Mid-Atlantic/Southeast skiing (PA, NJ, DC, MD, VA, WV, NC, TN) for 2024-25

[marzNC]

Pretty unusual when OpenSnow can share multiple pictures of natural snow on the group from NC to PA before Thanksgiving.

Places in western PA ended up with 12 inches of natural snow. Seven Springs didn't have the right conditions to start snowmaking before the snowstorm hit. Haven't seen a target date for opening yet.

November 22, 2024

While Seven Springs records 12 inches of snow, PennDOT reports no major issues on roads in Laurel Highlands

PennDOT trucks were trying to keep up with the weather and keep the roads clear.

www.cbsnews.com

" . . .
Brett Cook, the vice president and general manager of Seven Springs, said that this is exactly what they want to see up here on the mountain. So the big question is, will this snowfall allow resorts like Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain to open early?

"Nobody wants to get open more than us," Cook said. "Nine inches of snow is fantastic. Unfortunately, when you condense that down, it doesn't equate to a whole lot. So, we need quite a bit more of natural snow. But we are going to be firing up the snow system hopefully the middle of next week and with the way the temperatures are looking right now, it's trending colder for us."
. . ."

 

[marzNC]

My first experience at a demo day with brand tents was at SugarFest when my daughter was young enough that I invited a non-skiing friend along to babysit so I could demo. Sounds like SugarFest at Sugar Mountain near Boone, NC has returned to a "new normal." What's different than twenty years ago is that the main lift to the summit is a high-speed detachable, instead of a very old, slow double chair. If I weren't going to skiing in Colorado Dec. 13-15, I'd consider going to help support the businesses in western NC still recovering from the flooding from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Sugar opened on Nov. 22 with the usual top-to-bottom run. Beat Cataloochee by a day this season.

 

[tinymoose]

Eastern PA updates:

- Montage is hoping to open on 12/6
- Blue Mountain was aiming for this Friday but has had to delay it due to weather.

 

[Alyssm]

Big Snow just announced a Holiday Weekend 50% off Sale, including their 6 pack tickets Big Snow Sale

 

[Alyssm]

I'm planning to visit friends who live near Charlottesville, VA for New Years. I have an Indy pass, and am thinking about hitting Wintergreen or Massanutten on the way (I live in NJ). Anyone have any tips for a 1st timer at either mountain? I'm an intermediate skier and both areas look good from the trail maps.

 

[marzNC]

I'm planning to visit friends who live near Charlottesville, VA for New Years. I have an Indy pass, and am thinking about hitting Wintergreen or Massanutten on the way (I live in NJ). Anyone have any tips for a 1st timer at either mountain? I'm an intermediate skier and both areas look good from the trail maps.

Keep in mind I'm completely biased when it comes to Massanutten (Mnut). It's been my home mountain for about twenty years. I drive 4 hours 1-way from NC and go past Wintergreen for assorted reasons. I've taken more than one family with kids who were learning to ski to Mnut. Started when my daughter was in elementary school and continued when she was too busy with school to go. Since she opted to stay in NC after college, we went together with a friend's tween a couple times last season.

Where have you skied the most in recent years? I've skied a number of places in the Catskills and have sampled New England skiing as well. Mostly when my daughter was in school up north.

Mnut is easier to reach because it's right off US33, a 4-lane highway except for a short section going over the Shenandoah Mountains when driving from Charlottesville. Wintergreen is an upside-down resort so must drive more 2-lane road after getting off US29 south of Charlottesville. It's harder to figure out where to park once you get to the "base."

During the holidays, the fact that Mnut has a high-speed detachable that loads mid-Mountain that serves blue and black trails probably means less waiting in lift lines than at Wintergreen. Plus the separate black trails off the Highlands lift at Wintergreen are unlikely to be completely open by early January. Mnut won't be 100% open either but is likely to have more ways to have fun on the upper mountain farther away from beginners and ambitious intermediates.

Since so much was new in the last couple years, I did a trip report for 2023-24. Take a look and post up any questions. Warning . . . I can talk about Mnut all the day.

TR Massanutten Jan. 11-17, 2023

Not sure I've ever done a trip report for Massanutten. It became my home mountain before I joined TheSkiDiva in 2009. Usually just post comments in the annual Mid-Atlantic/Southeast thread. Thought it was worth a separate report because of the new trails and other changes for the 2022-23...

www.theskidiva.com

 

[marzNC]

The Timberline Black Friday sale for gift cards is back. Can only buy one online Nov. 29 thru Dec. 2, 2024. While they don't ever expire, $10 is deducted on April 1 if has been no activity for the previous 12 months. Save $5 for a $50 gift card, $15 for $100, or $30 for $150.

A Timberline day ticket is $95 for ages 13-59 or $69 for kids, seniors 60+, or military. What's not as obvious is that the RFID card for lift access is also a "gift card" in the sense that it can carry a value that can be used for Food & Beverage or stuff from the resort shop at any time. Can add to that "gift card" with three types of $10 credits: Short Day (< 4 hours), Midweek, Late Day (after 1pm). For people who ski midweek and are willing to book a room or condo in the Davis Valley, fairly easy to get more than one of the credits on the same day.

Here's what I've done in the past when I've done an overnight stay to ski Timberline during two consecutive days. While a day trip when I'm staying at Massanutten is possible, that's a pretty long day so I prefer planning a trip to stay overnight at least two nights.

1). Buy a discounted gift card (gets mailed to the house)
2). Use the gift card to get a day ticket, usually in person together with any credit from the previous season
3). Use gift card value(s) for food at Timberline
4). Ski the first day of the trip to WV
5). Use gift card value to buy a second day ticket
6). Ski second day

Since I usually drive from Massanutten for trips to Timberline, skiing the first afternoon after having lunch at Timberline using a gift card value from the previous season works out well. Note that the $10 credit(s) are added automatically after the lifts close for the day.

Timberline was the test bed for how RFID cards for lift access could be used in this way. A manager at Perfect North came up with the idea. Eventually the same system was implemented at Perfect North. Needless to say, it has encouraged me to return for at least a day or two every season since the Perfect family brought Timberline back to life.

 

[marzNC]

Snowmaking is going full force in TN, NC, WV, and VA today!

The high was barely over 50 at my house near Raleigh and it felt quite cold. The arctic blast should mean plenty more open slopes by the first weekend of December in the southeast. Watching webcams should be good fun for the next few days.

 

[marzNC]

- Blue Mountain was aiming for this Friday but has had to delay it due to weather.

Blue Mountain in PA decided to push to Dec. 12. Guess they decided having more trails open a bit later made more sense given that they missed Thanksgiving weekend.

 

[HikenSki]

Super excited to see everyone blowing snow! The midatlantic resorts need a good season after last year’s terrible warm weather and conditions. I’m rooting for Whitetail in PA to have a good base by early January. I signed up for their Women of Whitetail program as a Christmas present to myself to get my confidence and ski skills back before we head to Timberline for a week in early Feb. Hoping to finally check out Canaan while there.

 

[tinymoose]

Blue Mountain in PA decided to push to Dec. 12. Guess they decided having more trails open a bit later made more sense given that they missed Thanksgiving weekend.

Interesting. They're usually one of the first to push for an early/first open. Montage is planning to open this coming Friday (6th).

 

[marzNC]

Interesting. They're usually one of the first to push for an early/first open. Montage is planning to open this coming Friday (6th).

Wonder if the fire that came so close is any factor at all.

I expect quite a few slopes to open up next weekend in PA. In VA too.

It's supposed to get into the 20s at my house in central NC all of next week! Just as well I'm heading west to Colorado in a few days.

 

[Pandita]

7 Springs is opening Friday Dec 6!! They are blowing snow at Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain in PA as well. So glad all of the resorts are taking advantage of this cold weather. At least they will be able to get a start to the season. I wonder how many more of the mid-atlantic resorts will open with this fantastic snow-making weather.

Cheers to a good season

 

[marzNC]

Opening dates for the southeast are set for those resorts that didn't open by Thanksgiving weekend have been announced by more resorts. Snowguns on all over the region even during the day on Dec. 2. There is a warm spell expected Dec. 8-10, then more cold nights good for snowmaking.

Wintergreen has plenty of snowguns firing. It was 26 degrees at the top of the summit lift at Massanutten at noon today, so should be plenty cold at Wintergreen too. But no announcement of an opening date yet.

Hatley Pointe opened up their lodge to the public on Nov. 29. Hard to predict about the slopes since it's their first time using the entire snowmaking system that was installed in the last year or so.

Canaan Valley is building up snow on their tubing hill and the slopes near them first. I expect CV to be open by mid-December.

SOUTHEAST OPENING DATES - as of Dec. 1, 2024

Sugar, NC - 22Nov
^ Ober, TN - 23Nov
^ Cataloochee, NC - 23Nov
Beech, NC - 30Nov
Appalachian, NC - 03Dec
* Snowshoe, WV - 06Dec (delayed from 27Nov)
Timberline, WV - 06Dec
^ Wisp, MD - 06Dec
^ Bryce, VA - 07Dec
^ Massanutten, VA - 14Dec

^ Indy Pass
* Ikon Pass

 

[marzNC]

Today is a good day to check out the webcams from your favorite resort in the mid-Atlantic or southeast to see what daytime snowmaking looks like. It's colder in western PA than in southern New England.

 

[BlizzardBabe]

Tubing at Massanutten opens this weekend. Season Pass opening is Friday, Dec. 13 and public opening, as @marzNC noted, is the 14th.

 

[marzNC]

Tubing at Massanutten opens this weekend. Season Pass opening is Friday, Dec. 13 and public opening, as @marzNC noted, is the 14th.

Will you ski this weekend? I'll be in Colorado.

 

[Tennessee]

Planning to ski Beech on Wednesday 12/4! I’ll report back if it works out. Not going to fight any snow guns

 

[BlizzardBabe]

Will you ski this weekend? I'll be in Colorado.

No, unfortunately. I'll be kayaking on Chesapeake Bay, though. My first ski day will be the 13th.

 

[marzNC]

No, unfortunately. I'll be kayaking on Chesapeake Bay, though. My first ski day will be the 13th.

Cold weather for being on the water! But then I'm not a water person at all.

From looking at the Mnut webcams this morning, looks like they are snowmaking on Easy Street (Geronimo) and Meadow already! Plus the blues off the top. Pretty clear that there will be far more than the three core trails open on Passholder Preview Day.