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We’ve got some catching up to do today, so I’m going to keep this morning’s report a bit short. We’ll also be posting a followup story in a bit so be sure to check back for more input today.
First to the weather…
We’re looking at some sun today then late snow flurries. We had snow almost all day Tuesday and it was nice…but left a trace of snow somewhere but not here at our mountains. It HAS been a funny winter as far as natural snowfall is concerned.
The highs today will be in the mid 40s with tonight’s low allowing snowmaking at 24° or so. Thursday looks like a colder day, but with a high of 39° we may see some mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain. Friday looks a little wet as well and highs around 42° and lows near 39°.
The weekend ahead is actually looking good at this time. Highs at a near normal 45° and lows near freezing with cloudy skies but no precip. MAKE THOSE RESERVATIONS!
QUALITY SNOW TAKES A COMMITTMENT TO EXCELLENCE…
We have a column on this website titled "Joe Knows Snow" but the truth is that our readers know snow as well. Probably the most received email that we have seen over the last two seasons is how this or that ski area’s snow is better than the other. We receive so many emails wherein you guys trash one or more resort’s grooming and praise another one or two. (Hint: That’s related to the followup story that we’ll be posting later today.)
One that gets a lot of praise is that of Appalachian Ski Mountain in Blowing Rock. The reasons are multiple, but an announcement that Drew Stanley, Brad Moretz and his staff released yesterday says a lot in just a short paragraph. They announced, "Anticipating our last day of skiing as Sunday, March 30, Hard Core and Thin Slice are closed for today only, while we take this opportunity to deepen our base for any possible warm periods ahead. Snowmaking took place on all slopes last night, and continues while temperatures permit, for today only. We are planning to continue making snow at night up until the day before we close. Our continued snowmaking seals in loose and granular snow conditions with a new packed powder surface, and provides our skiers with the best quality conditions possible. Hard Core and Thin Slice will reopen on Wednesday, February 20."
With that one announcement, they advised people of their last day of skiing and riding for this season, they showed their need for closing a slope or two for one day to focus and insure great conditions on them, and committed to making snow RIGHT UP TO THE LAST DAY of this season to guarantee the best quality snow possible – and they even gave us a small lesson as to why they do it. Notice they wrote, "Our continued snowmaking seals in loose and granular snow conditions with a new packed powder surface, and provides our skiers with the best quality conditions possible."
Great stuff App!
Cataloochee reported 1" of snow from the brief storm that left most of the rest of the state with nothing more than a trace of snow.
Hawksnest is giving Ladies a Free Lift Ticket today. Ladies go ski free today…and guys…well you know.
Ski Beech should be proud of their race team. Thge TEAM BEECH Alpine Ski Race Team was named High Country Junior Race Series Champions for 2007-2008 Season
After almost a decade of competing with no title, TEAM BEECH (BMSEF) reclaimed the High Country Junior Race Series Championship Title this year with a total of 2262 pts versus Sugar Mountain (1789 pts) and Appalachian Mountains (1569 pts). Every racer on the team contributed to these points and this achievement. CONGRATULATIONS to ALL of their RACERS who gave it their all each and every event!
We Will Be Interviewing Grete Eliassen on Friday.
I will have the pleasure of interviewing Grete Eliassen, the two-time X-Game winner and four-time U.S. Freeskiing Open winning skier on Friday. She will be at Wintergreen Resort this weekend to host the Double Cross Skiing and Snowboarding event. Grete Eliassen is the American-born, Norwegian-raised skier who won back-to-back gold at WX ’06 and ’05 and silver at WX ’07.
Grete distinguishes herself from the other women by going huge in the pipe. She learned to ski in Minnesota but raced as a teenager for the Norwegian Nat’l Ski Team when her family moved there in 1999. She has since moved back to the U.S. and attends the University of Utah. One of the best all around skiers of her generation, her racing skills apply to backcountry skiing, slopestyle and halfpipe. Grete was crowned Ullr Girl at the 2007 TELUS World Ski and Snowboard contest.
We will do that interview on Friday and post the results later in the day, so stay tuned for that.
Enjoy your day…
Until Next time…
Be sure to visit www.SkiSoutheast.com for more news from the rest of the Southeast and Mid Atlantic ski areas!
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