Lake Placid – From those of us who make our home in these Adirondack Mountains that surround Lake Placid, we wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa. It’s that most holy time of the year.
The Mirror Lake Inn is currently in full holiday mode. Our interior and exterior décor speaks to the season. The snow gods have kept their eyes on the calendar and have delivered enough snow to put us in the spirit.
However, when the two-week period ends and 2025 enters, we will find ourselves in the midst of an event season where some of the world’s elite athletes will grace this Upstate New York region. They will compete in a variety of winter disciplines just one year prior to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan0-Cortina. Yes – those prospective Olympians in action right here.
In order, here’s what’s coming:
Jan. 18-19 / FIS World Cup freestyle aerial skiing (men and women). If you’ve never seen skiers launch themselves 60 feet in the air and execute flips, twists and spins, you need to treat yourself to this. These athletes truly defy gravity. It takes place at the Olympic Jumping Complex in Lake Placid.
Jan. 30-Feb. 2 / Empire State Winter Games. This is the Winter Olympics for New York State residents and athletes from elsewhere who train at the sports venues in Lake Placid. All ages and all abilities are welcomed. It starts with a 700-mile relay around the state and culminates with the Opening Ceremony in the Lake Placid Olympic Center. Then it’s three days of competition. Numerous Olympians have come from the Empire State Winter Games, including our own Olympic silver and bronze medalist, Andrew Weibrecht.
Feb. 6-9 / FIS World Cup ski jumping (men and women). The expression “go big or go home” came from ski jumping, specifically from Lake Placid’s Hill Size 128 tower. You’ll wonder how athletes can stay suspended in the air so long. This will also take place at the Olympic Jumping Complex.
March 6-16 / IBSF World Championship bobsled and skeleton (men and women). The scene is the demanding one-mile track at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. The world championships are the most important events in bobsled and skeleton outside of the Olympic Games. Lake Placid is no stranger to this event having hosted it 12 times including the 2025 races.
March 21-22 / ECAC Men’s Hockey Championship. A long, grueling ECAC season comes to an end in the Lake Placid Olympic Center when the final four survivors face off for a berth in the 2025 NCAA Championships. Some of the nation’s top Division I teams will be here in Lake Placid.
There you have the top events over the next few months. And always remember – the AAA Four Diamond Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa is just minutes away from all these competition venues.