Mid-Atlantic Mid-Atlantic Conditions, Resorts, Meet-ups, and Stoke! 2018/2019

[cantunamunch]

That's not a steep hill - that's a herringbone opportunity

 

[Laurel Hill Crazie]

Elevation 2800 ft.
Laurel Mountain Tame Cat

Elevation 2650
Laurel Mountain Nordic Hut

 

[4aprice]

You guys have it so good. I remember as a kid, we were happy if Camelback opened 12/24...To be open by Thanksgiving...let alone before was unheard of.

I think if you averaged out the start and stop dates of the Pocono ski season over the years, the season would be a solid 3 months from Dec 15th to March 15th. To their credit, the areas have been pushing it beyond those dates on both ends whenever possible. I can remember 1 season in the past decade that Camelback (and Boulder I believe) got the season underway at Thanksgiving, and several in early December. On the back side of the season they've gotten in to April more times then not.

Of course sometimes we get shafted as well.

 

[Jim Kenney]

I got snowy mums in my backyard in Virginia on 15 Nov 2018. This has to be a good omen and qualifies as my first stokage photo of the season!

 

[johnnyvw]

10 inches in the Poconos.Boulder Park opens today.

 

[jimmy]

Whitegrass opened an hour ago

 

[cantunamunch]

Whitegrass opened an hour ago

how big a jerry can?

If all the creek bridges are in, that could be worth a bit of drive this w/e

 

[BC.]

10 inches of great base building snow in the Poconos.....Great first snowfall of the year...hopefully it just stays cold to keep building on what just fell.

The only negative was the 4 hours I spent cleaning/clearing my property. It was heavy and was setting up like concrete as I was moving it around.

 

[Laurel Hill Crazie]

White Grass sounds nice. I'm still rehabbing a fall. I can almost get off the ground without pain

 

[BC.]

Got the word that Montage is opening Black Friday.

 

[Willyum215]

Got the word that Montage is opening Black Friday.

You just beat me to it, came on here to post that. I have to imagine that CBack and Blue will follow suit.

I took a look at Elk's (busted) webcam and their base area is looking really good.

 

[BC.]

You just beat me to it, came on here to post that. I have to imagine that CBack and Blue will follow suit.

I took a look at Elk's (busted) webcam and their base area is looking really good.

We got a lot of snow up here.....so if they can add to this natural base, it will be good early season.

*Just in case you were curious...Elk planted some more trees this summer. But you can’t ski in them...lol

 

[Willyum215]

Oh- and apparently Camelback has a new trail this year? One of their social media posts said it would be on the trail map by the end of the day today, but as of now, I'm not seeing it.

Good for them though. Blue has been working on that new trail for what, 3 years now? Please don't be another terrain park though!

 

[Laurel Hill Crazie]

Big Boulder, first in PA to open. Local news video from 11/16. Big Boulder was the first US resort to install snowmaking and is among PA's oldest resorts growing out of the Split Rock Club and the Hazzard ski slope established in 1942.

https://www.brctv13.com/images/reporting/news/2018/NOVEMBER/11-16-Big-Boulder-WEB.mp4

 

[Large Squirrel]

Big Boulder, first in PA. open. Local news video from 11/16. Big Boulder was the first US resort to install snowmaking and is among PA's oldest resorts growing out of the Split Rock Club and the Hazzard ski slope establish in 1942.

https://www.brctv13.com/images/reporting/news/2018/NOVEMBER/11-16-Big-Boulder-WEB.mp4

I was up there on Saturday with my buddy Rob. conditions were stellar by early season PA standards. the area must have received btwn 8 and 12 inches of wet natural snow. That plus the man-made product on the hill made for a very enjoyable first day on the slopes. temps were in the upper 30's, but it was cloudy so it felt a few degrees cooler. the snow was soft and rutted up easily, so one had to pay full attention while skiing: no lazy skiing today.

BB had two trails and two lifts open: freedom park and tannenbaum. they had a bunch of park features set up on freedom park and tannenbaum was wide open. freedom had the most ppl on it b/c BB is now know as a snowboard "park" instead of a ski hill. I won't complain b/c that left tannenbaum uncrowded and I could really do some wide sweeping turns and not have to worry about whacking into someone. the other thing that help ease the congestion on the trails was the natural snow fall. since it was a high water content snow and they got a decent amount of it, that allowed ppl to poach the closed runs and not have to worry too much about what lay underneath the snow pack.

overall this was a fun first day of the season for me. hoping that this is a sign of a good season this year!

 

[Laurel Hill Crazie]

Seven Springs opens this Friday.

 

[SKI-3PO]

If they would have better advertised a feature-less trail, I probably would have made the trip.

 

[Large Squirrel]

If they would have better advertised a feature-less trail, I probably would have made the trip.

it's been my experience that when BB has two trails for opening day, one has features and the other does not. keep that in mind for future opening days

 

[Willyum215]

Any predictions on other NEPA areas opening this weekend besides Montage and BB (again)?

 

[Large Squirrel]

the only other one I could think of is blue mtn. no official word yet, but they keep on teasing.