I want to begin this morning’s FirsTrax by sharing that due to our Social Media outreach and coverage, so far this season I’ve noticed a trend where we are posting the VIDEO SNOW REPORT early and by the time I get around to posting this written version as many as a few hundred of our followers have already seen their ski resort news! That’s pretty cool indeed. I hope that FirsTrax is still relative for many of us old-timers who like their news in more of a printed format. (If you guys have an opinion on that, drop me an email at [email protected] as I THINK FirsTrax is still relevant!
On Friday morning I pulled out my phone and checked out some of the LIVE CAMS and noticed how wet it was at most mountain locations, and then saw where Wisp Resort in Maryland looked pretty sweet. I did a few screen shots from up there and posted those straight to our SkiSoutheast Facebook Page and as of this morning (barely 24 hours later) that video has been seen by over 41,000 people; shared by dozens and had a few thousand photo clicks. It also added 43 new Facebook followers. That was just ONE post and we had multiple posts on Friday.
It is crazy how technology is changing our lives everyday. I’ll admit when I started SkiSoutheast.com 24+ years ago I never envisioned a scenario where the best of the content would be provided by my phone and handheld cameras less than 3″ wide. I was excited when we began to receive ten thousand visitors in a day and never really thought we’d see more than 6M in a season…and NOW, between our viewership here, on ResortCams.com and our daily reach on Facebook we could dwarf those kinds of numbers this season.
I’ve embedded this morning’s video snow report below: (Skip on down to read more)
Speaking of Trends…and Not a Great One…
This is now the 3rd weekend of the last 4 that we’ve had a wet weekend. Not the kind of timing we’d all want as the weekends are where its at in terms of skier visits. But it is what it is…
All of the ski resorts made snow this past week and despite the rain that came in on Friday and which has persisted a bit into this morning – a lot of the resorts have opened MORE terrain and we are also seeing some first openings as well.
There is from 1-3″ of snow in the forecast for tonight and Sunday for Beech, Sugar, Appalachian and the High Country ski resorts and 3-6″ in the forecast for Snowshoe Mountain and Canaan Valley…and somewhere in between those numbers for various resorts into Virginia. Heavy snow is predicted for Snowshoe later in the day and we’ll try to bring you an update later when that begins!
Check the SNOW REPORT or WATCH the video above for the individual deets for all of the resorts, but here are some notables…
NOTABLES…
37° at Beech Mountain – Increased to 9 slopes and they are now open for Night Sessions. They are reporting their ice rink and tubing as closed.
WEST VIRGINIA
39° at WINTERPLACE and they are OPENING TODAY. We are not sure about NIGHT SESSIONS so call ahead but they look great with 9 slopes and trails and a 40″ base. A bit of snow is expected tonight.
39° at SNOWSHOE – How about 28 trails open, Silver Creek is open for night sessions now AND the BEST news for those who like it steep; ski patrol will be dropping the rope on the Western Territory this morning with all of Cupp Run as well as Upper Shay’s Revenge! This afternoon, they are expecting the precipitation to switch over to all snow in time for the Shavers Showdown Rail Jam, which you don’t want to miss. The beer will flow like wine from 6PM-8PM.
MARYLAND
39° at WISP – Opening day was on Friday and they are open for day and night sessions with 5 slopes and a 21″ base of groomed conditions.
VIRGINIA
37° at Massanutten Resort – 18″ base. Re-opening day is Saturday! They plan to have 4 lifts and 4 trails open from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Snow Tubing will be open from 10:00am – 10:00pm with 6 lanes available. Sunday is Scout Day; Scouts and their family can come out to enjoy an 8-HR Slope-Use ticket, 8-HR Equipment Rental, and a lesson for $60!
42° at Wintergreen Resort – We shared their OPENING DAY video and they plan to have 5 trails open for day sessions today on a wet granular base of 12″
TENNESSEE
39°- OBER GATLINBURG – Man they tried HARD to get open for today, but Mother Nature wasn’t cooperating. I have talked with them and they are doing everything in their power to get the slopes open at this point. They were able to turn their fan guns on and make snow Thursday night, but Mother Nature fought back. The snow making was forced to stop around 3am due to a temperature inversion. So far this week they’ve accumulated anywhere from 3 to 12 inches of snow on their mountain with a couple inches of natural. The first of next week there are a couple of nights that they are hoping to make more snow.
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In closing – if you have a moment, check out our Facebook and YouTube channel.
That will do it for today.
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