It is not nice to fool Mother Nature, but you can certainly try. The temperatures rose to around 50 degrees, the sun was shining, and people were skiing or snowboarding in shorts and shirt sleeves. But there was still abundant, thick, heavy snow on most of the slopes, and the bumps on Exhibition were soft and challenging. All 19 trails were open, but some were showing significant bare spots by the afternoon. This wonderful area of Whitetail was trying valiantly to hang on, but had lost a significant amount of cover on the edges of the trails. A heavy rain storm on Saturday night, March 10, 2007, did not help.

But we had a wonderful time, as always! But, it was work, and my knees and thighs are not in the greatest condition. On each descent, my knees burned and my heart pounded. I had to stop and rest, but it gives plenty of time to enjoy the wonderful countryside, sun and snow. The distant mountains were blue - I thought that only happened in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The hawks were circling, but I saw no deer in the forest or other non-human animals at this time.

I had fun on all the trails, but enjoyed Farside and Bold Decision most on Sunday. They were groomed and in great shape. As I have mentioned, the moguls were on Exhibition Sunday, so that was actually the double diamond trail, while Bold Decision was the easier one. There were no lines or crowds, and everything moved swiftly. As usual, Upper Angel Drop becomes challenging as skiers and snowboarders compete for the same terrain, but we all sorted it out, and no one was hotdogging out of control when I was there.

I noticed the Ski Patrol was more vigilant that usual, and stopped and talked to people who were not acting they way they should. One patroller criticized people on the chairlift who did not have their safety bar down. I thought that was excellent! We are fortunate to have safety bars; unlike some areas in the West which lack them on even the steepest slope. I just hate that!

In the early part of the day, Springfest and pond skimming were in full swing. I was told there were about 65 people who braved the pond. They were lucky; this was not the worst day for them to fall into the cold water.

A terrific band performed for the second year in a row - they are “Jubeus” out of Richmond, Virginia. They had a clear, catchy sound, with both their own original songs and “covers” of well-known groups and music. Their sounds resonated throughout the mountain, and added to the festivities. I was pleased to see some of the visitors buying their CD’s throughout the concert.

Whitetail has a special Spring Value pass, and that appeared to be selling well. 79 dollars buys lift passes through the end of the season. If the snow holds, it could be a good deal. If…

Throughout Whitetail, there was an “around the world” theme, with flags and decorations paying tribute to many parts of the world. That is fitting, because Whitetail and its sister resort, Liberty, have so many guests from around the world. That is what makes skiing and boarding in the Washington and Baltimore region so special.

Inside Guest Services, there was a heavy emphasis on all things Irish. They have begun to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early. Whitetail expects to be open through St. Patrick’s, and beyond, if the snow leprechauns permit. Think cold weather, and a bit of the luck of the Irish! Here’s to sparing of the green!

[Editor’s Note: Whitetail Resort closed for the season at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 18, 2007. On Friday, Whitetail received half a foot of snow, leading to excellent closing weekend conditions. However, decreased skier visits in late March led to the decision to close. Whitetail’s sister resorts, Liberty and Roundtop, decided to extend their closing date past March 18 and will be honoring Whitetail-specific coupons or passes through the remainder of the season. Contact either resort for more details or to verify operating conditions.]