I went to Massanutten once over a decade ago. I remember vowing to myself never to go again. For the price and the crowds, it was a really disappointing experience. (And I'm well-accustomed to the mediocrity of MidAtlantic skiing.)

I have an opportunity to go again this week. It would be this Friday, so hopefully some reduced weekday costs/crowds? I also haven't kept up with what, if any, improvements have been made there over the last several years.

So is Massanutten worth it?

* In this area, I'm most accustomed to Whitetail... if someone tells me that Massanutten is equal to or better than Whitetail, I'd be inclined to give it another shot. If not, I'll save my money.

Sure it's worth it if the conditions hold, esp. on a weekday and would be a nice change over Whitetail if you've got a ride down there.  Marznc has been reporting good stuff on Massanutten lately:  http://www.dcski.com/forum/78391#new

Not sure of your past experience there.  It can be unpleasant if you hit a really huge day for crowds.  But even then the advanced lift pod with Diamond Jim and Paradice trails provides about 850' vertical of nice cruising and usually modest crowds.  Views from atop Rebel Yell chair, both into the Massanutten property/bowl and south to Shen Valley are very pretty.

Second all JimK says!

view shown is into The Kettle, easily one of the prettiest in Mid-A skiing and really unique!  And the view south into the Shen Valley is more than worth taking skis off and climbing a few steps up!  Massinutten is a small range running between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Alleghanies in the middle of the valley, between Front Royal and roughly Harrisonburg.

The Colonel

plateau-reached wrote:

I went to Massanutten once over a decade ago. I remember vowing to myself never to go again. For the price and the crowds, it was a really disappointing experience. (And I'm well-accustomed to the mediocrity of MidAtlantic skiing.)

I have an opportunity to go again this week. It would be this Friday, so hopefully some reduced weekday costs/crowds? I also haven't kept up with what, if any, improvements have been made there over the last several years.

So is Massanutten worth it?

* In this area, I'm most accustomed to Whitetail... if someone tells me that Massanutten is equal to or better than Whitetail, I'd be inclined to give it another shot. If not, I'll save my money.

 

 

 

Are you talking about today or next Friday, Jan. 17?  Only asking because I'm here at Mnut this week.  Leaving Sunday after the Silver Clinic.

Mnut has changed a LOT in the last ten years.  I started skiing here in 2004.  The old double chairs were replaced.  The beginner lifts at the base now have conveyor loading so they rarely stop.  Lift 6 at the top never has a lift line, even on weekends, because advanced skiers don't know Mnut.  With 1100 vertical, the 5 steeper blues/blacks compare very well to Whitetail in terms of challenage and variety.  DJ and Paradice are about 825 vertical by themselves, oompared a total vertical at Whitetail of 935.  I checked out Whitetail for the first time on Monday.  Given what I know of Mnut, I wouldn't drive there because of terrain.  If I lived in DC, I might drive to Whitetail mid-week but I would still drive to Mnut on weekends.

For more than you want to know about Massanutten, look here for my guide on EpicSki.

http://www.epicski.com/a/massanutten-an-unofficial-guide

In case you're wondering, I'm an older mom who became an advanced skier after my daughter was ready for blues at Alta several years ago.  I do not get bored at Mnut.  Especially when it's 100% open and the connector between Lift 5 and Lift 6 is open so it's easier to stay at the top of the mountain for as many hours as I can last.

Right now Mnut is 100% open.  With all the snow they made during the cold snap, the warm up this weekend won't matter at all.  MakAttack doesn't quite have bumps yet but is certainly a challenge given the height of the snow piles.  Have seen plenty of lost skis as intermediates try getting down it.  Paradise and DJ are more fun that usual because there are lots of snow whales providing contours instead of a flat surface.

Hoping it doesn't rain too much tomorrow, Jan. 11, for the demo day by Freestyle of Charlottesville.  Should be nice on Sunday.

Thanks for the feedback -- it encourages me to give Massanutten another try.

And yes, I'd be going this coming Friday (Jan. 17).

I think the one time I went (again, over a decade ago) was a Saturday. I've learned since that there are very few ski areas around here worth tolerating for weekend prices/crowds. 

plateau-reached wrote:

Thanks for the feedback -- it encourages me to give Massanutten another try.

And yes, I'd be going this coming Friday (Jan. 17).

I think the one time I went (again, over a decade ago) was a Saturday. I've learned since that there are very few ski areas around here worth tolerating for weekend prices/crowds. 

Yeah, mid-week is always better than a weekend anywhere.  Although at Mnut, few people make it onto the slopes before 11:00am.  Even fewer people on Sunday or a holiday Monday because a lot of people stay on resort and check out time is 10am.  There is enough other stuff to do at the resort that families who are not really into skiing often only ski one day.  Special Value Passes include Sundays, which is another indication that Sundays are not busy on the slopes.

For Mnut on a weekend when there is a >2 hour drive involved, the optimum method is to get a 2-day lift ticket for Sat & Sun.  That includes night skiing both days.  Ski Sat morning then take a long lunch break, then ski again from 3:00 or so until too tired.  Or come on a holiday weekend for Sun-Mon.  Really not that busy on a hoilday Mon.  All trails are lit.  Many options for motels in Harrisonburg, 12 miles away.

Mnut just annouced that there will be major renovations for the ski lodge for the 2014-15 season.  That will be quite a change.  They are putting the finishing touches on the new building for snow tubing and the Adventure Park (ziplines, etc.).  Clearly are working their way through a long term capital improvement plan.  First lifts and snowmaking equipment, then buildings.  Seems pretty sensible to me.

To see whether or not Mnut is blowing snow when it gets cold later this week, can check the webcams:

http://www.massresort.com/v.php?pg=728

Note that you can't see Lift 5 or any of the runs off Lift 5 from the base.  With the rain and warm weather, the snow whales were gone by Sat.  They had to use the extra snow to keep the coverage deep side-to-side.  But didn't get nearly as much rain as PA and NY.  No hard rain during the day on Friday at all.  Only rained between 11:30 and 3:00 on Saturday.  Very localized.  Heard that it poured at the lodge for a few minutes when a friend and I went back out around 2:30, but all we found was light rain up higher up on the mountain.  By the time the lights came up, you could see the Shenandoah Valley from the top.

Friday afternoon, Jan. 11, after the fog cleared

Upper MakAttack, never groomed