Washington Post Survey
July 26, 2005
The Post is running a survey to vote for the best ski resort in the region. Voting runs to 8/1/05. You may need to register for Washingtonpost.com to vote, but get in there and make your feelings known. Here's the link
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn...&bannerID=0
Salt Lake City is only four hours away... why isn't Snowbird on the list? What's Crush supposed to vote for?
cool! Would like to see the results
I expect everyone to vote for Timberline.
John, even I may vote Timberline... The delay in new terrain at Snowshoe is inconceivable. The lines this year may be unbearable. That is, if we have a winter...
I agree with lbotta ... I sure didn't vote for Snowshoe and for the same reason. That's not to say we don't ski there but I think that lately they have been living way too much on their previous reputation. I voted for a resort that is actively building facilities for skiers. Sorry John, cant vote for Timberline ... yet, not been there, maybe this winter!
Lou and Snowcone:
I was up there yesterday and am impressed by the progress on the new trail. While it is obviously an access trail for housing lots and fairly flat, it's also incredibly long--nearly as long as Salamander. Once completed, it will give beginners two great top-to-bottom options and keep them away from the blues, blacks, and double blacks. Timberline already has some of the least conjested slopes in the region and they will get even quieter once this new trail is finished. People complain about the slow lifts at Timberline but as in the case of MRG, they do keep traffic down on the slopes, which can make for terrific powder days, even on weekends. That's what people say over and over again on the lifts, "Complain all you want about Timberline, but nothing in the region beats its ample terrain after a good snowfall." It takes a few days before all the stashes in the woods get tracked out.
I think part of the problem at Snowshoe is that the specialization of functional directorates in a corporate entity allows for non-coordinated action -- that is the lodging and ski operations segments don't necessarily talk to each other. Snowshoe clearly sees that it has become a crowded resort and yet more development takes place with no commesurate effort in the ski trail expansion. Recipe for crowds.
Quote:
I think part of the problem at Snowshoe is that the specialization of functional directorates in a corporate entity allows for non-coordinated action -- that is the lodging and ski operations segments don't necessarily talk to each other. Snowshoe clearly sees that it has become a crowded resort and yet more development takes place with no commesurate effort in the ski trail expansion. Recipe for crowds.
There's a similar disconnect between development and ski area expansion at Timberline, although the results are very different. Various realtors continue to sell housing lots for outrageous sums of money when what the market wants are less expensive, slopeside condos. The result: lots of trophy homes on the market and almost no condos. Also, the trophy homes do not solve the lodging problems at Timberline because most skiers can't afford to rent them. I'm not complaining too much because the situation still translates into low crowds, but it does not make me optimistic about the long-term financial health of the resort. Timberline desperately needs more Snowshoe style condos to build up its skier numbers.
Guess the Timberline building craze obeys the principle of cash-rich Urban Gold Coast (real estate term for the yuppie cliche) buying the eastern part of WV as they look for liebensraum for their vacation homes... I still wonder why condos are nor a part of this framework, as they are certainly high on demand...But what the heck, john, as long as there is a low supply of condos, you will have a sterling investment property!
Well, I started this, and while I skied TL once, and was impressed by the terrain, the infrastructure (lifts and lodge) were awful. Snowshoe is just too far away.
I voted for Wintergreen, as it's where I ski most often. The slopes themselves get a little crowded, especially in the afternoon, but they've put two high-speed six packs in, and if you're there first thing in the morning, you can get a phenomenal amount of skiing in before the crowds hit. They've also invested in the best snowmaking, literally, in the world. Facilities are pleasant, and everything is well organized.
They are adding more new terrain to the Highlands this year also.
John - I agree that the limited terrain there is good, but the lifts suck. The have to be the slowest lifts with the exception of the ancient lift at Blue Knob. I would say on a weekday, I'll take 7Springs anyday.
It seems to me that T-Line is content as staying as a small mountain. They have the terain to be a big time destination, but the basic infactrucute: lifts, parking, lodging, dining, etc... is all way to small to accomodate real crowds. Look at the access road.
The lifts are indeed HORRIBLE, and atrocious. Most Eastern European resorts of Timberline's size have better lift infrastructure--that's how bad it is. What gets me is why people are buying $550,000 houses on this mountain? The natural snow and lack of crowds are good, but the lift and snowmaking infrastructure is not up to American ski industry standards. Talk about a paradox? We've debated these issues before but I am still shocked by the situation.
BTW, I did exactly what Snowsmith suggested last season: I skied 7S during the week and T-line on the weekend. It was a great combo.
Tips to Timberline's Survival
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1.) Pave the parking lot. Please?! I'm tired of playing dodge the potholes when walking.
2.) Two or Three star type of hotel within 1/2 mile radius of the lodge. Be it Timberline owned or a 3rd party ownership, having one located before driving to the Winterset area would be a good place. Shuttle service maybe...? If not, several Day's Inn's or Motel 6's could suffice alont Rt 32.
3.) At least one optimal dining place within a 3 mile drive of Timberline and Canaan. Although a Golden Corral or Western Sizzlin would be just as great along 32 somewhere between Canaan and Timberline.
4.) If something isn't done about night skiing and having lights, I'm gonna start stringing fricking construction flood lights. I want a top to bottom green for kiddie fun at night.
Thinking about how resorts are rated by Ski Mag. I thought we might consider categories:
Scenery: 1st: Blue Knob, 2nd: Timberline
Challenge: Blue Knob
Apre Ski: Seven Springs, Wisp
Lodging: Snowshoe, Seven Springs, Wintergreen
Lifts: Seven Springs, Whitetail
Family: Canaan, Hidden Valley
Dining: Snowshoe
Snowmaking/grooming: Seven Springs, Wisp, Snowshoe
Access: 1st: Roundtop, Liberty Last: Snowshoe
Terrain: 1st:Snowshoe 2nd: Seven Springs 3rd:Timberline
