Rant: You Can't Day Trip Snowshoe

[bamapilot]

The Marlington Motor Inn, about 30 minutes south, works great. The days of the Spruce Lodge are long gone, and it's a dang shame.

[jimw]

Spruce Lodge had a unique smell of wet boots....but it was cheap and on the mountain.
We have stayed at a Motel in Greenbank. 45 minutes or so away.

[davidski]

Cass Mountain Railway houses

KGW, I think we should all go in on a ski house, but I would do it in Davis/Thomas. Sure it's a drive but it's a great place along with great skiing. I did a real estate search last week and was shocked at the increase compared to a few years ago, folks are doing better now. Still 60k downtown Davis, we only need sixty to make it reasonable. Although individual 48 would be the inevitable prick that would ruin it for all of us.

[jking89]

Anybody recommend a place to camp, stealth or otherwise? I have a fullsize AWD Chevy Van that I bought and customized for just such adventures. My van, cold weather bags, and my Mr Heater (just in case)...and we are good.

[bmwloco]

In '78, Spruce was about new. Snowshoe was in receivership and the state was running it. We were 16, my '59 Willys Overland wagon was full of 6 guys, plus gear. From Brevard NC it took us 2 days to get there. $100 for an entire week - and that included food, lodging and skiing. The mountain was bare, without snow, when we arrived. 24 hours later 18" of new snow was down and the entire mountain was open.

God, the memories. I remember ripping down Cup Run on my 210cm Dynamic VR17's, my hair flying, eyes watering and absolutely sailed 10-20 yards over some bumps.

Mind you, I'm paying for that now. But I'm still skiing

[bmwloco]

Yup, I've been skiing for 25 of those 45 or so. Took a break while at UGA (not much skiing in Athens, GA), but then got a job in Vermont. Yeah! Back permanently, I guess, in Asheville. Unless it gets sillier.

[bamapilot]

In '78, Spruce was about new. Snowshoe was in receivership and the state was running it. We were 16, my '59 Willys Overland wagon was full of 6 guys, plus gear. From Brevard NC it took us 2 days to get there. $100 for an entire week - and that included food, lodging and skiing. The mountain was bare, without snow, when we arrived. 24 hours later 18" of new snow was down and the entire mountain was open.

God, the memories. I remember ripping down Cup Run on my 210cm Dynamic VR17's, my hair flying, eyes watering and absolutely sailed 10-20 yards over some bumps.

Mind you, I'm paying for that now. But I'm still skiing

I stayed in Spruce Lodge late 90's and early 00's for around $350, 4 nights, 4 days of skiing and food at the Connection. Those were fun days.

[bmwloco]

Sigh. Didn't get much skiing done in the late 90s and early 00's... I was way, way down South in Antarctica. Got to ski at Palmer Station, but not so much in McMurdo and South Pole.