An arctic air mass has settled over the Mid-Atlantic region in recent days, bringing colder than normal temperatures. Those cold temperatures are welcome news to Mid-Atlantic resorts, who are taking the opportunity to fire up the snowguns in preparation for season openings. With nighttime temperatures in the 20s or teens and daytime temperatures staying near or below freezing, conditions are currently ideal for snowmaking.
Virtually every ski resort DCSki covers is currently making snow, with some resorts planning to open later this week. Other resorts are using this as an opportunity to build their starting bases but have not yet determined an official opening day.
Mid-Atlantic ski resorts excel in snowmaking, and have made significant investments in recent years to upgrade their systems with modern, efficient guns.
Snowmaking involves using specialized snow guns to convert water into artificial snow, mimicking the natural process of snow formation. These machines spray a fine mist of water droplets into the cold air, often mixed with compressed air to help atomize the water and cool it rapidly. As the droplets are propelled into the freezing atmosphere, they crystallize into snowflakes before settling on the slopes, where they are subsequently groomed into a skiable surface. Many Mid-Atlantic ski areas can begin opening slopes after just a few days of quality snowmaking.
In Pennsylvania, all eight ski areas owned by Vail Resorts have been pumping out the snow, including Liberty Mountain, Roundtop Mountain, Whitetail, Jack Frost, Big Boulder, Seven Springs, Laurel Mountain, and Hidden Valley. Seven Springs will be opening for the 2024-2025 winter season on Friday, December 6, 2024.
“Our snowmaking team is geared up to produce snow at every opportunity, working tirelessly to lay down the foundation for this season’s opening terrain package at our resorts,” said Kendra Nichols, Vail Resorts Communications Manager for the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Also in Pennsylvania, Blue Mountain Resort is blanketing its slopes and anticipates opening for skiing and snowboarding on Friday, December 6, 2024. Camelback plans to begin its season on December 14, 2024.
In Maryland, Wisp Resort will be opening for the winter season on Friday, December 6, 2024.
Virginia’s Massanutten Resort is making snow and plans to begin its ski season on Saturday, December 14, 2024. Snow tubing will open a week earlier on December 7, 2024.
Wintergreen Resort is also making snow, but has not yet announced an opening date. Similarly, Virginia’s Bryce Resort has not yet announced when its winter operations will begin.
In West Virginia, neighboring resorts Canaan Valley Resort and Timberline Mountain are both making snow in preparation for their opening. Canaan Valley Resort has announced that it is targeting December 21, 2024 for its opening date, but may move up the date if conditions permit. Meanwhile, Timberline Mountain will start running its lifts when it opens on Thursday, December 5, 2024.
The first ski area to open in West Virginia this year wasn’t one of the downhill areas - it was White Grass Touring Center, which took advantage of some natural snowfall in late November to open its trails to cross country skiers.
Further south, Snowshoe Mountain Resort will begin its season on Thursday, December 5, 2024. West Virginia’s Winterplace Ski Resort has the guns firing and plans to begin its season on December 14, 2024.
Even further south, North Carolina’s Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain Resorts are already opening, thanks to their high elevations. Beech Mountain is reporting 6 trails open, while Sugar Mountain is reporting 8 trails open.
Be sure to check the DCSki Forums for the latest updates and firsthand reports from fellow DCSki readers as the season gets underway.
With this long stretch of ideal snowmaking temperatures, DCSki expects that more resorts will open with more terrain earlier this year than in recent years, when mild temperatures stymied efforts to make snow. Of course, weather in the Mid-Atlantic can be fickle. The long-range forecast currently shows chilly temperatures remaining in the region for the next week, and then rising above freezing afterwards.
In the early season, operating hours and days can change with little notice. Surface conditions can be variable with limited terrain open. Prior to visiting any ski area, DCSki recommends checking with the resort directly to verify current snow and operating conditions. For resorts that have tubing hills, tubing may open for the season on a different day than skiing and snowboarding.
M. Scott Smith is the founder and Editor of DCSki. Scott loves outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, kayaking, skiing, and mountain biking. He is an avid photographer and writer.
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