Every hockey parent has a rink that lives rent-free in their head, and serves as a true mental note. You know the one: you wear the winter jacket, hold your coffee for warmth instead of drinking it, and still lose feeling in your toes by the second period.

On a Facebook Group for Upstate NY Youth Hockey, I asked one little question: What's the absolute coldest rink in Upstate?!

They didn't hold back. Almost 100 hockey families weighed in, from Buffalo to the Canadian border, and named more than 35 different rinks. But one name kept coming up again and again.

The verdict is in. The coldest rink in Upstate New York is Scott's Memorial Rink in Chazy. And honestly, it wasn't even close.

#1: Scott's Memorial Rink, Chazy (31 votes)

Chazy got 31 votes, almost three times as many as the next rink. About one in three families who named a rink picked Scott's Memorial. Most of them didn't even give a second option. Just one word: "Chazy."

The stories explain why:

• One parent said the kids' water bottles were freezing on the bench.

• Another said parents were scraping ice off the kids' bubble face masks during line changes.

• One dad's advice for visiting families: "Dress warm!" (We cleaned that one up a little.)

• A longtime hockey parent said it best: if there's a colder rink anywhere in the United States, they pity the kids and parents who play there.

Some voters even called it a tie between Chazy and its North Country neighbor Rouses Point. One parent explained it this way: Chazy wins on temperature, but Rouses Point wins if you count wind chill.

Heading to Chazy? Bring a blanket, a thermos, hand warmers and a backup pair of gloves for your skater. Then leave a review on Rink Rater so the next family knows what they're in for.

#2: Fulton (11 votes)

Central New York's pick was clear: Fulton came in a solid second. Many families named it alongside Chazy, as in "Fulton or Chazy, lol." Others gave it the top spot on its own. One former player said Fulton was pretty rough when he was a kid and wasn't sure it had improved since. Based on the votes, it hasn't.

#3: Oswego (8 votes)

Just down the road from Fulton, Oswego took third. Votes came in for "the rink behind Kingsford Elementary," "the Oswego schools rink," and plain "Oswego." One parent summed it up in one word: "ridiculous." Put Fulton and Oswego together and Oswego County has a strong claim as the coldest corner of CNY.

Honorable mentions

These rinks didn't make the top three, but plenty of families would argue with that.

Rouses Point Civic Center

Cold air blows right across the bleachers

Frear Park, Troy

Locals call it "Freezer Park"

Lewis County Fairgrounds outdoor rink, Lowville

One parent remembers -11° at a game. "Don't forget the windchill."

Tri-Town Arena, Brasher Falls

A North Country regular on the list

Louisville "Swamper Dome"

"Hands down," said a parent who's been to a lot of rinks

RiverWorks, Buffalo

Outdoor. One parent's kid played when it was 14° out.

Meachem, Syracuse

Usually just "MEACHEM," in all caps

Haldane Arena, Pulaski

Cold, but at least it has a warming room

Hamilton College / Clinton Arena

Clinton gets votes from both rinks

Old-school legends

Some rinks earned their reputation years ago:

• Glens Falls Rec Center: One parent said it was -10° outside "and it had to be -25 inside." Another saw a kid crying frozen tears.

• "The Cooler" at Hobart College, Geneva: A roof with three open sides. One former player from the 1980s still remembers how cold it got.

• Saranac Lake's old arena: It had half walls, the ice dropped below zero, and people called it "the ice box."

• Burnett Park, Syracuse: One player remembers snow falling on the ice during practice and icicles on their cage.

• Scottsville: It kept a bin of blankets for visiting fans. Pick one and hope for the best.

Out-of-state entries

Vermont wanted in too. One parent said the Rutland rink has tin walls and "should be considered an outdoor rink." At Manchester, VT, another said you pay quarters for heat and still get none.

Surviving a cold rink: tips from parents who've been there

One hockey parent made a point a lot of families will recognize. When their kids started six years ago, most rinks heated the stands. Now heat during a game feels like "a rare luxury." So plan ahead:

• Dress in layers, starting with a base layer. You can always take a layer off.

• Keep your feet warm. Bring wool socks, boots instead of sneakers, and a piece of foam or cardboard to stand on. Cold bleachers steal heat fast.

• Bring a stadium blanket or a heated seat cushion.

• Pack hand and toe warmers. Bring extras for siblings and grandparents.

• Bring a thermos of coffee, cocoa or soup.

• Check for a warming room or heated viewing area before you get there. Some rinks have one, and it makes a big difference.

• Keep a spare pair of dry 'liner' gloves for your skater between periods.

Know before you go with Rink Rater

This is exactly why we built Rink Rater. Before your next away game, do a quick Search for the rink and see what other hockey families say. Is it cold? Is there a warming room? Is the snack bar open? Do they have a Pro Shop?

Think we got it wrong? Was your rink robbed? Head to Rink Rater, rate the rinks you know, and help the next family pack the right gear.

How we counted

We went through every top-level comment on the post in the Upstate NY Youth Hockey Facebook group, posted November 9–10, 2026. Each comment counted as one vote for every rink it named. So "Fulton or Chazy" gave both rinks a vote. Comments that didn't name a rink ("They are all freezing. All of them") were left out. Replies to comments weren't included.

Thanks to everyone who weighed in, and stay warm out there.