LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Mt. Van Hoevenberg is open for cross country skiing, with day passes only $8. The mountain center will be open through Sunday, Nov. 23, and then re-open Friday, Nov. 28 (conditions and weather permitting). There are no rentals, food or merchandise being sold until the transition into fully-operational mode, but season passes are on sale now and are being sold at the mountain.

These world-class cross country ski trails range over 50 km of rolling Adirondack terrain. The following trails have been rolled and are setting up nicely: Beginner terrain - flatlander, bobcat, miniloop, campground, flatlander extension. More difficult - east Mt. cutoff, east hill. Expert - Ladies 5 inner and outer loops.

Season passes are on sale now, and prices will go up after December 1. Adults/$170, Teen/Senior/$135, junior/$95, 70+/$50 and children six and under are free. As an added bonus to get the whole family out enjoying the beautiful weather, when you buy two adult passes, all children in the family under 19 ski free.

This season’s Nordic Festival will take place from Feb. 27 through March 1, 2015 at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. Throughout the three-day festival there will be ski waxing and orienteering clinics, demonstrations, dinners and parties, discounts on demos, rentals and merchandise, sales and touring to include headlamp tours on Mirror Lake and the Cascade Cross Country Ski Center. Nordic Fest will conclude, Sunday, March 1, at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Cross Country Ski Center with the running of the 33rd annual Lake Placid Loppet.

The Lake Placid Loppet is Sunday, March 1, at 9 a.m. A staple for winter endurance athletes for more than a decade the Lake Placid Loppet’s 25km and 50km races will challenge even the seasoned Nordic athlete.

New this season, the 12.5K Cross Country Ski Challenge is an abbreviated version of the rigorous 25K and 50K Loppet races traditionally held at Mt. Van Hoevenberg and is designed to be more suitable for the Nordic enthusiast. This event will be on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 1 p.m.

For more information, visit the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Facebook page.

For more information about all of the events and activities taking place on ORDA’s Olympic venues, log onto www.whitefacelakeplacid.com.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.