Where are folks planning to ski the next few weekends (1/11-12, 1/18-19, 2/1-2), given the 2-week outlook?
Significant warm stretch ("blowtorch" pattern from the southwest) forecast for next week that could impact conditions thereafter:
I'm trying to decide between MLK Jr. weekend or the 2/1-2 weekend for a trip to Canaan Valley. Where/When do others plan to find the best, err least bad, local conditions for the next couple weeks?
Have some days planned at Hidden Valley and Laurel. Both seem to have some bases to withstand some warmer days!
I'll be at Massanutten for MLK weekend. Has nothing to do with the weather forecast. That's when my friend's kids in middle school have a 4-day long weekend. That family has amazing luck, so I'm hoping the predicated cold front comes thru around that time. They only ski Mnut on holiday weekends and have skied in fresh snow over half of their trips.
Mnut has been able to keep the core trails open since opening day (green Southern Comfort, black Diamond Jim). Lower Showtime (blue) re-opens tomorrow. Since DJ has a bit over 800 vert by itself, it works for me driving from central NC and staying on resort. Lift 6 never has a lift line over 3 min, even during a holiday weekend.
Going to Hidden Valley over MLK weekend. This Friday through Tuesday look like it'll be washing away good amount of snow but hopefully the base they've padded this week will hold up and we might get some good snowmaking the next Wed and Thur. Could be a lot worse.
Hoping both sides of HV will be open, I haven't seen the North Summit open yet when I've sporadically checked their snow report the past couple of weeks. Also, they don't webcams posted for the north side. Would be a bummer if they crammed everyone on the Valley side the holiday weekend, might hit up Laurel Mt one day if that's the case.
North Summit of HV was open last weekend and it opened again today (only 4 trails).
Gibou Skier wrote:
Where are folks planning to ski the next few weekends (1/11-12, 1/18-19, 2/1-2), given the 2-week outlook?
The Laurels/Wisp/Canaan area and some of the Blue Mountain/Poconos area have had slightly colder weather. Blue has really been aggressive with their snowmaking and has a surprising amount of 1000' vert open.
Made plans to head to Canaan Valley and Whitegrass for first weekend of February. Hopefully the Valley regains any snow lost next week by then. By the way, for those of you looking for lodging deals, the WV state lodges are offering a 20% discount up through today. The promo code is "snowday"
I just got back from Laurel. It was 28 and windy at the summit. We stopped at Starbuck's in Latrobe and it was 40 there. Laurel made snow last night so some parts of the trails where Mid-A frozen chalk. There was about 7 inches of snow reported over the last few days (of course I was not there when it was fresh) so there was still some soft stuff, not granular, in piles here and there. Wildcat was in good shape with Upper really nice and Lower, well as good as one can expect given the weather, western ice (hard pack with some slick spots) and piles of loose stuff to turn in.
The snowmaking/grooming crews have been doing a great job but this winter sucks so far. I'm off to Vermont next week.
We are heading to Vermont for next week as well , where are you headed Laurel?
Vermont wrote:
We are heading to Vermont for next week as well , where are you headed Laurel?
Sugarbush, Ikon pass.
Sweet! Going to Killington, a friend has a condo at the mountain I get for 100 day, driving from northern Va, where you coming from?
Vermont wrote:
Sweet! Going to Killington, a friend has a condo at the mountain I get for 100 day, driving from northern Va, where you coming from?
Laurel Mountain :~D
Awesome! You are lucky to live near a cool place to ski!
Laurel Hill Crazie wrote:
Vermont wrote:
We are heading to Vermont for next week as well , where are you headed Laurel?
Sugarbush, Ikon pass.
You guys upgraded from base pass?
Went with a killington mid week season pass this season, looking to go elsewhere when snow hits either Maine or Jay Peak
JohnL wrote:
Laurel Hill Crazie wrote:
Vermont wrote:
We are heading to Vermont for next week as well , where are you headed Laurel?
Sugarbush, Ikon pass.
You guys upgraded from base pass?
You better break out your reading glasses. I said next week, not next weekend. lol I won't even consider skiing at a big resort over a holiday weekend. I'll probably be back at Laurel. I have a text out to my insider so hopefully, I'll get an objective report on Saturday's conditions.
Laurel Hill Crazie wrote:
JohnL wrote:
Laurel Hill Crazie wrote:
Vermont wrote:
We are heading to Vermont for next week as well , where are you headed Laurel?
Sugarbush, Ikon pass.
You guys upgraded from base pass?
You better break out your reading glasses. I said next week, not next weekend. lol I won't even consider skiing at a big resort over a holiday weekend. I'll probably be back at Laurel. I have a text out to my insider so hopefully, I'll get an objective report on Saturday's conditions.
we only skiing this mid week then a break for MLK weekend/week and will hit the slopes again the week of the 27th,
Actually quite nice spring conditions at Massanutten today. Of course, the terrain is pretty limited. But no rain and no slush even though air temps are in the high 50s.
Liberty added 2 more trails, including Blue Streak. Condition was much better than I expected, better than last Sat for sure. Blue Streak was open but it was pretty moguled up, bumps were soft, not icy, parts had rocks exposed.
Laurel lost for the week. Warm temps and rain win. Laurel will be back next weekend. Seven Springs still winning the battle. Hidden Valley too.
Massanutten for MLK weekend turned out to be quite good for people with the clothing for a little rain and then frigid temps and blasting snowguns. The slopes were empty on Sat afternoon after a 15-min rain shower. Snow was quite good on the limited terrain. Sunday snow was good but lines were long at the base from noon until close to 5pm. Night skiing was good though. Mon was great with all guns blazing. DJ was slick in the afternoon but Lower Showtime was good all day.
Upper Showtime and Paradice are getting 24-hour snowmaking. Upper Showtime and Pacesetter are open today, 1/21, and Paradice is due to open 1/22. That's amazing given that they were grass a few days ago! I'll be back skiing on Thu-Fri since there will be good conditions on more trails.
marzNC wrote:
Massanutten for MLK weekend turned out to be quite good
Looking forward to checking out Mnut on Sunday since I'll be driving past H-burg on 81.
Skied at Hidden Valley over the holiday weekend. Saturday was brutal with the freezing rain and we decided to call it a day around 1:30. Sunday and Monday were glorious, the two best ski days I've had in some time. I thought Sunday would have been rough with the ice from Saturday but hats off to the HV grooming and snow making crews and Mother Nature provided some fresh snow most of the rest of the weekend. Bummed they never opened the Voyager side, looked like it was going to happen Monday but I guess they just make snow on Voyager all day long then push it onto the rest of the north side at night. Whatever the snowmaking crew at HV is doing, it's working. I was initially bummed that HV only had 14 trails open but 7S also only had 14 and Laurel and Blue Knob were barely open, so HV must be doing something right (Wisp seemed to have to more trails open, though). Some near-bare spots, a couple of icy patches, and Upper Comet had several snow drifts between the drops on Monday, but otherwise some great times on the slopes!
