Thanks for keeping his thread open, Phil and mods. I really don't have much to contribute but I do want to keep informed. I always liked Timberline over Snowshoe. The shorter drive time was a factor but T-line's terrain was the real draw. I met some really great people that turned out for our Mid-A gatherings who made T-line their home hill. A few have become mainstays at the national gatherings. The Mid-A Gatherings we held there were always a blast and most times we were blessed with good conditions. I missed the last one held there. I hope someday we can all meet there again.
Forgive me for this plug but I want to let all Mid-A skiers in the region know that there will be another Mid-A Gathering this season Feb. 7 - 9. The venue will be Laurel Mountain/Seven Springs. Those that know me also know that I have been a long-time advocate for Laurel and the decade long struggle to get the place reopened. Against great odds, we managed to convince the PA State Parks Bureau to invest $6.5 million to upgrade the infrastructure. What we had going for us was the fact that Laurel is a PA State Park and the officials there convinced Seven Spring to run the operation. The State wanted a bonafide, successful ski operator to run the business so believe it or not, if it weren't for Bob Nutting, there would be no Laurel Mountain.
Laurel is relatively small but the snowmaking acreage they cover is good including one of the steepest and longest runs in the region, Lower Wildcat. Since Laurel reopened, a dedicated cadre of volunteers has been clearing natural snow trails and glades to diversify the terrain when Mother Nature cooperates. Seven Springs and their 285 acres of snowmaking is the co-venue to ensure that there is enough variety to sustain a weekend of dedicated skiers.
I am in the process of securing discounts for participants of our Mid-A gathering. Last year I was able to get folks the day rate group discounts over a weekend at Laurel. I have received a preliminary OK from Laurel's management but I have yet to work out the details. I hope to include discounts for Seven Springs also. There will soon be an official announcement post to outline the details.
Thank you for reading. Now we return to our regularly scheduled topic, Timberline.