Hi gang,

So, who has made it skiing this week? Have resorts been crowded? I'm not hearing that there's huge crowds, although conditions sound really great. I will probably try to sneak away midweek next week for a day of skiing.

Southskier wrote:

> My itinerary. Drive up to Blue Knob and
> ski my legs out. FInd a motel in
> SOmerset. The next day get up early,
> eat at the SUmmit Diner, and head
> over to Laurel and have a relaxing
> day on their great slopes and be
> challenged on Lower Wildcat's
> steep double fall line.

Southskier: I haven't been to Laurel Mountain since they reopened (well, ever.) How are they doing now? The last couple winters were kind of yechy in terms of weather, and I would guess this is the first season they can really show their stuff.

- Scott

I'm not skiing over Christmas, but I will for New Years. I'm headed up to Blue Knob with a group to ski into the New Year. The conditions look GREAT and there's more snow in the forecast!!!

I'll be skiing up there from Friday through Monday.

I haven't been yet but I'm planning this week. Maybe night skiing at Liberty tomorrow.

Our family (ma pa, 6, and 8) snuck out to bryce last week when Fairfax county generously closed the schools for the day. After all I had read on the message boards her I was anxious to try it out.
Definitely a great spot for family skiing. There was only one lift open and still no lines. The conditions were packed powder which I suspect is not the norm. The place is so casual and relaxed it really kind of takes you by surprise. While the trails are few they are wide enough for good turns at a comfortable pace. The bunny hills are such that my wife and I could have sat and had refreshments and watched the kids go up and down the slopes as our out of shape legs recovered. All this for $10 lift tickets. Thats cheaper than going tubing. Exact driving time from 66 and the beltway was 1 hour and 35 minutes.
All In all it was an enjoyable super afordable family day of skiing ( except for the rude snack bar cashier who would not give the kids quarters for the arcade) and we will return soon.

Went to Canaan Valley over the past weekend. Other than the frost-bite warning Fri, (12-21) it was good (even though we were freezing). Not crowded at all, even on Sat. Perfect time to go before the Christmas-break crowds descend.

It seems to me that Laurel Mountain is doing very well. Recently I read in an article that in their first year of reopenning they were getting more people then they ever did during the 80's. I have taken three day trips there from DC since it has reopened and each time I have been thoroughly impressed. It is set high a top in the scenic Laurel Highlands Region of Western Pennsylvania, which allows it to have long snow abundant winters. I have noticed that each time I have been there, while the snow was scarce at nearby resorts, Laurel had a large pack powder base due to the cold weather and new state of the art snowmaking system. THe price for lift tickets are outrageously cheap, 16 dollars wednesday and firday, and around 30 on the weekends. The terrain I found is superb all be it a bit limited. There are now about three basic ways that have snowmaking,to get down the whole mountain although there are a few different side shoots to mix things up. These side shoots include a terrain park and a half-pipe. Broadway is an intermediate trail going down the whole length of the 900 vertical drop. It has many different twist and turns as it rolls down the mountain. It is one of the better intermediate trails I've been on and never really flattens out anywhere. Wildcat also follows the full 900 vertical drop and is their advanced trail with the lower part being experts only. Lower Wildcat has a very steep double fall line usually aligned with large moguls. Its a long sustained super steep drop very similar to Lower Shays Revenge at Snowshoe or Extrovert at Blue Knob. It promises to challenge any expert and have your legs aching by the time you get to the bottom. I had the privaledge last year to go when all of its natural trails were open. Many of these trails will need to be widened to accomodate snowmaking but were very interesting and scenic. In fact I even think a few of them are open now. Also when there is enough snow there are numerous tree skiing opportunities throughout the mountain that I have not fully explored. With its new Quad chair coupled coupled with their refurbished double chair and a few surface lifts, lift lines are unheard of and often times you will have the slope to yourself. I'd certainly reccomend it as long as you go knowing that it is not a mega resort like Snowshoe and while you may not find as much variety of terrain you will find that the terrain there is far superior to most of the trails at nearby resorts because they are not short drops followed by flats instead they are long scenic trails all with a consistent pitch. In the next few years the snowmaking should be expanded and it has all the makings to become one of the superior ski areas in the mid atlantic. Its reopenning is a victory for all skiers and snowboarders in the mid atlantic.

Just back from a Xmas week at Snowshoe. 100% OPEN - ALL trails and NO LIFT LINES. Maybe the cold (-40 wind chill one day) separated us from the weekend skiers! Lower Shays bumped and icy, and there were a few people over there that shouldn't have been. Why do beginners in a wedge insist on going on the Western Territory? Is it that sled ride with the Ski Patrol back???