Newsflash - there may soon be a ski/snowboard shuttle bus service from the Washington metropolitan area to Whitetail. If there is enough support to make it feasible, the service could begin on the 31st of December and run every Saturday. There is also a plan for a trip on the Martin Luther King holiday, which is traditionally one of the busiest ski weekends.

The service is proposed by Attiva Outdoors. At this point the shuttle plans to alternate between pickups at the Tysons and Leesburg areas one weekend, and the Washington and Rockville areas the next. But, changes are possible depending on demand. The planned cost is $24.99 roundtrip for the bus transportation. In addition, packages are available which include any combination of lift tickets, rental, and lessons. For $72.00 a package of all three can be purchased, a savings of $22.00 off the regular price at the mountain. With these prices not even today’s hybrid vehicles makes it cost effective to drive your own vehicle to the mountain. If demand is high, Attiva will expand to Sunday service, and possibly trips to Liberty. There might be even more than one trip a day, if there are customers for it.

On a personal note, this is a concept which excites me greatly - and I hope it works. Shuttle bus service has long been a fixture of the great ski resorts in the West. It is also part of the great fun and camaraderie of ski clubs. Some of the best memories of my life were rollicking bus and ski trips with the Fagowees each weekend. A great way to ski and party, and escape some of the doldrums of trying to survive in Washington! And, it was better and safer than in my college days, when I often had to hitchhike hundreds of miles to the slopes!

Brad Kenemuth is co-founder of Attiva with his sister Lori. They are both devoted to outdoor sports and to the environment. The greater the pooled transportation, the fewer cars on the road, polluting the environment and eating up expensive gas. The shuttle will drop the skiers and boarders at the pick up area, and then park in assigned spaces. After a day on the mountains, it is great to pour yourself back onto a shared vehicle, and let someone else do the driving.

The pick up points in the DC metro area are currently being determined. The goal is to locate them near metro lines and public parking facilities, where cars can be left during the day. The advantage of locating the pickups/dropoffs near these facilities is to also allow students, visitors, and residents who do not have cars, and yearn for ways to get to the slopes, an easy opportunity to get away. If this works, it could be a win/win situation for everyone.

Attiva is still a work in progress, and we all have a chance to get in on the ground floor. In addition to the mountain shuttle Attiva is looking at scheduling trips in the spring, summer, and fall. Check them out on their website - www.attivaoutdoors.com - for more information on the ski/snowboard shuttle bus and vote for the other activities you want to participate in during the winter off-season.