alison wong
Angel Diva
Whitetail and Roundtop will open on 11/29, and liberty will open 1 month later on 12/28?
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Mid-Atlantic/SE skiing (PA, NJ, DC, MD, VA, WV, NC) for 2015-16
- Thread starter marzNC
- Start date
Whitetail and Roundtop will open on 11/29, and liberty will open 1 month later on 12/28?
marzNC
Angel Diva
I think there is a mistake on OnTheSnow. Based on the last couple seasons and what Liberty has on their website, I think it should be 11/28 or 11/29 for Liberty.
I'll probably update the whole list in early Nov after Sugar and Cataloochee open.
https://www.libertymountainresort.com/liberty-mountain-resort/more/whats-new-liberty
On the Mountain
More upgrades to our powerful snowmaking system! This summer we completed the second phase of a major pipeline project that began 2 years ago. The pipeline links Lake May (located a mile away) to Liberty's main snowmaking pond just outside the Children's Learning Center. Last summer, the pipeline was run from Lake May to the lake on our golf course. This summer, in Phase 2, the pipeline now links the golf course lake to the CLC pond. We now have a complete 18 inch pipeline to carry snowmaking water from Lake May to the ski resort! This completed project now gives Liberty's snowmaking system an almost inexhaustible supply of water for the future of the resort.
Also on the mountain, we have purchased of 6 additional Techno Alpine snowguns to be placed on First Class and Lower Vertigo Trails. Additional software enhancements and added fan gun connectivity points on the First Class area will give us even more early season firepower, so we can get the trail open even faster!
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marzNC
Angel Diva
The dates for the Buckman's demos at Blue and Elk are off by a day. According to the Buckman's website, will be on Jan. 14 and Jan. 22. Can get a discounted lift ticket if purchase in advance at a Buckman's shop.
As always, best to call closer to a demo date to confirm. Sometimes a demo is cancelled due to snow conditions. I remember one year I met a rep free skiing at Massanutten who decided that driving up the mountain for the Wintergreen demo day was not worth the risk. Too MUCH snow on the road. He also knew that few people would make it to Wintergreen that day. So decided to have some fun instead.
As always, best to call closer to a demo date to confirm. Sometimes a demo is cancelled due to snow conditions. I remember one year I met a rep free skiing at Massanutten who decided that driving up the mountain for the Wintergreen demo day was not worth the risk. Too MUCH snow on the road. He also knew that few people would make it to Wintergreen that day. So decided to have some fun instead.
Marigee
Angel Diva
The Snow Time resorts had good early seasons the past 2 years. Opening at the end of November is unusual, a mid-December opening is the average. It is wishful thinking to have end of November, 2015 as an opening date. Management has not said anything. Of course, they would love to open then, but we usually don't get any inklings of an opening date until (at best) 2 weeks prior, and no firm commitment until a few days before they actually open. All depends on Mother Nature!
marzNC
Angel Diva
I'm guessing with Thanksgiving being at the very end of Nov this year, that's a reason to push for being open the weekend after turkey day. Snow Time has been adding snowmaking capacity to all of their places for several years. Hopefully the weather will cooperate enough in the next couple months for the investment to payoff.
Massanutten intends to start snowmaking mid-Nov, which is what they did last year. At some point, they almost had to start over again on the lower mountain. But the base on the upper mountain never completely melted away during early season. There is no question that having more automated snow guns makes it easier to cover core trails in just a few days and nights of cold weather, especially if it's relatively dry too.
Massanutten intends to start snowmaking mid-Nov, which is what they did last year. At some point, they almost had to start over again on the lower mountain. But the base on the upper mountain never completely melted away during early season. There is no question that having more automated snow guns makes it easier to cover core trails in just a few days and nights of cold weather, especially if it's relatively dry too.
marzNC
Angel Diva
Oh well, no early Nov skiing in NC mountains this year. Way too warm last week. The good news is that Snowshoe tested their snow guns in the last few days. Been reading about new snow guns at many of the ski areas listed below. Definitely more automated guns will be firing up as soon as it gets cold . . . and stays cold for long enough. I think when places finally open, there may be a little more terrain available in Dec than past seasons.
PROJECTED OPENING DAYS FOR 2015-16
NC
Sugar: 11/8? only if cold enough the week before
Cataloochee: 11/8? only if cold enough the week before
Appalachian: 11/20/15
Beech: 11/28/15 ("hopefully Thanksgiving weekend" on SkiSE as of 10/20/15)
VA
Massanutten: 12/06/15
Wintergreen: 11/30/15 (12/12/15 on SkiSE as of 10/20/15)
Bryce: 11/22/15 (early Dec on SkiSE as of 10/20/15)
MD
Wisp: 11/27/15
WV
Snowshoe: 11/25/15
Timberline: 12/11/15
Canaan Valley: 12/18/15
PA
Seven Springs: 11/28/15
Hidden Valley: 11/28/15
Liberty: probably Thanksgiving weekend
Whitetail: 11/29/15
Roundtop: 11/29/15
Camelback: 11/29/15
Elk: 12/05/15
Blue Knob: 12/12/15
Montage: 12/13/15
NY:
Hunter: 11/22/15
Belleayre: 11/23/15
Windham: 11/26/15
Plattekill: 12/05/15
PROJECTED OPENING DAYS FOR 2015-16
NC
Sugar: 11/8? only if cold enough the week before
Cataloochee: 11/8? only if cold enough the week before
Appalachian: 11/20/15
Beech: 11/28/15 ("hopefully Thanksgiving weekend" on SkiSE as of 10/20/15)
VA
Massanutten: 12/06/15
Wintergreen: 11/30/15 (12/12/15 on SkiSE as of 10/20/15)
Bryce: 11/22/15 (early Dec on SkiSE as of 10/20/15)
MD
Wisp: 11/27/15
WV
Snowshoe: 11/25/15
Timberline: 12/11/15
Canaan Valley: 12/18/15
PA
Seven Springs: 11/28/15
Hidden Valley: 11/28/15
Liberty: probably Thanksgiving weekend
Whitetail: 11/29/15
Roundtop: 11/29/15
Camelback: 11/29/15
Elk: 12/05/15
Blue Knob: 12/12/15
Montage: 12/13/15
NY:
Hunter: 11/22/15
Belleayre: 11/23/15
Windham: 11/26/15
Plattekill: 12/05/15
vanhoskier
Angel Diva
The early winter forecast sounds a bit warm due to El Nino so these dates may be optimistic. Let's hope that's not the case, though.
vanhoskier
Angel Diva
We do need to plan another Mid-Atlantic diva meetup. Roundtop was fun last year.
marzNC
Angel Diva
Yep, I'm not planning on updating the Opening Day list until late Nov at this point. SkiSE has lots of experience dealing with warm Novembers, so I'll be checking there for updates for the places they cover in NC/VA/WV.
May be quite a test of all the new snow guns that have been installed in the last few years once it does finally get cold and stay cold for more than a few days.
marzNC
Angel Diva
If you start a thread in Meet on the Hill, perhaps we can narrow down the possible dates before people get busy with the holidays . . . and hopefully early season skiing. Or at least eliminate the obvious weekends.
surfsnowgirl
Banned
There is a living social today for a lift ticket in PA. I apologize in advance because I have no idea where this is in Pennsylvania but just thought we have a few divas who ski locally in PA so maybe someone can use this
https://www.livingsocial.com/deals/...est_dailyus&utm_medium=email&utm_source=blast
https://www.livingsocial.com/deals/...est_dailyus&utm_medium=email&utm_source=blast
marzNC
Angel Diva
Alpine Mountain is a little place in the Poconos north of Philly. Have heard it can be a good place for never-evers and beginners to get started, especially families. Looks like 120 acres with 500 ft vert. There is a new lodge. I get the impression from the OnTheSnow Firsthand Reports that it has the same advantage as Massanutten. Most people have never heard of it or think it's too dinky so better skiers don't go there. Saw one note about no lift lines on MLK weekend last season.
On Fridays starting a 4pm, Alpine is offering a lift ticket, gear rental, and beginner lesson at 6pm for $30. Has snow tubing and outdoor ice skating. Has multi-week programs for kids.
Alpine is hosting a showing of the Warren Miller film on Nov. 14.
marzNC
Angel Diva
My impression is that Alpine closed for a while. Not sure exactly when. Was clearly doing pretty well by a few years ago because OnTheSnow wrote it up in Oct 2013 as the 2013 Best Family Resort for the Mid-Atlantic that year. Have seen comments about a "new lodge" but not quite sure what that means in terms of whether a completely new building or renovations of an existing building.
marzNC
Angel Diva
Thanks to vanhoskier, there is now a thread in Meet On the Hill about getting together at Roundtop. Please check it out if you might be able to make it in the second half of Feb. So far there is one weekend that has potential, but need to hear from a few more Divas. Per usual, will be a pretty informal day trip for most people. There will be a couple meet up times, one in the morning and one later in the day. Take a few runs with other Divas or spend the day together. Whatever works.
marzNC
Angel Diva
For people in/near Richmond:
If you want to see the Warren Miller film Chasing Shadows, the Southeast Region SheJumps is co-sponsoring a showing in Richmond on Dec. 3 at the Firehouse Theater. Two showings: 6pm, 9pm.
https://www.shejumps.org/shejumps-rva-ski-movie-4/
If you want to see the Warren Miller film Chasing Shadows, the Southeast Region SheJumps is co-sponsoring a showing in Richmond on Dec. 3 at the Firehouse Theater. Two showings: 6pm, 9pm.
https://www.shejumps.org/shejumps-rva-ski-movie-4/
marzNC
Angel Diva
For people in/near Durham, NC:
If you want to see the Warren Miller film Chasing Shadows, the Duke Ski/Snowboard Team and Raleigh Ski & Outing Club are co-sponsoring a showing on the Duke campus on Nov. 15, 6pm. $15 for non-students at the Griffith Film Theater.
According to the WME webpage, everyone who attends will get a voucher for a lift ticket to Sugarbush. I could've used that last season.
If you want to see the Warren Miller film Chasing Shadows, the Duke Ski/Snowboard Team and Raleigh Ski & Outing Club are co-sponsoring a showing on the Duke campus on Nov. 15, 6pm. $15 for non-students at the Griffith Film Theater.
According to the WME webpage, everyone who attends will get a voucher for a lift ticket to Sugarbush. I could've used that last season.
marzNC
Angel Diva
Snowmaking in the southeast is starting! 
The title of today's blog entry for SkiSE is "Snowshoe, Sugar and Cataloochee Are Making Snow!" Sugar had a special reason to make snow the last few days even with marginal weather conditions because of the festivities today for the Grand Opening of the new 6-pack chondola lift. The one gondola is set up for today. Plenty of media will be there, especially since the Governor of NC is attending. The CEO of Doppelmayr, Michael Doppelmayr, is also attending. Pretty sure Sugar installed the very first 6-pack in NC. Sugar made snow on two trails, the one from the summit and Gunther's Way (new in 2014-15).
Doppelmayr is an international company that has been buildings trams, gondolas, and other types of lifts at ski areas since the early 1900s. Michael Doppelmayr is the great-grandson of the founder of the Austrian company, which did other things before moving towards making "ropeways" in the Alps. Merged a couple other European companies who make ropeways at ski areas in the last couple decades.
The race is on to see whether Cat or Sugar opens first.
The title of today's blog entry for SkiSE is "Snowshoe, Sugar and Cataloochee Are Making Snow!" Sugar had a special reason to make snow the last few days even with marginal weather conditions because of the festivities today for the Grand Opening of the new 6-pack chondola lift. The one gondola is set up for today. Plenty of media will be there, especially since the Governor of NC is attending. The CEO of Doppelmayr, Michael Doppelmayr, is also attending. Pretty sure Sugar installed the very first 6-pack in NC. Sugar made snow on two trails, the one from the summit and Gunther's Way (new in 2014-15).
Doppelmayr is an international company that has been buildings trams, gondolas, and other types of lifts at ski areas since the early 1900s. Michael Doppelmayr is the great-grandson of the founder of the Austrian company, which did other things before moving towards making "ropeways" in the Alps. Merged a couple other European companies who make ropeways at ski areas in the last couple decades.
The race is on to see whether Cat or Sugar opens first.
