Mid-Atlantic/Southeast skiing (PA, NJ, DC, MD, VA, WV, NC) for 2021-22

[marzNC]

Snowshoe and Wintergreen have started testing snow guns.

 

[marzNC]

If you are interested in comparing ticket prices for the southeast (NC, TN, VA, WV), here's a summary that was put together with the info available in early November. Since night skiing is pretty common, as well as 4-hour/8-hour tickets, it pays to look at the details for a particular situation. Junior and senior age cut offs are not consistent across the region so that's another factor.

Making Sense of the Dollars and Cents: A Report on Lift Ticket Costs

Story by Brian Dix Hello skiers and riders of the Southeast. I hope you have begun your final prep pieces for this upcoming season and are patiently waiting for...

www.skisoutheast.com

 

[marzNC]

It snowed a little in the NC mountains on Nov. 4.

 

[marzNC]

Wintergreen and Wisp are selling 4-packs until Nov. 29. $239 for 4 tickets, good any day, can be split with other people. Could be one day for 4 people or 4 days for one person.

 

[marzNC]

Yeah, the timeshares have their appeal year round. The regular homeowners in Massanutten gripe to no end about "the timeshare (TS) folks" (my dad had a litany of names for them), but it is largely b/c of the TSs that the property taxes and homeowners' association fees are so low. I think they should consider this before they start whining. My mom is more tolerant than most; she likes meeting new people. That said, she no longer goes into the owners' lounge b/c it is overcrowded with peeps who grab the tables early in the morning and leave their stuff there all day as if it is a locker room.

They are planning to build another section of timeshares outside the gatehouse off of the main road on Bloomer Springs. The locals are having FITS b/c it will destroy their view and add congestion to the "secret" shortcut out to Rt. 33. The excitement is never ending at The Nutt.

@BlizzardBabe : moving this discussion over to the MidA thread.

Has your mother noticed all the changes to the lodge building? Having the Kettle Club on the top floor last season was wonderful. Partially because of the pandemic, no bags were allowed on the floor or the tables. Had to change boot bags on a hook. As is common in New England/NY.

The Kettle Club will be on the top floor from now on. Don't know when the renovations will be finished enough to see the interior. The windows on the top floor were completely changed out to picture windows, matching the lower floors. I think the windows on the ground floor are new too.

I've been re-reading the book about the first 20 years of the Massanutten Resort. Pretty clear that without timeshare, there was a good chance that the rest of the development would never have happened. After Del Webb died in 1974, that shifted the interest of that company in continuing to develop Massanutten in general.

Massanutten Lodge, Late Fall 2021

 

[BlizzardBabe]

We've been watching the progress, but they apparently are way behind due to materials shortages, etc. Since they'll have "real" restroom facilities at the top this year I doubt I'll be in the lodge very much. I'm giving up my locker in favor of a Thule box for my car. I really didn't mind putting on boots in the parking lot last year and the seasonal locker room isn't in the most conveniently located spot anyway -- plus, the ski team kids were always in there and it got horribly crowded (and LOUD).

 

[marzNC]

We've been watching the progress, but they apparently are way behind due to materials shortages, etc.

I'm actually at Massanutten most of this week. My husband is with me for a few days. Then I'll be back for the 50th celebration and Hall of Fame dinner on Nov. 20. Figure I'll be able to find out the latest news at the end of the week.

I saw today that the RFID gates are set place.

 

[marzNC]

I'm giving up my locker in favor of a Thule box for my car. I really didn't mind putting on boots in the parking lot last year and the seasonal locker room isn't in the most conveniently located spot anyway -- plus, the ski team kids were always in there and it got horribly crowded (and LOUD).

I'm totally spoiled using the Kettle Club in the lodge to boot up. Even last season it was possible to hang up boot bags on hooks. There were so few people using the top floor, it was no issue to spend time there booting up or having lunch. Although we ate at the mid-Mountain Grill when it was open when the weather was nice.

Even though the former Owner's Lot is just a general lot now, we always arrive early enough to get a good spot right near the end of the walkway. Once the skis are in a convenient place, we head into the Kettle Club. That's probably the most important perk I get for being a timeshare owner at Massanutten.

 

[marzNC]

Skiing has started in the NC mountains! Sugar opened up on Nov. 15. Cataloochee is looking at Sat, Nov. 20 as Opening Day. Beech got natural snow and may well open before Thanksgiving as well.

 

[marzNC]

Canaan Valley plans to open on Nov. 18. The upgrades to the snowmaking infrastructure in recent years may be paying off. CV switched to RFID for lift access for 2021-22.

Turns out the CV is also celebrating 50 years during 2021-22. Like Massanutten, CV opened up for the 1971-72 season. The trails are in the same area as a lost ski area that opened very close by in the 1950s and 1960s.

CV is owned and owned and operated by the Canaan Valley Resort State Park. The CV Lodge close by was completely renovated several years ago. There is a free shuttle to get across the road. Staying there to ski both CV and Timberline can make for a fun short trip.

Canaan Valley Resort Ski Area Celebrates 50th Anniversary

With Multi-Million Dollar Improvements Davis, W.Va. (November 15, 2021) – Canaan Valley Resort’s ski area, the site of the first commercial ski development in West Virginia and any state south...

www.skisoutheast.com

 

[BlizzardBabe]

I'm so ready. Just got my Epic Day Pass for WT/L/RT as well.

 

[marzNC]

Just got my Epic Day Pass for WT/L/RT as well.

Are you on an elist for Epic in general or one of the PA locations? I'm wondering if there are announcements going out about opening dates. VR websites are too generic these days to be much help during early season when it's really a matter of weather for snowmaking more than anything else.

 

[BlizzardBabe]

I'm on the 7-day EPIC Day Pass for the limited number of resorts + the extra $ for holidays. I only plan to use it at WT and Liberty. My office is closed b/w Xmas and New Years, but I can't stay at The Nutt all of those days. The Epic will allow me to drive over to WT/L for the day and come home in the evening. I can use the remainder of the days during the week in Feb.

 

[marzNC]

Here's an article of interest to anyone who skis in western PA (Blue Knob, 7Springs, Hidden Valley, Laurel). Prices will be a little higher for people who don't buy lift tickets in advance online.

November 17, 2021

You’ll pay more to hit the slopes this year skiing, snowboarding

If you’re a fan of shredding fresh powder each winter, you’ll pay more at most places around the region this year.

www.wpxi.com

 

[marzNC]

Here's what early season skiing can look like in the southeast. This is a run at Sugar Mountain in the NC mountains. While there has been a little natural snow, what's on the trail is essentially all from the snow guns. Sugar typically wants to be open first, if at all possible, preferably with one run from the top.

Cataloochee and Beech should be open soon.

 

[marzNC]

The TGR film is showing in Banner Elk, NC on Nov. 20. The Warren Miller film is showing in Charlotte, NC on Nov. 29.

PA, VA, TN also have a date for Warren Miller.

 

[marzNC]

Here's an article of interest to anyone who skis in western PA (Blue Knob, 7Springs, Hidden Valley, Laurel). Prices will be a little higher for people who don't buy lift tickets in advance online.

November 17, 2021

You’ll pay more to hit the slopes this year skiing, snowboarding

If you’re a fan of shredding fresh powder each winter, you’ll pay more at most places around the region this year.

www.wpxi.com

Some more info for folks who ski in western PA.

November 15, 2021

Local resorts add more lifts, snowmaking gear for snowsports season; Seven Springs opens this weekend

After a stressful snowsports season last winter that focused on dealing with a pandemic, local and regional resorts rebounded this summer and fall with...

www.post-gazette.com

 

[marzNC]

There will be plenty of snowmaking in the next week in NC and WV for sure. Here's the first weather forecast from Brad Panovich, who is the TV weatherman in Charlotte. He's been doing snow forecasts for SkiSE for years. If you are wondering . . . Brad is a skier. He usually takes his family out west once a year for a ski vacation during spring break.

 

[marzNC]

Cataloochee in NC opened this morning. Check out the live webcams for how things look. Per usual, the coverage is solid on the open trails. Even have the bottom half of the teaching terrain covered so that it's possible to ski down from the "rock star" parking along the road. I learned about parking there from @SarahXC . Always pays to be an early bird on weekends.

Webcams of Cataloochee Ski Area

Webcams of Cataloochee Ski Area including omigosh, ski lodge and hemphill bald view

cataloochee.com

 

[BlizzardBabe]

I am so jealous. I can't ski yet, so I'm ski shopping. If I don't get on the slopes soon I may have to buy something.