Just returned from three days at Timberline. Great weekend! My hat is off to Timberline Mountain Operations.

They went into Friday with horrible conditions left over from the warm weather. By Saturday AM they had a solid, skiable base on Salamander, Dew Drop and White Lightning. Terrain expanded a bit by Sunday and then Timberline received a good 6-8" of naturdal snow last night. Temp on the moutain was -4 degrees F this morning with brutal winds.

The snow guns are running non-stop. They still have tons of work to do in order to open up other trails that were decimated by the warm spell. Nonetheless, I think they did a great job under challenging circumstances. We had a great time.

Snowmaking capacity is improved over what I saw in 2004 and the owner told me they expect futher additions in 2005-2006.

mike

I too just returned from T-line. Only got Sunday and today up there... but the conditions were great compared to what was expected. And I think I saw some snowmaking going-on over on Off-The-Wall. Wouldn't that be something... Timberline opening OTW before Thunderstruck or The Drop. Well, it looks like snow and cold temps all week in the Valley so hopefully early Feb. will be rockin'. Just a few pictures from this weekend...

[image]http://www.geocities.com/gwsilverbrass/Timberline1dc.txt[/image]

You just mad my day!!!! I will be out of the country for a week. If what you report is true (snowmaking on OTW), my February will be made! OTW is my favorite place to play while in the valley. Oh Boy! Oh Boy!

Canaanman,
I'm scheduled to go to T-Line/Canaan for the President's day weekend. I hope you're right about the OTW snowmaing! Last year my daughter and I had a BLAST on that trail. My daughter said it looked like another planet surface the way the snow-whales looked

-Warren-

I too love OTW... because as soon as they get it open Cherry Bowl becomes poachable...

err I mean OTW is a fun trail...

Canaanman,
Err yeah, I know what you mean

-Warren-

Thanks for the SITREP guys. I was thinking of heading to Vermont this weekend but may do an about face and head to Seven springs for two days and Timberline for 3 instead. The forecast is GREAT---lots of freshies...Also, I'd prefer skiing in 20 degree weather as opposed to 0 degree weather.

John, you should hit up laurel one of those days and give us a report. I'll bet they'll have lower Wildcat open by then.

Was there on Saturday. Not many trails were open like I wish. Caught a snowbow with my digital camera. Click here.

If I can cancel my VT reservations at Okemo, my inclination is to ski 7 Springs for a couple of days and then go to T-line to save some $ (I have a season pass). 7 Springs seems to be in much better shape terrain-wise and they have night skiing until 10 on Thursday. With the Springs, you can pull in at 1300, ski for four hours, have a quick bite at the lodge, and get another three hours of skiing in.

But I'm still kind of torn about Okemo. My wife wants to stay in the Mid-Atlantic because of warmer temps, but I've never skied Okemo and so I'm sort of curious about that one.

Hey All

I'm curious if they still had their snowgun arsenal concentrated on thunderdraft and whether it looked like they were making progress on it. Going down there Jan 26-30 and hope with the low temps and (really hope) big snowstorms they'll have a shot at having the whole mountain open.

Whatdaya think?

Over the weekend they had it concentrated on Sally, White Lightning, White Out, Dew Drop, and Lower Heaven.

Seems like they plan on rebuilding that base before moving the snowguns back to Thunderstruck. But, if they continue to pump out snow on White Lightning and there's the common West breeze they may have Silver Streak open in the blink of an eye.

Whatever happens it appears that we will be afforded good skiing. My thoughts are, if the cold weather continues, the guns will not stop pounding the mountain. I believe they will attempt a 30" base before moving the guns, we all know how they like to preserve base. That being said, we could see Thunderdraft and Almost Heaven in 8 or 9 days.

THINK SNOW AND ENJOY. CARPE DIEM

Does anyone know if those snow piles were spread out after last Saturday on Lower Thunderstruck?

Okay, so here are a few pictures of Timberline on Sunday...





And Monday morning's temp:

Okemo is a very well run mountain that is buffed and groomed every night. There is not much in the way of serious challenge although they have added new trails in the Jackson-Gore expansion area which I have not yet tried. If you buy a 4 day lift ticket it is interchangable with a Stratton lift ticket. Thus you can ski 2 mountains on one ticket. The town of Ludlow at the base of the mountain is an authentic New England town with lots of character and some good restuarants. If you like skiing buffed cruisers this is your place. I am sure your wife will like it. You may need to seek out challenge if that's what you desire.

Sounds like next week's the week to be there. Possibility of Silver streak and OTW toooo goood. I've got my spring skiing done for now, now it's old man winters turn!

C'man, thanks for the snow porn

jimmy

Oh how the times are a changin. A week ago everyone (self included) were complaining about T-line, now that we have some cold and natural we're all giddy as a school girl about going over there...again, self included

The T-Line website is now reporting Lower Thunderstruck and Off The Wall as next in line to open.

I can't stop grinning!!!!!1

Let's here it for GLOBAL STORMING!!!!

Now if their webcam would update so we can get some first hand motivation. I'd really like to see whatz going on.