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Timberline Snow Report
December 23, 2004
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johnfmh - DCSki Columnist
December 21, 2004
Member since 07/18/2001 🔗
1,986 posts
The resort just posted an updated snow report with predictions for trail openings:

http://www.timberlineresort.com/snowreports.asp

Sadly, Salamander, Dew Drop, and Almost Heaven will not open until 27 December. There's also no indication on the report if Timberline is making snow on Dew Drop or Almost Heaven. Does anyone know if they are?
johnfmh - DCSki Columnist
December 23, 2004
Member since 07/18/2001 🔗
1,986 posts
There's been some controversy this year about the snow totals being reported by Timberline. They do not correlate with White Grass or Canaan Valley's totals. The issue was reported today here:

http://www.skisoutheast.com/article.asp?id=116

For the record, I'm not one of the people complaining. I don't care what the snow total is because it means nothing: what's on the trail is what counts. However, I do think that Timberline should get with the program and employ proper NOAA methodology for measuring snow.

Snowshoe has been pushing for all area resorts to employ this methedology and if resorts are confused, I suggest they contact Snowshoe Mountain Operations to see how the pros do it there.
JR
December 23, 2004
Member since 01/1/2003 🔗
276 posts
I like the way 7 Springs does it. They list base depth of snow on snowmaking trails AND in natural snow areas. That way you know if there is snow off the trails and if there is enough to actually ski in the trees some. I think all resorts should do this too since snow on ground/on trails is much more important than what natural you got that probably has melted.

As far as the snowfall totals go though I appreciate the fact that they called out some resorts. There's nothing more I hate than being lied to for no good reason other than just blatant deception. Stretching a trace of snow to an inch or 5.1" to 6" is one thing but don't blatantly lie to me and then expect me to do business with you.

I was there once when they hadn't updated their website. We left Morgantown knowing that weather.com was calling for 6-8 inches or so and we expected just that. When we got there they had over a foot. Now THAT is exciting. If, like a few weeks ago, I knew they hadn't gotten more than a couple of inches on the season and within a week they were up to 38", I'd be psyched and rush up there with all the anticipation in the world. Then you'd get there and see 12" and be really let down.

Anyway, enough about that from me
johnfmh - DCSki Columnist
December 23, 2004
Member since 07/18/2001 🔗
1,986 posts
The guy who wrote the story, Mike Doble, said:

Quote:

If I am a first time visitor and I've never seen snow...and I'm driving or flying long distances to get to you, and I call ahead or visit a website and see that a resort had 38" of snow; I'm STOKED! Then once I get to your resort...if I see 24" of snow...I'm disappointed. If you'd have told me you had two or so...upon my arrival I am ONE HAPPY CAMPER. It's all about perception. The fact is if Timberline has had 27" or so of snow...that's a LOT of snow. Just report the facts.




I could not agree more! It mirrors what JR said. My basic point is that all of our ski areas need to get on the same page with respect to snow reporting. Snowshoe has offered a solution: the NOAA methodology. Resorts who refuse to go with the NOAA methodology are just creating problems for themselves in the long run.

BTW, Wisp, a resort most of us respect a lot, was also mentioned in the article:

Quote:

Just so that we can be called fair...we received our fifth email in two days from people claiming that we should be questioning WISP as well. Here's what one man had to say:

"Hey, just thought I'd bring to your attention that Wisp had 2" before the snow last weekend hit, they claimed 10" from that storm and were reporting somewhere around 12" after the storm on Wed, December 15th. Now they have a new "Timberline Magic Snow Cloud" that brought their total up to 24". I appreciate you guys trying to keep these resorts real."





So Timberline is not the only one being "flaky" with regard to snow reporting.
JohnL
December 23, 2004
Member since 01/6/2000 🔗
3,551 posts
For as long as I've been skiing, there has been controversy over what ski areas report for base depths, annual snowfall and surface conditions. Add another item to the list. Several areas are now only listing open trails on their detailed trail reports, with no mention that trail "X" is closed. Seven Springs is one of the guilty ski areas. (I noticed this last night.)


K-Mart Trail Report

Seven Springs Trail Report
jb714
December 23, 2004
Member since 03/4/2003 🔗
294 posts
I was reading the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Website yesterday and they had a link/ad to a website:
http://www.skiengine.com

It has info for quite a number of Mid-Atlantic resorts (including Ohio, of all places). Check out the claimed annual snowfall for the Springs at Laurel Mountain - an eye-popping (and I think truth-stretching) 250". Since they're now under the 7 Springs umbrella, and 7 Springs is claiming only 105" per year, I'm a little surprised by that number.
JR
December 23, 2004
Member since 01/1/2003 🔗
276 posts
"Flaky"
fred
December 23, 2004
Member since 12/23/2004 🔗
59 posts
I was skiing at timberline today and spent my day skiing in the rain all day but the snow was good and I was trying out my brand new skis. I was asking some people who worked at the mountain what was going to be open next week. Right now they have upper white lightning and the bunny hill open. They advertise white out as a seperate trail but for now it basically just the bottom of white lightning. As for what will be open next week-a couple "on hill" employees and locals I talked to said they would probably have salamander and winterset open and maybe lower almost heaven and they suggested full body gear, maybe football or hockey pads-they said with that much holiday traffic and only lightning and salamander open from the top it's going to be downright dangerous. I asked them about upper heaven and upper and lower dew drop and they laughed. I told them it was on the timberline web site that upper heaven and dew drop would be open on the 27th and they laughed harder and then they told me more or less that what goes on at timberline as far as advertising is a bit of a joke and agreed that the customer service is non existent. no kidding, like I needed someone to tell me that- the bar wasn't even open today-on a rain day! The people running the show apparently aren't skiers and don't know much about the skiing industry or more basically what their customers want-why else would you groom on powder days as they have on every powder day i've ever been there skiing. Such a shame-such good terrain and potential. but as for the false advertising we as comsumers have to start holding these resorts accountable!! I just registered for this sight and my good friend owns a condo in canaan and we ski at timberline and canaan all season almost everweekend-i'll be keeping it real this year and posting the inside scoop on these mountains-no false advertising I can gurantee you that.

Oh yeah as I was riding the lift to the top I checked out the new glade runner trail and it looks like they are going to need to either blow a lot of snow in there and prune some branches or move some gnarly looking rocks. If your going to ski on the glade runner early season make sure you stock up on p-tex and watch your eyeballs for low branches. rock on
ski_guy_59
December 23, 2004
Member since 11/9/2001 🔗
221 posts
I looked in the skisoutheast.com archives for the original comments made about resort snow total reporting. I must have looked over it, does anyone have a link to that article?
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