With last week’s depressing warm weather, I seriously questioned my sanity as I packed my bags and departed for Timberline last Thursday night. If we didn’t get the snow promised, I knew the trails would be sheer ice. However, my wife wanted to go up regardless of the conditions because she loves hanging out at the condo. Being in West Virginia gets her away from the office and instead compels her to relax in front of a roaring fire, with a good book, and a warm mug of tea.

My spirits did not improve much during the drive. Just after Scherr, we hit terrible fog, and the fog did not let up until we were nearly in Davis. Exhausted, we went to sleep and did not get up until late. When I finally did manage to get up and peak out the window, I was surprised to see the car covered with a couple inches of fresh snow. The snow kept falling off and on throughout the weekend, eventually bringing another 8 inches to the Canaan Valley. As of 6 January, the season snowfall total for the valley now stands at 65 inches. Keep your fingers crossed folks; we may be headed for a record snowfall year.

Our ski weekend was very leisurely. Since we have season passes, we don’t feel the need to log a lot of vertical every time we visit the resort. Instead, we do a few runs in the morning; eat, read, and relax by the fire; and then do a few more runs in the afternoon. Admittedly, the condo takes much of the hassle out of skiing. I ski when I want, eat my own food, sleep in my own bed, and ski right from my door to the lifts and back. On the other hand, I do not visit other resorts in the region nearly as much as I did when I did not own the Timberline property. In short, I sacrificed variety for convenience when I bought at Timberline.

On this weekend, however, the condo lived up to its promise. Snow conditions kept getting better and better as the weekend progressed. By Sunday, we were skiing “packed” champagne powder. What is more, no one showed up. I asked a ski instructor why this was so, and he replied, “We never get anyone on the weekend after New Years. People are just too tired from the holidays and don’t want to do anything.” Their loss, I thought, as I carved my way down the nearly empty, snow filled slopes of the resort. One of the things I love about Herz Mountain is how big it skis. When you ski the Upper and Lower Thunderdraft pair or Upper Dew Drop/Lower Heaven combo, you truly feel like you are skiing a mid-sized New England mountain. Factor in generally manageable crowds and some of the best snow in the region and you have one superb local ski resort. I can’t wait to return soon.

Photos by John Sherwood.