WTG on Saturday 3/27
March 29, 2010
Unless I hear something really discouraging about the snow/trails by this evening, I plan to ski WTG for their last day tomorrow. I will be there at 9am and ski until 1 or 2pm before heading down the mountain for BBQ at Blue Ridge Pig in Nellysford. With overnight temps in the 20s, I expect the snow to setup pretty nicely overnight, though recent rain will probably eliminate chances for corn (snow will likely go from frozen granular to wet granular without a corn stage).
GRK plans to be there, as well as CRGildart from EpicSki. If anyone else wants to join in, post here!
From the WTG ski report:
SWEET DEALS FOR OUR LAST DAY OF FUN: $25 ADULT TICKET, $20 YOUTH TICKET AND $15 RENTALS. COME JOIN US FOR ONE LAST DAY ON THE SNOW.
THE SLOPES WE PLAN TO OPEN FOR OUR LAST DAY INCLUDE UPPER AND LOWER DOBIE, EAGLES SWOOP, BOTH CROSS TRAILS AND ALL OF SUNRISE. BOTH THE BIG ACORN AND BLUE RIDGE EXPRESS LIFTS WILL BE RUNNING.
Informal plans are to meet up in the parking lot near the Plunge (slopeside to Eagle's Swoop) around 9am with a backup meeting place at bottom of the Big Acorn lift at 10am. CRGildart from Epic has the signature yellow tape streamers on his poles, so he's the signal man.
Say hi to Charles and Glenn.
Turned out to be a great way to close the season. Met up with Skier219 and CRGildart. As predicted above the cold overnight temps resulted in a nice surface for most of the morning. Crowds were sparse but not lonely either. Around 2ish when we all punched out snow was pretty wet and grabby. Not too much variety but enough to make it worth it: Sunrise, Eagles Swoop, the Cross Trails and of course Dobie.
Spring was in the air. Saw a deer skeleton, and Turkey Vultures circled overhead. Something supposedly hissed at CRGildart when he got close to the trees on Sunrise, and there was a Groundhog patrolling the base of the panty-tree by the quad-lift. And I thought the resort staff took those down every year.
CRGildart posted some pics on epic in this thread but I do not know how to link over to it: Official NC, TN, VA, GA, SC Ski Trip Planner Thread 2009-2010 Season
Good day for sure, with great snow and weather. WTG did an admirable job grooming and pushing around snow to keep the open trails skiable and everything connected. I was amazed how much snow was still on some of the trails -- the majority of Eagle's Swoop was in mid-season form, and both Sunrise and Dobie were nearly 100% covered. The morning's groomed frozen granular was pretty damn sweet to carve on. Nice to ski with you Glenn, and Charles too.
please, tell me at least one of you hit the pond skim.... right ? and there are pics ?
All this talk of wild critters is making me hungry. What about the Pig BBQ??
Did you guys make a pact - no shaving until ski season is over?
Saturday felt like a great spring ski day around DC, about 48 degs for a high and sunny. I imagine it was a bit cooler in the mtns.
We missed the pond skimming by one week! (and I am not skilled or brave enough to subject my ski equipment to that, knowing the result would likely be full immersion).
According to my car's temperature readout, it was only 45F when we quit around 2:30, about 10 degrees cooler than I expected based on the forecast.
I am about sick of my ski bum beard, so that will come off soon. However, the recent grooming trends of Alta lifties has me thinking some disco-era side chops are in order...
I grabbed two great BBQ/slaw sandwiches from Blue Ridge Pig in Nellysford for the ride home. They have a heavily smoked pulled pork with a very bright, spicy sauce (I detect mustard) and a vinegar (no cream) slaw. They put it on toasted kaiser rolls and then wrap in foil. Unwrapping the sandwiches 15-20 minutes down the road, after everything has mingled, is a real treat. I think that place is a real gem, and worth hitting when you visit Wintergreen.
This picture was taken on 3/7/2009. It was 73 degrees at the top of the quad lift at Wintergreen. High for the day in the valley was 80+ according to Weather Underground.
That's not snow...that's a slushy.
kind of early for pond skimming, eh ?
