The Cold and Snowy Trend Continues!
Cold temperatures and snow = more slope openings! The forecast for the next week or so is nearly perfect! Lows in the single digits to teens (and some low 20s) across the entire region will make for some MORE optimal snowmaking opportunities. Those kind of low temps allow the snow makers to really put out a VERY FINE variety of manmade snow that is so powdery that it is as close to gliding on God’s own snowfall as it gets!
Areas into Western North Carolina are also looking at from 2-4” of natural snow from tonight through Friday AM, while ski areas into West Virginia and Maryland may see another round of snow that may dump another 4-8” of snow through the same period! Conditions will be about as good as it gets, no matter where you choose to travel over the next several days. What are you waiting for?!?! Get off the couch, pack your car or truck and head to your favorite mountain!
More Snowmaking Means More Slope Openings!
The trend of the reports coming from ski areas across the region is that these great temps will deliver skiers and riders MORE terrain to play on for this coming weekend! I was skiing with my two girls last night up at Hawksnest and I can tell you that they will have Sock Em Dog open for the weekend. I was speaking with Vance Duggan just after he came off the slopes from a between sessions grooming tour of the mountain and he said that they were hoping to get Sock Em open for today, but that he doubted it would be quite that soon. However, expect Hawksnest and other resorts to have more terrain to offer us by Friday or Saturday across the region!
Speaking of grooming, Lord Have Mercy that young man (Duggan) can put down a nice, corduroy surface. I have watched from time to time when he or Lenny Cottom has driven the machine slowly up and down the mountain and I can tell you that the surface last night was nothing short of amazing! There was also a huge mound of manmade snow just off the top of Goshawk that was almost like skiing through six or eight inches of the “real” thing and that was pretty SWEET as well! It was a school night for my Valle Crucis ladies so the three of us got in eight or nine runs from the top and headed home.
If you haven’t rode Hawksnest in a while – you owe it to yourself to revisit the mountain soon!
Here’s Some Highlights From Around the Southeast and Mid Atlantic
Wisp Resort at Deep Creek – I’m starting with these guys today because I admit that I am pumped about heading up there on Thursday for the weekend. They have been dumped on lately with more than a foot of snow in the last three days. Snow is in the forecast every day through Monday and they have some sweet conditions. If you have never been to Wisp, you really should check them out. They have an unusual feel to their mountain and some long, glide trails as well as some very challenging drops. It really is worth the drive even from Charlotte, North Carolina. We’ll be on the slopes Friday, Saturday and early Sunday so if you’re up there look us up!
Canaan Valley – They saw another 1/2” of snow in the last 24 hours and gives them 40” on the season! Great conditions today!
Snowshoe Mountain – 7” of snow has fallen in the last 72 hours and the forecast is for 4-8” more through Friday. Snowshoe’s Lindsay Kutsko is calling it “Our best conditions of the season!” With 44 groomed, packed powder trails open, we’d agree!
Timberline Resort – Pam Long from up there sent me a ton of SWEET photos from this week and you should check those out when you have a chance. Click over to Timberline’s link from the front page and then click on Photos of the Day! They saw another 1” of snow in the last 24 hours and more is on the way.
Winterplace Resort – They missed out on anything but some light flurries overnight, but they HAVE been blasting the slopes and you can expect the best conditions of the season on their 16 open trails, with more on the way!
Massanutten Resort – The Virginia resort has opened another trail (now open with 8) and they have rebounded phenomenally from the broken pipe that shut them down a bit more than a week ago.
The Homestead – They have also opened another slope and now have three open slopes.
Wintergreen Resort – They are really focusing on some heavy snowmaking and plan to open with even more terrain and tubing by the weekend. They have VERY NICE conditions for today on 13 trails with 4 lifts servicing those trails.
Ober Gatlinburg – The Smoky Mountain resort has added another open trail! For the first time this season they now had (4) slopes open. Mogul Ridge & upper half of Bear Run Now open!!! Slope session today and Thursday is Noon – 10pm with $28 Lift Ticket. Weeknight 6pm – 10pm Lift Ticket only $15! Ice skating and other activities open daily.
Appalachian Ski Mountain – App has TWO Terrain parks open for your riding, sliding, jumping and twisting pleasure. If you’re into rails, steps, boxes and more and have not seen Appalachian’s park, you are missing out. Nothing else in the region comes close.
Cataloochee Ski Area – Don’t forget to join the Cat Crew on Thursday nights at Cataloochee for the Cataloochee Challenge Cup Race Series. Individuals race against the clock for the better of two runs. Top three challengers in both men’s and women’s’ age divisions win cool stuff. You must be 21 years of age or older to participate. Racing begins at 8pm with a post awards party at 10pm, so dust off those racing skills and test your luck. The Cat is where it’s at on Thursday night’s Challenge Cup Race Night. Call the ski area for more information.
Hawksnest Resort – Snowmaking continues on the main portion of Sock Em Dog. Upper is open off the top, but then you currently have to ski around to The Right Stuff. They are blasting the black diamond, lower portion of the slope so that they can construct the terrain features and get things hopping over there.
Don’t forget that Hawksnest is playing host to the Southern Division of the United States College Ski Association races this weekend. Race teams from NC and adjoining states will be competing. See more about the event in another update this morning! Get in on the fun by calling 800-822-4295!
Sapphire Valley – They are on their normal operating schedule for this time of year, meaning that they will be open today at 5pm for skiing, snowboarding and tubing! Sapphire was making snow when we called this morning and will continue as long as temps allow!
Ski Beech – They have been making snow to beat the band and will be opening more terrain soon! Don’t forget that today is “Retro Wednesday” at Ski Beech. On Wednesdays they have retro prices with $16 lift tickets and $15 ski rentals.
Sugar Mountain – They have added 3 new slopes today! Whoopdedoo, Sugar Slalom and Easy Street Extension. They also anticipate opening tubing tomorrow and the Snowboard Park by the weekend. Since we are in a “race talking mode” this morning, Sugar has some racing fun to watch on Monday nights. The Monday Night Adult Ski/Snowboard league, takes place every Monday night, with the championship race on February 26, 2007.
Wolf Ridge Resort – Wolf is hosting a Slope Style competition set for this weekend…Sat. Jan. 27, 2007. Registration for the competition begins at 9 am at the upper Wolf Ridge Lodge. There is a $15 registration fee and a 25% discount on lift tickets for competitors. The competition begins at 1pm and includes skiers and snowboarders. Each competitor will be given 2 runs judged by a panel of 3 judges. The score will be based on style, amplitude and technicality. The top 5 competitors will move on to a final 3rd run. Prizes will be given to the top 3 competitors. Possible prizes include cash, gear, passes and trophies. The event is sponsored by Wolf Ridge Ski Resort, Breakaway Village, Zero Gravity Skate Park of Brevard, FLIPSIDE skate shop and Red Bull. The Park Place terrain park has the following features: 13′ Straight Rail, 16′ C-box, 16′ flat down T-box, 10′ rainbow rail, 16′ flat box and a 3 ft. mini kicker.
Until Next Time…
THINK COLD AND SNOW!!!
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For more information about the ski resorts of the Southeast and Mid Atlantic visit www.SkiSoutheast.com
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