By Pat Turner Kavanaugh
Snow Chronicles Correspondent

NORTH CREEK, N.Y. -- Three years ago SKI magazine quoted a civic booster here in North Creek, home to Gore Mountain, as saying that state officials who operate Gore, and Whiteface at Lake Placid, treat Gore like a step-child.

A friend of mine who has skied Gore and elsewhere for over 30 years recently hit Mount Snow and Okemo in Vermont and then Gore on three subsequent weekends in December.

He described himself as favorably impressed with changes made at Gore. For one thing, Gore's management added 70 tower guns, four fan guns and a new pump for snowmaking. At Gore the emphasis is on covering one trail after another with a good solid snow surface, even if this means the trail count is lower than that at another mountain, where the idea is to get a minimal amount on as many trails as possible for bragging rights.

And, of course, Gore has access to the Hudson River to produce its snowmaking, so that's not an issue.

Some of those tower guns were installed on Twister, the Gore racing trail. At the same time Twister was widened from 60 feet in places to 120 feet, making for a great cruising run.

Gore offers cruisers, steeps and glades, including, this year, a new entrance to the "Tahawus Glades" from the Tahawus Trail. The "Dark Side Glades," which opened quietly at the end of last season, is going full tilt. Continuing this year is the terrain park at Gore-E-Gully, which has its own lift. New are a family-friendly beginner terrain park on "Upper Sleighride" and a more advanced park on "Lower Sleighride."

There are some nice backcountry trails for expert Nordic skiers, and a complete snowshoe and cross-country trail system.

The dream is to connect Gore with the North Creek Ski Bowl, which for the moment boasts a tubing park with food and beverage service, three or four minutes by car.

One local said a chance to augment what's now a not-very-extensive bed base could make Gore one of the best destination resorts in the East, because it's served by well maintained and good roads, connecting to New York City and New Jersey.

Also this season, Gore completed major renovations to the Base Lodge and the Saddle Lodge.

At the bottom, food service has been redone to a food court style, which leaves more room for seating. Other changes make the whole atmosphere airier and lighter.

Plans for next year call for moving the child care from the Base Lodge to the Gondola building, which will also leave more space for diners.

Saddle Lodge, previously suitable only for ducking in out of the cold and the wind at the top of the Adirondack Express triple, has been augmented. Upstairs is a lounge with floor to ceiling windows facing north into spectacular scenery in the Adirondacks. Downstairs Gore personnel created a hearth of local granite flecked with garnet. Saddle Lodge now has its own food service and beverage service, making it a pleasant place to spend some time.

Pat Turner Kavanaugh is a news reporter for the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger. She has covered news of skiing for three decades.