Massanutten 2015-16

[va_deb]

Thanks for the helpful update, @marzNC. You swayed him...he should be down there soon. Hoping it's snow there and not rain like it is where I am now. For Christmas and his BD I got him Dynastar PowerTrack 84s with some tip rocker -- maybe a bit of tail rocker too -- plus they're long enough for him now that he progressed so well. If there is anything fresh to be had he will have a blast!

Hope you and @LauraVa enjoy your day!

 

[marzNC]

Very good day at Mnut. Per usual, no line on Lift 6 even though it's a holiday weekend. Only a 5 min wait at most on Lift 5 midday. Lines got long on the beginner lifts midday. Lift 4 for Southern Comfort had a backlog after lunch probably because too many newbies didn't know enough to go through the automatic gates when they open so chairs were going up empty. The wait for Lift 3 was perhaps 10 min at 1:30. I was skiing with my friend's 9yo son. Once we got up to the upper mountain, never waited more than a minute on Lift 6. We met up with his mom and sister on Lift 5 around 4:30. They are skiing off mid-station most of the time now. There was about a 5 min wait when the new people who got night skiing lift tickets showed up. Thinned out before 5:00.

Renovations and additions food service options and seating in the main lodge making a big difference. Busy and crowded but not ridiculous like in the last few years with people sitting on the floor all over the place.

Paradice and DJ were in great shape. A little snowmaking last night. First thing in the morning ski patrol was warning of slightly sticky ungroomed snow under a few snow guns on DJ, but wasn't that bad. During the afternoon and evening, lots of "sugar" on Showtime. Paradice and Upper Showtime had places that were pretty scraped down to the hardpack by evening.

Snowmaking started on MakAttack around dinner time. The boy and I took a few runs after dinner, mostly Showtime. Guns on all over as soon as the slopes closed at 9pm. Overnight temps in the teens expected.

 

[marzNC]

Cold! Really cold! It was in the teens all day at Massanutten today, MLK Day, 1/18/16. After an hour, it was time to go in for a break to warm up.

Snow guns were on on DJ all day. Also had guns on other open trails but not on greens and only a few pointing up high on the blues. MakAttack looked like there might even be enough snow to open on Tue morning with round-the-clock cold temps. No lines on any lift today. Usually not bad on MLK Day because people are leaving, but the cold weather clearly made a difference. I think all the families with kids on the waiting list for ski school probably got in. My friend's girls did ski school and seemed to have a pretty good time. Both were pretty eager to ski more afterwards in spit of the cold weather. The 6yo did great for her first ski weekend ever. After two days of ski school she can handle greens just fine. She can turn, stop on request, ride the lift with an adult, and clearly loves speed. She and her mom went snow tubing on the off day. We already knew she likes that from a previous trip a few years ago.

1/17 night skiing, all trails are lit at Massanutten, Showtime (blue) off Lift 5


MLK Day, 9:05am, about 10 degrees


Snowmaking on DJ (behind my ski buddy), Paradice on right


Lower MakAttack after one night of snowmaking, under Lift 5

 

[LauraVa]

This is Virginia right? Should be a little warmer this afternoon. ( Hope so anyway.) Rather the cold than too warm, though.

 

[LauraVa]

Upper and lower MakAttack now open! They were blowing tons of snow today. It was so cold and there was so much snow, I could almost pretend I was skiing some powder, kind of, sort of anyway, Or what I imagine powder might be.

 

[marzNC]

Upper and lower MakAttack now open! They were blowing tons of snow today. It was so cold and there was so much snow, I could almost pretend I was skiing some powder, kind of, sort of anyway, Or what I imagine powder might be.

There were a few areas of Paradice and DJ that I would consider powder. Not so much on MakAttack. The 9yo and I skied this morning but had trouble staying out more than 45 min. Really cold! Most of the snow guns were set for dryer snow, but there was some that were putting out wetter snow to build base.

Just got home. Will post a few pics later.

 

[marzNC]

Massanutten pics from 01/19/16

MakAttack open for the first time. My little ski buddy ready to go. It was really cold with temps in the teens so we only managed three runs before going in to warm up.


Snowmaking on blue/black trails. Wet snow where still needed to build base but mostly dry powder.


FaceSaver keeping my cheeks warm on Lift 3


Looking down Upper MakAttack. Can't really see them, but there were snow whales to play on.

 

[marzNC]

Got back to Massanutten just in time for the Silver Clinic. Spent the lesson off Lift 6, together with someone I met in a Silver Clinic last season. He and his friend spending the entire week. Met her for the first time today. She's an enthusiastic beginner.

For this week, I have a timeshare unit on the mountain within walking distance of the ski lodge. A local TV weatherman is talking about 15-30 inches for the storm expected Jan. 22-23. I brought my Black Pearls and the Absolut Joys this time.

Conditions today were pretty good. Base is reasonably deep all over. MakAttack, Paradise, and DJ were groomed a bit flatter compared to Tuesday.

Should be fun this weekend since I don't have to do any driving until Sunday afternoon.

 

[marzNC]

Snowing hard at Massanutten! Started about 10:30 but really got going by 11:00. @snow cat and her sister arrived at lunch time. I moved my minivan to the condo. Already had almost an inch on it. Not planning on moving it until Sunday.

We'll walk to the ski lodge shortly.

 

[marzNC]

Very fun day! More people around in the afternoon than you might expect. Conditions included fresh snow, pushed around snow on top of hard pack that came through in some areas on the black trails, and then skier packed powder with windblown snow in the early evening. Supposed to snow all night.

A few pics before it got dark. Forgot my camera so using an old iPod Touch.

Starting to snow around 11am


Snowcat and her sister


Leaving our cars parked near the condo. The walk to the ski lodge (going by snow tubing and the Adventure Park) takes 5-10 minutes. Gave me a chance to check out my new Helipack with straps for carrying skis on the diagonal. Works pretty well.

 

[marzNC]

Snow is amazing at Mnut today! Really feels like VT. Windblown, drifts, dry powder on top of heavier powder. The cars had drifts on top of them this morning that were well over 8 inches, maybe 15 on my minivan? Took us quite a while to dig out our cars this afternoon. There was a lull in the snow mid-afternoon. Snowing again as of 5pm.

 

[marzNC]

Skiing at Mnut today felt like being in the northeast. The base is very solid after warm weather followed by a week of days with highs in the 20s. Plenty of big snow whales all over. Can tell that a lot of snowmaking has happened in the last week or so.

Started snowing around 6:30pm. Not enough to make much difference but was sticking to the road and on the ski lodge deck. Quit after a couple hours.

Supposed to be in the teens on Sat, with really cold temps for Sat night. Doesn't feel like Virginia.

 

[marzNC]

Very nice snow conditions at Mnut today. The groomers did a good job and perhaps a little snowmaking too. In any case, all the trails were in good shape. Temps in the 20s by lunch time with full sun was a bonus.

Skied with @LauraVa and @Tryin2Ski for a few runs after the Gold Clinic in the morning. Per usual, never a lift line to speak of on Lift 6. The longest wait on Lift 5 was only about 5 min around 2:30pm.

Snow expected tonight and Mon morning. Hoping the roads will be okay for driving south to NC. My friends kids need to get back for school on Tue. Only rain in central NC after Sun night.

 

[marzNC]

dup

 

[marzNC]

Another powder day at Massanutten! 3-6 inches depending on the trail. For sure it was deeper than 3 inches on DJ and Paradice, as well as on the MakAttack bumps. The right side of Geronimo first thing was a great place for powder turns in 3-4 inches of fluffy.

We left about 1:00 in order to make the drive south to NC before the freezing rain started in northern VA. A friend who kept skiing said his goggles were getting covered soon after we left. Mnut closed the slopes and the waterpark early at 5pm in order to help get people off the roads before things got really icy this evening.

2/15/16 9am, 3-6 inches of fresh powder, started the evening before


Lower MakAttack under Lift 5


Left side of DJ and Paradice were left ungroomed. 9yo skiing in powder for the first time.


A few tracks in the trees. Not deep enough for me to risk my bases.

 

[marzNC]

Should be good skiing at Mnut this weekend. I'll be there Sat PM and Sun AM. Several special events, per usual for the last weekend of Feb. Blowing snow all over as of 7:30am, with the temp on mountain at 27 degrees.

2/26/16 at 7:30 am - Partly sunny high's in the lower 30's. Snowmaking will continue as temperatures allow. Delayed opening on Pacesetter Terrain Park today.

Diamond Jim will be closed on Saturday and Sunday morning for SARA Championship ski race.

Geronimo will be delayed opening on Sunday for Adaptive race.

 

[marzNC]

Sat was great since temps didn't go much over 45. But once temps got into the high 50s on Sun, that was too warm. Even Paradice was too soft by lunch time even though it was pretty solid at 9am. Will, it was a fun weekend of spring skiing.

Possibility of snow showers late next week after it cools off. So March 5-6 could be fun too. Especially if there is more snowmaking at night.

 

[marzNC]

A few pics from 2/28.

Full side-to-side coverage after snowmaking Thu and Fri nights


Pacesetter becomes a terrain park in late season. Access from Lift 5 mid-station.


SARA racing Sat and Sun mornings on DJ. Was moved from Timberline because of the lift failure last weekend.


Was warm enough to collapse the roof on Base Camp, the umbrella bar. Great addition to the base lodge.

 

[marzNC]

Pretty decent spring skiing at Massanutten today. Certainly helped that they got a couple inches of snow on Thu night. The morning was good. Okay in the afternoon on the trails that had the fewest people, meaning the blacks off Lift 6. Bumps on MakAttack were fun in the afternoon.

The snowgun hoses have been collected. No more snowmaking.