Turns out that this weekend at Massanutten is quite busy on the slopes. Many VA schools have a 4-day weekend. We're here because my daughter's has Monday off.

Weather was quite cold on Friday. Our friends from Norfolk skied most of the day. Said it was empty, fun, but cold with snowmaking ongoing. They were glad they came early. Norfolk roads were a mess of ice with a little snow on top by Friday evening. We left NC early enough to avoid any icy roads. Pretty snow flurries driving up US29 but nothing to worry about on the road. Mnut only got a dusting.

Sat morning was empty per usual. All trails open. Including MAKAttack although can't say the bumps are very big yet. ParaDice had a few icy spots. Top of Showtime, Lower MAKAttack, Main Street, Pacesetting all nice.

Ski school for the kids was at capacity, which is about 225 kids ages 7-12. For that matter, Sat, Sun, Mon were all sold out a week ago. My friend's son got in for Sat due to a cancellation on Fri morning. But nothing available Sun or Mon.

Great day on the slopes at Mnut today. Not too cold, not too warm. Very few hard, slick spots until late afternoon. Nice layer of new manmade snow all over. MAKAttack bumps have grown . . . a lot.

Got to ski with friends, as well as meet a couple people in person for the first time. One friend's son learned enough in his 4th day at Slopesliders (Mnut ski school for kids, 2nd weekend ski trip) that he's completely solid on the blues off Lift 5 mid-station. Also met another mother and teen daughter who now understand why I like Mnut better for beginners than Wintergreen. I think they'll be back.

Did the Senior Clinic. What a bargain! $30 for 2 hours with a Level 3 instructor. I got a private today since no one else signed up. I'll be doing that again for sure.

Also learned the Ladies Clinic on Thursdays is taught by a Level 3 instructor.

Pics from Jan. 26-28, 2013. Per usual, the only crowd in the mornings was at the start of Slopesliders (ski/board school for kids). They were at capacity all three days, although people who didn't have a reservation could get in by being around at 8:30am. Slopesliders can handle about 225 kids for skiing or boarding.

Sat, Jan. 26
The What-To-Do talk for parents of kids in Slopesliders (9:30-2:00), about 9:25am


Paradice (black) and all other trails opened a few days ago, just a few slick spots on Sat


Sun, Jan. 27
Mid-afternoon line for Geronimo and Nuttin To It (greens), Lift 3, was less than 3 min wait


Mon, Jan. 28 - no school for kids in VA and other places near Mnut
Showtime (blue) with top of Lift 6 still a bit in the clouds around 11am, blue sky an hour later


More pics in the album:
http://s453.photobucket.com/albums/qq253/marzlook/Mnut%202012-13/

On Sun late afternoon, I was with my friend's 6yo son who skied for the first time in early Jan. He is doing great after a few days of Slopesliders (9:30-2:00 ski school). Very quick learner partially because he plays ice hockey. I skied with him on the blues off Lift station Lift 5 for two hours in the late afternoon. We only quit because his lift ticket timed out at 5:30pm.

We met up with wgo and his son for a few runs. Always fun to meet folks in person after connecting online.