How good are the conditions looking for this Monday? I just got back from Vermont but I didn't get a foot of fresh powder while I was there, are Monday's conditions worth a last second day trip?

How do resorts handle a big snow dump when most of the mountain has been closed? will they open everything? Which resorts are more chill about ducking under ropes?

Massanutten, Wisp, and Blue Knob are all a little less than a 3 hour drive for me. Bryce Mountain is 2 hours 10 min, Liberty is 1.5 hours. What does DCSki think the right call is?

I'm a student as well so any student deals would be a factor in the decision.

Massanutten will have side stashes for sure and will be close to fully open. Only question is how much freezing rain will mix in.

I am a huge fan of Blue Knob when it is fully open, but currently none of their advanced terrain (and little of their intermediate terrain) is open. Not sure if they will open anything else up after the snow this Sunday. 

Is Monday the only day you can go? Tuesday at Timberline could be epic.

Check online for the student deal on Mondays and Wednesdays at Massanutten.  Deals at The 'Nutt

Woody

Between Bryce and Massanutten, it's worth the extra driving time.  Plus dealing with I-81 and US33 that will be cleared sooner rather than later.  Don't know how the 2-lane road to Bryce will be on Monday morning.

With a dump, usually Mnut doesn't groom out all of DJ and Paradice.  Relatively easy to leave part of Paradice ungroomed.

bousquet19 wrote:

Check online for the student deal on Mondays and Wednesdays at Massanutten.  Deals at The 'Nutt

Woody

 Monday Night Madness for $25 is 4-9pm every Monday, including holiday Mondays.  

marzNC wrote:

bousquet19 wrote:

Check online for the student deal on Mondays and Wednesdays at Massanutten.  Deals at The 'Nutt

Woody

 Monday Night Madness for $25 is 4-9pm every Monday, including holiday Mondays.  

 Would Monday Night be good snow? I've never been much of a night skier and always assumed night skiing was just for a few groomed trails, not finding powder. It's a pretty good deal and the full price lift tickets are pretty expensive for the size of the mountain.

My guess is that by Monday night any untracked would be hard to come by.  

BackInDC wrote:

 Would Monday Night be good snow? I've never been much of a night skier and always assumed night skiing was just for a few groomed trails, not finding powder. It's a pretty good deal and the full price lift tickets are pretty expensive for the size of the mountain.

Also - be aware the Massanutten requires reservations ahead of time. Normally this is not an issue on Mondays, not sure how being a holiday would impact this.

BackInDC wrote:

It looks like Massanutten may be the move if temp stays down and there is no sleet just snow. That is unless Blueknob happens to open a bunch of trails with this storm.

 All things being equal, I'd take Blue Knob, but things aren't going to be equal anytime soon. Blue Knob needs investment, Massanutten already has it.

Go to Massanutten.

wgo wrote:

Also - be aware the Massanutten requires reservations ahead of time. Normally this is not an issue on Mondays, not sure how being a holiday would impact this.

Was not an issue to get a lift ticket for this weekend.  My friend got 8 hour ticket for Sat and Sun on Fri afternoon.  MLK Day is never an issue at Mnut for the slopes.  Not even holiday rate.  People staying on resort are mostly checking out in the morning.  They are much more likely to go tubing than skiing/boarding before heading home.  Remember that most people are renting gear.  So then rent for Sat and Sun, then they are done.

marzNC wrote:

MLK Day is never an issue at Mnut for the slopes.  Not even holiday rate.  People staying on resort are mostly checking out in the morning.

 Noted for future reference -- perhaps next year.

wfyurasko wrote:

marzNC wrote:

MLK Day is never an issue at Mnut for the slopes.  Not even holiday rate.  People staying on resort are mostly checking out in the morning.

 Noted for future reference -- perhaps next year.

 Well, I was wrong for MLK Day 2022.  The combination of low rates, new snow, new people aware of Mnut because of the 2020-21 pandemic season, and VA schools having a snow day on Tue, Jan. 18, led to Mnut being quite busy yesterday.  The line for rentals for Monday Night Madness ($25 lift ticket, $25 rental) was very long by 4pm.  Since usually not that many people renting that afternoon/evening, there weren't that many people setting up bindings.  So that wait was longer than for boots.  Mnut is using the EasyRent system so each set up was very efficient, so it was really just more people than expected that caused the long wait.  People weren't particularly complaining either.  So seemed to mostly be regular resort guests or perhaps even locals.

I went back and forth among several options (resort, day, time) but in the end my son and I were able to make Timberline on Tuesday work. It paid off big time. Almost 19 inches of new snow over the last 2 days, side stashes all over the place.

We took Corridor H to get there, which is now our go to route. Doesnt save any time from Charlottesville but the drive is much easier - usually. Today there were several zero visibility moments on the stretch from the ridge with the windmills to Davis, from wind blowing snow across the highway. Pretty unnerving.