Site of the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, Whiteface Mountain ski resort has a huge vertical and some terrific expert skiing and snowboarding terrain. The resort also boasts an excellent terrain park (with a 140-metre super-pipe) that has hosted the 2000 Winter Goodwill Games.

Nearby Lake Placid serves as the resort's centre and is a charming town boasting a busy thoroughfare with an array of shops and services. Accommodation is mainly in bed-and-breakfasts and hotels, and there are thousands of beds available in Lake Placid and Wilmington. Childcare is available for toddlers between one and six years, at $50 per day.

Whiteface Mountain ski resort’s 72 runs are divided into 20 per cent for beginners, 39 per cent for intermediates and 41 per cent for advanced and expert snowboarders and skiers. Snowboarders also have a terrain park with a 140-metre super-pipe. The pistes are accessible via 11 lifts and, in addition to the slopes, there is a competition cross-country trail system with 50kms of winding terrain.

Other winter activities and facilities at Whiteface Mountain include: the Verizon Sports Complex, with bobsled and luge runs (10kms southeast); the MacKenzie-Intervale Ski Jumping Complex; dog-sledding; ice-skating (indoor and outdoor); snowmobiling; tobogganing; snowshoeing; and tubing. There are also gyms, saunas and spas; while après-ski is centred in the lodges at the resort. Additionally, Lake Placid offers plenty of entertainment.

The November to April ski season at Whiteface Mountain ski resort has its best snow conditions from early February to March, and snow cannons cover 95 per cent of the terrain. Skiers over 70 years and children under six years ski for free. The most practical travel option for getting to Whiteface Mountain is to fly to Adirondack Airport, transfer to Lake Placid by taxi or bus, and then take the free taxi to the resort; shuttles run in both directions.