We are looking to go to Snowshoe for the first time this season. We are going either right before Christmas or mid-Feb. We have never been before so looking for recommendations as to which time would be better. Prefer to have more natural snow is the #1 goal. Don't really care if its -20 or 20 degrees. We are from the south so just don't want to go and the only snow is from the machines. I know temps are constantly changing just looking for an overall this time is usually better than this time. Hope that helps explain it. :) Thanks.
Typically ....... You'll have a better chance of more natural snow the later in the season you go.
Last year mid Dec was pretty good, we had a warm spell in Feb that doomed a few other places then it snowed 5 feet during March 2018. I would not look down on machine made snow. Without SS's agressive snow making in Dec and Jan they may have been doomed in Feb as well.
Mind you, Mother Nature is undefeated and she calls the shots.
Historically SS has more runs open in mid-February than in December. The last couple of years we have had some pretty brutal mid-winter thaws but SS still managed to keep almost everything open thanks to aggressive early season snowmaking. Like Blue Don said you have a better chance of natural snow in February, and a better chance of having runs open on which to enjoy the snow (not that anyone here has ever ducked a rope to get at fresh snow...)
One thing that is different this year is a massive investment in snowmaking that should take an already great system to the next level. Expectation here is that they will be able to get more runs open earlier. I hope that turns out to be the case.
I say go both months. December will be less crowed and February may have more snow. The more you go the better the chances are for fresh snow. One year we had 36"s in 48 hours the week before Christmas.
KT2002 wrote:
We are looking to go to Snowshoe for the first time this season. We are going either right before Christmas or mid-Feb. We have never been before so looking for recommendations as to which time would be better. Prefer to have more natural snow is the #1 goal. Don't really care if its -20 or 20 degrees. We are from the south so just don't want to go and the only snow is from the machines. I know temps are constantly changing just looking for an overall this time is usually better than this time. Hope that helps explain it. :) Thanks.
Where else have you skied in the southeast? What is your favorite ski resort in general?
As already mentioned, more terrain is likely to be open in Feb than the week before Christmas. That's true even in the Rockies. While it will snow at Snowshoe more than enough to make a difference for skiing, a big storm in mid-Dec isn't that likely. Can happen but I wouldn't make travel plans based on a hope for another Snowmaggeddon. I used to take my daughter to Massanutten the week before Christmas (ages 4 to 12, 4 hr drive one-way). Only had to drive in the snow once. Only one year the slopes weren't open at all.
I am typically skiing the shoe the first week in December as the 2nd is my birthday. A few years, I have had to cancel that trip or postpone it a week or two. Seldom, if ever, is the Western Territory open at that point in the season. Perhaps they will be able to change that with the $5 million in new snow making machines they bought this year. The most economical way to ski is before Dec 20th as that is when "HIGH" season kicks in so if paying more than $200/night for a efficiency is not you game, you may have to go in Decemeber. If money is no option, go in February and enjoy the entire mountain.
We have four trips planned this year to the shoe so will be skiing in all months with differing volumes of friends and/or familiy joining me for each trip. Our longest trip & largest lodging is booked around the February Presidents day holiday.
