If The Shoe plans to open in two weeks and one day and there are no good snowmaking temps in the 5 day. How are they going to do it? Is it possible? I remember last year they postponed their opening for a couple days to make more snow because it was really cold. None the less I hope they get to be able to make snow and lots of a.s.a.p.

Went to weather.com and posted Snowshoe's zip code (26209). Their 10 day forecast is just as bad. Everyday has highs above 50 degrees. Sure are going to need a major cold spell if they are going to open for the pre-Thanksgiving period.

Not to fear - Snowshoe has started making snow (see the cover story I just posted on DCSki), and they should be able to make their opening date - but initial snowmaking will be concentrated on a few select trails, so don't expect a huge variety of terrain to be open on day one.

Bear in mind, Snowshoe is up above 4,800 feet, and there are no weather stations there. If you do a weather.com search on 26209, that will return a weather forecast for the "valley" - a couple thousand feet below. That elevation difference can translate into huge temperature differences. Ironically, Snowshoe frequently experiences temperature inversions, where the temperature at the top of the mountain is higher than the temperature in the valley. That can mess things up, but normally it's the other way around. Nighttime temperatures should stay below freezing for the next couple weeks, and that will allow the 'Shoe to lay down some snow.

Of course, DCSki will stay on top of resort openings, so check back for the latest.

Maybe you are right Scott. I hope you are right Scott. So what trails does anyone know that they are concentrating on? I can't wait to get my skis out of the garage and on the slopes.

I believe they've started making snow on Skidder slope, which is a green run right by the top of the mountain. Last year, the first 13 slopes to open were Gandy Dancer, Spruce Glades, Skidder, Cross Cut, Yew Pine, Powder Monkey, Tail Tree, Whiffle Tree, and Gangway, but they were able to open a bunch due to unseasonably cool temperatures. In typical years, I think they try to have 3-4 runs open for opening day, making one or two paths down the main Snowshoe area. Don't expect Cupp Run or Shay's Revenge to open until later.

I looked at accuweather.com's extended outlook, and the 'Shoe is supposed to get snow on the 21st--what they hope will be opening day. I wont be up to the shoe untill march 20th or so. It is spring break down here in FL at that time, and I am gonna spend a few days with my church at Snowshoe. Went two years ago, and the day i left they had eight inches of snow the night before. Bear in mind this is in late March, back when la nina was still present. I just hope that the majority of the normal opening day slopes are open, and that man made snow in west virginia is much better than man made in NC. In NC, the fake white stuff sucks. all it does is freeze and then more falls ontop of the ice, making you think the snow is powder. the snow faked me on that, and I went about 100 feet down the slope at Ski Beech sideways. oh well, see ya'll lata

just got a membership thing....this is JB...now known as ski_guy_59

now snowshoe tells me that thanksgiving skiing/riding probably isnt going to happen. any openings in pennsylvania imminent?

I'm not aware of any immiment PA openings. I think most resorts in the Mid-Atlantic will need to push back their opening date to early December (or later).

Also, bear in mind that the Thanksgiving holiday weekend can be a high-volume period for resorts. For that reason, there's extra incentive for them to open for Thanksgiving. But if they can't make Thanksgiving, there isn't as big of a push to get open unless conditions will be good and temperatures will remain cool.

I think we'll have to be patient for a couple more weeks.

Weather at 26209 aka Snowshoe is reported from Elkins which is at 1900ft. Snowshoe village is at 4700-4850ft. As a general rule temps drop 3.4 degress every 1000ft you go up. So subtract about 10 degrees from the Elkins Temps.

What are the chances that Cupp Run will be open by 12/29 which is when I'm scheduled to arrive? I'm asking this on 12/16 when they are still closed. I'm afraid that the mountain will be too crowded for me without Cupp or Shay's open. Any prognosticators here?

I think it's pretty iffy whether Cupp will open by Dec. 29. Snowshoe is now hoping to open in the later part of this week, although that's still not definite. They'll open with a couple top-to-bottom runs at both the Snowshoe and Silver Creek areas. My guess is that they will apply snowmaking power to the main Snowshoe area to try to get some more trails open by Christmas.

Cupp Run takes a lot of snow to cover it top to bottom. With a week of solid cold temperatures, they can do that - but I wouldn't count on it opening until early January. We'll pass on any updates from Snowshoe.