Mount Marcy, the 5,344-foot [1,630-meter] landmark in New York's Adirondack Park, has been a backcountry downhill rip since the turn of the century, when it lured the likes of Herman "Jackrabbit" Johannsen, the trailblazing apostle of Nordic skiing.

Advanced intermediates and experts still head ten miles [16 kilometers] southeast of Lake Placid to tackle Marcy's Van Hoevenberg Trail, a 7.4-mile [12-kilometer] run that descends through a thigh-burning 3,166 vertical feet [965 meters]—the same as that of nearby Whiteface Mountain ski area, which has the biggest drop in the East. The ascent up Marcy starts out relatively flat, then cants more steeply for the final four miles [six kilometers]—a slog as hearty as any in the West. From there, you can get in a few warm-up runs on Marcy's treeless summit cone or troll for hidden powder in the open snowfields of the mountain's north face.

Skiing back down Van Hoevenberg is like singletrack biking on skis. The steep, serpentine trail is less than two ski poles wide in some places—even experienced skiers will take safety falls to avoid crashing.

Along the way are turnouts for secret stashes and natural play parks—and if you've still got juice at the bottom, you can join the hard cores on a high-speed skate to the trailhead.

—David Goodman

CONTACT:
High Peaks Cyclery
(+1 518 523 3764; www.highpeakscyclery.com/).
Guided day trips are $125 per person for two people.