The stone Castle at the very top of the highway, built of granite blasted from the road itself — where the drive ends, you park, and the short climb to the true summit begins.
You've reached the top of the road — pull in and park, because this is as far as the car can go. That handsome stone building is the Castle, and here's a lovely detail: it's built entirely of the granite they blasted out of this mountain to make the very road you just drove up. Inside there's a warming room, a bite to eat, and a gift shop, near the top of a five-thousand-foot peak.
But you're not quite at the summit yet — the true top of Whiteface is a short climb above you, and it is worth every single step. You've got two ways up, and they're both remarkable. The adventurous way is on foot: a steep little stone stairway that scrambles up the last of the rocky ridge — only about a fifth of a mile, but exposed and rugged, so take it slow. The easy way is pure engineering wonder: they bored a tunnel four hundred feet straight into the heart of the mountain, and an elevator lifts you the last twenty-seven stories up through solid rock to a doorway that opens right onto the top.
Either way, bundle up first — it's another world of weather up there, colder and far windier than down here at the car. Grab your jacket, leave the car behind, and let's climb the last little bit to the roof of New York.
Photo: Traumallama · CC BY-SA 3.0
