Mid-Atlantic The Neverending Timberline, WV: Info, Weather, and Stoke

[Dr. Bighair]

If they do open back up for the holiday weekend, folks should be asking some serious questions about the lifts before they load them. The lift inspection recently performed was not a pass or fail inspection....it was an sign off requirement of ownership by owner for the insurance company. I do not know the answers to these questions, but after seeing what is going on over there I think it is reasonable to want the answers. ---When was the last time a load test as required by ansi b77 was performed on these lifts? Were the previous welds that have been performed as temporary fixes in the past been inspected? Were the issues with the gear boxes on all three lifts, that were discovered during the failed joint pass with Canaan Resort a few years ago, ever fixed? Have the bearings been replaced as they are supposed to be? Have the safeties that shut down the triple in case of a derailment been repaired or is the lift still being run on safety override?

 

[Ohioskier]

My daughter asked if we could go to timberline this year. I’m gonna assume it’s not worth the 8 hour drive for me right? Is there any shot of late season improvements with extra snowmaking time?

 

[scottyb]

hahahahahahahahaha

 

[AndyGene]

My daughter asked if we could go to timberline this year. I’m gonna assume it’s not worth the 8 hour drive for me right? Is there any shot of late season improvements with extra snowmaking time?

I also am an Ohio skier. They have less open than mad river or snow trails. Think about that. There are plenty of other amazing places you can get your daughter to.

 

[AndyGene]

I should also add I would never let my children ride the lifts at timberline, no matter how good the skiing is.

 

[jimmy]

Canaan Valley Resort. Open safe fun.

 

[Ohioskier]

I guess Timberline is out. My younger daughter loved the salamander trail and was hoping to get back there. I’ll have to check out Canaan ski area and maybe give it a shot.

 

[dbostedo]

I guess Timberline is out. My younger daughter loved the salamander trail and was hoping to get back there. I’ll have to check out Canaan ski area and maybe give it a shot.

Canaan has a sort of version of Salamander... the Timber Trail. Not quite as long or tall, but also is a long green from the top that meanders through the woods far skiers right.

 

[Johnfmh]

My daughter asked if we could go to timberline this year. I’m gonna assume it’s not worth the 8 hour drive for me right? Is there any shot of late season improvements with extra snowmaking time?

I have skied 5 days at Canaan this season. The mountain had 31 trails open yesterday. Recommend it as an alternative to Timberline. With that said, CV still has pretty lackluster snowmaking compared to Snowshoe, 7 Springs, or Whitetail. Hopefully, the extra business they are getting this year will convince the State and its contractor to make some additional investments in this area for next season. I’d like to see tower guns installed on Timbers, Gravity, Valley Vista, and Meadows 1 next year with pumps, ponds, and electrical to support the new arsenal.

PS The issue with Thunderdraft is apparently a bearing failure according to Timber-lies. I am surprised CV Volunteer Fire Dept. does not close that lift permanently on safety grounds.

 

[scottyb]

I had high hopes for CVR when Guest Services was given the boot but its still the same non skier locals running the show. They need up grades most notably in the water storage that is even available for snow making as well as a complete revamp of the entire snow making equipment. The lifts should also be replaced. This would require a substantial investment that the state does not have.

Needed most of all is a change in thinking at CVR, a more aggressive stance on providing the winter recreation would be welcome. Make the most of the opportunities and schedule things to be done at the proper time and place.

SS made a killer move by installing the new ducted fans and smart stick guns, These actually reduce power consumption and the ducted fans only need water and power hookups. Aspen parent Co is rumored to be looking at cutting more trails and there was also mention of a surface gondie to connect Silver Creek and the Shoe. I would rather see them replace Ballshooter lift than a gondola since the shuttle bus does a good job at a fraction of the cost.

 

[Ohioskier]

I think the issues for me with snowshoe is the lack of beginner trails. Most of them seemed to have lots of intersections with people out of control.

I’m going to take a look into the Canaan Valley ski area and see if it’s worth a trip. Thanks for all the insight I don’t want or threadjack this thread. Sorry to all the locals that have to suffer through the pains of Timberlines issues.

 

[scottyb]

No worries, I think CVR would be fine for a newbie.

You know that Silver Creek, part of the Shoe but only 2-3 miles down the road, would also be a good beginner area.

Tline has been a slow motion ship sinking disaster for many years now. Its fun to watch from a life boat.

My favorite bumper stick states, Tline- sell it if you can.

 

[Ohioskier]

No worries, I think CVR would be fine for a newbie.

You know that Silver Creek, part of the Shoe but only 2-3 miles down the road, would also be a good beginner area.

Tline has been a slow motion ship sinking disaster for many years now. Its fun to watch from a life boat.

My favorite bumper stick states, Tline- sell it if you can.

Can we do a pugski group purchase of the ski area? If we can’t afford new lifts we can have a nice cat skiing area with 0 crowds. Hahaha

 

[AndyGene]

I think the issues for me with snowshoe is the lack of beginner trails. Most of them seemed to have lots of intersections with people out of control.

I’m going to take a look into the Canaan Valley ski area and see if it’s worth a trip. Thanks for all the insight I don’t want or threadjack this thread. Sorry to all the locals that have to suffer through the pains of Timberlines issues.

You need to go to the silver creek side of things. They have excellent beginner trails. About 600 feet of vert and no one skis there. I prefer it’s intermediate and beginner trails to any blue and green on the front side.

If I’m skiing more advanced terrain I prefer the stuff off of soaring eagle and the western territory.

 

[Ohioskier]

You need to go to the silver creek side of things. They have excellent beginner trails. About 600 feet of vert and no one skis there. I prefer it’s intermediate and beginner trails to any blue and green on the front side.

If I’m skiing more advanced terrain I prefer the stuff off of soaring eagle and the western territory.

I’ve been to silver creek side. The challenge for me is it’s not much different than what I usually ski vertically. The times I’ve been there grooming has been overlooked also. To be fair we weren’t on the green and blue runs and it’s a small sample size from 4 and 5 years ago. Snowshoe probably has the best snowmaking in the entire region so that’s a huge positive.

 

[The Colonel]

I had high hopes for CVR when Guest Services was given the boot but its still the same non skier locals running the show. They need up grades most notably in the water storage that is even available for snow making as well as a complete revamp of the entire snow making equipment. The lifts should also be replaced. This would require a substantial investment that the state does not have.

Needed most of all is a change in thinking at CVR, a more aggressive stance on providing the winter recreation would be welcome. Make the most of the opportunities and schedule things to be done at the proper time and place.

SS made a killer move by installing the new ducted fans and smart stick guns, These actually reduce power consumption and the ducted fans only need water and power hookups. Aspen parent Co is rumored to be looking at cutting more trails and there was also mention of a surface gondie to connect Silver Creek and the Shoe. I would rather see them replace Ballshooter lift than a gondola since the shuttle bus does a good job at a fraction of the cost.

The conceptualized gondola for Snowshoe is a ”Chanola”, aloft with both chairs and gondola cabins! If built, the original plan was to run this high speed lift from the top of the basin slopes (next to the village condos) down to the base of the Powder Monkey loft area, then over to Silver Creek Lodge/slopes. This would provide another high speed lift serving the basin slopes, plus a means to move the ski school to Silver Crerk, better access to Silver Creek slopes, and allow comfortable transportation (the gondola cabins) from Silver Creek to the Condo Village for meals and other services!
The Colonel

 

[The Colonel]

I think the issues for me with snowshoe is the lack of beginner trails. Most of them seemed to have lots of intersections with people out of control.

I’m going to take a look into the Canaan Valley ski area and see if it’s worth a trip. Thanks for all the insight I don’t want or threadjack this thread. Sorry to all the locals that have to suffer through the pains of Timberlines issues.

CVSki Area has the long beginners slope previously mentioned, and a separate chair off to skiers left for beginners; and for never-Evers there is a magic carpet lift for beginners. All beginner lifts and slopes are interconnected.
The Colonel

 

[Low End]

No worries, I think CVR would be fine for a newbie.

You know that Silver Creek, part of the Shoe but only 2-3 miles down the road, would also be a good beginner area.

Tline has been a slow motion ship sinking disaster for many years now. Its fun to watch from a life boat.

My favorite bumper stick states, Tline- sell it if you can.

Send me a PM and I will mail you a couple...

 

[KeithT]

So apparently the bearings are shot on the upper bull wheel of the Thunder Draft lift. The Silver Queen was never "inspected" for the season. So no lift access for the one open top to bottom trail.

So they are closed until Wed. CVR stepped up (again) and honored multi day tickets.

Per the TL Facebook Page:

"Thanks to our friends, colleagues and neighbors Canaan Valley Resort. It is honoring our multiday MLK weekend lift tickets (Saturday, Sunday, and, today, Monday,). We await replacement bearings on the Triple. Due to ice accumulation at the top on the tower we will re-open Wednesday."

 

[Jim Kenney]

I've been avoiding participating in this thread primarily out of sadness. The ski area struggles, regardless of cause or origin, are very unfortunate for a beautiful part of mid-Atlantic skiing. The Canaan Valley; that is, CVR, Timberline, and Whitegrass, are imbued with an alpine culture/environment that is really amazing for the latitude. I think it's excellent that CVR is offering support in varied ways. It's a difficult situation, but I think all of us that love The Valley want to see a resolution that eventually permits the entire region to reach its full synergy and potential.