Holiday Valley Ski Resort Review

Holiday Valley Ski Resort is located one mile south of Ellicottville, New York. Your driving distance from Buffalo is one hour, from Toronto it's three hours. Cleveland is three hours away and Jamestown just forty five minutes.

Holiday Valley has 56 runs, 33 % beginner, 27% intermediate, 37% advanced and 1% expert. The longest run is 1 mile. The runs are serviced by 13 lifts, 8 quad chairs, 2 high speed quads, 1 double chair and 2 surface lifts. The resort covers 280 acres and has a vertical drop of 750 feet. The 180 inches of yearly snow fall is assisted by snowmaking over the majority of the runs.

Snowboarders have access to all the slopes as well as four terrain parks and a 400 foot long halfpipe. Progression Park has introductory level boxes and rails. Snoozer has jumps and banked turns. The Rail Park has a variety of progressive and creative jib lines. Moonshadow has evenly spaced rollers that are just plain fun. 42/78 Park has the largest features geared for the advanced riders. Boarding lessons are available at the Burton Learn to Ride Center and the Burton Kids Learn to Ride Center.

Holiday Valley Tubing Company is located four miles from the resort but the free shuttle can get you there and back. Once you are there 12 lanes and 2 lifts await you. To tube with the big folks you must be 7 years old and 42" tall, if not you go to the Little Tubers area.

Holiday Valley a view from the lodge.
Thanks to chrisforsyth for the picture at flickr.com

Cross Country Skiers have several options at Holiday Valley Resort. You can take the Mardi Gras lift to the top and ski the trails along the ridgeline, you can then either ski the easy trails down or use the lift. You can ski around the golf course at the base of the mountain or you can venture out into the state forest bordering Hidden Valley. The trails in the forest are not maintained or patrolled so you are on your own.

The services at Holiday Valley include three base lodges. At the Clubhouse Chalet you can find Founders Lounge and Restaurant, McCarty Cafe, two bars, a ski school ticket office and rental shop. In the base area near the lodge are the day care center and the Creekside Lodge, where the ski and board lessons take place.

Yodeler Lodge, at the base of the Yodeler Quad Chair, has the Marketplace Cafe and two lounges. There is a sports shop there also. Tannenbaum Lodge is at the base of the Tannenbaum Express Quad and Spruce Lake Quad. It has the Seven Headwalls Cafe, the Loft and a picnic area. This is also where the Adaptive Ski Center is located.

There is plenty of either slope side, or golf course side, lodging at Holiday Valley Ski Resort. The Inn at Holiday Valley is a ski in ski out hotel at the base of Sunrise lift. Tamarack Club is also ski in and ski out next to Holiday Valley's base lodge.

Holiday Valley lift going up the slopes.
Thanks to chrisforsyth for the picture at flickr.com

Holiday Valley Rental Management can set you up in a home or condo either at the slopes or in nearby Ellicottville. Many other lodging options are available at Ellicottville, a resort town full of restaurants, bars and hotels.

Summers at Holiday Valley feature plenty of golf. Mountain biking is popular also and many just relax at the beach by Spruce Lake at the top of Holiday Valley. The lake also allows kayaking and canoeing. Or there's the new three pool complex with a toddler pool, a lap pool and an activity pool.

Other ski resorts within thirty miles of Holiday Valley are Holimont Ski Area, Kissing Bridge, Buffalo Ski Club and Cockaigne. Within 60 miles are Ski Denton and Swain. Other nearby activities are Niagara Falls, Allegany State Park, Seneca Allegany Casino, horseback riding throughout Cattaraugus County and The Griffis Outdoor Sculpture Park.

The address at Holiday Valley is 6557 Holiday Valley Road, Ellicottville, New York 14731. Their phone number is 716-699-2345.

Holiday Valley Ski Resort Map & Directions (click on "Marker" for your personalized directions)