Holiday Valley to Build Sky High Adventure Park

January 13, 2011 9:54 am Chautauqua-Allegheny, Winter, snow sports Ellicottville, N.Y. - Holiday Valley's President, Dennis Eshbaugh announced on Jan. 8 that the resort will be constructing an Adventure Park in the Tannenbaum area at Holiday Valley. The park will feature an Aerial Adventure Park and a Mountain Coaster. The Aerial Park will open in June of 2011 and the Mountain Coaster will open later in the summer. More elements will be added to the park in the future. Holiday Valley will be working with Outdoor Ventures Group of Southport, Connecticut to design and build the Aerial Park and Wiegand Sports of Utah and Germany for design and construction of the Mountain Coaster. The Aerial Park is a series of platforms and "bridges" to be built in a 4 acre section of the woods adjacent to the Tannenbaum slope. The wooden platforms are built in the trees and the bridges connect the platforms. Bridges may be logs, hanging chunks of wood, loops of rope or other options and the challenge is to figure out how to get across to the next platform. A successful crossing is not a strength issue; it is more strategy and balance. There are different levels of difficulty and the more difficult the course, the higher up it is in the trees. Some courses have zip lines between areas. All participants wear a harness that has a special locking lanyard that safeguards them from falling if they slip or let go. Samples of the platforms and bridges have been installed in the ceilings of each of Holiday Valley's base lodges and a video of a similar park is available at www.holidayvalley.com/skyhigh. The Mountain Coaster is similar to a roller coaster, but it will be built in the woods next to the Spruce Line slope. People ride up the mountain in a "car" that is attached to rails, and then it follows a zig zagging spiraling path down the mountain. Riders are able to control their speed with hand brakes on the car. The Mountain Coaster will operate year 'round, and the Aerial Park will operate spring, summer and fall. Plans are to begin construction of the Mountain Coaster in April and it will be open for business this summer. Mr. Eshbaugh said, "We're really excited about the new Sky High Adventure Park. It will help attract more visitors to our region and give them a totally new outdoor experience." Holiday Valley (http://www.holidayvalley.com/ ) in Western New York State is a leading eastern North American year 'round resort. Fifty-eight slopes and 13 lifts offer challenging skiing and snowboarding. An 18 hole golf course, mountain biking trails and a 3-pool complex provide summer activities. Lodging is available on the slopes and golf course and in nearby Ellicottville, a quaint village with shops, restaurants and an exciting night life For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

THINKING ABOUT SPRING—The Chautauqua Lake Association

THINKING ABOUT SPRING—The Chautauqua Lake Association will kick off its first Chautauqua Lake Ice Pick fundraiser at 4 p.m. today at the Stow Ferry. Based on an Alaskan tradition, the contest asks participants to make an exact prediction when a large tripod, to be placed on Chautauqua Lake near Stow today, will fall into the lake this spring. The winner gets a plaque and bragging rights. A$5 donation is required for each guess and can be paid in the form of credit card or check. Entries are being accepted through Feb. 28. For more information, call the association at 763-8602 or go to www.clakeicepick.org, where you can download a printable entry ticket or pay online For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Sled in Style with a Chautauqua County Snowmobile Group

Published Wednesday, January 12th, 2011 in Scott Wise The Chautauqua Star and Bulletin Board is proud to feature our "Winter Recreation" section, located on pages 6 and 7 of our Sports section. Join us every week as we showcase each of the local snowmobile groups and see what they bring to our area. The Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club maintains almost 300 miles of trail in Chautauqua County. Submitted Photo. If you're from Chautauqua County, you probably hear more often than not, "Why on earth would you want to live somewhere where you only have two months of summer?" For the dedicated snowmobilers in the area, their answer will be, "Because we get five months of winter!" With over 450 miles of groomed trails in Chautauqua County, there's enough trail to spend a winter out of the house and on the sled. One of the greatest things about being an avid snowmobiler in Chautauqua County is the assurance that you're not alone. There are five snowmobiling groups in Chautauqua County- the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club, the Cherry Creek Sno-Goers, the Ellery Sno-Cruisers, the Lake Effect Trail Breakers and the Sunset Drifters. All of these groups offer benefits for members that guarantee not only a great ride, but a safe one. The Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club is the largest in Western New York, encompassing around 300 miles of the trails in the county. The club has over 1,500 members and has been in existence for over 40 years. "The first perk of being in a club is the camaraderie and friendship of the people who come and ride," said Marcus Maloney, Events and Activities Coordinator for the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club. But making friends isn't the only benefit to joining a club in New York State. Any club member can receive a discount on their state registration fees. "All of the clubs have seen a ride in membership because of that discount," said Maloney, who is a member of three Chautauqua County clubs. "For the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club, our membership fee is only $30 for a family for the season." Maloney stresses that the importance of joining a snowmobile club is not just to get a discount, but for the safety and guaranteed maintenance of traveling the group's trails. "We have nine groomers that take care of our trails year-round," said Maloney. "One hundred percent of our proceeds go toward trail maintenance and safety." One of Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club's 9 Trail Groomers. The Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club also has a clubhouse located of Hannum Road in Mayville, at the corner of two popular trails. Members can take a break from the cold with a hot chocolate, coffee, pop or just spending some time getting to know the other riders on their trail. Members also enjoy monthly meetings throughout the year, where they meet to discuss the trails, exchange safety concerns, share stories and learn about groomer operation and regulations. "We usually ride for about three to four months a year- November or December until St. Patrick's Day," said Maloney. "We spend the rest of the year sharing stories and looking forward to the next year- building bridges and trimming trees. The whole trail system is also now GPS Coordinated, so you don't have to worry about getting lost." Trail membership is also good for local business. Members come from Ohio and Pennsylvania and bring more winter business to the hundreds of popular local business and restaurants along the trails. "Most of our members like to go out and try lots and lots of different places," said Maloney. "We're nothing without local businesses, and they're all huge supports of our clubs and the trails." For more information on the Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Group, including trail conditions visit www.chautauquasnow.com or call their 'Sno-Phone' at 716-753-2924. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Pending home sales continue recovery

According to the National Association of REALTORS, pending home sales rose again in November, with the broad trend over the past five months indicating a gradual recovery for 2011. The Pending Home Sales Index rose 3.5 percent to 92.2 based on contracts signed in November from a downwardly revised 89.1 in October. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said historically high housing affordability is boosting sales activity. "In addition to exceptional affordability conditions, steady improvements in the economy are helping bring buyers into the market," he said. "But further gains are needed to reach normal levels of sales activities." To read the full NAR report, and an interview with Lawrence Yun, click here. C. Rick & Julia McMahon Broker/partners Real Estate Advantage Bemus Point & Jamestown, NY 716-483-3300 or 484-2020 http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/

Chautauqua Farm to Restaurant to encourage local and organic produce in area eateries

Dunkirk Observer Save Post a comment MAYVILLE - Many residents of Chautauqua County know that some of the best fruit and vegetables are grown just around the corner and for them it is still easy to purchase local produce prevalent at the roadside stands that still dot the county. Asparagus and strawberries in the spring, blueberries and peaches in the summer, apples and grapes in the fall - all are often of the finest quality and worthy of export. This is complemented by local farmers' markets where one can obtain locally produced fowl, beef, and dairy products. Visitors, however, do not know always know about these delicious offerings because local restaurants cannot obtain sufficient supplies in an efficient manner. Likewise, savvy local chefs and restaurants know that the hottest topic in the restaurant world is "local" purchasing and featuring locally-grown and/or organic products on their menus and even identifying the name of the farms and farmers who supply them. These locally grown foodstuffs are sometimes fresher and of better quality than that which is imported by distributors. It is just these products that illustrate the "sense of place" so evident in America's Grape Country's landscape. A local grassroots group composed of Ben Webb (Webb's Captain's Table), Jennifer Johnson (Johnson Estate Winery), Blair Koss (Westfield Farmer's Market), Pat Hathaway (Hathaway Farms) and Tony and Rebecca Pisicoli (Sapore Wine Bar & Restaurant), was inspired by the annual Buffalo Farm to Table Conference to replicate this effort in Chautauqua. The group hopes to encourage the formation of relationships between local farmers and restaurant owners and chefs, to study ways to help the two groups match local supplies with local demand, including the need to understand the importance of quality standards, methods of efficient distribution, and wholesale pricing. The group will be sponsoring a Farm to Restaurant Mixer on Jan. 11 from 6-8 p.m. at Webb's Captains' Table, 115 West Lake Road in Mayville. Wine will be provided by Johnson Estate and hors d'oeuvres by Webb's Captain's Table. The mixer is open to all farmers and chefs/restaurants who are interested in providing or purchasing produce on a wholesale basis. The mixer will encourage the exchange of information on types and quantities of seasonal produce available as well on the development of farmer and chef relationships. Questions and RSVP may be directed to Jennifer Johnson at fsj2@msn.com. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Chautauqua Experience January 31, 2011, at 10 pm, PBS

This January all of us who love Chautauqua will have the opportunity to share the "Chautauqua Experience". Save the Date! On January 31, 2011, at 10 pm, PBS will feature a documentary about Chautauqua Institution, called 'Chautauqua: An American Narrative'. You can view the trailer below (provided by Chautauqua Institution) According to the official website of Chautauqua Institution, "The documentary, which was filmed at Chautauqua during the 2009 Season, uses personal testaments from a series of individuals and emphasizes Chautauqua's four pillars of the arts, education, religion, and recreation to capture the Chautauqua experience. Those interviewed include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, historian David McCullough, the Rev. Otis Moss III, and pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk, as well as Chautauqua's own Tom Becker, former board chair William Clinger, and artistic directors, faculty and students. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

SOLD!! Sales statistics for Chautauqua Lake Home Sales will be posted on FAQ page on the website mid January.


For More Information On Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living Visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Steve Martin to play Chautauqua in 2011

Sure, you're cold and wet and miserable. Chautauqua Institution aims to cheer you up by thinking summer. The venerable establishment -- soon to be featured in a major PBS documentary -- has added some pretty good shows for its 2011 lineup: Steve Martin, Natalie Merchant, Clint Black, and Anna Deavere Smith. Martin and his Steep Canyon Rangers will perform "An Evening of Bluegrass & Banjo" on July 1 at 8:15 p.m. Yes, Martin is a gifted musician as well as comic and actor. He won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album in 2009 for "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo." He'll tour in 2011 with North Carolina's Steep Canyon Rangers. Tickets will be $39. Also, Natalie Merchant returns home to play the amphitheater with a 28-member orchestra on July 8. Of course, she got her started in Jamestown, N.Y. with 10,000 Maniacs. Her latest project, "Leave Your Sleep," debuted at No. 17 on Billboard's Top 200. Tickets for that show will also be $39. Country star Clint Black is also confirmed for Chautauqua; he plays on Aug. 12. Black debuted in "Killin' Time" in 1989 and has been killing audiences ever since. Before country veered toward pop, he played with a sense of tradition and respect. Actress, playwright and MacArthur "genius" fellowship recipient Smith will perform on Aug. 8. She's best known for plays, done in a documentary, theater style, that feature multiple, diverse characters -- all played by Smith. She's the "ultimate impressionist," says the New York Times. "She does people's souls." Tickets for amphitheater specials, including previously announced shows with Bill Cosby (Aug. 27) and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (June 25) will go on sale March 7, 2011. The PBS special, by the way, is titled "Chautauqua: An American Narrative" and will debut on Jan. 31 on PBS. The bulk of it was filmed during Chautauqua's 2009 season and includes interviews with Sandra Day O'Connor, David McCullough, pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk (who returns July 13), and Chautauqua leader Tom Becker, among others. Erie Insurance, by the way, was one of the sponsors for the documentary, that was filmed by Buffalo PBS station WNED. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/

Holiday Valley opening kicks off WNY ski season

By: Nicki Mayo All the lake effect snow over the past week is good news for skiers who got to hit the slopes for the first time this winter at Holiday Valley. YNN's Nicki Mayo takes us to opening day at the Ellicottville resort. ELLICOTTVILLE, N.Y. -- Lockport students Zach Pietrzykowski and Zack Kibler skipped class to hop on the slopes at Holliday Valley Ski Resort. "I told my mom that I'm skipping school for the first day. This is my first day here on the opening day, so I'm stoked," said Pietrzykowski. "We just love riding so first day open, why not come!," Kibler added. The Niagara County teens are among the hundreds of Western New York skiers hitting the slopes for the new season. "I think the snow conditions are fabulous for opening day. It's the most snow we've seen in years" said Chris Tew. More than a half-million skiers visit Holiday Valley each year. "We have three lifts open, about 10 slopes so it's just going to get better from here on," said Holiday Valley Marketing Director Jane Eshbaugh. "It's been a great opening because of all this beautiful snow they we've had. The weather has been cold we've been able to make some snow," Esbaugh added. The snow guns have been pumping out snow since Thanksgiving. The area has seen more than a foot of lake effect snow in the past week. "The lake effect snow that we get makes skiing so much fun. It makes it soft and pretty," said Esbaugh. "It's a little icy in patches underneath, but this new snow is going to make a big, big difference," Tew added. Holiday Valley and Kissing Bridge are among the Western New York ski resorts opening this week. More skiers hitting the slopes can mean more shoppers heading into local stores. "When ski season starts, it's a huge economic impact to the area. It's not just Ellicottville; it's the entire county of Cattaraugus," said Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Brian McFadden. "It's exciting. There's all this pent up energy from October and November. Although we have a great summer time and fall here. Everybody wants that ski season to start," McFadden added. The Chamber has 400 business members. Forty-five of them provide lodging, a third of those are in Ellicottville. "So we send them out to everywhere around the county. So ski season is important to a big area," McFadden said. There are more than 120 ski trails between Holiday Valley and Holimont ski resorts. "Oh my gosh, it's awesome already. If you find the lines, it's really good skiing out there," said Laura Kohler of Ellicottville. She advises rookies to play it safe on the slopes. "Take it easy, it's the beginning of the season, you got a whole season to go," Kohler added. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Holiday Valley's 54th winter season

Holiday Valley's 54th winter season will begin on Tuesday, December 7 at 9:00AM. Three lifts and four slopes will be open on Tuesday and more terrain will open as the resort continues to make snow and receive natural snow. Snowmaking began on November 26 and has operated as temperatures permitted. The resort has received more than 10 inches of snow over the past 5 days. The forecast for the Ellicottville area is for night time temperatures in the teens and low 20's which is ideal weather for snowmaking. Lake effect snow and snow showers are also predicted through the week. Holiday Valley targets full operation of all 58 slopes and 13 lifts on or before the Christmas holiday starting December 25. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/