If I didn't have a kid that still needs me to be her chauffeur, I'd be asking to ride along.  Have fun!

Quote:

Originally Posted by crgildart 

Haha.  My kid asked about coming along.  I had to be honest and told him I didn't think he'd enjoy tagging along tomorrow with the possibly crazy crowds and sketchy snow blowing super cold conditions.  I  told him I'll take him on a warmer, less crowded, easier beginner skiing snow day.  When he saw the temps he decided to make other plans for tomorrow.  Not exactly sure what time I'm waking up and leaving, but shotgun is usually available for anyone that wants to tag along from Durham North and West

A few years ago I went to Beech with friends from W-S on a Sat.  Didn't bother to bring my daughter since temps were going to be in the teens all day. I don't expect her to want to ski when it's raining either.  She's way past the beginner stage, so she will ski when it's snowing at Alta. :-)

We're headed back to Massanutten next weekend.  That's our "home mountain", partially because DD also loves the indoor waterpark.  Hoping they can get Upper Showtime open.  Wasn't much to ski on the week before Christmas.  We spent time at the new ice skating rink instead.

FYI, I'm 10 min southeast of Southpoint.

The snow they did have at Massanutten was okay Dec. 18-20 but after the rain on Dec. 21 we didn't bother to ski again.

We'll be at Mnut most weekends in Jan since we have season passes good any day.  We own at Massanutten, so can always get a condo unit on resort for relatively money.  Normally we can stick to Lift 6 and the two black runs at the top of the mountain to avoid waiting in a lift line, even on a holiday weekend.  Plus can ski at the top in the lights too.  Since they replaced the last original double for with a relatively speedy triple for Lift 5, that helps a lot for the steeper & longer blue.  Hoping Showtime will be open from the top next weekend.  For kids, I like Mnut a lot better than Wintergreen for a variety of reasons.  Especially on weekends.

I will be at Appalachian mtn. this weekend if anyone wants to join. My son has his first GS race of the season on Sunday. Will be there bright and early Sat. till around noon on Sunday. Come and support him, its his first year and first race. He will run the gates for the first time Sat. morning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crgildart 

.  I've kind of promised to take the kid skiing so I'll likely be somewhere that day trying to be patient with him on the greens. 

I feel your pain! I got my oldest down his first Black in Dec. and started over on greens with his younger brother the same day. At least at App. its small enough to let my oldest go off with his friends and I can stay with his brother on the greens. 2 down 2 more to teach, will I ever be able to improve on my skills!

Last year we did Upward BBall, he didn't realize it interfered with skiing until games started. This year I found hcjrs.com, You should check it out for future  years. Very reasonable and a great reason to have to take em skiing several times a year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crgildart 

OK will hold for CJ

Still available.  I missed the boot size (11.5 toddler).  Thanks anyway!

CJ

I get a few days at home now and BANG no snow??????

I hope we get a little in the next couple of weeks I should get a chance to ski again before Korea on the 5th ( yes im gunna take my boots along)

Looks like later this week they will get cold enough to make snow, Im looking at next Tuesday to ski, maybe Monday. You know my work will post as it gets closer.

Taking new friends who moved from NYC last summer to Massanutten.  Open to the top of Lifts 5 and 6 as of last week.  Showtime was fun last weekend, especially with the new triple.  Makes the ride as fast as Lift 6.  Pretty much had the run to myself all morning, except for Massanutten ski team and instructor training groups.

I am not scedualled for anything on Monday yet ( hope I didnt just Jink myself) will keep you informed.

Also what the heck is a Massanutten? ( general location from Charlotte area)

Massanutten is in northern VA, 15 miles off I-81 near Harrisonburg.  300 miles from Charlotte, all interstate highway.  For me, it's 4 hours from my house in the Triangle with no worries about rush hour traffic, via Hillsborough, Danville, Lynchburg.

Mnut is celebrating it's 40th anniversary as a southeast ski area this winter.  It's a little mountain but bottom line for me is that Lift 6 at the top never has a lift line, even on holiday weekends.  All runs are lit so late afternoon and night skiing on the black runs is possible, unlike at Wintergreen.  They've replaced all the original slow double chairs.  Three quads (two with conveyor loading to help beginners), and a triple put in for Lift 5 this summer.  Only Diamond Jim is open for Lift 6, but Showtime off Lift 5 is a nice run that's reasonably steep above mid-station.  In fact, Upper Showtime was better last weekend since DJ got icy at the top and had racing in the morning.

Trail map and stats:

http://massresort.com/v.php?pg=46

Here are some pics from Jan 2011 when the entire mountain was open.

http://s453.photobucket.com/albums/qq253/marzlook/Mnut%202010t11/Mnut%2027Jan/

Massanutten: 70 acres, 1155' vert, longest run 0.77 mile (ParaDice 4100, DJ 3300, Showtime 2800)

  825' vert for Lift 6 runs (ParaDice, Diamond Jim)

Wintergreen: 129 acres, 1003' vert, longest run 1.4 mile

  Highland Express 3612 ft, 991 vert

  Acorn lift 1672 ft, 530 vert

  Blue Ridge Express 2371 ft, 402 vert

 

Beech: 95 acres, 830' vert, longest run 1.0 mile (Oz or ?)

 

I discovered Mnut when my daughter was two.  She's 11 and we've been going regularly since she started skiing at age 4.  The ski school is very good.  The bonus for her is that Mnut has an indoor waterpark.  Added outdoor ice skating this winter.  So plenty to do if the skiing isn't the best.  That was important before Christmas last month.  We did get in two days on the snow before the rain pretty much shut things down for the ski hill.

 

As you can tell, I like the place. 

Here is a classic TR from the historic dump in Dec 2009 that buried Washington DC and other mid-Atlantic cities.  EastCoaster lives in DC.  He normally does back country in Utah several times a season.  Willing to hike anything for a good powder run . . . check out his faceshot on Diamond Jim at Mnut.

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/showpost.php?p=198664&postcount=1

Here's my TR about MLK weekend in Jan 2011.  Won't be quite as nice this weekend since ParaDice and MakAttack have not snow at all, but with the triple for Showtime that should mean less of a line there.

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=13295

Massanutten has become a large timeshare resort since the 1980's.  That means most of the skiers/boarders on a holiday weekend are beginners or intermediates, which means most will never try Lift 6 because they are scared of loading the lift.  They usually are on the slopes from 10:30 (after renting on the mountain) to about 3:00.  Can buy a 4-hour or 8-hour lift ticket.  Advanced skiers from DC go to Wintergreen or PA or WV.  I would go to WV if I lived closer to Snowshoe, but the extra two hour drive isn't worth it.  Winterplace or Wintergreen are great mid-week but a zoo on weekends, even non-holiday.  Possible to get a full season pass at Mnut good any day, including weekends and holidays.  Not possible at Wintergreen.  So for me, driving an extra 30-45 minutes is well worth it.

Thanks for the update and TR on Massanutten.  Any idea how it compares to Sugar?

 I think the longest run at Beech is from Upper Shawnee and down.

CJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJO 

Thanks for the update and TR on Massanutten.  Any idea how it compares to Sugar?

 

 I think the longest run at Beech is from Upper Shawnee and down.

 

CJ

Massanutten: 70 acres, 1155' vert, longest run 0.77 mile (ParaDice 4100, DJ 3300, Showtime 2800)

App: 27 acres, 365' vert, longest run 0.5 mile

Beech: 95 acres, 830' vert, longest run 1.0 mile (Oz or ?)

Sugar: 115 acres, 1200' vert, longest run 1.5 mile

Winterplace: 125 acres, 603' vert, longest run 1.25 mile; upper mountain about 400' vert

Snowshoe: 244 acres, 1500' vert Western, 800' other areas, longest run 1.5 mile

At Mnut, a lap on DJ including the ride up is 10 min, about 7 min on Lift 5.  From what I remember of the main Sugar lift, that means about 3 laps on DJ in the same time it takes to do two runs from the top of Sugar.  Personally, I hate slow lifts and I'm also spoiled by the paved Mnut parking lots.  No need for a shuttle bus at Mnut.  For weekend skiing, it's no contest that I get more time skiing at Mnut than other places within a 4 hour drive of Raleigh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crgildart 

I haven't been there yet, Wintergreen is the only VA place I've skied.

It is a bit off the beaten path for us day trippers, but doable for a DC Ski, EpicSki, SkiSE gathering for sure. 

Massanutten would be better for a gathering of families with kids who ski/board than just a bunch of adults.  Unless the adults also happen to be fans of waterpark fun or want to play golf too.  The valley golf course is pretty much open year round unless there is snow on the ground.  Then there are some great places for sledding.  The snow tubing is quite good too.

For me, I also like the fact that Mnut is one area with one ski lodge.  Unlike how Wintergreen is separate areas.  I was comfortable letting DD ski with a ski buddy or go in first at Mnut by the time she was 8.  When on the hill, I can get to any place on the mountain in five minutes.  At W'green, if you are at the Highlands then getting over to Acorn can take a while.  Especially if there is a line for Highlands and Blue Ridge Express.