If you are a “SkiSoutheast.com frequent reader” you know that Sunday’s are my day to ramble with no apparent organization to this FirsTrax post. So let’s get to it.
About a week ago the temperatures were so mild (into the 70s off the mountain) that some of my family planned a golf outing down in Hickory. As I loaded my clubs into my brand, new, 2023 Chevy Silverado High Country on Saturday morning it was 22°. A quick check of the temperatures down in Hickory showed that it was still 38°. Not e-x-a-c-t-l-y golf weather. Thankfully, but the time of our tee-times (10:10am) it had “warmed” to 44°. With a brilliant sun and little wind, it actually turned out to be a great day and temps eventually got up to 51°.
That IS the beauty of this area. At the same time I am enjoying a round of golf (my first since mid-October) many of you were playing in and on the snow. Joe Stevens texted me about the time I was hitting hole #14 with some “product evaluation” at Timberline and you’ll some nice photos from up there later in this post. Brian Dix was enjoying Beech Mountain Resort’s closing day.
He shared the photo to the right. You can click the image to enlarge it and his message was to share that Beech was closing…and now what?
It is SNOWING in the High Country this morning:
We ARE seeing some light snowfall this morning at Beech, Sugar and Appalachian. Temperatures are in the teens in the High Country this morning. It is as low as 1° at Snowshoe Mountain where they added another 1″ of snow to take their snow total for the week to 12″.
Check out this short video clip of the snowfall: (You may need to turn your sound up as my mic was not functioning properly.)
Snowshoe Mountain is Just BRAGGING!
Snowshoe Mountain is just living the dream (and bragging a bit) right now. Conditions over the last week have been mid-season-like after 12″ of natural snow has fallen this week. Add snowmaking and a 1° temperature this Sunday morning and one can imagine that skiing and snowboarding at Snowshoe today will be awesome. Earlier this week, Snowshoe announced that they were extending their 2022-2023 Skiing, snowboarding, lodging, dining, shopping, activities and plain ole awesome, outdoor adventure operation through April 2nd. They are playing on 31 trails for your Sunday, Funday as well.
After a comparatively, snowless winter, the Canaan Valley area of Davis, West Virginia has picked up more than 18″ of natural snowfall in the last seven days to get the area to 62.4″ on the season. While that is about 80″ below their ten year average, that prompted our own, Joe Stevens to be “Out for some product evaluation at Timberline Mountain” on Saturday and he shared, “…the product was pretty darn nice.”
Here are some images from Joe:
Timberline Mountain shared that they plan to Open weekends at least through March 26th. They are operating with 16 trails today.
Wisp Resort is in the business of pleasing the heck out of their fans this season.
TUBING looks to be the best available in the entire Southeast and mid-Atlantic and they have 9 slopes open today.
Our buddy, Kristin Skeweris of Railey Realty shared some mid-season looking photos and videos with us. (Kristin, we have got to get you to shoot those videos in landscape or horizontal format for us 😉
Here are some of the photos. Thanks Kristin.
Editor’s Note: I want to thank Kristin for frequently providing some intel, photos and videos from “The Wisp” this season. So Kristin, here is a little promo for YOU.
Kristin is an Associate Broker and Media & Marketing Director at Railey Realty. They are among the highest producing and most experienced firm in the Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County area. Be sure to visit them for all of your real estate and vacation rental needs in the Wisp Resort area.
Also check out her “Not Salty” Podcast. Yours truly was an invited guest earlier this season and it looks like ours was one of the most watched this season. We posted it on SkiSoutheast’s Facebook page and had over 35k views! Thanks again Kristin.
Beech Mountain Resort Closes Skiing & Snowboarding for the Season
Brian Dix was at Beech Mountain Resort for their closing day for the 2022-2023 ski & snowboarding season and he shared, “The fork is in but it doesn’t appear to be done just yet. Now what?”
Brian was one of many in attendance for the what was a celebration in style. On Saturday, all Beech Mountain season pass holders and staff members were invited to celebrate in the Lodge Cafeteria from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. They served complimentary barbecue, beer, and wine. Talia Freeman and the staff shared, “It was an end to another fantastic season and thanks to those that made it possible.”
Sugar is Looking…Sweet. I have to use that ‘dad-joke’ Once a Season
Sugar Mountain – I mentioned that Snowshoe was doing some bragging – well Sugar may be doing a bit of that as well. This morning, after 1″ of natural snowfall overnight AND the fact that it is snowing hard this morning – Sugar looks nearly mid-season like. They only have 9 slopes open but they look awesome. They are making snow at 11° this morning!
Appalachian Ski Mountain Closes After Today’s Session
Appalachian Ski Mountain shared a gorgeous photo titled, “Our Final #SunriseSunday of the season!” They will close for the season after day sessions Sunday, March 19th.
Bryce Resort ends their season Sunday (today) March 19, 2024
They posted:
Sadly we have had to re-assess our plan and Sunday, March 19th, will be our final day for the 2023 season. It was initially looking like next week would remain cold enough to hold onto snow but that has changed and we are now seeing warm, rainy days in the forecast for next week which will likely wipe out the snow we made this week. We tried our best but it’s time to call it for this season and start focusing on prepping the bike park! The golf course will be open in the meantime so come enjoy our beautiful mountain course.
Two quick notes about Bryce: First, thanks so much to Bill Nabers of Bryce Resort for keeping us informed as to what’s going on at Bryce throughout the season. Bill is renaissance man or at least a man of many talents in the sense that he not only provides some intel as a SkiSoutheast reporter for Bryce Resort; he is also a ski patroller there AND he finds time to be a Lutheran Church Pastor. He also works part time as a Bike Patroller at Bryce Resort. He enjoys skiing, tennis, walking, sports cars, reading and music. Thanks again Bill!
The other great news is that Bryce collaborated with us via ResortCams.com to purchase and implement a new PTZ webcam. The new one is MUCH higher resolution and brighter. Check it out at Bryce Resort Live Webcam
Massanutten Resort – it is 18° there this morning and they are MAKING SNOW and operating with 4 trails. The Peak Quad will not be open this weekend. We will begin the removal process for its replacement lift on Monday.
Closing “Dis”
I was researching some data about snowfall for this season and I WILL post final numbers for every ski resort in the region – when the season is over for all resorts. However, I ran across this prediction map that was released by one of the Almanac publications back in August of 2022. Boy HOWDY were they wrong. Obviously, most predictions were sharing that the Southeast and mid-Atlantic would have slightly below normal. Ray Russell of Ray’s Weather predicted 70″ for Beech and Sugar. But this map below was released by one of the Almanacs.
This next one was by The Old Farmer’s Almanac:
Just wow oh wow did they get it wrong this winter. It was NOT cold and snowy across the Southeast and mid-Atlantic and it was NOT MILD, DRY or Mildly Snowy in the California mountains!
That will do it for me for today. Matt Laws will take you through the coming week and I’ll see you again next weekend. Until then, feel free to email me at [email protected]