Mid-Atlantic/SE skiing (PA, NJ, DC, MD, VA, WV, NC) for 2015-16

[marzNC]

Decided to add NC to the mid-Atlantic since there isn't really enough interest for a separate thread for the southeast. This thread is for people who ski anywhere in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, southern NY, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, or North Carolina, as well as those who just want to talk about MidA/SE snow. Hope to meet more Mid-A or SE Divas this winter!

NC: Sugar, Beech, Appalachian, Cataloochee

VA: Massanutten, Wintergreen, Bryce
MD: Wisp
WV: Snowshoe, Canaan Valley, Timberline, Winterplace

PA, western: Blue Knob, Seven Springs, Hidden Valley
PA, closest to DC: Liberty, Roundtop, Whitetail
PA, eastern: Elk, Montage, Jack Frost, Blue, Camelback, Bear Creek, Big Boulder

NY Catskills: Belleayre, Hunter, Windham, Plattekill

For the Mid-Atlantic discussion for 2014-15, click here.

 

[marzNC]

If anyone is thinking about skiing at Snowshoe who didn't get the cheap season pass last spring, check out the 3-Day Pass that's being sold at selected places on Sat, Nov. 7 and at the fall festival at Snowshoe on Sept. 27-29. Must buy the 3-Day in person. Last year the limit was 20. Not tied to a name so can be used by more than one person, at least that was the case for 2014-15.

I gather from DCSki that people on Snowshoe's e-list got the following announcement recently.

Interested in our 3-For-All Pass this winter? For $139 you get 3 days of unrestricted lift tickets to be used how you see fit. Consecutively, non-consecutively, weekend, weekday, the choice is yours.

There are only 2 ways to get your 3-For-All pass:
1. The passes will be sold here on the mountain during our FreeFall Festival next weekend, Sept. 25-27.
2. We will be having a one-day-only sale on November 7th at the following REI and Alpine Ski Center locations:

REI LOCATIONS
Tyson’s Corner, VA
Bailey’s Crossroad, VA
Columbia, MD
Richmond, VA
Pittsburgh, PA – Southside REI
Cincinnati, OH
Columbus, OH – Easton REI

ALPINE SKI CENTER LOCATIONS
Knoxville, TN
Charlotte, NC
Raleigh, NC
Greenville, SC

 

[marzNC]

The annual ski swaps for the Mid-Atlantic are starting up soon. My source for most of the dates below is a DCSki article, which includes links.

Oct. 3-4: Alpine Ski Shop in Sterling - benefits Timberline Ski Patrol
Oct. 3: Ski Haus in Annapolis
Oct. 17-18: Liberty Mountain Fall Fest has a swap
Oct. 24-25: Whitetail Festival Ski and Board Swap
Oct. 25 (Oct. 31 is rain date): Ski Center in DC

Nov. 7: Ski Haus in Annapolis
Nov. 7-8: Alpine Ski Shop in Sterling - benefits Timberline Ski Patrol
Nov. 7-8: Roundtop Fall Fest has new and used gear
Nov. 7-8: Freestyle in Charlottesville
Nov. 21: Baltimore Ski and Board Swap in Towson
Nov. 27: Wintergreen swap - benefits Wintergreen Ski Patrol

I don't remember the Baltimore swap but it's obviously not the first one. The website states: "Several stores from MD, PA, and DC are bringing their demos, special deals, last year leases, and individual skiers & boarders will be consigning their stuff also." Could be some good deals to be found. The organizers take 20% of the price, which is set by the consignor.

 

[marzNC]

The Western Territories at Snowshoe should be quite a bit more fun for advanced skiers. Not only added snowmaking capability, they are putting in a lot of effort into creating the new glade between Cupp and Shays. A true glade is not just an area with trees that people are allowed to ski.

 

[marzNC]

Apparently the October 3-4 Ski swap @ Alpine Ski Shop in Sterling was postponed to Saturday October 10th (one day only) because of the rain this weekend.

 

[marzNC]

For those who live relatively close to Sugar Mountain, there will be a Grand Opening for the new chondola on Nov. 14. The date is not based on when snowmaking can start in earnest. Typically, Sugar is one of the first to open in NC.

For more info, check out the article by a CSIA instructor who's been skiing Sugar for quite a while. Lisa and her DH live in SC. I had a good time skiing with them at Blue Knob a few years ago during the DCSki/EpicSki MidA Gathering. The new lift will be run as a high-speed 6-pack and will cut the time to the summit to only 5 min. The old lift was a very slow double that took 12-14 min to reach the top. Sugar has one 8-person gondola with a glass floor. Won't add gondolas for winter use until 2017. Be interesting to see if the gondola is used next summer.

* * *
The resort plans the grand opening of the new Summit Express Lift on November 14, 2015. According to Kim Jochl, marketing manager, the lift will be ready to go and testing done by November 1, 2015. Kim has informed me that the lift is a Chondola, or wikipedia says a hybrid chairlift, which means it can hold both chairs and 8 person gondolas. Kim says it will open this year with high speed 6 pack chairs in place. The resort hopes to add some gondola's to the lift for the 2017 season.

Read more: https://www.digitaljournal.com/life...november-14-2015/article/445392#ixzz3nbq6LZeA
* * *

 

[marzNC]

Appalachian in Boone, NC is extending the midnight hours to the entire season. Per usual, SkiSE has the best info about plans for the NC ski season. App plans to open Nov. 20 and close in early April. May only have 25 acres, but they definitely how to use 100% snowmaking and grooming to provide good fun for relatively low prices.

The Alpine Ski Shop holds an extended early season sale and swap Oct. 16-25 at App.

Midnight Blast Weekends will now be offered all season long! The region’s only late night skiing & riding will run every Friday & Saturday night the entire 2015-16 season, from Opening Day through our last night of night skiing (March 19), in addition to special Holiday Midnight Blast Sessions over the Christmas Holidays, December 26 through 30, as well as Martin Luther King Sunday and President’s Weekend Sunday.

Our 54th season is scheduled to begin Friday, November 20th, with a projected closing date of Saturday, April 2nd. Night sessions are scheduled to begin opening day, weather permitting. From March 20 – April 2, modified hours will be in effect and slopes will be open from 9am – 6pm on these dates. We hope to begin making snow during the first good cold snap after Halloween and begin ice skating on the day before Thanksgiving.

 

[marzNC]

Snowshoe is really pushing people towards buying lift tickets online, assuming they aren't getting tickets are part of a lodging package. Another advantage of looking at the calendar for prices is that you can get an idea of when SS expects to be busy. Pretty clear that people do not usually plan to ski that much on Sundays in January. Window rate is $89 weekends, $79 weekdays.

 

[marzNC]

As noted by @va_deb in another thread . . .

For its 30th anniversary Timberline in Canaan Valley is offering a three-season "awesome pass" for $499, and the first 500 who purchase don't have any blackout dates and can also ski Saturdays. Info here: https://a.zozi.com/#/express/timberlinefourseasonsresortwv/products/72254

Timberline Four Seasons Resort The Awesome Pass: 3-year season lift ticket valid for 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 ski seasons at Timberline Four Seasons Resort in Davis, WV. Admit one. May be transferred one time to another party. Subject to a $99 transfer fee. Transferred pass valid for the remainder of the initial three-year term. *Blackout dates include Saturdays, Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, President's Day weekend, and December 28 - January 1 of each year during the term.

Considering that a pass for many MidA places are about the same price for a single season, certainly a good deal for the first 500 who can use the Awesome Pass on Saturdays. Timberline has been trying assorted ways to raise money in recent years. It's got good terrain but the main lift is pretty slow.

 

[marzNC]

For those who live close to Buckman's in PA, they are having a sale that also includes a swap Oct. 12-17.

Buckman's has the schedule for demo days on their website. Advanced tickets are required.
https://www.buckmans.com/buckmans-ski-snowboard/events.aspx

Dec. 18: Jack Frost
Jan. 14: Blue
Jan. 22: Elk
March 1: Bear Creek, Women's Demo Day

@tinymoose : has the Women's Demo Day happened before?

 

[tinymoose]

Yup! Buckman's and Bear Creek do that Women's day every year. I've never been, though.

 

[marzNC]

Apparently the October 3-4 Ski swap @ Alpine Ski Shop in Sterling was postponed to Saturday October 10th (one day only) because of the rain this weekend.

Have heard that the Oct. 10 sale and swap will be a BIG one since it's only one day. Proceeds benefit the Timberline Ski Patrol. Wish I lived closer to DC.

 

[marzNC]

I have confirmed with Don Cochrane of Freestyle of Charlottesville that they will do a demo weekend at Massanutten again in Jan. The dates haven't been set yet but I'm guessing it would be Jan. 9-10. Anyone interested in another special Women's Clinic that Sun morning? @Tryin2Ski , @dianakate, @LauraVa ?

I'm considering making the Fri evening clinic open to any intermediates or advanced skiers interested in working on fundamentals. Made friends with a few men from DC who are aspiring intermediates last season who may be interested.

 

[marzNC]

Looks like Snowshoe is having demo days Dec. 5-6. Sugar in NC has Sugarfest Dec. 11-13 with demo tents on the weekend. Freestyle usually does a demo day at Wintergreen in late Dec during the holidays. The selection is better than you might expect. I think because the reps or shops know that the people who are most interest also ski at big mountains out west. Can't find powder skis, but can check out all mountain skis up to 90 or 100 underfoot.

Any place else in the region with demo days in December?

 

[LauraVa]

I have confirmed with Don Cochrane of Freestyle of Charlottesville that they will do a demo weekend at Massanutten again in Jan. The dates haven't been set yet but I'm guessing it would be Jan. 9-10. Anyone interested in another special Women's Clinic that Sun morning? @Tryin2Ski , @dianakate, @LauraVa ?

I'm considering making the Fri evening clinic open to any intermediates or advanced skiers interested in working on fundamentals. Made friends with a few men from DC who are aspiring intermediates last season who may be interested.

I'd love to do another clinic. I had a great time at last years.

 

[marzNC]

I'd love to do another clinic. I had a great time at last years.

Great!

Have you been up to the Massanutten ski lodge recently? I stopped by briefly last week. The new building for ski school and the instructors looks great. I bet Julie and her staff are excited since it was delayed for a year. The interior walls of the lower floor of the lodge are already gone, as well as the flooring. Hopefully they can get all the renovations completed by mid-Dec. Definitely would be nice to have more food options.

 

[LauraVa]

I haven't seen it recently. There have been entire seasons that went by without me ever going in the old one. Maybe I'll be a little more inclined to hang out in the newly renovated one. Looking forward to it actually.

 

[marzNC]

The history of ski resort ownership intrigues me. Was looking to see if there were any projected opening dates for the Snowtime ski areas and found a DCSki article about the sale of Windham in NY Catskills in 2005. I didn't know that Roundtop was the first location. Snowtime certainly provides good service for folks in central PA and the DC metro area, especially since a season pass is good at all three ski areas. I like Whitetail and Roundtop. Haven't checked out Liberty yet.

Snow Time, Inc. Sells Ski Windham
By M. Scott Smith, DCSki Editor
October 25, 2005 —

[snip]

In announcing the sale of Windham, Naylor stressed that Snow Time has no interest in selling its Pennsylvania resorts.

“I have no interest in selling the Pennsylvania resorts, individually or collectively,” said Naylor. “The sale of Windham Mountain will allow Snow Time management to focus its efforts in one state and one marketplace,” he added.

Irv Naylor originally started Ski Roundtop in 1964. A decade later, Ski Roundtop purchased Ski Liberty. New York’s Windham Mountain was purchased in 1981, followed by Whitetail Resort in 1999. In 2004, Irv Naylor was honored with the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

[marzNC]

Got curious about childcare . . . Never needed childcare for my daughter during the winter since she loved to ski from Day 1 at age 4.

Massanutten has special kid programs (ages 3-12) that are designed mostly for by parents staying on resort. We used it on vacation weeks (not winter) when my daughter was 3 or 4 to go play golf. It's $50 for 6 hours for fixed schedules (daytime, evening). It's $110/135 for full day ski school (9:30-2:00) that includes 3 lessons, rentals, 8-hr lift ticket, snack/lunch (age 4-12 skiing, age 7-12 snowboarding).

Wintergreen has a childcare program (ages 3-12) that can include 1 hr on skis for full-day participants. Also Kids Night Out and a list of babysitters ($14/hr). A unique feature at Wintergreen is Ridgely's Fun Park. For $18, a parent can take a kid (age 3-11) in and play in the snow, including sledding. For kids who have never seen snow, it's fun.

Snowshoe has childcare up to age 10.

Beech has childcare for little ones up to age 3. Sugar works with an independent drop-off daycare nearby that's $10/hour.

Looks like the Snowtime ski areas have childcare up to age 12. Guess that's another reason many DC/Baltimore families like having season passes that lets them go to Whitetail, Liberty, or Roundtop.

 

[marzNC]

There is an annual swap and sale at Ski Bum in Newark DE that runs two weekends, Oct. 10-11 and Oct. 17-18. A friend on EpicSki noted that DE does not have sales tax.

https://www.theskibum.com/events