Got lots to share today. Brad Panovich posted his latest Skier’s Forecast and it is looking really good as we get to Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Joe Stevens’ posted his latest Snow News is Good News (with a funny look at some complaints) and David McCue shared his latest with a nice story from this past weekend while at Timberline Resort and Canaan Valley Resort.
Here are some direct links to those stories:
Joe’s “You’ve Got to be Kidding Me!?!” –
Here’s Brad’s Skier’s Forecast Video –
The main news to share on this rather damp January 2nd, Monday is that the forecast is looking REALLY REALLY GREAT if you have a trip planned for the middle of this week and into this coming weekend. While we start the week a bit mild and wet, we’ll see a prolonged cold snap that should last at LEAST a full week with around-the-clock cold temperatures and some SNOW! That cold, arctic air should make its way into our area Wednesday night and last a while.
We’ll let Brad provide his update as the snow gets closer this weekend to talk about how much snow, but it is looking pretty good for a few inches of snow for all of the ski areas in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic.
Just Some Monday Ramblings…
Today is January 2nd and as such we are in DAY TWO of January’s Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month. All of our ski areas do a nice job of sharing information about this month, but the West Virginia Ski Areas Association certainly promotes it the best with an annual press conference that is attended by all of WV’s top ski areas brass and Department of Tourism reps.
Here is the announced media advisory:
WV DIVISION OF TOURISM AND WEST VIRGINIA SKI INDUSTRY OFFICIALS CELEBRATE THE SKI SEASON AND RECOGNIZE JANUARY AS NATIONAL LEARN TO SKI AND SNOWBOARD MONTH IN WV, TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2016 AT CANAAN VALLEY RESORT
What:
The 2016/2017 ski season is in full swing for the West Virginia Ski Industry with favorable weather conditions proving the cold temperatures for the state to have the most available skiing, snowboarding and snowtubing terrain available in the southeast.
Canaan Valley Resort is hosting the official kick-off to the Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month (LSSM) and to show how important snowmaking to the $250 million industry. LSSM is an initiative by Ski Areas across the country and state to encourage new customers into trying the sport for the first time by offering outstanding deals. Also all of the resorts across the country will be banding together on Friday, January 6, attempting to enter the Guinness World Book of Records with the largest ski and snowboard lesson ever in one day.
When/Where:
The news conference will be held at Canaan Valley Resort’s Ski Area Lodge 11:00 am – 11:30 am, Tuesday, January 3, 2016.
Details:
Officials with the West Virginia Ski Industry and Amy Goodwin, Commissioner for the West Virginia Division of Tourism will be on hand for the event and will be available for interviews after the news conference. Photographers will also have a chance to get snowmaking, skiing and snowboarding video footage after the news conference.
Any questions as it pertains to the event and media coverage should be directed to Joe Stevens at 304-382-1133 (C).
Shawn Cassell Posted a Nice Video
It was awesome being at Snowshoe this past week. Nearly a foot of natural snow, lots of snowmaking and great grooming made for a perfect week and weekend of fun on and off the slopes. I got to meet up briefly with our buddy Shawn Cassells of Snowshoe and we were able to post a successful LIVE BROADCAST from the Village of Snowshoe.
Later in the day, Shawn took to the slopes himself with a nice video showing how great things looked this past weekend.
Omni Homestead shows off a nice recap of 2016 at The Homestead Resort in Virginia. Remember that they celebrated their 250 anniversary.
In Closing —
If you have not been skiing or riding over the last two seasons because you’ve been hearing about how mild things are, etc. – you are missing out on some great conditions. David McCue shared that the slopes were pretty wide open while skiing this past weekend at Canaan Valley and Timberline resorts and that is nuts. Conditions in the WV mountains and really across the region were pretty darn great this past weekend. However, if you’ve been holding out for even BETTER conditions, then you’re in luck as THIS WEEKEND will be close to EPIC with around the clock snowmaking AND some natural snow coming in for this weekend.
Pack up your gear and head to the mountains as resorts will have more terrain open than at any point this season.
On the subject of Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, I was reminded this past week that my family has personally introduced five new skiers and a snowboarder to the joy of sliding on the snow over the last two years. Of course, we sure HOPE that this website does that as well. But if you’re reading this – then YOU probably love skiing and snowboarding. You should SHARE that joy with someone in your circle of influence. Invite someone who has never been to join you.
We had two guests join us this past week who had never skied or snowboarded. One of them took right to it and by day six skied down Cupp Run with us. By the end of our trip she was under complete control and actually hit 52 mph at the bottom chute of Cupp Run. The snowboarder (Joey) had never done either but had some experience surfing Virginia Beach, and he too was enjoying all of the greens of Snowshoe’s Northern Territory all week long.
There’s nothing like seeing the sport grow in the form of new fans. If you have that opportunity to introduce someone to the sport – do it. They will thank you for a lifetime.
That’s it for me today. Enjoy your day.
#THINKCOLD
#THINKSNOW
Email me as you prefer at: [email protected]
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