Does anyone know anything about an opening date for Wintergreen I saw that Snowshoe was shooting for Dec 5. Don't know how much longer I can hold out for those first turns!

But of course it's been 70 down here in VA! But better weather is on the way and it will hopefully be for good!

Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 16:17:53 -0500
From: "SKI ADMINISTRATION" <SKIADMIN@Wintergreenresort.com>
To: <chad@hansens.org>

Chad
We are planning to open Dec. 5th. We have not been able to make any
snow yet. WE hope to start this week. However, the weather is not
cooperating with us at this time. Please continue to check our website
for updates or email us and we will keep you up to date.
Rebecca Davis

There's a glowing article on Wintergreen in this month's Washingtonian. See page 105, "King of the Mountain."

It's the only ski resort mentioned in the magazine's winter getaways article. However,
Snowshoe did get mentioned in the issue's "Best of Washington" piece. "Cupp Runn at West Virginia's Snowshoe Mountain is a 1.5 mile competitive run with all the moguls and difficulty you could ask for." Huh? Did the magazine actually send someone to ski the trail? Yes, there are often a few small moguls on Cupp but the trail is definitely single black. The big moguls are on Lower Shays.

I can't recall seeing moguls grow on Cupp Run for the last few years -- I'm fairly certain Snowshoe grooms Cupp every night unless it's too warm. You're right, Lower Shay's is where the moguls grow (and usually just on half of Lower Shay's). Lower Shay's is the steepest and most difficult terrain at Snowshoe.

I think the author was confusing Cupp Run with Shay's Revenge.

Is that really a surprise for a publication that picked one ski area in the region to spotlight and chose...Wintergreen???

Before Shay's was cut they let the moguls grow on Cupp. I think it's sad that they groom the upper part of Upper Shays, they should just let it all go to moguls.

But if you want big moguls at Snowshoe, go over to Grabhammer... those things are Volkswagen-sized... look like something straight out of the Gauley.

"Is that really a surprise for a publication that picked one ski area in the region to spotlight and chose...Wintergreen???"

No, not at all. I have never skied Wintergreen so I can't really comment on it. I've heard it offers some nice terrain.

Washingtonian has one very good ski reporter, Matthew Graham. Matthew also occasionally contributes material to DCSki. I did not see his name on any of the ski related content so I suspect he was not involved in this issue. That's a shame because I think he would have gotten more ski resorts mentioned.

Washingtonian's audience is primarily yuppies and "upper brackets." These people are definitely more interested in spending a cold winter's day in a spa as opposed to challenging themselves on Extrovert at Blue Knob or Lower Shay's at Snowshoe. Still, some of our local resorts offer much more than skiing and it would have been nice to see more profiled.

Agree with johnfmh. Wintergreeen is an "old money" country club-like area and caters to the Conde Nast crowd to which Snowshoe is getting posed to cater. (However, the service quality at Snowshoe still doesn't compare with Wintergreen -- just stop by the Junction for dinner someday to experience how immigrants were treated at Ellis Island a hundred years ago).

The amenities at Wintergreen are upscale family focused and these do not include extreme of any kind. They do have three black runs, however. I personally like the area if I'm with friends and we go there just to relax and have a good time with pretty good service.

Also note the emphasis on the article that along Wintergreen, reviewed the winter resorts of The Homestead and the Greenbriar. Again, these are not primarily ski areas (one does have a little trail) but luxury accomodations.