The Town of North Creek will be celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the First Snow Train - Please Join Us!
The 90th Anniversary of the first snow train to arrive in North Creek is March 4, 2024. As such, many businesses in the town of North Creek will participate to bring events to you in celebration of this anniversary. Please visit this page often as we will continuously be making updates here.
Logo & Magnets - Thank you to Gore Mountain marketing department for creating such a great logo for our event. This logo will also be made available as magnets and will be handed out at upcoming events.
Specialty Beer - We are working with a local brewery to potentially be able to present a special beer for this event. Stay tuned!
Local Restaurants - We are working with local restaurants to offer Snow Train inspired specials as possible commemorating 1934 ($19.34 meal deals). More information will be made available.
See Press Releases below:
I Love NY: click HERE
WNYTV: click HERE
Snow Brains: click HERE
ADK Taste: click HERE
Times Union: click HERE
Adirondack Almanack: click HERE
Adirondack Explorer: click HERE
Daily Gazette: click HERE
Daily Gazette (#2): click HERE
New Channel 10 - ABC: click HERE
Adirondack Explorer: click HERE
Our list of events include:
March 4 | 10:30 AM (the time the first snow trained arrived) @ North Creek Depot Museum
We are clanging a steam locomotive bell at the North Creek Depot and crack a champagne bottle to celebrate for a few minutes.
EVERYONE IS INVITED.
Completed Events Listed Below
December 8 & 9 | 7 PM @ Tannery Pond Center - Warren Miller film All Time presented by Tannery Pond Center, Tickets: $10 per person. To reserve your ticket, please visit the TPC box office, call (518) 251-2505, or purchase online thru Eventbrite. Some "Day of Event" tickets are reserved for purchase at the box office. Please purchase early as this is a popular event. Please visit event page HERE. Many great raffle prizes will be given out.
January 10 | 5 PM @ Joe Minder Lodge at Gore Mountain Ski Bowl - Unveiling of Pioneer Inductee Plaques
January 10 | 6 PM @ Gore Mountain Ski Bowl - Gore Mountain Citizen’s Race Series - Ski Pioneer Day
Come celebrate history with us! Pioneer Day will feature the unveiling of four new Pioneer Plaques at the Joe Minder Lodge in the Ski Bowl. These plaques serve as a tribute to the individuals who have played an instrumental role in the development of the North Creek Ski Bowl and the town of Johnsburg, and contributed to the thriving ski community that it is today. We will be unveiling the Pioneer Plaques at 5 pm on January 10, just before the commencement of the Citizens Series. Join us for an evening of fun, racing, and gratitude. For more information click: HERE HERE is a nice write up on the event!
January 14 | 3 PM @ Tannery Pond Center - Coffeehouse Concert Series featuring Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys presented by Tannery Pond Center. Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 day of, Free for Youth 18+ Younger. To reserve your ticket, please visit the TPC box office, call (518) 251-2505, or purchase online thru Eventbrite. Some "Day of Event" tickets are reserved for purchase at the box office. Please visit event page HERE.
January 14 | 7 PM @ Tannery Pond Center - Unveiling of the restored 1939 drawing by Dorothea C. Loewel entitled "Pictorial Map of North Creek in the Adirondacks". Presented by the North Creek Depot Museum.
You’re invited to a special North Creek community event: the unveiling of the restored drawing of the 1939 “pictorial map of North Creek in the Adirondacks” by Dorothea C. Loewel Presentations will be by Carolyn Frisa, art conservator; Greg Schaefer, president – North Creek Depot Museum including vintage ski movie and performance by Doug Irving, singer/songwriter. This event is free to all and refreshments will be served. There will be a raffle of a framed print of this work as well. For more information. visit: HERE
January 27 | 6:30 PM @ Tannery Pond Center - Wolf Hollow Brewing Company will offer a beer tasting event for the specialty beer that has been created for the 90th Anniversary of the Snow Train.
January 27 | 7 PM @ Tannery Pond Center - Jim Schaefer presentation How Skiing Came to North Creek: Schenectady's Role (James M Schaefer “Jim” is the son of Vincent Schaefer). The presentation will explore the historic context of recreational skiing in the 1920s-1930s. Topics will include -- winter sports clubs, snow trains, ski instruction, surface lifts (rope tows), ski safety and the 1932 Winter Olympics as a backdrop for the first snow train from Schenectady to North Creek on March 4th 1934. He will trace the role of key influencers in both Schenectady and North Creek without whose fellowship and cooperation -- the Snow Train Era would not have happened.
January 30 | 6 PM @ Wolf Hollow Brewery - Host Bill Schaefer Movie Night and Beer tasking of the Snow Train ‘34 beer. Rotterdam Hills - Ride Up Slide Down - First Snow Train ‘34
Wolf Hollow Brewery - West Glenville on NYS Route 5 (Amsterdam Rd)
February 4 | 6 PM @ Tannery Pond Center - Hosted by David Skibinski Adult Game Night - Ticket to Ride For more information visit HERE.
February 6 | 6pm @ Wolf Hollow Brewery - Host Jim Schaefer Talk: “How the Snow Train got started to North Creek.”
The presentation will explore the historic context of recreational skiing in the 1920s-1930s. Topics will include -- winter sports clubs, snow trains, ski instruction, surface lifts (rope tows), ski safety and the 1932 Winter Olympics as a backdrop for the first snow train from Schenectady to North Creek on March 4th 1934. He will trace the role of key influencers in both Schenectady and North Creek without whose fellowship and cooperation -- the Snow Train Era would not have happened.
Wolf Hollow Brewery - West Glenville on NYS Route 5 (Amsterdam Rd)
February 10 | 7 PM @ Tannery Pond Center - Old Ski Movie Night from 1930’s to the 1950’s presented by the Depot Museum. Greg Schaefer, President of the North Creek Depot Museum will show ski movies from the 1930’s to the 1950’s taken around Gore Mountain. Among those ski films will be several taken in the 1930’s by Bill Gluesing who ran GE’s House of Magic and coined the phrase "Ride Up-Slide Down." Besides a film of the First Snow Train in 1934, included will be films from local families in the Historic Ski Bowl including the 1946 T-Bar.
Admission: $10.00 payable at the door. Free for 18+ Younger. Door prizes.
February 13 | 6 PM @ Wolf Hollow Brewery - Host Jim & Bill Schaefer Movie Night: Adirondack Hickories, Freddie At 95
Wolf Hollow Brewery - West Glenville on NYS Route 5 (Amsterdam Rd)
February 17 | 7 PM @ Tannery Pond Center - Jim Schaefer presentation Schenectady's Women of Winter: Frederica "Freddie" Anderson Pioneer Ski Instructor and Lois Perret (Schaefer), RN The First Aid Committee (Ski Patrol) 1933. (James M Schaefer “Jim” is the son of Lois Perret Schaefer).
The talk will explore the contributions of Frederica “Freddie” Anderson 1921-2022 (that’s 101 years). Freddie and her family rode the First Snow Train, became one of NY’s first certified ski instructors, Directed the Schenectady Ski School (64 years), Gore Mountain Instructor (25 years), at 90 rode the 2011 Snow Train.
Lois Perret, RN (1901-1992) was asked to head the First Aid Committee of the Schenectady Wintersports Club in preparation for the Snow Trains that were planned for 1933-34. She recruited competent skiers, trained them in Red Cross standards for ski related injuries and crafted supplies for aiding injured skiers which served as a prototype for Minnie Dole’s National Ski Patrol in 1938. The “Memorial Lois Perret, RN Ski Patrol Award” is given in her honor to recognize outstanding service to members of the Gore Mountain Ski Patrol since 2003.
2023-2024 Lois Perret (Schaefer), RN Memorial Ski Patrol Award - In conjunction with this talk, Jim Schaefer will present this award. Nominees in the past have been recognized for their excellent service to the Gore Mountain Ski Patrol during their career providing care for injured skiers, riders, bikers and hikers on and off trails at the Gore Mountain Ski Resort. The award is given in honor of Lois Perret, RN of Schenectady who led the “First Aid Committee” in 1933 as part of the Schenectady Wintersports Club and North Creek Ski Club effort to bring Snow Trains to North Creek. The preparations during the summer and fall of 1933 included: recruiting competent skiers, training by the Red Cross on emergency care of injuries, preparation of first aid kits with splints, wraps, bandages, ointments, a toboggan to transport injuries skiers as needed, arranging for an on-call physician to assist serious injuries and a warm holding area – the train at the North Creek Depot. Minnie Dole in 1938 agreed to organize what was to become the industry standard National Ski Patrol which replicated many of the principles, Red Cross training and equipment devised by the “First Aid Committee” in 1933. The Memorial award was first presented in 2003 to Dr. Dan O’Keeffe II who was an original member of the 1933 First Aid Committee.
February 22 | 7 PM @ Tannery Pond Center - Johnsburg Historical Society presentation on the WWII 10th Mountain Ski Division. 1934 brought the beginning of the Snow Train from Schenectady to North Creek. By 1944, WWII was raging and the local men who were members of the Gore Mountain Ski Club had headed off to military service, several being assigned to mountain training at Camp Hale, Colorado. The 10th Mountain Division had been formed; their stories, and the history of the 10th Mountain Division of the U. S. Army focusing on World War II will be presented by The Johnsburg Historical Society.
Free Admission - Refreshments - Books for sale. Donations appreciated.
February 27 | 6 PM @ Wolf Hollow Brewery - Host Jim Schaefer Talk: “Women Of Winter: Freddie Anderson & Lois Perret”
The talk will explore the contributions of Frederica “Freddie” Anderson 1921-2022 (that’s 101 years). Freddie and her family rode the First Snow Train, became one of NY’s first certified ski instructors, Directed the Schenectady Ski School (64 years), Gore Mountain Instructor (25 years), at 90 rode the 2011 Snow Train.
Lois Perret, RN (1901-1992) was asked to head the First Aid Committee of the Schenectady Wintersports Club in preparation for the Snow Trains that were planned for 1933-34. She recruited competent skiers, trained them in Red Cross standards for ski related injuries and crafted supplies for aiding injured skiers which served as a prototype for Minnie Dole’s National Ski Patrol in 1938. The “Memorial Lois Perret, RN Ski Patrol Award” is given in her honor to recognize outstanding service to members of the Gore Mountain Ski Patrol since 2003.
Wolf Hollow Brewery - West Glenville on NYS Route 5 (Amsterdam Rd)
March 2 | 9:30 -11:30 AM Depart from North Creek Depot Museum Snow Shoe at the Historic North Creek Ski Bowl
We’ll begin the tour at the the North Creek Depot Museum with an informative talk in the Ski History Room about early Snow Trains, skiing the historic ski trails, and locations of early rope tows. We’ll then drive to the Ski Bowl and snow shoe around the Ski Bowl to see where the early skiing took place. On the tour we take a look at a couple of historic artifacts.
Meet at the North Creek Depot Museum at 9:30 AM to begin the tour. The Museum and Ski Bowl Tour will take 1.5 to 2 hours.
Please bring your own snow shoes and dress appropriately for the weather.
Tour is limited to 15 participants. Event is free.
Donations to Depot Museum are always welcome.
March 2 | 9:30 AM - 2 PM Depart from North Creek Depot Museum hosted by the Upper Hudson Trail Alliance Ski Event - Ride Up Slide Down
The 1932 Olympics in Lake Placid inspired the locals of North Creek, New York to build ski trails on the slopes outside of town. Logging roads were cleared and widened on the flanks of Gore Mountain. On March 4th, 1934, the first Snow Train arrived in North Creek at 10:30 am with 374 skiers, kickstarting generations of winter fun in North Creek. By 1936, Snow Trains were originating from Albany and Grand Central in NYC to bring in winter sports enthusiasts and carried more than 800 people. This new tourism greatly benefited the local economy. Hotels were full and many families provided room and board to skiers at a modest price, helping them get through the Great Depression.
This year, we’re celebrating the Snow Train’s 90th anniversary by reenacting the original Ride Up, Ski Down. A shuttle will carry skiers from the original North Creek Depot to the Raymond Brook trail head. From there skiers will climb approximately 500 vertical feet before starting the descent back to North Creek. This will be a guided trip. Backcountry or AT gear is required. This is an intermediate backcountry route but conditions can vary.
This event is free to UHTA members and $25 for non-members although we encourage you to join and support the efforts of UHTA. UHTA Members receive a 15% discount at Becks Tavern and Adirondack All Seasons Outfitters. See flyer for the event HERE.
March 2-4 @ Gore Mountain will be Celebrating the First Snow Train to arrive in North Creek. "The 90th Snow Train Anniversary is full steam ahead! We will be showing a historic film featuring the Snow Train at the Corduroy Café on the Upper Level of the Base Lodge near the Tannery. We'll also have information about the history of Gore, North Creek, and the Snow Train as well as a Snow Train Trivia Crossword, and we will be giving away Snow Train Stickers & 90th Anniversary Printed Art Pieces!"
March 3 | 3-5 PM @ Tannery Pond Center - First Wilderness Johnsburg Community Day, North Creek Walking Tour, North Creek Story Hour - Stories told by Cunninghams, Historians, Residents, and Business Owners. Refreshments will be served after the presentations. Here is a link to more information on this exciting event!
