yet another weather worry
February 19, 2013
37 posts
13 users
5k+ views
looking at the long range. 45's and many days of sun for the rest of the month in the laurel highlands. I was starting to think things were looking up for some ok snow cover for Feb.
They blew this forecast for tonight thats for sure. I've been wanting to take a powder day off from work. Sigh.
Weather forecasters are like doctors. They haven't a clue but pretend to...
In the long range, we will all be dead. In the short range, there is some good snow out there. Channel your inner Denis.
Hi All, I have been a weather watcher for 15 years.
The computer models were all changed out to a new version.
I found anything out past 7 days is useless.
those same 50's 2 weeks out will change, just watch.
my take get it while you can. It is not just the temps it depends on the amount of rain.
As for big snows nada. The NAO is not blocking, so expect 1 to 3 clippers.
Last year 4 to 5 days of snowmaking in FEB 2012. This year we beat that this week.
Skiracerx skidome.org
It's easy to say "Go get it now" while some of us are struck in the office M-F. You can't just take half day from work and drive to ski there.. Most of us have to wait for the weekend and by that the good stuff may be gone...
It's easy to say "Go get it now" while some of us are struck in the office M-F. You can't just take half day from work and drive to ski there.. Most of us have to wait for the weekend and by that the good stuff may be gone...
Wish I could change that for you, but I can't. So I just report when it's good and hope that at least some of you, some of the time, can take advantage.
...it was great today...should be solid tom. and thursday as well..
I guess I am blessed to be able to ski 30+ days a year, some of those years working in dc. we used to go in at 6am get out at 2 then hit the mountain.
For today at whitetail it was great. had trails to myself. really like 10 runs down farside no one on it a total cruise. Word is tuesday and night is the least crowded.
I guess I am blessed to be able to ski 30+ days a year, some of those years working in dc. we used to go in at 6am get out at 2 then hit the mountain.
For today at whitetail it was great. had trails to myself. really like 10 runs down farside no one on it a total cruise. Word is tuesday and night is the least crowded.
I used to do 20+ days / year but then I got so bored with Whitetail/Liberty/Roundtop and plus my wife doesn't want to go to local resorts anymore after visiting Vail and Whistler.. I only go to Timberline/Canaan/Snowshoe for weekend trips these days when condition is great so that's limiting my ski days quite a bit.
It's easy to say "Go get it now" while some of us are struck in the office M-F. You can't just take half day from work and drive to ski there.. Most of us have to wait for the weekend and by that the good stuff may be gone...
You can't get a day off mid-week with 1-2 day notice?
It's easy to say "Go get it now" while some of us are struck in the office M-F. You can't just take half day from work and drive to ski there.. Most of us have to wait for the weekend and by that the good stuff may be gone...
You can't get a day off mid-week with 1-2 day notice?
Well, that would be a bit weird if I tell my boss something like "Hey you know, we got a snow storm hitting WV Alps, I need a day off to ride that sweet stuff!"
It would have been a different story if we live in a place like Vancouver or Salt Lake City where a lot of people literally take a snow day when there is a dump. Plus its 3-hour drive from DC, a day trip is a bit too tiring..
Well, that would be a bit weird if I tell my boss something like "Hey you know, we got a snow storm hitting WV Alps, I need a day off to ride that sweet stuff!"
I do it all the time. Don't always give a reason, just say I'm taking a day off (works as long as I'm not missing something important that day.)
Plus its 3-hour drive from DC, a day trip is a bit too tiring..
I do it several times a winter.
I guess that means less tracks for Denis and me.
I drive out the night before, usually stay in Blackwater. I ski the next day until tired, which when I'm climbing for it is usually about 3-4 hrs. Then I drive home. I'm usually getting sleepy by Moorefield, so rather than fight it, I pull into McD's parking lot for a 45 minute nap, then I'm refreshed for the rest of the drive home. Tell the boss, or the keeper of the time sheets that you need a mental health day. Always worked for me.
I drive out the night before, usually stay in Blackwater. I ski the next day until tired, which when I'm climbing for it is usually about 3-4 hrs. Then I drive home. I'm usually getting sleepy by Moorefield, so rather than fight it, I pull into McD's parking lot for a 45 minute nap, then I'm refreshed for the rest of the drive home. Tell the boss, or the keeper of the time sheets that you need a mental health day. Always worked for me.
It's great that you could do that Denis! Now that I think about it, it shouldn't be that difficult to leave for the day but the more difficult thing is to get the "Hall pass" from my wife. lol..
I do it several times a winter.
I guess that means less tracks for Denis and me.
If you are that determined to be on the road for 6 hours+ just to ski in WV, you deserve to have all the powder there!
Great thread..a nice reminder of why I self-employed 7 years ago - with a seasonal slowdown lasting from January to March to boot!
Just good to see anyone get it when they can.
You need to know where to look and when to go. If you do, the snow can be outstanding and terrain pretty challenging.
I ski Utah 10-15 days a year (ski everywhere on the mountains), and I still love WV. Just need to know where to go and what lines to ski.
You need to know where to look and when to go. If you do, the snow can be outstanding and terrain pretty challenging.
I ski Utah 10-15 days a year (ski everywhere on the mountains), and I still love WV. Just need to know where to go and what lines to ski.
Definitely agree with you JohnL that WV can be really sweet and that's what I 've been telling everyone! I rode at Whistler, Snowbird, Park City, Canyons, Squaw, Kirkwood, Vail, Beaver creek, Breck and etc.. but the best day of my life was at Snowshoe when we got 2 feet of light powder a few years back! (was lucky enough to manage to get to the top of the mountain before the Snowmageddon started)
I have to say though the level of excitement is probably not the same. I think if the mountain of the same magnitude of those in the West are 3 hours away, I would be much more willing to drive there after a big dump. I will take what we have here and try to enjoy it as much as we can!
Just to the south of the Valley..in the TRUE Valley of the Alpps..there rises a humungus boulder..the highest plateau east of the Rocky mtns..The Roaring Plains..and on top of that boulder at its highest point is Mount Porte Crayon.
You could stack 2 Timberlines on top of each other and then add the rise from the valley floor on up to Canaan heights to match the verticle...you could take the Western Territory and stack the basin side on top of it to match the vert....
Me and about 2 other dudes ranted our asses off in support of a person by the name of Bill Bright who wanted to develop this mountain and call the ski area "Almost Heaven"..can you just see the blue bird ski and fluffy snow cloud painted Gondola?...but NOOooooooooooo..friggin Dc SKIERS???..threw down some serious neg vibes which I feel helped influence certain folks thinking and it went plop..
No..u havnt skied WV...and with a huge crying shame probably wont ever...the End...
It is a bummer that the Almost Heaven ski area got nixed. Having a ski area that rivaled what New England has in terms of both vert and annual snowfall within a three hour drive would be quite the perk for the area.
I like the fact that it has to be earned with sweat equity.
I like the fact that it has to be earned with sweat equity.
I can respect that but its a jungle up there..
I would be tickled pink if somehow Chip and crew could get a lease up there to turn it into a Whitegrass on Steroids!...
That would be a compromise that I could live with...cannot stand seeing that land just sitting there.
Sure..there will be those that post that they have skied the mountain but BS on that..I know better..they skied a finger or some small portion.
Anyway..read below..+..Johnf is probably Puking right now reading this...
Yeah. I'm afraid that the folks with my taste in skiing are far too few to influence anybody about either building it, or not building it. It's about money, and we are not even a fly on the windshield. Same with Laurel Mtn.
Three of my favorite ski lifts in the world.
Alta Supreme lift. 1,081 feet of vertical. If we build an 81 foot statue of Andy standing on Doc standing on T-Line...
Snowbird Gad II lift. 1,239 feet of vertical.
Solitude Summit lift. 1,235 feet of vertical.
I dun't need a Timberline standing onna Timberline standing onna ? or some flatton/Stratton mass of nuttin. Gimme da terrain and gimmie da snow.
Peace/shalom/kumbaya Mr. Fish. (Johnny Reb does like to instigate every now and then.
)
I dun't need a Timberline standing onna Timberline standing onna ? or some flatton/Stratton mass of nuttin. Gimme da terrain and gimmie da snow.
Peace/shalom/kumbaya Mr. Fish. (Johnny Reb does like to instigate every now and then.
)
.No terrain?!??...wutch u talkin bout Reb?.
Anyway...you can instigate..you can snort mountain Dew or beer threw ur nose when ur laughin at someones post..at their expense...make snide remarks..but you cannot intimidate..you disarmed yourself when we met cuz.. u aint nothin but a nice guy Homey..so go ahead wit yo bad self (ole DC hood talk)
Though the idea of a gondola on Mount Porte Crayon is enticing I would probably be happy just with a high speed quad at Timberline. That's the only real complaint about T-line, not the terrain, just the incredibly slow cold windy lifts.
Though the idea of a gondola on Mount Porte Crayon is enticing I would probably be happy just with a high speed quad at Timberline. That's the only real complaint about T-line, not the terrain, just the incredibly slow cold windy lifts.
I recall reading somewhere that the owner of Timberline want to keep it that way? I can't really fathom the reason -- they want to keep the crowds away? I love Timberline but I honestly hate those lifts and the stuffy food court and poor food there. Slow lift may give you time to rest but those lifts are just painfully too slow!
I know that some will say they love it this way and don't want to change a thing but I don't think Timberline is going make enough profit for them to be able to sustain by keeping things this way either?
snowglobe
I agree about the lift. Its a pain and I have complained about it here in a couple of posts. HOWEVER...the man who runs that resort has been running it for awhile, presumably successfully. Why borrow the money for a new lift and add that debt service to your operating costs if you do not KNOW that the revenue increase will be all that great? It is possible he has done that math and did not like what he saw. I am just trying to put myself in the owners shoes.
Good point GRK! I definitely understand your logic and I guess you are probably right but at the same time, I keep hearing that the valley barely survive because the lack of visitors; I don't want to not be able to have access to great ski resorts 3 hours from NOVA because they go out of business!
Speaking of a lack of visitors I skied Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning at Canaan, on a February weekend with plenty of good snow. They didn't even have their second main lift running and had zero lift lines whatsoever while Timberline had 10 minute + lift lines. I don't see how Canaan can possibly break even on the skiing operation without attracting (or stealing from T-line) some more skiers/boarders. Their lodge probably makes money/will make even more in the future though, every room was sold out with no cancellations. In fact without more lodging the valley cannot get more winter weekend visitors nearly every room in the valley was sold out this past weekend, save for the Alpine Lodge and the Tallyho neither of which are exactly the Ritz.
I took a group of intermediate skiers / snowboarders to the valley over the weekend. Interestingly, all of them seem to prefer Canaan Valley over Timberline. (these folks can ride on any terrains -- they 've been to Whistler, Vail, Zermatt and etc.) due to the lack of crowds and slightly faster lift!
How to make a small fortune with a ski area?
Kalame does not have to break even with the ski ops. Its basically state funded ski so they can claim to be a 4 season resort.
Enjoy it for what it is, I do. On a pow storm day guess where I will be?
My wife, a good skier, prefers Canaan Valley over Timberline as well. She likes the lack of crowds, snow that stays fresher longer, slightly faster lifts and the terrain that is typically a short steep section followed by a moderate run finishing with another steeper section. However she does really like the glades at T-line. Definitely agree with you Scottyb, on a pow day slow lifts or not there is only one place to be within 3 hours of where I live.
ya, well they were both ghost towns on Sunday then. Best way to avoid crowds and still ski Timberline is to ski Canaan on Saturday and Tslime on Sunday.
Enjoy it for what it is, I do. On a pow storm day guess where I will be?
Pharis?
^^^ Yeah, if we can get in there.
