Went up to Hidden Valley yesterday when I saw they'd be hit by this most recent storm. Took my two oldest kids (8/5).
It was supposed to be snowing like crazy in Pittsburgh all morning. Instead it was raining until the Donegal exit, and then rain/sleet until about three miles from Hidden Valley. That's where the snow line was, it turned from rain into a blizzard, and the road went from wet to "where is the road?". We navigated without an issue and parked next to the lodge.
To say the place was empty is an understatement. When we got there it was us and three others, so six people on the mountain. By the end of the day another six showed up.
It was snowing 2in/hour and the conditions were incredible. Fresh untracked powder all day on every run. At first the boys struggled, but they got the hang of it. We skied mostly on the front side, the runout on North Summit is too flat with the snow to be skiable. We did Baracuda once then ended up skating and walking the runout.
We left at 4pm, and my crude estimation was 8-9in of fresh snow while we were there. The website claims 10", which seems right, it was still snowing at 4pm, but not as intense when we left.
The conditions were perfect, and how couldn't they be! It was enough snow that we were able to float, and not hit anything underneath.
It was a fitting end to the season.
On a personal note, last year I decided the only way my boys were going to improve was through regular skiing. So I purchased passes this year and made a committment to use them. At the start of the year my oldest tenatively skied an easy blue. I did a lot of drills and work with him, and he progressed throughout the season. These last two times he has been able to do blacks, and not survival ski down, but do confident linked parallel turns down the slopes. As a dad this is as exciting as crusing down some fresh tracked. My five year old made it down the same runs, but snow plow turning, which is good for a five year old. We'll work on his form next year.
I'm having surgery tomomorrow for a hernia, so for me this is the end of the season. Otherwise I'd be down at Snowshoe... It's been a great 2017/2018!
Awesome! HV is on my radar if they decide to stay open thru Easter. Fingers crossed.
Not sure I want to make the drive to SS for the final weekend.
You hit it just right. My son just got off the turnpike from Pittsburgh as they were closing from Donegal to New Stanton due to a wreck he had just passed. A west bound semi slid through the concrete barrier that separates the lanes into the eastbound lane then the back up ensued. He got of the turnpike and made it to the crest of the pass on County Line Rd before the entrance but had to turn back as cars and trucks littered the hill. He backtracked to New Stanton and made it back home without incident.
The skiing should be fantastic in the coming days. Seven Springs is opening more terrain on the North Face including features in the new cross course in the North Park terrain park on little North Face. There should be some trees in play too. We are heading out tomorrow.
Blue Don 1982 wrote:
Awesome! HV is on my radar if they decide to stay open thru Easter. Fingers crossed.
Not sure I want to make the drive to SS for the final weekend.
According to their website they will be open everyday until April 1. Latest weather models are indicating anoth storm is show up for early next week!! Since I dislocated my shoulder I really shouldn't ski
untracked all day, roadrunner was a hoot. I think they will do some grooming tonight as there is a cat on the camera already.
all glades were skiable
