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

[SCWVA]

As always, WG was the first ski area to open in the M-A.

 

[DavefromWV]

Here's to WG having a great year this year. I'm calling more skiable days at Whitegrass than all other resorts in Canaan Valley!

Here's also to an injury-free ski season (downhill skiers, XC skiers, and uphill lift riders) to everyone as well.

That was definitely an all-around scary experience for all!

 

[pipestem]

As always, WG was the first ski area to open in the M-A.

oh no, maybe first in WVA, but Cataloochee and Sugar have already been open, closed, and open again. The Cat web cam looks a lot better. Sugar is the brown ribbon of death. And this is leaving out the enhanced Pugski definition of Mid-A,

Nonethess, kudos to the WG report !!!!! Note the caution...

SNOW DEPTH 0"- 3" (!0" east of here near Mt Storm)
SURFACE myriad forms of granular just above freezing
PACKED BASE 0"- 3" (snowfarm 0"- 10")
CAUTION thin rough snow * wv rifle deer season

 

[dbostedo]

...enhanced Pugski definition of Mid-A...

Enhanced ... I like it.

Reminds me of not understanding the definition of "Northern Virginia" when I first went to college at Virginia Tech. I figured Northern Virginia was anything north of, say, Charlottesville, and was quickly corrected. (That is was Arlington and Fairfax counties, and maybe Prince William and Loudon counties at that time. Now it's all of those plus more, probably, as the area has grown.)

 

[D.B.Cooper]

Can anyone confirm that power has been restored?

 

[jimmy]

@D.B.Cooper i saw a video from yesterday afternoon showing some trail and outside lights around the lodge lit up. Chairs are still laying on the ground and no evidence of snow making, but i guess that's a start.

 

[ChmxJoe74]

Looks like lift ticket prices are out, and a revised opening date of Dec, 07th.

Timberline - http://www.timberlineresort.com/tickets.php

Canaan Valley - https://www.canaanresort.com/ski-winter-activities/skiing-snowboarding/lift-tickets/

 

[SCWVA]

No weekday ticket prices for Tline?

I'm surprised no one has posted this yet:

https://canaanvalley.org/ski-snow-sports/listings/ski-more-save-more-2018-2019-ski-season-offer

 

[pipestem]

Making progress. this will be interesting.

 

[Johnfmh]

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/outdo...cle_c7025696-e710-508f-b6ea-4b6697a0ba52.html

 

[James]

Hah, this thread actually makes me want to go ski Timberline. Sounds like a party. Never felt that way about Blue Knob. What mountain does it compare to in the Northeast, Magic?

 

[Norsk]

Well if you mean anywhere in the NE, Timberline seems a lot like Jiminy Peak MA to me. Similar mountain in terms of terrain, how it skis, scale. Infrastructure is of course radically different.

Magic is probably not a bad comp either. Particularly during the years when it was closed...

Anyone drive by the base area this weekend? Any evidence of snowmaking beyond the bunny hill?

 

[Jim Kenney]

Hah, this thread actually makes me want to go ski Timberline. Sounds like a party. Never felt that way about Blue Knob. What mountain does it compare to in the Northeast, Magic?

It’s about the size of WaWa, but with a bit more gnar. Timberline, WV has 1000’ vertical, but the upper half of that features a fairly steep headwall and in good conditions can offer a couple decent bump runs and quite a bit of tree skiing. There are 10-12 reasonably lengthy top to bottom runs. The two primary chairlifts are old and slow. There are a batch of trails that come down the mtn parallel to each other. The narrow band of trees between the trails often get skied in good conditions. There is a large patch of woods (wild guess 25 acres) between the last parallel trail and a wide sweeping green circle run to the far skiers right. Those woods are sort of like a baby Casablanca glades at Saddleback with many possible routes in good snow with a few steeper sections. The Snowy Luau Weekend in mid-March is one of the best spring ski parties in the mid-Atlantic. Had some great times at that - see avatar Timberline’s relatively high base (elev 3200’) helps it catch and retain snow significantly better than many other mid-Atlantic ski areas, most with summits lower than Timberline’s base. There are two other ski areas (Canaan Valley – downhill, and White Grass – touring/Nordic) within about five miles. It’s a neat area when the snow is good, some winter’s better than others, with yearly snowfall varying widely from 100-250”. I have a bias towards Blue Knob since I grew up skiing there, but because of elevation and snowfall/retention T-Line is much more likely to have viable tree skiing.

 

[Johnfmh]

I grew up in the Boston burbs, and Timberline definitely has a New England feel. It skis BIG for a thousand vertical mountain because nearly all the major trails run top to bottom, and there’s a lack of trail merges on the upper 1/2 to 2/3 of the mountain. Beginners have a 2.5 mile trail from the top, intermediates have a wide variety of groomers, and experts own the woods. A few years ago, White Lightning (in the middle of the photo) was widened. Some complained but it created more space, especially when few other trails are opened. Finally, the natural beauty of the Canaan Valley can not be underemphasized. It’s mostly protected land owned by the Forrest Service, Fish and Wildlife, and the State Park system. It’s a unique place, both in terms of climate and flora and fauna. I often see 40 plus species of birds during a three hour walk in the Spring. I have 3-4 bear encounters every year while hiking. Wild and wonderful. No joke.

 

[jimmy]

Hah, this thread actually makes me want to go ski Timberline. Sounds like a party. Never felt that way about Blue Knob. What mountain does it compare to in the Northeast, Magic?

Lotta love for this place. People have been downhill skiing in Canaan Valley since the fifties, Ski Club of Washington DC has been running trips here since then. Come down next year after Vail or Seven Springs buys the place we'll put you up and show you around Almost Heaven.

 

[James]

Lets hope Alterra buys it instead of that other one.

 

[jimmy]

Well if you mean anywhere in the NE, Timberline seems a lot like Jiminy Peak MA to me. Similar mountain in terms of terrain, how it skis, scale. Infrastructure is of course radically different.

Magic is probably not a bad comp either. Particularly during the years when it was closed...

Anyone drive by the base area this weekend? Any evidence of snowmaking beyond the bunny hill?

Good one Norsk I like how you slipped that in. They are putting the chairs back on Thunderstruck Lift, hasn't been any progress with snow making to speak of. Heard today they now have two lifts.

@James Alterra/Aspen Ski Company own Snowshoe in WV. I don't think they would want another resort in WV, especially a "ground floor opportunity" like Herz Mountain.

 

[JohnL]

Well if you mean anywhere in the NE, Timberline seems a lot like Jiminy Peak MA to me. Similar mountain in terms of terrain, how it skis, scale. Infrastructure is of course radically different.

Magic is probably not a bad comp either. Particularly during the years when it was closed...

Anyone drive by the base area this weekend? Any evidence of snowmaking beyond the bunny hill?

@James

Berkshire East is a better comp. Trees hold the challenge to both places. Jiminy is groomer city, though vert/scale is pretty darn close.

LOL on the Magic reference. But Magic is getting its act together and the trails can have some serious bite to them.

Plattekill is a very good comp.

 

[The Colonel]

According to the article in the Gazette, the recapitalizing has begun at TL. The owners want us to believe they are planning great improvements to the snowmaking system. Obviously this is for the future years, not likely this year with such a late start getting the resort open. I hope for the best, and will see what happens. The on-going investigations from both the local sheriff's office and the WV State Police, or the results of the upcoming hearing about the infrastructure problems (water and sewage) could also derail whatever the recapitalization effort provides.
MorganB

 

[James]

Is pot legal in WV?