or moisture cracks them. That snap is crisp, loud, startling -- it echos. The woods alive all around, meteors periodically streaking silently across the sky overhead.

On Sunday, January 1st we hosted our first event of the season. The Empire State Ski Orienteering Club held it's second annual event here. Ski-O folks are a hearty bunch, and dedicated to their craft. Set up with numbered "controls" to find in a sequence, you are given a topo-map with no trail names and it is up to you to navigate the controls in the most time-efficient manner. Aims Coney sets a real mind bender of a course -- you are presented with too many options and your decision making ability and comprehension of terrain and skiing skill is thoroughly tested, sometimes enough to make you snap.

Real winter has returned to the North Country. Seasonal temperatures abound, and we are looking to receive new snow here right through the weekend. Stay tuned...

Pan of 13th Lake.

Applying a hard day's kick-wax.

Ski-O chest harness w/map holder and compass. Clocked in and ready to go.

Your winners. These kids have big boots to fill, and they're doing it nicely (look at the size of their boots!).

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, as Jay says below, we had a great time last night serving a long list of wonderful people who were very appreciative of what we have been doing over the last several weeks and we're very encouraged that we actually pulled off such a large and successful dinner for them. So we thank all who were able to join us as well as our employees who's hard work and teamwork made it possible.

Here's the story in pictures:

Jeff and Kylie on their way to delivering dinners to a table
of 23 in the porch dining room while guests in the main dining
room enjoy theirs

Some of our guests sitting down to New Year's Eve Dinner

with the Christmas tree in the background

A few patrons in the pub enjoying a beer or glass of wine.

Our friend Kent Jeffrey stepping in to bar tend for our first full
opening night with a liquor license.

Our friends Sharon and Sam up for a visit

Folks out on the ski trails

A group shot

The view from the log house on New Year's Eve

The view from the beach on Thirteenth Lake

Flow

2012-01-01T04:38:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! For those of you who celebrated here at Garnet Hill Lodge last night, you got to experience a new wave of excellence that is building. Subtle and not so subtle improvements and changes are all around, some being things like new linens and silver wear and other tactile elements that just feel right and make a big difference.

Behind the scenes it is quite an organization that goes on to bring out your meal, a flow and orderly chaos, so to speak. The intensity of the kitchen on a busy night is a sight to behold, kind of like a dance as everyone has an intertwined role and purpose as they roll through the night, very little wasted motion, and a lot of hustle. Chef Andrew is the composer and conductor of this train, and he runs a tight ship.

For me, it is pretty neat to experience and watch and learn. I've learned a lot of organizational things that might work in my environment at the ski shop during the crazy days when there are a crush of people waiting to get tickets and rentals. I've learned how hard the kitchen and wait-staff work at their craft to provide an exceptional dining experience right outside the swinging doors. But, I think the most valuable thing I've learned this winter is how to stay out of Andy's way when the heat is on. He is the guy that feeds me after all! In all seriousness, Andy is a really great chef that I've learned a lot from so far, from culinary ideas and method to management skills, and it has only just begun. Getting back to the tactile element theme, it is all of that combined flow that brings your food out at the perfect temperature and succulent goodness. Thanks Andy.

And Happy New Year to you from all of us at Garnet Hill Lodge!

New Year's dinner

Chef Andy lights it up
2012!

Happy New Year to me!

Passion

2011-12-30T19:20:00.001-08:00

Being the Ski Director is not all about running around on snow mobiles, trying out new gear, selling products and (this season, anyway) praying for snow. It is a lifestyle that allows me to live within and pass on something that I am very passionate about -- skiing and the outdoor experience. Some days are pretty tough, tiring and challenging on many levels, but one thing that always puts it all back into perspective is teaching a lesson and watching someone "get it" and glide for the first time.

Ellen and Emily had never skied before. It was Ellen's lifelong dream to ski and stay at a winter lodge. She didn't come with expectations of perfect conditions from seasons past or prior experience from which to draw. Just a fresh set of eyes focused on a childhood dream. Being able to teach them a little and pass on the foundational elements of form and see them skiing correctly is such a thrill, and seeing their faces light up as they began gliding on the snow just made my day (which, coincidentally, was our first day of the season). The next day, seeing them enjoying skiing right outside the lodge, playing in soft snow and making their own tracks with the sweet smell of wood smoke from the chimney brought me back to why I ski. It is fun, pure and simple, it is freedom, and, here in the heart of the Adirondacks, it is the amazing sights and scents and sensations on skis that create the whole Nordic experience. Sure, it is sliding on two planks in the snow (or ski-swinging on the rope swing), but it is so much more.

Being part of these experiences is what I love the most, knowing that each and every one of you is having a great time up here. You meet the greatest people skiing -- everyone is out playing like they are kids. Just ask Mary and Frank. They've been here all week skiing and snowshoe trekking and I've seen them all over the property, every day, playing in the outdoors. What will your adventure behold?

Ellen and Emily making tracks

Prepare to launch

Long-time Garnet Hill visitors Mary and Frank bask in the glow

Day One -- Finally

2011-12-29T20:24:00.000-08:00

It has been a hectic road to get to this point, with lots to do and little snow, and while feeling glum when the snow turned to rain the other night, I knew it was actually to our benefit. As with everything in life, you need to start with a foundation. In the Nordic ski world, a firm or frozen base is ideal in getting started to capture and insulate natural snow, so the rain on snow was a great setup for us as single-digit temperatures sealed our needed foundation. And that is where we begin.

Today, up at 5:30am, check several weather service and forecast sites, update website with info from that and previous night's snow plan meeting. Out on snowmobile by 6:45am in clear crisp air at 3 degrees. Watching the sunrise filter in during early morning grooming is something I will always cherish around here, with several spectacular spots getting sun in sequence as the sun slowly climbs above the hills and lights up the trees with low angle golden glow. With the roller and its corduroy-creating drag, I work my way through the trail system checking things out, closing off hazards, checking snow conditions. I closed the trails that I knew were hazards and moved through the system, getting back for the opening of the ski shop. Chop wood, make a fire, people coming in, tickets, wickets, maps, get'em rolling with rentals -- it was a nice familiar rush. New customers and familiar faces like Peter Horvath and Beth Maher, smiles, and excitement of skiers filtering out across the trails for their first season outing.

We wanted to get the word out to you die-hard skiers anxiously awaiting ski season that we had ski-able terrain, and many came. With Intermediate-level and up skiing conditions, many of you found that there was indeed good snow out there amongst the tough spots. Early season indeed. I was able to get out onto a few trails with our "powder maker" implement that chews up and softens the firm snow. Back to the shop; more customer service, chat about gear, help some new skiers, back to shop, service the powder maker, put away machines, close shop. After a snow-plan meeting with my lead groomer, I head out only to be back at 8:00pm for my scheduled Natural Light Nite Hike. With about 10 in our group, we hike to the Hooper solely by natural light to watch the stars and garnet stones twinkle in the clear night air. It is spectacular up there, and even more-so with a clear and moonless sky, and young Nathaniel from Long Island even found a garnet stone to bring home! As we were leaving, the skies started to thicken slightly, and we hope that means more snow for us. Back to the lodge to help out, getting to bed at midnight. T'was a great start to the season, finally!

Amongst the familiar faces we saw today was Aimes from Connecticut. He brings a great event to Garnet Hill Ski Shop -- the Empire Orienteering Club Ski Orienteering event this Sunday, January 1st! Open to anyone and all abilities, the event features 3 unique courses to navigate with map and compass upon skis, and you may start anytime between 11:00am and 1:00pm. This event is also a qualifier for the Empire State Games, so come join the fun. More details to follow.

So come on out -- skiing is pretty nice. Moderating temperatures and more snow is in the forecast, so will only get better! Midnight now -- time for bed.

Shannen grooming it smooth

Climbing Andy's Run to the Lodge (and a hot lunch!)
A long way from Long Island

On the rim of the Hooper Mine

Garnet Hill Lodge (The Adventure): Snowfall begins

2011-12-28T05:49:00.000-08:00

Greetings! I had to make time this morning to share some important milestones in our Garnet Hill Lodge adventure that came to pass yesterday.....
Our ice machine got fixed....thanks again to Gaye Byrne for her ice when I called with a guests "martini emergency" in need of "rocks"; now I'll find time to stop back for that glass of wine you offered.
Ron Howe from Omstedville came by and agreed to take the old shuttle bus for scrap metal (the purple one with "Beth Israel" on it) - so that will be hauled away today.
At 2:45pm the snow was accumulating outside, Don was headed to shovel the steps/walk (big smile on his face) when an e-mail arrived from Frank with Congratulations...minutes later a fax arrived bearing the signature of Gov. Cuomo confirming that our 90 day Temporary Liquor License has been approved/issued! This was within the hour after I asked Pat & Judy to phone all guests arriving for the New Year's w/e and make certain they knew that our liquor license did not transfer with our purchase...."get back on the phone ladies and tell them Preuninger's Pub will be open!" Don called the Liquor Authority to confirm and made his appt to pick it up in person. After pausing for a moment to reflect on how truly blessed we've been these last two weeks with pieces falling into place where we thought it impossible, I got busy ordering wine, beer and champagne for the w/e! SUHRU wines will be our primary house offering of by-the-glass pours from the North Fork of Long Island, NY. Our friends, Sue & Russ Hearn produce these wines and because they are avid skiers with a w/e home up here, I was able to offer our dinner guests a choice of SUHRU's Pinot Grigio, Dry Riesling or SUHRU Red. I've included the SUHRU philosophy statement for your information...

SUHRU WINES goal is to produce fresh, vibrant white wines and fruit forward, soft tannin red wines. The grapes we use in our wines are sourced, from both the North Fork of Long Island and the Finger Lakes Appellations. Depending on where the grape variety grows best, mainly White grapes from the Finger Lakes and Red grapes from Long island.
My husband, Russell, has worked with many respected vineyard growers during his 21 years of Winemaking in the New York Wine Industry. We can take advantage of the regional differences and strengths between the New York Wine Growing Regions. Our winery is on the North Fork of Long Island, Mattituck where all our wines are made and Winemaker is my (husband) Russell Hearn.
Proprietor Susan Hearn

Appropriately enough, our first dinner guests last evening were Paul & Nancy Cormack, Innkeepers at Garnet Hill Lodge from 1970 -1977. Byron & Margaret Shafer accompanied them for a celebratory dinner of the Shafer's 51st wedding anniversary. After dinner Paul presented me with our first (empty) bottle of wine sold and we had them sign the label as a special keepsake for the Don & I at Garnet Hill Lodge.

Stay tuned as Jay works with the snow toward an opening. As I complete my first "post" on the Blog, I will be sure to hit the correct button....I tried on Christmas Eve and lost it. Mindy

Snowfall begins

2011-12-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

2:30PM Tuesday and the snow is falling nicely. We will see what we get in the overnight with temperatures and conditions. If things are favorable we will be grooming on Wednesday morning. Stay tuned...

Merry Christmas

2011-12-26T15:07:00.001-08:00

Well it's been an eventful holiday weekend. A number of guests arrived on Friday and a few more on Saturday to spend Christmas with us. One family spent Christmas morning around the tree and fire opening their presents. Later on, Christmas dinner was served to a full dining room and by all accounts was a delicious success. Chef Andrew is doing a great job not only with his fabulous food but with the logistics of organizing a large kitchen too.

Mindy and I sat with some of her family and

friends of ours and had a very nice time.

The weather seems to be coming around to snow as the temperatures drop. Every day we've been getting a nice round of snow showers to add to what is already on the ground.

Today we began to groom the trails using a roller to compact the snow. We are hoping to open the trails in the next day or so.

On Tuesday, Judith Harper, a local naturalist will be leading a nature walk that is free and open to all, up to 12 people at a time. The walks go from 10am to 12am and from 1:30 to 3:30. Please call the Lodge (251-2444) for more details. It promises to be very interesting.

Debra has been busy with training of
new hires and checking guests in

The new coffee buffet offers guests fresh, high quality
coffee, decaf, tea or hot chocolate.

Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T04:57:00.000-08:00

I swear there are hoof prints and sleigh tracks outside in the snow!

Morning Mountain Adventure Hike

2011-12-24T16:25:00.000-08:00

Garnet Hill Cross Country Ski Center ski instructor Ivy guided a Morning Mountain Adventure Hike today to the Balm of Gilead. "The Balm" is a phenomenal hike accessable right from our property, featuring a rather strenuous elevation gain and the bridge from today's earlier post. At the top you are rewarded with one of the most spectacular views in the Adirondacks. Ivy lead the Schoenlank family from Philadelphia, PA to the top where they took in an incredible view under blue bird skies, and partook in a Garnet Hill tradition. After working hard to climb the mountain while observing various wildlife tracks and animals, they topped out and out came a backpack stove and pot. They quickly heated water and enjoyed hot chocolate while enjoying the spectacular views!

First (coyote) Tracks!

Composite view -- Balm Of Gilead overlook

The Schoenlank family of Philadelphia

Prepared!

Garnet Hill's beauty is much more than ski-deep. Although we are a Nordic ski center, we also have many trails and surprises for hikers and snowshoe trekkers alike. Morning Mountain Adventure Hikes will get you in the thick of things right out our front door, so check'em out when we do them. We'll have a Natural Light Night Hike this week, too, weather depending. Stay tuned here and in our ski report for more information.

Ski Season Beginnings

2011-12-24T04:55:00.000-08:00

Santa dropped a little teaser in our ski boots this week, in the form of 3 inches of nice snowcover! A little wet and a little dense as it lay on Friday, it was perfect for our base-building. Lead groomer Dale Monthany got out to roll a bit of it upon our trusty Scandik 800, compacting the snow in anticipation of the nighttime firm-up. Overnight temps dropped into the lower teens, setting up a good base capture and hold additional snowfall as temperatures and some snowfall potential look good in the immediate future. We'll keep our eyes glued to the forecasters, you keep your eyes glued here for updates on our opening for the 2011/2012 Ski Season!

In anticipation, we've been working hard getting the Ski Shop ready for your visit. New equipment has been arriving and improvements to the shop are ongoing. We are pleased to announce that we'll be having hot soups and chili for sale during the season at lunch time (which, in the Nordic ski way is nearly all day!). This is in addition to the traditional snack, power-foods and cold and hot you'll need to keep fueled up and comfy.

New Rental Skis

New Rental Snowshoes
I ventured into the backcountry the night before the snow fell and came across this Adirondack beauty:

Our local Forest Ranger and his crew built it upon the a popular and local ski/snowshoe trail, and you will get to check it out this season! Lots more to come -- stay tuned...

Could be Snow

2011-12-22T15:06:00.000-08:00

It looks like we may get 2-3 inches tonight and tomorrow morning. Enough to start rolling the trails. It will certainly be welcome for Christmas.
We continue to get ready for serving dinner on Sunday and also to prepare for the arrival of guests on Friday night. John Philips did a lot of maintenance on the heating systems today, Debra from the Saratoga-North Creek Railroad stopped by to talk about working together, the Direct TV guy came and got the TVs up and running again. (No, there won't be any TV in the Lodge rooms or pub any time soon). The Pyrofax guy came and double checked that all the gas leaks have been fixed. And the water conditioning guy came and checked over the dish washer and sanitizer. Oh, and some other people came by and talked to Debra and Mindy that I didn't get to talk to at all, which was fine with me.
Here are some shots of people just working around the Lodge today.

The kitchen is getting spruced up with Heidi doing a lot of the cleaning

This is our coffee bar. It goes great with the logs.

Skorko tuned the piano today

Some French Provincial style chairs we found to put into rooms

Mindy chatting to Andrew about menu details

And Yours Truly grinding away at the paperwork again

Christmas Dinner and More Bridges

2011-12-20T15:13:00.000-08:00

The last couple of days has been mostly head down paper work for me: forms, applications, bills, etc... Mindy and Andrew went to visit the Sysco Test Kitchen yesterday and found some nice combinations of ingredients to work with. They also came back with a really good coffee making plan. We'll only be serving real coffee in the dining room now.

The big push right now is to get ready for serving Christmas Dinner on Sunday. Chef Andrew's menu includes a soup or salad to start along with traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, or roast leg of lamb with rosemary au jus and red potatoes, or poached salmon with maple orange glaze, and finishing with a selection of desserts including Mary Jane's pie. Dinner will be served with a variety of beverages including several traditional holiday drinks. All for $45 per adult, $15 per child under 12 and free for children under 5. Includes tax and gratuity. We are looking forward to a very nice time and we hope to see many of you there. Please call ahead for a reservation.

Meanwhile Shannen has been out working on bridges so that's what I'll be showing in pictures today.

This bridge was replaced on Monday.

It's the first bridge on Cougar Run after it branches off Trapper Trail.

The new decking after Shannen drove his truck over it.

Then today we drove down from Mountain View and in through the Harvey Tailings to get to this bridge which is on Solitude just after it crosses Duffany's Run.

This is what it looked like before replacement. And that's Cooper, my dog.

The underpinnings

And the new deck. We'll replace the whole bridge next year.

And this is a pic from last summer of a bridge I built about 15 years ago over a brook on my land in Johnsburg. This was just after Hurricane Irene.

The water was about 4ft high

And finally, just to remember what it was like, the view from the lodge last summer.

Anticipation

2011-12-18T19:57:00.000-08:00

Clear skies and watering eyes here this morning -- indeed, 0 degrees at 7:00am will do that to ya! As I write tonight, the sky tonight is beautifully starlit and the air crisp, and there is a little bit of snow all about. The ground is firming up nicely, ready to cradle our first significant base-building snowfall. Anticipation...

Things are flying along here, and our open house, the first function of the 2011/2012 season, was a resounding success as you may read below. Energy surrounding the Lodge is electrifying, and the ski shop is buzzing along accordingly. New rental and retail equipment has been arriving from Alpina, Madshus, Fisher and Atlas, and trail improvements are ongoing. On Friday one of our snowcats left for complete PistenBully factory-spec refurbishment, with the other getting the same treatment next! Head Groomer and trail boss Dale Monthany is absolutely thrilled as he takes a lot of pride in his work, and loves your feedback. Dale's family has a devoted history here at Garnet Hill. In fact, our Old Faithful trail is named in tribute to his father.

Getting a look around and taking stock of the surroundings and work to be done is daunting with the Holiday Week soon to be upon us. Seeing such little snow as of yet is frustrating, wondering how it will all come together. I do remember the same feelings at this point last season, and while taking a look around in the Tailings last Friday, I also remembered how much snow piled in and how quickly our property transforms into an Adirondack winter wonderland. Your wait will soon be rewarded with new experiences and adventures. Anticipation indeed!

It is indeed Winter here!

Breakfast view, awaiting lake effect...

New gear for this year

More from yesterday

2011-12-18T17:56:00.000-08:00

Today, Sunday was quiet. Mindy and I stayed at the Lodge last night so we hung around the fireplace in the early morning then went to church where I played piano while she and the children put on a Christmas play. Then we just went to Glens Falls to do some Lodge and Christmas shopping.

So I'll just post some more pics from last night that Marilyn Jeffereys sent me.

The open house in the afternoon

Mindy chatting

The deer by the apple tree

The lights from outside

Me playing

Having dinner

Jay DeJesus with Mindy's Mom and Dad

Mindy and me

Visiting in the lounge area

Starting out in the Restaurant

2011-12-17T19:03:00.000-08:00

Well today was very exciting with a great turnout from the community to attend an open house this afternoon and a food sampling this evening from chef Andrew. Andy made some very nice dish samplings tonight that everyone enjoyed. But to make that possible, Louis Falzerano came through for us big time by fixing the gas leaks in the kitchen that the Pyrofax guys couldn't find. It was something to watch him find these things with just simple equipment that the three other guys couldn't find in 3 hours.

Dusk at GHL

I took quite a few pictures and I'll just caption them to give a sense of what else we did.

Cooper and Reagan testing out the new bridge that Shannen and I built on Friday. The bridge is at the bottom of the upper tailings where Trapper Trail comes in.

A look at the underpinnings of 16 foot 8x8 pressure treated beams.

This is the site of a bridge that we removed on Cougar Run as it heads down toward Balm of Gilead. This bridge will be replaced on Monday. Then we'll have one more to go.

Same spot at a different angle.

A shot of Jay DeJesus getting inventory organized in the Ski Shop in the afternoon

What the Ski Shop looks like right now.

Flowers on the table ready for visitors on a beautiful afternoon.

The porch dining room decked out with new curtains made by Mindy's Mom that look awesome. Along with the new table cloths and napkins and table decorations made by Mary Irene that are beautiful.

The main dining room with the tables ready for place settings.

Elvis was in the house courtesy of the Widlunds

And finally, a photo of our new friends John and Sheri who stopped by to say hello at the open house.
Our friend Marilyn took a lot of pics throughout the afternoon and evening activities and I'll post those tomorrow.

Back on Track

2011-12-16T18:14:00.000-08:00

Things are coming along pretty well. Today we're getting ready to have people come up and visit on Saturday afternoon and evening. Mindy has been busy getting the dining room ready for that. That's all I have photos for tonight. Even though I took my camera out with me while I worked with Shannen to replace a bridge down at the bottom of the tailings, I forgot to take any. So I'll have to take pics of the finished product tomorrow. Same with the PistenBully that got trucked away today. But the restaurant changes are apparent here

From the front door

The flowers my sister Laura sent me

The side of the dining room towards the porch

The corner near the pub

Next week we'll be getting the table cloths, curtains, dishes and flatware in place and by then I hope to have Mindy on here talking all about it.

Meanwhile, this weekend we'll slow down just a bit to enjoy ourselves. This evening we had a great time at Judy Brown's mixer for the the Chamber of Commerce. Mindy's boys Blake and Andrew are staying over at the Lodge tonight with their friend Jordan.

Jordan and Andrew by the fireplace

Blake on the computer checking his fb page

More tomorrow

Blindsided

2011-12-14T18:04:00.000-08:00

The day was going along pretty well for a while. Lots of people were there moving tables back into the dining room after the carpet was cleaned, painting kitchen shelves, insulating windows upstairs, putting up Christmas decorations, cutting firewood, working in the ski shop etc. I wasn't even too rattled by the news that the well pump down at the ski shop needs replacement as that news was accompanied and balanced by the sound of the PistenBullys roaring to life after being jump started down at the maintenance shed. Shortly thereafter they were driven up 4H road to the parking area where they can be picked up by Mohawk Limited from out in Utica.
And lunch was delicious with Heidi Plumley making chicken salad and accompanying sandwiches with her pickled beans.
It was a little while after lunch while trying to put the finishing touches on the gargantuan task of applying for a license to sell people a drink that the lights went out along with everything else. Of course the first reaction is to look for a reason why a breaker would have tripped, but it soon became apparent that it was more than a breaker. The power was out for the whole log house. So out the door and down to the Ski Shop to see if that was affected. Sure enough, the Tea House, where the carpets were being cleaned, was also out, and so was the Ski Shop. Then I remembered talking to a crew of National Grid guys earlier by the woodshed who were lost and couldn't find the Big Shanty. So I went down to talk to them to see if anything happened there. The power to the lodge comes up from there. But no, they didn't know anything. They just do maintenance. They put in a new pole and moved the wires up to it, but no, they didn't see or hear or do anything to affect the power. And no, they couldn't look into it any further. That's because they're contractors and they don't really even work for National Grid.
But I knew it was them. I went down to Farm House Rd and stopped at a house where someone was home, Harold I think it was, and he had power, but he had heard a big bang and his power flashed off and then on again, right by the transformer before the wires go up to the Shanty. So I went back and told the contractors that, but know it couldn't have been them. It must have been an act of God the guy said. But they wouldn't/couldn't do anything so we called NYMO and waited and waited 'till 4:30 they fixed it. I went down to Farmhouse Rd and asked them what it was and they said this crew does this all the time. They crossed the wires. They just wished they would call and tell them so they wouldn't have to waste their time hunting thru the woods looking for down wires.
So with all that the day turned out pretty crappy.

Plugging Along

2011-12-13T20:10:00.000-08:00

Today is Tuesday, December 13 and we're making good progress on the monster list of things to do. We got the plow truck and 2 snowmobiles back from the shop and ready to go to work once it snows. Meanwhile the shuttle bus and 2 other sleds went into the shop at K & K Repairs and Heid's Hodaka for a detailed maintenance visit. In other news, the lumber for rebuilding two bridges arrived and so did our Ski Director Jay DeJesus today. He came up from PA and arrived at nightfall. We met for a while and talked about staffing and trail maintenance tasks. Jay is pretty excited about the changeover and we're ready to start getting the Ski Shop in shape for the season.
There were three newspaper articles published today that focused on GHL and the future. Here are some links if the stories will stay available:

http://poststar.com/news/local/garnet-hill-lodge-sold-for-m/article_fc93bac4-25c9-11e1-9782-001871e3ce6c.html

http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/adirondacks/2011/dec/13/121311_adkblog/

http://www.timesunion.com/business/article/Former-summer-visitor-acquires-ski-trails-2398605.php

There should be more published in the next few days.

This is a photo we took for placing in one of the news articles.

Work on cleaning the dining room and kitchen is on-going for this week. We'll be concentrating on putting up Christmas decorations towards the end of the week.

And So It Begins

2011-12-11T20:04:00.000-08:00

As I'm writing this, it is Sunday night at 10:20 pm. Mindy and I just got to her house and we're just going to do a few more things before heading to bed.
On Friday we closed the sale of the Lodge and headed up the hill to see about settling in. Unfortunately we arrived to a cold building with no heating oil left. So we called Buckmans to get an emergency delivery because we didn't feel comfortable restarting the furnaces ourselves as when this same thing happened a few weeks ago the owners spent a lot of time bleeding the lines to it to start. Anyway, Buckman's was great and came up and put in more fuel and showed us how to start the furnaces. So it was a bit chilly sleeping there that night but the two of us muddled through. And along with some wine, it was really pretty nice.

Our friends Marilyn and Kent stopped by as our first guests on Friday night and shared some soup and wine with us.

Since the temperature went down to 20 degrees Friday, I got up at 4:30am to go check on the Birches and the Tea House to make sure they were ok. And they were, though I ran the water slowly to keep it flowing. They actually had not run out of fuel. The Ski house was ok because there was no pressure in the pipes anyway because the pump is not working for some reason.

Saturday: By 9am or so people started to show up to offer to help out in anyway they could. Kent and Marilyn came up again with their two boys Ryan and Bret and Kent went right to work on cleaning and painting an area of the kitchen.

Kent painting part of the kitchen

We also had brought on to big guys from Minerva to help with the heavy lifting: Shannen and Andrew and they started moving stuff around right and left. First in the office with Marilyn cleaning up around them, then in the kitchen and then various other tasks. Meanwhile Debra was at her post at the front desk where she answers phones and handles reservations.

Then Mary Irene came by to help wash the log walls along with Mindy and others.

Mary Irene cleaning the logs

And of course Mindy's Mom was there working on curtains for the porch and her husband Dave helped out with the music system and various there jobs. All in all it was a great day with a lot of progress. Mindy and I finished up around 9pm by washing the stone fireplace in the dining room. We came back to Mindy's house to sleep.

Ryan and his little brother Bret with their pet bear

Sunday: Woke up at 7am and headed over to my house to get a bunch of things and a trailer full of fire wood and then up to GHL by 9am. When I got there Debra, Heidi and Dale were waiting to get started. Dale worked on cutting firewood all day while Heidi continued cleaning the kitchen where she'll be cooking breakfast and lunch for the guests and Debra went to the front desk. Kent and Marilyn came back up after a while too along with Mindy and her folks after church. Then Phil and Sandy came by to help out and Pat Conner and Andy Bulmer came in to start working as our floor manager and head chef for the restaurant. So the place was humming along pretty well. Oh, I forgot, the 35 gallons of fuel we put in ran out sometime overnight so Shannen and Andrew had to run down and get 40 gallons and Mindy brought 15 gallons more diesel from the Nice & Easy. This time I was able to start the furnaces myself. Can't wait to get that full delivery tomorrow, and propane for the gas stove too.

Throughout the day various people stopped by to see how things were going and wish us well. The support that we've received from the local community and surrounding areas has been pretty overwhelming. I'm sure it's pretty rare for one to go into business and have so much support and good will from the people in the area. People are just so happy that the place isn't going to close I guess.

Anyway, it was another huge day in getting things ready to open the restaurant. I should have taken more pictures today but I was so busy my head was spinning by lunch time, but I'll keep trying to take more and post them here.

Our new vehicle magnet signs

Moving Ahead

2011-11-25T03:35:00.000-08:00

It looks like things are coming together now with the sale of the Lodge. There are no serious objections on the table to prevent the sale from going through. Within a week or two, Mindy and I will be running Garnet Hill Lodge.
However, the shear number of tasks that need to be accomplished by then and shortly after is daunting.

My list just for today includes about 15 items.

1. Get work started on the vehicles - The bus and plow truck
2. Get work started on the snowmobiles - The skandic WT
3. Fill out and fax an account application to the PistenBully dealer in Utica
4. Call the Building Inspector to find out more about Exit lighting requirements
5. Talk to Shannen about starting work on some bridge repairs
6. Get help online with setting up QuickBooks accounting properly for the business
7. Get back to the insurance broker with answers to his questions
8. Call back the guy from the Times Union who wants to talk about the Lodge
9. Talk to Jay about his staffing plans and requirements for the Ski Shop
10. Start calling the various utilities to initiate the change over
11. Verify that the water testing is current so that the permits to operate won't be held up.
12. Call the Liquor Authority to ask some questions about the application for a license.
13. Meet with a prospective Lodge Manager about employment.
14. Get this blog entry going
15. Talk to Mary about some questions I had given her.

So tomorrow I'll post on how far I get on this list.

Meanwhile, here are some pictures:

After the snow storm we got on Wednesday

What the fireplace looks like now

What the rest of the dining room looks like now

The bus and my doggie Cooper

The dining room decked out for a wedding earlier this year

The weather is looking good for getting the current snow out of the way so we can proceed with preperations for the season.

Trail Work Continues

2011-11-20T05:25:00.000-08:00

Today Blake and I will be taking a look at some bridges that need repair. I'll take some pics and post later on what we find.

Trail Work

2011-11-04T05:26:00.000-07:00

Currently I've been working to clear and cut the trail system to get it ready for the ski season.

Here are some pics of what things look like:

The first picture was taken down by the Harvey Tailings and shows my Gator and tractor with the Box Cutter attachment. I'm using that to smooth out areas that have ruts and to smooth areas that have had to be filled in with tailings. It's kind of like a road grader for a tractor.

This photo is just of Balm of Gillead hill as seen from the Harvey Tailings on a nice cold morning.

And finally here is a pic of the Gator about to dump a load of tailings into a washed out culvert on Cyotee Pass. Hurricane Irene and the big rains we had this spring and summer did a real number on the trails this season so all that has to be fixed before ski season. But we're getting there.

Next will be to finish cutting the trails from Rogers Rd. down to Schoolhouse Rd. I'll post some more pics of that over this weekend.

Getting started at Garnet Hill

2011-10-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day for the Garnet Hill Lodge blog. My name is Don and I'm the new prospective owner of the best cross country skiing resort in New York State.
That's right, I said prospective. Mindy (that's my girlfriend, significant other etc...) and I haven't yet closed on the property. It's been held up for a couple of months now as the present owner squabble over this and that. But we're somewhat optimistic that it will happen before the season opens this year. But who knows. If you're reading this, then chances are we are currently the new owners as we won't be able to publish and links to the blog until we are. So there you have it.
So we're starting this blog to get the word out and share our experiences, trials, and tribulations as well as successes and progress with all those who may be interested.
Each day or as often as we can Mindy and/or I will try to post some tidbits of information regarding what we did that day and how things are going. Hopefully our friends and guests at Garnet Hill will find it interesting and maybe even entertaining.