7S ranked #1 in mid-atlantic (over Snowshoe) again
November 11, 2005
24 posts
17 users
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Yes...and I personally find it hard to understand how 7springs outranks snowshoe unless they just do a much better job of 'getting out the vote' Also, I don't know how the two compare on volume of skiers.
However, I read the article and, as 7springs so aptly points out in their own release, their ranking had NOTHING to do with the quality of their skiing!!!
7S out ranks SS for me becuase of the simple fact that I ahve nevre driven 6 hours to SS when 7S is 3:15 from DC. Location, location, location. :P --Tim
Tim,
See, for me it's probably 6 of one, half-a-dozen of another. I can get to Snowshoe in just about 4 hours. I believe that 7-Springs would be about the same coming from south-western Fairfax County (Clifton/Centreville). I've never been to the springs but I'd like to try to make it there this year.
-Warren-
Confession: I was one of those people who filled out the Ski survey and voted for 7 S as #1. To me, 7 Springs trumps Snowshoe in three important categories:
--Snowmaking.
--Food services and lodging.
--Ability to handle large crowds.
I must also confess that the 3.5 hour drive also does not hurt. Finally, except for the Western Territory (just 2 trails), 7 S skis bigger than Snowshoe. Wagner skis bigger than Basin, and is about the equivalent of Silver Creek. North Face slopes ski bigger than anything at Snowshoe except Cupp and Shays.
That's why I gave 7S the #1 vote in the ballot. Remember folks, you can't complain unless you voted--something every Ski subscriber is entitled to do.
7 Springs is a little over three hours, I've done snowshoe in a hair under 4. The difference is getting out of the car at Snowshoe you are pretty much done at that point and need to sleep it off, 7 Springs is all major highway with plenty of places to stop. In addition if you are cheapo like me you can stay in Somerset for very little and be at the hill early in the morning no problem.
I can understand the ability to handle large crowds thing but even though 7 springs technically has much more "football fields covered in a foot of snow in an hour" (the industry standard unit when talking to non engineers
) I'd place 7 springs, Snowshoe, and even Wisp pretty similar in snowmaking effectiveness ignoring football field analogies. I really think Snowshoe typically outdoes them. They just seem to weather the warm spells better although it is impressive to see the webcams at 7 springs when it first gets cold again in January after a week of warm rains. They can really crank it out.
As for 7 springs skiing bigger, its just not one of my favorite places. The double edged sword of straight,wide, boring trails that can handle crowds better is a little too sharp on the boring side for me. They do crush snowshoe in the glades aspect though since they basically don't exist at Snowshoe.
The sad part of all of this is that if Timberline had 7 springs' snowmaking and a high speed, we'd never have to debate any of these Mid Atlantic rankings.
Kennedy ... is so right.
The trip to and from SS is beyond words. Even in good weather is just seems to take so looooong to get back to civilization [ie., Beltway, although I don't really classify the Beltway as 'civilized']. Yes, the scenery in some spots is amazing, but after the 3rd or 4th trip you aren't looking at scenery, you are just trying to get there or back in the shortest time possible and the drive is friggin tedious. My one trip to 7 Springs ended in disaster so the place has an undeserved bad rep for me, plus on weekends it not only has the howling hordes from the Beltway but all those added bodies from points west.
I'm really ready for another local big hill ... so when is Mt. Port Crayon supposed to open for business? ;-)
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Kennedy ... is so right.
The trip to and from SS is beyond words. Even in good weather is just seems to take so looooong to get back to civilization [ie., Beltway, although I don't really classify the Beltway as 'civilized']. Yes, the scenery in some spots is amazing, but after the 3rd or 4th trip you aren't looking at scenery, you are just trying to get there or back in the shortest time possible and the drive is friggin tedious. My one trip to 7 Springs ended in disaster so the place has an undeserved bad rep for me, plus on weekends it not only has the howling hordes from the Beltway but all those added bodies from points west.
I'm really ready for another local big hill ... so when is Mt. Port Crayon supposed to open for business? ;-)
I couldn't disagree more about the drive to Snowshoe. I love it. I get more excited with every turn as things start to turn white and the thermometer in my car starts to drop. By the time I get there I'm pretty excited. Last time my wife and I got there we arrived at 10pm. She went to bed. I poored my self a stiff drink and went for a walk in the woods. The moonlight reflecting off of the snow is just beautiful. Deer were everywhere and the snow was deep.... I know, I got issues 
It can be a fun drive but you really have to be in the mood. Most times I'm driving it after work on Friday or after riding on Sunday so I'm tired and the prospect of three hours of twisty roads is not hugely appealing to me. Now if I had an Impreza WRX, good tires and a stick shift it would be a hella fun drive from beginning to end. But I don't so it's not.
Dammit it, off topic again. 7 Springs rocks, happy now.
yeah I do find it hard to believe that SnowShoe lost to The 7 as a destination resort, but I do *not* find it hard to believe that The 7 won overall. As many have said, SnowShoe is a pretty long trip for a DC person, and The 7 is way closer. In fact this is what I use to do I use to go on a "Ski Safari"...
I'd cheat and lie on Friday and get out of work at noon and jump quick into my 4x4 already loaded up with gear and sodas, chips, etc and start up towards Whitetail.
I get there at about 2:00pm and ski there for 4 hrs.
Then I get back in the car grab some KFC snack in Breezewood, and head to Bedford, PA.
I get a cheap hotel room in that motel on the hill run by the Indian family, get dinner then and hold up with booze and cable tv for the night.
The next day I get up and drive to The 7 and ski all day there. Then I am cheap so just like Kennedy said I get a motel room in Somerset for the night and usually pass out.
Then you can get up the next day and ski some more before heading back to DC and it only takes 3 1/3 hours and it goes fast with cheetos and coke with a beer stop somewhere in there.
SnowShoe is like drive-drive-drive-tree-tree-tree-dirtfarm- tree-hill-up-up-down-up-dirtfarm-tree-tree-tree-widespotintheroaddiner-tree-tree-up-around-tree-drive-drive--leftturn-drive-tree------
but once you are there it is very nice!
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That's why I gave 7S the #1 vote in the ballot. Remember folks, you can't complain unless you voted--something every Ski subscriber is entitled to do.
As a key undecided swing voter, I'd be glad to have my vote bought by either Seven Springs or Snowshoe. Best offer accepted.
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I poored my self a stiff drink and went for a walk in the woods. The moonlight reflecting off of the snow is just beautiful. Deer were everywhere and the snow was deep.... I know, I got issues
Nah, you don't have issues. Though I would worry if you had a bottle of somethin' somethin' stashed out in the woods waiting for you. 
I think the SKI survy has 7S ranked ahead of the Shoe pretty much every year - in fact 7S usually makes it into the top 20 eastern resorts overall (on the strength of snowmaking and off-slope activities, I guess).
Does anyone have a link to the mid-atlantic rankings?
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SnowShoe is like drive-drive-drive-tree-tree-tree-dirtfarm- tree-hill-up-up-down-up-dirtfarm-tree-tree-tree-widespotintheroaddiner-tree-tree-up-around-tree-drive-drive--leftturn-drive-tree------
With a honk-honk-headlight-blinding-local-pick-up-truck-tailgating-headlight-blinding-honk-honk-puff-puff-slow-truck-dieing-uphill-puff-puff-I-think-he-can-puff-puff-passing-lane-soon? addition.
JohnL - LMAO andaduck-duck-here-andaduck-duck-there-hereduck-thereduck-hereduck-everywhere-oldmacdonaldhadafarm-ee-i-ee-i-oh!
Sorry to say, but I too voted for 7 Springs over SS and it takes me longer to 7 Springs! The drive had nothing to do with it, and I would give SS the edge in terrain! But the real kicker was the employees. Year after year I have met nothing but friendly people at 7 Springs. The employees at Tiny Tots are great. SS kids program? Absolutely the rudest people I have ever met! Apre? The Shoe? Cheat Mountain Pizza, last year my family and I waited over two hours for our food! I will stop now, cause my family is still landowners.
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SS kids program? Absolutely the rudest people I have ever met!
Do you think the crass & brash East Coast mentality has crept west over the ridges and affected the good kinfolk @ Snowshoe? I'm just kidding all of yunz residing in the BaltWashAnn corridor.
I just find with Snowshoe that it's getting harder and harder to justify 4 hours each way $63/day lift tickets and big crowds for the sake of some extra vertical. When I organize a snowshoe trip it's usually a minimum of 8 people so I have to go through the find a condo, try to get slopeside but not super expensive, try to find a good lift ticket/rental/lesson deal, fit the trip into a weekend that hits the magic good snow, but not too late/early in the season in between all the major holidays thing. It's like threading the eye of the needle. I've gotten to a point where it's now a fine science with me but it's one I'm gettng tired of doing.
Look at even the simple things, lessons for beginners. Break it down: Lift ticket $63. Considering a beginner is going to access a mere fraction the terrain cut them some slack and give them a restricted access ticket that gets them to the green terrain and reduce the rate a little.
Lessons $30-$35 for 45 minutes
Rental $26 -$30.
So for a never as an intro to snow sports, splurge about $140 for a first day on the hill.
7 Springs - Sunday through Friday it's $60 for the lot.
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Nah, you don't have issues. Though I would worry if you had a bottle of somethin' somethin' stashed out in the woods waiting for you.
Nah, nothing stashed int the woods. Thanks for the vote of confidence. My mom always told me I was normal
From where I live in the Baltimore area it is more like a 6 hour drive. If I'm going to drive that far, add another hour I can be at Mt. Snow in Vermont. 7Springs is awfully crowded on weekends, so I don't ski there. I generally go to Hidden Valley, Wisp, Blue Knob or Timberline. That's the beauty of this area. You can ski 6 ski areas. At Snowshoe you only have one choice.
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SS kids program? Absolutely the rudest people I have ever met!
Do you think the crass & brash East Coast mentality has crept west over the ridges and affected the good kinfolk @ Snowshoe? I'm just kidding all of yunz residing in the BaltWashAnn corridor.
Nah, if it had been just the one woman behind the desk I would have let it slide, but it was more than just her. A good 60% of the people I came in contact with last year, did not have the patience to be working with children. The other 40% just fine, but when dealing with the public it only takes a few to spoil a customers opinion.
Murphy..your experience is mine,right down to the stiff drink! My Mom always said i was crud though but my dad told my Mom that he thought i was the "Cream of the crud"! Anyway that was funny as s..t Crush & johnl! Crush, your humor must help you get L..d!(past post stuff) You northeners have a problem with the ride to the Shoe but us Southerners LOVE IT..Palm trees to spruce trees..you got to love it!!..Bottom line, if you were at 7Springs & a genie said she could transport you to Snowshoe you would leave 7springs in a heartbeat!..7springs is a hill where as Snowshoe is a real Mtn. with that real mtn feel!...You all need Mount Porte Crayon & "Almost Heaven" Soooo Bad....Admit it
Many years ago, the tiny tots program at 7S converted me and my wife to eternal fans. Our oldest had never put on skis before and we dropped him off for a morning of spousal skiing. As we were cruising down Cortina, I was imagining my 5 year-old son crying his eyes out. We got to tiny tots to pick him up after the morning session and he begged us to let him stay for the afternoon, and the next day.
Now we can't keep up with him.
Tiny tots is even great for kids as young as 3 and all the instructors seem to like what they do!
Those of you without kids can ignore this comment unless you're ignoring me anyway.
I don't think you can compare the springs to the shoe as far as terrain is concerned. Snowshoe is a better mountain,but they cannot handle a crowd as well as the springs can. The layout for parking, getting to the slopes, food and drink all seem to be right on target at the springs. I think snowshoe is a logistical nightmare!
