It was amazing. The 34" reported immediately after the storm has settled, but, and its a BIG but, there is NO CRUST and it is NOT PUNCHY. Instead just firm wind buff with 1-3" of powder on top depending on where you were with respect to the wind. It skied beautifully. I went to Springer and made 4 runs and was starting up again when a little voice suddenly said, "Hey man, it's time to to stop zoning out on that skier's high and pay attention to the fact that you are cooked". As soon as I stopped making turns and began the work of heading back for the barn exhaustion really took hold. Back at the lodge there were smiles all around. Chip was there, as well as Laurie, Cory, Adam, Morgan, Mike, Rob, and several dozen others. They had been everywhere. Yet I never had to ski across another track in Springer. Just about to leave and I met Abe and Aaron. Will return tomorrow to help with clearing fallen timber from the trails. The snow is too deep and heavy for the deer. They can jump thru it but their hooves plunge deep and it quickly exhausts them so they are walking on the plowed roads in large numbers.

The ground is bare 20 miles away in Seneca Rocks. WG had no power when I arrived but it returned before I returned from skiing. Snowfall stopped about mid day. A new storm is predicted for the middle of next week.

Chip reported that Tues and Wed. big skis and Dynafit AT set ups outnumbered tele by 10-1. First time he had ever seen that at Whitegrass. The two state park lodges had no power in the morning but it has probably been restored by now. The roads are in excellent shape. In the woods many tree branches are so snow laden that they bend down to the ground forming arches.

Chip got a nice shout out on the Huffington Post and this plug from several hard core Vermonters.

http://www.skitheeast.net/posts/id/892921036/skiing-superstorm-sandy

That is a FANTASTIC read giving serious props to the ski culture in the Valley. That article should be picked up by other media outlets. The pics are awesome! So wish I was there:(

Great seeing you again Dennis! I'll hopefully get some pics on here tomorrow

Denis, Seneca Rocks?
I heard the latest section of Corridor H just opened.
Have you tried that yet? Faster than Seneca?

I'm thinking about taking that way tomorrow.

I did not know if there would be power and a place to stay in the valley on thurs night, so I drove to Petersburg and stayed there. It turns out there was no power in the valley on thurs.

I've been using Corridor H (now US 48) from Wardensville to Patterson Creek Rd. I get off there and go thru Seneca Rocks and Harman. I will continue to do that if there is threatening weather. The new road will follow the same path as 93 which will make it just as prone to white outs and rapid icing. The stretch after Wardensville scares me too. By staying high it is more exposed and there are long downhills where if you hit black ice on the outside of a curve it is a 500 ft. Drop. You could kiss your [censored] goodbye. The low guard rail would not stop you. It also scares me how few cars I see. I feel better if there are more test dummies. Getting to and from WV in winter is never going to be too easy, or risk free.

Denis, I lit a ptex candle for you tonight and said a prayer for your safe return from Wild and Wonderful WV. Way to get after it! That snow looks HEAVY.

Denis, this is sort of falls in the category of your concerns about Corridor H, it's elevation, and what can happen when an accident occurs on the higher parts of the highway.

Little over two years ago a local high school sophmore was killed in a car accident just east of Baker & the McCauley Bridges in his pickup truck while two friends were injured. The students had just left East Hardy High and were heading to Wardensville. The truck had hit speeds of about 100mph just after coming off the bridges. The vehicle lost control in the middle of the "S" turn, first skidding left into the median then the driver over corrected before skidding to the right hand side. At this point the vehicle jumped the guardrail and careened about 3/4 of the way down the boulder laden embankment. The driver was ejected and immediately killed while it was a miracle the other two had minor injuries.

The vehicle came to a rest so far down the embankment that a special tow truck had to be called in to drag the truck to the highway level.

When you return back and are heading east, look for a blue sign "In Memory of Jeremy East" a few hundred yards after exiting the bridges but before getting to the McCauley Road on your right.

While that doesn't pertain to bad weather driving, it shows the results of what an accident will entail when going over those steep embankments.

On a more related note, my friend (who lives a mile up Pine Ridge Road), his father in law totaled his car Monday afternoon just as 'Sandy' was passing through. He was heading west coming off the crest by the Pine Ridge Road intersection and simply lost control on rainy roads that were getting slick (possible ice) and slammed into the guard rail. He was not driving recklessly which thankfully prevented a greater catastrophe.

Now, I get off "H" at Moorefield as I own in Snowshoe, then Petersburg/Seneca Rocks/Green Bank. Treacherous drive in the Winter. Wrecked the Jeep 3 times since I owned the place! If you only go on "occasional" ski trips, odds are with you. Black Ice - yes, spun out just outside Petersburg in the flats...head first into one bank, bounced back and tail into the opposite! A wooden 2x4 (WV bodywork) and back on the road. Hey...it's a Jeep!!! Buddy rode a guard rail around a curve in a nice car - put his body man's kid thru college!!!

Seriously? If you've wrecked a vehicle 3 times, you are doing something wrong. And I don't do "occasional ski trips."

You guys do know about studded snow tires and tire chains, right?

Nice report Denis. I knew White Grass would be stoking the soul this week. I wish I were there but my life right now doesn't take into account massive Fall snow. Thanks for sharing, we are all with you in spirit.

Just opened? Was there a new stretch that opened this year?

Two years ago, in October 2010, the Moorefield to Forman stretch opened (which actually ends past Forman on Knobley Road.) AFAIK, the Forman to Bismarck (which climbs the rest of the Allegheny front) and Bismarck to Davis stretches aren't scheduled to open until end of 2014.

http://www.wvcorridorh.com/route/route.html

Open to the Bottom of what I call Scherr Mtn...Thats all u need for now...the rest to Davis will just be icing on the Cake...
Talked to a buddy that lives in Davis and told him that he should open a lemonade stand at the corner of 93/32...He told me that Sheetz beat him to the punch...Things r changin!

Yeh Right Mr B..We aint talkin Tahoe or Vermont..We just talkin WV..

Sheetz is putting in a store up there on top of the mountain at 93/32??

Just read the WV Corr Site a bit more carefully.



Is this now open?

Looks like it opened to Scherr last week?

http://www.statejournal.com/story/19911180/grant-county-section-of-corridor-h-opens-this-week

Yes, open to 93. Drove it yesterday.
On way home my clutch burned up and we had to get towed from Moorefield to PA.$$$$$

White Grass was a happy place.

More from Vermonters,

http://www.famousinternetskiers.com/trip-reports/12-13/west-by-ullr-virginia/

The pictures and descriptions really tell the story in this fabulous trip report!
http://www.famousinternetskiers.com/trip-reports/12-13/west-by-ullr-virginia/

The Colonel

Bummer bout the clutch but you got some super sliding early season WG HAPPY.

New road is nice. Wish it was to Bismark. Always love the fair weather detour thru GLgap.

Emphasis on fair weather, clear roads and daylight.

Hey JohnL, Jimmy, and Kim. You see this storm brought out of hibernation??

Wish I could've been there as well. BTW, Cahil should have some space in the Bonner Mountain Resort Hotel for anyone needing some crash space.

You talkin to me?

No. Should I have been?

I went back to WG yesterday. Still tons of snow but tough going. North facing woods had stiff powder, anything else was crunchy and if it had been skied before, chunky.

However, This weekend could be epic if it warms as predicted. The heavy snow should corn up beautifully. I have a commitment to my scout troop on Sat., which is why I went yesterday.

I used the power boards with Dynafits yesterday. It was the right choice. This weekend, in the afternoons, if it corns up, anything should work, skinny skis with no edges included.

Another DCSkier getting out there!!