Skip to main content
Be prepared with helpful travel tips!
  • See & Do
    • See & Do
    • See all
      • See all
      • Seasons
        • See all
        • Spring
        • Summer
        • Fall
        • Winter
      • Accessibility
      • Arts
      • Attractions
      • Downtown
      • Health & Wellness
      • History
      • Live Music
      • Parks
      • Shopping
      • Stories
      • Weddings
  • Outdoors
    • Outdoors
    • See all
      • See all
      • Hiking
        • See all
        • Nature Walks
      • ADK Guides & Tours
      • Birding
      • Boating
      • Camping
      • Cross-Country Skiing
      • Cycling
      • Downhill Skiing
      • Fishing
      • Golfing
      • Ice Fishing
      • Mountain Biking
      • Paddling
      • Snowmobiling
      • Snowshoeing
  • Eat & Drink
    • Eat & Drink
    • See all
    • Cafés & Coffee Shops
    • Craft Beer & Cocktails
    • Restaurants
  • Events
    • Events
    • See all
    • Adirondack Snowshoe Fest
    • ArtWorks ArtMarkets
    • Can-Am Rugby Tournament
    • Celebrate Paddling ADK
    • First Night Saranac Lake
    • Plein Air Festival
    • Winter Carnival
    • 3rd Thursday Art Walks
  • Stay
    • Stay
    • See all
    • Cabins & Cottages
    • Camping
    • Inns, Lodges, Bed & Breakfasts
    • Resorts, Hotels, Motels
    • Vacation Rentals
  • First Time Visitors
    • First Time Visitors
    • See all
      • See all
      • Accessibility
      • Downtown
      • Getting Here
      • Greater Region
      • Stories
      • Seasons
        • See all
        • Spring
        • Summer
        • Fall
        • Winter
  • Local
    • Local title-header
      • Live Here
        • See all
        • Meet the Locals
        • Real Estate
        • Town of Harrietstown
        • Town of North Elba
        • Town of St. Armand
        • Village of Saranac Lake
      • Do Business Here
        • See all
        • Chamber Job Board
        • Essex County IDA
        • Franklin County Economic Development Co.
        • Professional Services
        • Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
      • Community Initiatives
        • See all
        • Arts & Culture Master Plan
        • Downtown Revitalization Initiative
        • Saranac Lake Brand
        • Village Community Development Department
What can we help you find?
  • See & Do
      1. See & Do
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Seasons
          • See all
          • Spring
          • Summer
          • Fall
          • Winter
        3. Accessibility
        4. Arts
        5. Attractions
        6. Downtown
        7. Health & Wellness
        8. History
        9. Live Music
        10. Parks
        11. Shopping
        12. Stories
        13. Weddings
  • Outdoors
      1. Outdoors
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Hiking
          • See all
          • Nature Walks
        3. ADK Guides & Tours
        4. Birding
        5. Boating
        6. Camping
        7. Cross-Country Skiing
        8. Cycling
        9. Downhill Skiing
        10. Fishing
        11. Golfing
        12. Ice Fishing
        13. Mountain Biking
        14. Paddling
        15. Snowmobiling
        16. Snowshoeing
  • Eat & Drink
      1. Eat & Drink
      2. See all
      3. Cafés & Coffee Shops
      4. Craft Beer & Cocktails
      5. Restaurants
  • Events
      1. Events
      2. See all
      3. Adirondack Snowshoe Fest
      4. ArtWorks ArtMarkets
      5. Can-Am Rugby Tournament
      6. Celebrate Paddling ADK
      7. First Night Saranac Lake
      8. Plein Air Festival
      9. Winter Carnival
      10. 3rd Thursday Art Walks
  • Stay
      1. Stay
      2. See all
      3. Cabins & Cottages
      4. Camping
      5. Inns, Lodges, Bed & Breakfasts
      6. Resorts, Hotels, Motels
      7. Vacation Rentals
  • First Time Visitors
      1. First Time Visitors
      2. See all
        1. See all
        2. Accessibility
        3. Downtown
        4. Getting Here
        5. Greater Region
        6. Stories
        7. Seasons
          • See all
          • Spring
          • Summer
          • Fall
          • Winter
  • Local
      1. Local
        1. Live Here
          • See all
          • Meet the Locals
          • Real Estate
          • Town of Harrietstown
          • Town of North Elba
          • Town of St. Armand
          • Village of Saranac Lake
        2. Do Business Here
          • See all
          • Chamber Job Board
          • Essex County IDA
          • Franklin County Economic Development Co.
          • Professional Services
          • Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
        3. Community Initiatives
          • See all
          • Arts & Culture Master Plan
          • Downtown Revitalization Initiative
          • Saranac Lake Brand
          • Village Community Development Department

An evening snowboard session at Mt. Pisgah

Watch Video
Be prepared with helpful travel tips!
Jess Collier
February 16, 2015

I grew up in Tupper Lake and have lived in Saranac Lake for a while now, so it’s probably quite strange that I had never been to Mt. Pisgah. But finally last week, I was assigned to write a blog post about the Saranac Lake ski slope, so I headed on over one afternoon after work.

The lodge
The lodge

That’s one of the best things about Mt. Pisgah: It's open most weekday evenings, and there's great lighting so you can ride well past sunset. It’s very oriented toward being a place for local youth to hang out, so it’s not running during the day on weekdays, but it usually opens at 3 p.m. and generally closes around 8 p.m. Then it’s open during the day on Saturdays and Sundays. The hours do vary based on weather conditions, though, so call 518-891-5970 ahead of time to make sure the ski slope will be open.

You can also check out conditions at Pisgah using their webcam online. Their Facebook page also has a lot of good information. 

The mountain is also super affordable. Fifteen dollars will get you an evening of skiing, and $20 will get you a full weekend day’s worth.

I grabbed my snowboard and headed up to find a ticket. The ticket booth is on the lower level, but I walked right up the stairs past it without seeing it, had to ask at the concession booth upstairs, and went back down to buy a ticket from the friendly woman at the ticket booth.

Ticket window
Ticket window

Then I went back up to the lodge. There were children throughout the lodge warming up, and parents watching their kids ski through the windows. There was a kids’ racing series finishing up as I got there. I put my boarding boots on, suited up and headed out to the lift.

There’s one lift, a T-bar. It was a lot more advanced than the one I grew up using at Big Tupper years ago. A Friends of Mount Pisgah group spent a few years raising money, and they were able to buy a new lift in 2012, and it still works great.

Getting on
Getting on

An attendant waits at the bottom and pulls the T-shaped bar down and puts it under skiers and boarders, and they are off. I rode with one of the ends of the T between my legs, and it was a little difficult to stay balanced on the bar. A few times, I thought I might lose my balance and fall off, but I managed to make it all the way to the top. It’s probably easier to balance when you have a person on either side of it, so next time I’ll have to bring a buddy.

The top
The top

The sun was setting as I reached the top, and I sat down to enjoy the beautiful panoramic view.

The view
The view

For the most part, Pisgah has a wide-open downhill area, so there’s plenty of room for everyone on the slopes. There are also a few areas where you can check out smaller wooded trails here and there along the side, which look fun, but I wasn’t quite ready to explore them yet.

The main part of the hill has some parts that are light, gentle slopes, and other, steeper sections where I could speed up a bit. 

It was a chilly evening, so pulling into the warmly lit lodge was awfully inviting. I headed in to warm up after a great ride! 

Warm lodge
Warm lodge

In addition to the downhill ski area, Pisgah also has snowshoe trails, cross-country trails, and tubing — something for everyone!

The lodge
The lodge
Ticket window
Ticket window
Getting on
Getting on
The top
The top
The view
The view
Warm lodge
Warm lodge

Related Stories

Ampersand in Winter
A Winter Hike Up Haystack
From the Adirondacks to the Olympics and Back
Ice Fishing in Saranac Lake
Dip into Winter on the Jackrabbit
Getting Back to Nature
Sweet Indulgences - Saranac Lake's Coffee Hotspots
'Tis the Season
Five Ideas for Winter Family Fun
Saranac Lake Adventure Travel
Decidedly Different Saranac Lake
Finding Fun and Snowfleas at the VIC
A Day of Winter Indulgence
An Artist's Haven
Hardwater fishing, decidedly different!
Lodging to Fit Your Winter Travel Style
Cross-Country Ski The Jackrabbit Trail
Finding Winter Finches — and other Cold-Weather Species
Skiing from Placid to Saranac Lake
6 Must See Winter Carnival Events
Mt Pisgah: Local and Loved Ski Hill
First Day on the Bog
Saranac Lake's Snowshoe Centers
Snowshoeing at the VIC
A Quintessential Holiday Experience
Saranac Lake Winter Fashion
A century of playing in the snow
5 Paths to Winter Adventure in Saranac Lake
The Excitement of Early Spring Birding!
WINTER IS COOL
So Much Snow! And Some Great March Skiing!
Let's Glide - Enjoy Fish Creek Park!
A Beautiful Ski on the Jackrabbit Trail
Top 5 tips for fishing on Lake Colby
Family Ski at Dewey
Canoodlers and Lawn Chair Ladies
Top Reasons to Visit Saranac Lake This February
Woods and Waters Trail, a great ski!
A Holiday Ski!
First Skis of the Season!
Downtown Holiday Shopping Guide
Getting First Night Ready
Sprung!
Skiing and Exploring the Jackrabbit Trail
Big Snow!!!!!
A Great Ski on the Jackrabbit Trail!
Dewey Mountain - Just Wild Enough
Treat Your Valentine With An Unforgettable Experience
Get out and snowshoe!
Ice Fishing First-Timer
Winter Carnival Invention: Arctic Golf
On top of the world
Counting Birds in the Olympic Region
Finding Birds on the Saranac Lake Christmas Bird Count
2016 Most Popular Blogs
We can dash through the snow
If self-care is naughty, I don't want to be nice
Get it together — First Night Saranac Lake
Make Holiday Memories at Moody Farm
Cross Country Skiing in Lake Clear
Early-Winter Skiing!
Enjoying Late Fall Cold Fronts And Their Migrants
A tree for the whole family
Great Fall Birding!
The thrill of snowmobiling
Wonderful Weddings in Cool Places
Springing!
Our Winter Waxwing
Cross-Country Skiing on the Bloomingdale Bog Trail
Yeah, we're cool - no matter what we're wearing!
Jones Hill and Blue Hill, a mighty duo
Gray Jays!
Snowshoeing: day to learn, lifetime of fun!
Fun with Ice: Saranac Lake Creativity
2015 Most Popular Blogs
First thing's first: An insider's guide to First Night Saranac Lake
Dewey Mountain Recreation Area: A Great Place to Enjoy Winter!
Winter Events You Won't Want To Miss
Trotting for Turkeys
Select seven: Family hikes under four hours
Dewey Mountain - satisfy that snow craving
Tubing: the sport to please the masses
Timeless Tubing at Mount Pisgah
Brighton: Dusk 'til Dawn
Coming Home to Saranac Lake
Learning to Love Every Season
In Defense of Mud Season
Skiing in April and on Easter - No Foolin'!
Boreal Birding In and Around Town
The Joy of Spring Skiing
Winter Birding with Signs of Spring
Adirondack Cure for Cabin Fever
Jackrabbit Trail: Lake Placid to Keene
Jackrabbit Trail - Day 2: McKenzie Pond to Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
Winter Birding: Saranac Lake and Paul Smiths
An evening snowboard session at Mt. Pisgah
Jackrabbit Trail: Paul Smiths to McKenzie Pond Road
Newbie Skier Tackles Titus
Memorable Firsts: Carnival & Cross-Country Skis
Friendly Snowshoe Up Baldface Mountain
Skiing the Fish Pond Trail
Wedding planning with the pros
Two sides of the Trifecta
Get ready to jam at Winter Carnival
Enjoying Winter Birding
A Winter Hike into the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness Area
Nordic Skiing - Five Great Places
A Century of Ice Palaces
Adirondack Traditions, then and now
Enjoying White Snow to Take Away the Winter Blues
An Evening Sleigh Ride in the Adirondacks
An Adirondack You for 2015
Race, jam, dance and more in January
A Winter's Hike up Baker Mountain
Four Seasons of High Points
Hiking & Tracking Wildlife on Scarface Mountain
Extreme Ice Fishing
Skiing - and Falling - in a Winter Wonderland
Early Season Cross-Country Ski Destinations
Fly our Adirondack skies
Searching for Boreal Birds
St. Regis Canoe Area - An Interesting Ski Tour
Where to find hot beverages
The First Ski of the Season!
A picture's worth a thousand words - epic winter events
A Guide to the Great Indoors
New fun at Titus Mountain Ski Area
The Horse Knows The Way
Mount Pisgah getting ready for winter ski season
VIC music sweetens a ski Sunday
Skiing Upper Saranac Lake Loops
Winter Foodie Scene
Thursday Night Music Jam
Paul Smith Visitors Interpretive Center
Night Skiing at Mt. Pisgah
Mid-Winter Events 2014
Winter Carnival means live music
Top Five Winter Break Activities
Best Ice Fishing Holes
Building the Ice Palace
Tubing Adventures at Mt. Pisgah
Skiing Before the Melt
Basics for Ice Fishing Gear
First Time Ice Fishing
Slip Sliding Away Winter Hiking
Silent Night
Snowshoe Shopping
Lost and Found
New Years Eve Saranac Lake NY
Short & scenic hikes
Mount Arab
Winter Family Events
First Ski of the Season!
Less than two weeks to Sparkle Village Craft Fair!
Debar Mountain and Black Peak
Saranac Lake Art Attraction Nov 22 - Dec 28, 2013
Ducks and Otters at Lake Colby
Muskrats!
Goodman Mountain
Ducks on the Pond
What can we help you find?
Sign up to receive more information.
Enter Email
Do•Stay•Eat•Shop•Events
Work Here•Contact Us•DEI•Media Kit•Privacy Policy
39 Main Street, Saranac Lake, NY 12983
Powered by the Regional Office of
Sustainable Tourism
THERE’S MORE TO EXPLORE
We’ve got the best ideas for things to do on your next Adirondack adventure, and we will deliver them right to your inbox! THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING! Your next adventure awaits you in your inbox! Tell us more about what interests you, and we can help you plan your next trip.
MANAGE YOUR PREFERENCES