A resort in Ellicottville in western New York, an hour from Buffalo, and the main destination in the lake effect snow belt south of Lake Erie.

That lake effect is the whole story. Storms pick up moisture crossing the lake and drop it here in quantity, which gives this modest hill far more snow than its position suggests.

The terrain is mostly gentle and intermediate with extensive snowmaking as insurance, and floodlit evening skiing runs most of the season.

Ellicottville village is a genuine small town with restaurants and bars and a lively weekend scene, which makes it more pleasant than most resorts of this size.