Mid-Atlantic 2019-2020 Mid-Atlantic Resorts, Conditions, Weather, and Stoke

[RodneyBD]

Anyone have any insight/perspective on the new Wisp GM? He has put in some time at Roundtop, Camelback and others.

New general manager at Wisp has varied background

MCHENRY — Wisp Resort has hired ski industry veteran Ron Hawkes as its new general manager, replacing Jerry Geisler who is retiring after 45 years at the Western Maryland resort.

www.times-news.com

For whatever reasons they never make as much snow as other regional resorts (despite what seems like having unlimited water).

 

[cantunamunch]

For whatever reasons they never make as much snow as other regional resorts (despite what seems like having unlimited water).

Lol, I remember the avalanche they had when they tried to pound out the snow early season.

 

[MarkP]

Back end of next week is looking pretty good. Barring any last minute work travel or drastic change in the forecast, I will probably take Thursday and Friday off and make the long drive (5hrs) down to Snowshoe for a few days. May hit Canaan on the way back to break up the ride.

 

[Laurel Hill Crazie]

It was a little damp at Seven Springs today. Stowe and Stoew Trail opened on the front. Lost Boy and The Alley without terrain features were open on the North Face.

 

[cantunamunch]

It was a little damp at Seven Springs today. Stowe and Stoew Trail opened on the front.

Sweet, I like that area.

Back end of next week is looking pretty good.

I agree - except I'm going to use that weekend to hit up the NE.

 

[Johnfmh]

Did anyone make it to CV yesterday for the opening?

 

[scottyb]

Talked to a friend who skied it, corn snow WROD in 45 mfing degrees. $13 bux

 

[Carolinacub]

Well it looks like the deep SE is officially open even though most of us have limited runs available, the cold snap coming up this week should open a fair amount of terrain. Here's a stoke pic. Bluebird day and me waiting on the top of the hill with a sled waiting for the call to haul that never came.

Notice the pugski sticker on the helmet

 

[Laurel Hill Crazie]

Laurel opens this Saturday, Dec. 21 with a kick off party in the Wildcat Lounge Friday nights.

 

[scottyb]

Shoe was pretty good on Sunday considering it rained Friday into Sat. Thankfully the temps or the operators shut down the gunz so no skiing into the pellets. Not as much natural snow down there as up in da valley so driving was very easy.

 

[MarkP]

Snowshoe's looking good. Planning to head down for a few days.

 

[Bluedon]

I found this on reddit. “Interactive” trail map that hi lights open trails and lifts. The developer is going to add some zoom features for PC and MAC. I’ll be curious to see the updates. It’s supposed to sync with the SS trail report each day.

https://skisnowshoe.neocities.org/map.html

It zooms pretty well on mobile if you access it via this mobile site

http://www.snowshoemtnlodge.com/mobile

 

[rocdoc]

Liberty announced opening day on Saturday. Webcams show the guns firing around the clock. Exciting

 

[dbostedo]

Liberty announced opening day on Saturday. Webcams show the guns firing around the clock. Exciting

Whitetail opens tomorrow!!! (And Roundtop re-opens tomorrow.)

 

[MarkP]

Made it to Snowshoe this morning. Smooth drive in the dark for the first half, daylight for dealing with the WV roads.

Car display showed 12 degrees when I pulled in. Top of the World lot had perhaps 30 cars.


About half the slopes open, decent coverage given the rain earlier in the week, nicely groomed.


But some reminders of the rain then freeze.


Mountain still not frozen, plenty of streamlettes.


Clear sky, view of the moon.


A pod of "whales" enjoying the snow spray.

 

[Laurel Hill Crazie]

It has already has been reported in this thread that Laurel opens tomorrow but this afternoon it was announced that the region’s steepest slope, Lower Wildcat, will also be open. This returns to Laurel’s previous commitment to open their most difficult slope from day one opening for the season. Kudos to Laurel’s management and especially to their snowmaking crew. Expert skiers in the Western PA need not travel 4 hours to Snowshoe to hit a truly challenging slope. DC area skier can shave 45 minutes off of their drive time and travel mostly Interstate Highways. A Highland Weekend ticket will also give you access to Seven Springs’ North Face and Gunnar Slopes and The Alley Terrain Park.

 

[MarkP]

Day 2 at Snowshoe, Friday.
Another blue sky day. 2nd car in the 2nd row at Top of the World. A bit warmer start than Thursday, at 19F.
Rumblestrip corduroy at rope drop.


The whales on Lower Shay's had grown overnight.


The knees tired out, ended the day at 1:30pm.Took an indirect route home, passed by Canaan Valley, stopped in at White Grass (had never known about it until I got on this site).


And then Timberline. Sad to see the poor condition, but looking forward to better days ahead under new ownership.

 

[jimmy]

thanks for all the pictures @MarkP . Snowshoe is looking good. Did it get any busier? There were about 100 people at Canaan Valley Saturday and Sunday. Light crowd.

 

[Laurel Hill Crazie]

Great day at Laurel today. I forgot that Lower Wildcat is never in complete sun during this time of year. The sun is still too low in the ski. About a third of the slope near the bottom, right when it starts to get steep, stayed in shade. The transition from sunlight to shadow was momentary blinding. That was "fun" for a second. Broadway was silky, nice for laying deep trenches on the near empty trail.

 

[MarkP]

thanks for all the pictures @MarkP . Snowshoe is looking good. Did it get any busier? There were about 100 people at Canaan Valley Saturday and Sunday. Light crowd.

The Shoe did a good job recovering from the rain earlier in the week, having about half he slopes open. Thursday lines were rarely more than 3-4 chairs; Friday was a bit more crowded, with lines typically 2-4 minutes by late morning.