Does CV usually open around thanksgiving...I saw on their website they are planning to open on the 25th.

I know they dont put down as big a base as T-line does, but isnt that a little early for them?

Kris,
That would be VERY early for Canaan If anyone in WV is open at that time it's Snowshoe. If the general trend continues though maybe we'll see some early openings this season

-Warren-

CV and Timberline have never shown much interest in the early season even though I've tried to explain how important it is for marketing purposes. Resorts that bag early openings get more bookings for Christmas and New Years.

Before 8 December, the promised opening date for Timberline, your best bet is to drive to Snowshoe, WISP, or 7 Springs or enjoy nordic skiing at Whitegrass.

I don't know ..Canaan has a new general manager this year. He might realize the merits of trying to compete for customers. We will see. But isn't it crazy that a nordic center that depends solely on natural snow usually opens, on good weather years, weeks before two downhill ski areas that are able to make their own snow...and they all sit beside each other and share, more or less, the exact same climate....of course timberline has a good reason this year-they can't open until they finish building the new boy scout housing(I finally found out that the building they are currently working on is being constructed so they can house more boy scouts)...what a great idea..

It is, indeed, a good idea. It's called exploiting a niche in which you can effectively compete. Business 101. I would also add that bringing more young people into snowsports is very, very important if the industry is to remain viable over the next 20 years - and it is an effort that is increasingly difficult in an era of $50-$60 lift tickets. Timberline has been, along with 7 springs, one of the most progressive resorts in the entire mid-atlantic in their support for new skiers. And it is effort for which they should be applauded loudly. More snowsports $$$ will help to lift all areas; diminished slope days = shuttered former ski areas. TL's support for scouts (boy and girl) and church groups is a very good thing!

You have to hand it to the Snowtime resorts too, their first tracks program is pretty attractive to never evers. I would venture to say it's probably one of the most attractive deals in the east. Unfortunately Snowshoe is on the complete opposite side of that spectrum. They really don't have a good beginner deal that wraps up lessons, rentals and lift tickets in an affordable package. $63 for a ticket then another $50 in lessons and rentals adds up extremely quickly. If there is one complaint I have about SS it's that. If you don't have your own gear and already know how to ski or ride you are in for a very expensive weekend.

Kinda of reminds me of this saying
There are 3 types of skiers
Rich People who ski alot
Rich People who ski alittle
and Poor People who ski alot

Its a tough,expensive sport to get in to. Is that good or is it bad, I really dont know.

I wonder what the chances of skiing 19-20 of Nov are somewhere in a days drive.

I agree that Snowtime has some excellent programs and they also do a good job with groups, which is very often the way kids are exposed to skiing/boarding. What make TL and 7S really noteworthy, though, is that they strive to make a full lodging/food/lifts/lessons/equipment package available to these groups. In putting together an "introductory" group trip, lodging can be, by far, the hardest issue to deal with. Granted, for the closer in places, you can just not stay over, but for TL, etc... that is not very practical. Plus, a great deal of the experience for kids is staying in the snow in the mountains. Interestingly, one good answer is State Park cabins. PA, WV and MD all have excellent winter cabin rentals near most of the ski areas (including Roundtop). The hard part is getting into one early enough. It seems like the competition for these low cost alternatives just keeps getting more intense every year.

As to the cost of skiing overall, I don't think that having high end/high service offerings is bad as long as some lower cost options remain. But if only the well off can afford to ski, then only the well off will ski. And many, many smaller areas (read Mid Atlantic) will go under.

Of course, there is always the really high end option - turn your ski area into a "country club" where ONLY members and guests can enter. It's already proving to be a successful model at the Yellowstone club, and, if I owned TL, it certainly could be a viable option. Sell a membership for, oh 80 to 100K, charge an annual fee (10K maybe), and simply close the doors to everyone else.

It could happen.....

Ooops. Guess that almost qualifies as a thread hijack...Sorry

As to early openings, you may not want to get you're hopes too high. There's lots of opportunity for warm weather and niar (ick, ugh) between now and Turkey Day....

Yeah sorry. Bac on thread. I'm leary of anyone opening too early and to be honest I still think it's going to warm up a little in the next feww weeks. That snow ,while beautiful to hear about, is a freak and I dn't think it should form any kind of bearing on how this season will begin, run or end. In three weeks if the temps are consistantly dropping and holding at lows I'll get excited about early opening and an epic season.

Even if they did I am not driving three hours for the bunny slope.

You got a point, if they do open up early, they wont have many trails open...unless they get on the ball this year and really shoot the guns off and open up 50%+ of the trails...
You never know...we could have another freak storm around thanksgiving and a cold spell through may!!!!