Winter is Making an Encore

First Trax

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Its official, winter is not done with us yet!  We woke this morning to winter weather alerts and advisories thanks to Winter Storm Wiley.  Let’s start with Wisp Resort in Maryland and move south.  Wisp is under a Winter Weather Advisory from 5pm today until 2pm tomorrow and can expect 2-5” of fresh snow with the most intense snow happening tonight.  Snowshoe, in West Virginia, is under a Winter Storm Warning starting at 2pm today and going to 11am tomorrow morning.  Snowshoe can expect 4-8” of powder with heavy snow between 6pm and 11pm tonight.  Canaan and Timberline have a Winter Storm Advisory starting at 2pm this afternoon and going to 2pm tomorrow afternoon.  Each is expecting 4-7” of snow.  Not to be left out, Winterplace has also been issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 2pm today to 2pm tomorrow.  Winterplace can expect 2-5” of snow with some light icing possible. 

In Virginia, Bryce Resort has a Winter Storm Warning starting today at 5pm and going to 2pm tomorrow with 4-8” of fresh snow expected.  Massanutten and Wintergreen are taking home the chicken dinner with 6-10” of snow expected and a Winter Storm Warning from 2pm today to 2pm tomorrow.  The Homestead Resort has a Winter Storm Warning from 2pm today to 2pm tomorrow as well and is expecting 5-9” with a warning that, “many roads may become impassable during periods of heavy snow.” 

Moving down to the North Carolina High Country, Appalachian Ski Mountain is going to get the party started with a Winter Weather Advisory from 2pm today to 2pm on Monday that is forecasting 1-2” of snow along with a little ice.  Beech and Sugar Mountains have a Winter Weather Advisory starting at midnight and going to noon tomorrow.  Unfortunately, the warning is for freezing rain and a trace of ice.

There you have it, Father Winter is not done with us yet.  I have a couple closing updates for you.  Today is the last day to make turns at Silver Creek up at Snowshoe.  This next one is more of a correction than an update I guess.  Beech will be closing down on Saturday March 22nd, not Sunday which I mentioned before.  I imagine that Sunday will be the employee only day. 

A few of us made it up to Beech yesterday where it was a little windy with plenty of sun.  The conditions in the early morning were really good!  The snow was very forgiving and it was as if you could do no wrong. 

Conditions at Beech Mountain Yesterday.

On the way back up the quad for the second run, we got stuck for a while.  We were motionless for about 15 minutes, which I suspect was wind related. 

Conditions at Beech Mountain Yesterday.

I started on Shawneehaw and made my way across the mountain with each consecutive run.  All the runs were really fun on this first pass with Southern Star taking the prize in my opinion.  I know I’m saying this a lot, but it was really fun with a couple humps one could sail off to get some air below your feet.  As the morning progressed and the sun started working on the primary, it got a little heavy – typical spring mashed potatoes.

Conditions at Beech Mountain Yesterday.

I ventured back over to Shawnee around 11:30 and the spark from my first run was gone as the forgiving, do no wrong, conditions gave way to having to work a little to keep from getting knocked around in your turn.  This is where Southern Star and White Lighting really shined as speed was your friend helping to smash through the heavy snow. 

The 5506 Bar at Beech Mountain
Say hello to my little friend

For a Saturday, even this late in the season, the crowd was very light.  The 70 degree weather down the mountain certainly wasn’t a help, and Watauga County Schools (Boone) was having a makeup day.  Yes on Saturday, it has come to that.  You have to pay back the snow days, but I used to hate having to go to school on a Saturday – it just seems wrong, a lot like summer school (not that I would know anything about that of course…).

A light crowd at Beech Mountain
The afternoon crowd

All in all a great day at Beech Mountain!  I got to make some turns with a few of you and we had really fun (the last time I promise) conditions.

That’s it for today, thanks for reading!  It looks like tomorrow and Tuesday are prime hooky days as they are probably going to be the last powder days of the season.

Take Care!

Tim Bahlke
Drop me an email at [email protected] to let me know what you think or with suggestions on what we could be doing better.

 

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