A snowboarder cruises down Whiteface Mountain. (Provided photo â Olympic Regional Development Authority) It seems like a paradox, but it’s true. New York ski areas generally reported more skiers than usual this winter — in some cases many more — despite challenges such as state-imposed capacity restrictions meant to slow coronavirus spread. This pandemic winter was good to the downhill ski areas New York state owns: Whiteface and Gore in the Adirondacks and Belleayre in the Catskills. All together, skier and snowboarder visits were up 14% over the previous winter (up to 580,000), and season pass sales were up 25%, according to officials with the state Olympic Regional Development Authority, which runs these and other winter sports venues.