ok, i've been watching all this timberline talk and now I get to visit this wkend with BSA troop 451. we'll arrive friday afternoon, ski saturday, leave sunday morn (i don't make the schedule). what should I do or not do? anything going on fri or sat night? where exactly is this purple fiddle place? we're staying in a donated lodge house 9 miles from the actual ski area. i would love to visit whitegrass, but i need to be at tline with all the boys. any advice appreciated.
btw - you'll notice me as the tall guy in gray jacket, orange atomics or k2 axis, with too many teen age boys around.

The Purple Fiddle is in Thomas, north of the Valley aways. As you drive into Thomas from the south, the road splits, high road vs. the river road. You gotta loop up into town, then break left back down to the river. Sounds complicated, but the town ain't that big, easy enough to find.

Live music is also at the Whitegrass Cafe on Saturday nights.

As for skiing Timberline...have fun with the kids. It's not like that terrain covers hundreds of acres. I'm sure chasing the boys will keep you busy.

Steve

Not sure from your post whether you are looking for adult only or group activities. Purple fiddle is definately a cool place, a little out of the way on a ski weekend (however, if your lodge is North of Tline up 32 then you probably will only be 3-4 miles away. It's a bit small for a boy scout troop - but it is very family-friendly (non-smoking, board games, ice cream, plus lots of great beer). Live music is blue grass - check their website for what's going on this weekend - http://www.purplefiddle.com/index.html

As mentioned above, White Grass will have live music over the weekend as well. XC skiing promises to be marginal this weekend though. Again, it's a small place, probably not more than 50 seats and usually pretty full on the weekend.

Canaan Valley State Park has tubing and airboards - no one I know has tried out air boards yet. They also have a large covered outdoor ice skating rink - open until 10 each night I believe. They have rentals and video games - plus it is usually not very crowded. Definately a good alternate activity if the skiing is beat. I have not skied there since Thanksgiving, but their trail count is not great right now, and they don't have the snow-making that Tline has.

Blackwater Falls State Park (2 miles outside of Davis) has a sledding hill and XC skiing. Again, I imagine snow cover is going to be an issue this weekend, so nothing may be happening there.

Tline itself has downhill skiing and the lodge. I would expect everything except a handful of natural snow trails to be open this weekend. Coverage was exceptional this past weekend through Monday; however, there was a bare spot starting to show on Almost Heaven. The blacks and OTW were in great shape. The Drop is probably also in great shape - though it was closed last weekend for a college ski race. They also have live music friday and saturday nights in the lodge and I have heard great food in the Timbers Pub.

Food-wise, I like Coyotes (pretty big place on 32 right near the Timberline access road). Big menu, and everything I've tried there has been pretty darn tasty. I also like Sirianis Pizza in Davis. This is a very cool little (again maybe 50 seats) restaurant in Davis. I also like the food at White Grass and the Fiddle. Big Johns, right in the Valley, seems like a pretty good place for a large group. Can't speak for the food there, but they have lots of arcade games and kids really enjoy it.

What not to do? I imagine the mountain biking would be pretty soggy this time of year!

As a t-line "all the timer," I have one suggestion for leaders of boy scout trips....warn your kids about ski safety! If they don't know how to ski, make themtake a lesson before venturing up the mountain. I've skied there every Saturday since opening and it seems that it's mostly boy scouts who get hauled off the mountain, packed in an ambulance and taken to Elkins for x-rays or worse... May I suggest that unless your boy scouts are proven to be advanced/expert skiers they stay off the blacks. I was talking to one scout leader two weeks ago and he was describing the issues he was facing with two scouts in the lodge due to injuries sustained by running into trees, and trying to figure out how to get one scout who was still in the hospital. Good luck to you with your trip.

Thanks so far. I should clarify, the boys are all skiing at Tline as will I - and really looking forward to it. They do this every year so they have their activities planned. It looks like we have enough adults that some of us can sneak out for awhile.

So that leads to a couple followup questions:

For Saturday night, say, what would be the difference b/w going to purple fiddle or whitegrass cafe?

How is the night skiing at tline and canaan? I thought it would be fun to check out canaan also - is it worth it at night ? (and what's up with that funky interactive map?)

I'll pass on the timely note about the lessons and agree completely. I'd estimate at least half the boys have some experience. I've been force-feeding lessons on my kids.