Well, we've made arrangements for our two fishing obsessed offspring to head to Lake Anna next weekend, leaving my wife and I with a free weekend. Are the trails at Snowshoe in good enough shape to make the trip worthwhile? Weather still is iffy with a cloudy Saturday and some rain on Sunday per the Weather Channel. Also rain during the week which may affect the slopes.

If the skiing is still good, I'd love to make one more trip. Anybody ski at Snowshoe this weekend?

Steve

Don't know bout the shoe, but if the weather this past weekend at t-line was any indicator, it should be ver excellent for spring conditions there. I don't see you trip as a risk.

It was better than expected this past weekend. The greens and blues were pretty good (only a few thin grassy spots) but the blacks were showing lots of grass and/or thin spots. Based on the weather prediction for the rest of this week, it should be ok especially if you like greens and blues and some limited blacks. A few blacks were ok in the basin/village area and Silver Creek but Silver Creek is now closed.

The main road going up to Snowshoe is also back open so you don't need to go via 66 unless you want to do that. The road appeared to have had one bad spot near the bottom near the creek that had washed out and was repaired by filling with gravel. Its ok - no problem.

We are headed there this weekend. We have not had much luck with a decent way to get there. What do you recommend on getting there from the DC area? Thursday is looking good for snow.

Welcome to DCSki. Depending on the specifics of your departure spot:
I66W to I81S to 55W (second exit after getting on I81 from I66), the stay on 55 through Wardensville, WV, onto new 55 (4 lane Corridor H highway) to temporary end at Moorefield, go through Moorefield and continue on 55 through Petersburg to Seneca Rocks.
Do not continue on 55W or 33W toward Elkins, rather take 28S and continue a while through Greenbank. Shortly thereafter take right on WV66 (sign to Snowshoe and Cass) and follow to near top of Snowshoe Mountain, look for right turn and signs to drive up final portion to the village at Snowshoe. A couple of critical things that could change the route...where are you staying at the Shoe and from where in the Washington area are you departing?
The Colonel

rmcva,

Great, greens and blues will do for me. Looking at the weather (which seems to change every hour) there is some risk of rain on the weekend but also the possibility of snow. Gota do it!

I hope they have something nice left in the village. Thanks for the TR.

Steve

The Colonel is right on the directions...

I posted it somewhere else, but the conditions today were good to excellent. I'll amplify:

Friday: Conditions resembled a giant vacuum cleaner sound... Bare sports everywhere, mushy, potato conditions... No groom

Saturday: Snowed in the afternoon and into Sunday. Conditions were better as the temp kept on coming down.

Sunday: About 4-6 inches and drifted from the Western side to the main basin. Covered most of the bare spots and made it possible to ski without worry EXCEPT in Knot Bumper and the new Sawmill/Sawmill Glades. There were large bare spots on these. They opened up almost every snow gun in the afternoon.

Monday: Good to excellent conditions. I am not hearing snow guns today... :-(

jdonz,

See you on the slopes. We've only been once, used the Colonel's directions. From Rockville, about 5 hours with a stop for lunch. I had to make my wife slow down though, she was driving my Sequoia like it was her little RAV.

Let's hope for snow on Thurs and Sat, clear on Friday.

Steve

Lou, that's what I'm trying to avoid. But it looks like overnight temps will be below freezing everyday except fri night, so they should be able to groom during the week. We'll make a final decision on Wed, but it's either Snowshoe or no skiing till Dec.

Steve

If I see you guys on the slopes, I'll buy you a beer.

jdonz,
One more thing, as Brad has mentioned many times, do not even think of speeding, even a little bit, when in Hardy County (Wardensville, Corridor H, Moorefield). The local police are looking for any excuse to pull you over and enrich the county coffers, especially if you are from out of state. Coming back on Sunday a Subaru wagon passed me and a truck on 55 about 5 miles before Petersburg. Driver was flying. As I arrived in Petersburg I noticed the Subaru and a cop were having a "conversation", illuminated by the flashing blue lights.
The Colonel

We bit the bullet and booked ourselves for Easter weekend. We got the last pet friendly condo on the mountain, and although the snow won't be 'epic', I'm sure we'll still have a great time.

I think the Mrs and I are going to do the shoe for a day or two after the Holiday. We haven't been to the shoe that much recently and thought it may be good to revisit it and some of our old friends there. We may "day trip" it from the valley. It's about an hour, 45 minute drive to to summit. Now to scope some discount tickets.

Hey Lou, keep us posted on the conditions. I may try to get up there one more time, either over the weekend or next week.

Lou, as much help as you've been planning these Snowshoe trips, drinks are definitely on me. I'll be the guy with grey beard, tan jacket with burgandy strips going REALLY slowly down the slopes. Please be civil and don't blow by me too fast!


Steve

Skier 219, conditions today were excellent. Grooming last night was superb. I have to hand it to SS management and groomers, they've done what I thought would be impossible. Yes, several runs have thin patches and today at 1600 we had a shower that made slush out of some of the runs. But the main face of the mountain was awesome. Especially the Black runs. Skied Grabhammer no less that 15 times. Choker and Stemwinder were absolutely flawless. On the bad side, Mom Nature has been unkind to Knot Bumper and the Sawmill and Sawmill Glades. I'll report on my runs tomorrow.

How about we'll take turns with the beers? I will be my new Colmar red outfit, red helmet, red gloves and Volkl AC-40 skis, hopefully on the black runs.

On the afternoon, my "son" Thunder and I are on top of the resort playing ball fetch and him then making dog snow angels in the snow. Thunder is a Black Lab. Then we go to Starbucks for his biscotti and my venti soy cap with four splendas...

Skied all day yesterday and it was very good. Today, the rain showers continued, sometimes heavy Got up in the 50s. But after 2000 it started dropping like a rock. At 2333 now, the temperature is now 35 degrees and my wireless thermometer switched from rain to snow forecast. I'll stay up to see when Mother Nature blesses us with the white stuff...

Cymbals, fireworks and trumpets blaring

Turned the freezing level at 0010 hours and it is now 30.0 degrees F and flurries.

Weather at 1323: 25 degrees F, cloudy. We did get, as the SS report says, about half an inch by 0500, stopped around 1000 and we probably had about an inch... which of course, since I live in the Western side, it all blew away over the ridge and onto the main face of the mountain. Don't mind that at all...

Put on my skis and made a couple of runs, there are indeed bare patches underneath the soft powder. Came back after three runs to rewax my skis and also because they turned on the guns and as a season pass holder, I make it a principle not to ski with the guns on.

Now it's awaiting the arrival of weekend friends and cooking some Ropa Vieja, Cuban Black Beans with Chorizo and plantains.

No, no, no, you can't stop dancing! 1" isn't near enough.

SS weather report says snow for Saturday, Weather Channel says Rain/Snow. I hope SS is right.

Steve

Weather channel doesn't take elevation into effect, nor does Accuweather. Both give a valley forecast when you put in for Snowshoe, so they are of limited use. That said, rain is more likely at this point based on what I am seeing, but there are a few more model runs before the forecasts really lock in. I'll try to post my pro forecast if I remember tomorrow.