NORTH CREEK, New York ??” Snowmaking began today at Gore Mountain, and Opening Day is planned for Thanksgiving weekend. Snowmaking efforts will be concentrated on Bear Mountain terrain including the expert trail “Topridge,” the intermediate “Foxlair,” and lower mountain terrain including “Wild Air.”

Early season promotions include the “Gore Mountain Gives” food drive, which offers guests $10 off lift ticket prices daily through December 9 with the donation of a non-perishable food item to benefit the Johnsburg Food Pantry.

December events include a huge demo hosted by the Sports Page and $19 ticket day on December 8, Big Air Contest December 17, and a two-day Burton Snowboards Demo on December 27-28.

Five new additions to the trail map will offer more fun and variety to Gore Mountain’s terrain this season. “Woodchuck” is a new intermediate on the High Peaks Side, offering a narrow, winding adventure from the “Wood Lot” trail. “Darby Woods” for experts is a glade accessible from “Lower Cloud” near the “Lower Darby” entrance. On the summit of Gore, experts will also enjoy “Mineshaft Glades,” connecting “Open Pit” with the “Dell” trail.

Two new glades accessible from the Bear Mountain summit will include “Pinebrook Glades” and “The Cave Glades.” The latter does feature a real cave along the trail! With these newest terrain additions, Gore Mountain will be offering 344 acres of skiing and riding in 2005/2006, the most in New York State.

During the last twelve months, Gore has strengthened the grooming fleet, added 70 new tower guns, four new fan guns, and a new pump for snowmaking. The new pump has provided an additional 800 gallons per minute of pumping capacity.