Snowshoe ski weekend report
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Swimmer
February 15, 2006
Member since 02/3/2005 🔗
143 posts
Well I managed to get a buddy to join me last minute for Snowshoe. We puttered around Whitegrass on Friday morning/afternoon, then headed down to the Shoe on Friday night, stopping at Maggie's for a yummy/filling dinner in Elkins on the way.

Stayed at Silver Creek, allowed for very easy access to night skiing Friday evening. Conditions were fast and firm. The polished ice spots were easy enough to avoid though allowing from some great high speed turns. The far intermediate slope of Foxchase was devoid of people for the most part so the only thing I would hit if I lost control would be the trees. While riding the lift up on one of the runs I met Snowcone's daughter and her friend, a DCSki poster who I am forgetting the name of right now. He lives just around the corner from me and I apologize for spacing his name.

It started snowing Friday night and snowed the entire time we were there.

Saturday I was at Cupp when they dropped the ropes. There were a herd of folks. By the time I got back in line for a second lap, Cupp was pretty much chopped up. I headed over to the Basin to check things out and it was already a zoo by 9:45. Ballhooter lift was starting to back up, but they had not opened all the lanes of the ropes. The line looked long, but it moved fast. I kept working my way over to Widowmaker to find it full of sliding missles with varying amounts of control, cruising down dust on crust. The edges had some snow kicked over to it but the fresh from the sky was nowhere to be seen.

By noon I managed to get back over to Shay's for a couple of runs, (met RMCVA) then bailed back to Silver Creek. The rumors are true..that place is empty. I hit Flying Eagle and Bear for the next few hours, never getting bored. I met up with a nice Patroller named Zig (short for Zeigler) and learned a few things about the place.

Saturday night was dinner at the Foxfire. Wait time for a table was 1.5 hours so we had time to kill. Eventually found ourselves inside the shop 4848' and met Scott, their bootfitter. The bootfitting at 4848 is new and Scott is doing his best to spread the word. We watched him work for awhile, asking all sorts of questions how the machine worked. He was more than accomodating and patient. My buddy dropped off boots to him to get stretched by a cm front to back.

Sunday I just stayed at Silver Creek. I was there when the ropes dropped and had fresh lines for hours. People were there but nowhere close to the density of the basin. For the first few runs on Flying Eagle I could just evaluate my ski tracks from the lift on the way back up (I'm skidding my back ski a bit, but getting better) I only saw two other telemarkers at Snowshoe the whole weekend.

There is a small glade area cleared between Flying Eagle and Bear. It's still a bit tight and depends on natural cover, but Sunday I was able to drop through there 4 runs before anyone else ventured in. The pow in the trees was about boot top deep, I only tapped a rock here and there. No hard shots to p-tex.

On my way back towards the lodge from Flying Eagle I noticed a gaggle of Patrollers sort of lingering around the tree line looking a little weird. I hung back for a moment and watched from a distance..sure enough, they ducked into a tree stash. I made the loop and came back around in a few minutes to follow their tracks. Nice little stash, needed just a bit more cover, but still fun. Things were over my head and I was alone so I traveled slow and easy. I could see the main trail through the trees and was headed for the out door when I took my last spill, popped out of my binding. I was looking down, fiddling with my cables when I felt four pairs of eyes staring at me. I looked up and sure enough, all four patrollers were standing out on the main trail. They saw me through the trees and made it a point to ask if I was alone or not. I said I was, they told me not to ski the trees alone. I told them no problem, I was headed out anyways. They were all very cool about it, half grinning at me. As soon as I cleared from their stash, they skied off like they were on fire, disappearing around the bend. I figure they wanted back into their goods before I could plunder any more. Can't blame them.

My buddy and I opted to stay another night since the it was snowing so much. Monday I was at Cupp again early and the wind had kept things pretty scoured. Back across the Basin I wandered. Far less people, better skiing. Widowmaker was the bees knees though. Measurable fresh snow all across the run with few enough people to make speed a viable option. It was great. I could have skied there all day if I didn't need to get back home that night.

All in all it was a great weekend. I skied my pants off, legs are still twitching two days after. Sure it wasn't the steep and deep of Alta, but I figure it may have been one of the better weekends of the year for there. My only critisim is that I wish 'Shoe didn't feel obligated to groom every bit of that fresh powder into their base. They reported 19 inches fell over the weekend but sure didn't seem like that much on the main trails. Oh well. Beats the heck out of surfing the couch.

Steve
MadMonk
February 15, 2006
Member since 12/27/2004 🔗
235 posts
Good write up. My dad was skiing Silver Creek on Saturday and said at one point he figured it was snowing about 1/4 inch per chair ride.
Roger Z
February 15, 2006
Member since 01/16/2004 🔗
2,181 posts
Very nice. Glad to know there's some glades and lax patrollers at Silver Creek. The two things I like most about Silver Creek are how the snow stays very soft on the runs (due to lack of crowds) and the views. When there's fresh snow, the view into the Shavers Fork backcountry looks like Alaska. That and the day I skied SS/SC last year the high was 13. By three in the afternoon, the sun was behind the mountain for the most part and I'm pretty sure temps had worked their way back into the single digits. Being cold and staring out across that wide, forested valley sure made you feel like you were much, much further north than WV!
fishnski
February 15, 2006
Member since 03/27/2005 🔗
3,530 posts
Heh Buddy, glad to see you went for it! Looks like you didn't fill your Book ...lost a little but went for it anyway! ...A + personality! Luv the spirit!
wgo
February 15, 2006
Member since 02/10/2004 🔗
1,669 posts
I remember thinking a couple years back that they oughta make the treed area between flying eagle and bear a glade...glad to hear that some work has been done in this direction
skier219
February 15, 2006
Member since 01/8/2005 🔗
1,318 posts
I was there too, with a group of family, and I bet my brother in law and I were lapping Cupp, Shays, Bear Claw, and Flying Eagle the same time you were. Sounds like there were quite a few DC-skiers there.

We didn't get on Cupp/Shays until 9:30 Saturday, but we were in place for rope-drop on Sunday morning with about 30 other people, and it was like a skier-cross event. Kind of fun. I was first down Shays most of the way, but there was not a whole lot of fresh snow due to the wind and recent grooming. I was half thinking we should have gone over to Silver Creek first thing. I enjoyed skiing the two blacks there on Saturday afternoon. That place is a gem. I enjoy the glades too, when the snow is decent.

Where was that powder stash? We found one off Knife Blade. It shoots down and through the woods kind of steeply, and comes out at the top of the terrain park. It was kind of tricky skiing in there, had to jump at least one downed tree. Can't say it was something I would do a lot! (though practice would help).
Mountain Masher
February 15, 2006
Member since 03/13/2004 🔗
541 posts
Thanks for a great weekend report, it was an enjoyable read! Two things strike me about the Shoe. 1) The place is starting to over-build for their ski slope and lift capacity. After a another several hundred condos and/or row-houses are built, the place will be jammed into grid-lock most of the time. 2) The Shoe exaggerates their snowfall amounts (granted, a number of ski areas tend to do this). More times than not, when I've driven from 7-S to the Shoe believing that the Shoe had more natural snow, I couldn't see much difference between the natural base at the Shoe vs 7-S. Granted, the Shoe probably receives more natural snowfall per year than 7-S, but I'm highly skeptical about the Shoe's claimed average annual snowfall.
fishnski
February 15, 2006
Member since 03/27/2005 🔗
3,530 posts
You are the alltimate pesimist Mr. MM..You trip me out! You are like a DEMOCRAT!....are you?:
Murphy
February 15, 2006
Member since 09/13/2004 🔗
618 posts
Quote:

Thanks for a great weekend report, it was an enjoyable read! Two things strike me about the Shoe. 1) The place is starting to over-build for their ski slope and lift capacity. After a another several hundred condos and/or row-houses are built, the place will be jammed into grid-lock most of the time. 2) The Shoe exaggerates their snowfall amounts (granted, a number of ski areas tend to do this). More times than not, when I've driven from 7-S to the Shoe believing that the Shoe had more natural snow, I couldn't see much difference between the natural base at the Shoe vs 7-S. Granted, the Shoe probably receives more natural snowfall per year than 7-S, but I'm highly skeptical about the Shoe's claimed average annual snowfall.




I believe the Snowshoe weather station is recognized by the NWS and has been for over 30 years. I'm guessing it's fairly accurate. The NWS has Snowshoe's annual snow total at 127", Snowshoe claims 129". Close enough for gov. work.

But I agree, if you're looking for evidence of fresh snow fall their trails are usually the last place to look.
Mountain Masher
February 15, 2006
Member since 03/13/2004 🔗
541 posts
Murphy, although I haven't looked carefully at a Snowshoe brochure recently, they used to claim (for many years) that they receive an average of 185 inches of natural snow per year. Now I'm glad to see some accurate snowfall data on the Shoe. 127" to 129" puts the Shoe about in-line with the average annual snowfall at 7-S.
Mountain Masher
February 15, 2006
Member since 03/13/2004 🔗
541 posts
fishnski, actually I'm a Left-leaning Independent and, of course, an environmentalist. I don't have much use for the dominant "NeoCon" wing of the Republican Party these days. Who knows, perhaps the NeoCons will someday mine oil-shale and drill for natural gas and oil at some of our ski areas. That way we can keep driving those gorgeous large (gas-guzzling) SUVs when we go skiing! I'm sure that Rush and Hannity would whole-heartedly approve!!!!
The Colonel - DCSki Supporter 
February 16, 2006
Member since 03/5/2004 🔗
3,110 posts
I believe the 127 inches was referring to the total snow to date...not the annual total.
I too have read and heard that Snowshoe uses the approved NWS methodology for measuring snowfall and is generally accurate. Why must you be so negative.
The Colonel
Mountain Masher
February 16, 2006
Member since 03/13/2004 🔗
541 posts
Colonel, I haven't blown anything! I was simply trying to get at the facts concerning Snowshoe's annual snowfall. The 127" to 129" figures DID NOT originate with me, but I noted that they sound realistic. There's a difference between seeking the truth and negativity. You're the REAL FOOL on this one!
The Colonel - DCSki Supporter 
February 16, 2006
Member since 03/5/2004 🔗
3,110 posts
MM, although it could have perhaps been better worded...what Murphy is referring to in the quote (see below)is the current claimed snowfall totals for this year at the Shoe, vice the annual average...a much higher figure. Murphy's quote: "I believe the Snowshoe weather station is recognized by the NWS and has been for over 30 years. I'm guessing it's fairly accurate. The NWS has Snowshoe's annual snow total at 127", Snowshoe claims 129". Close enough for gov. work."
I have one question...why are we both up writing emails?
Goodnight.
The Colonel
Murphy
February 16, 2006
Member since 09/13/2004 🔗
618 posts
Quote:

Murphy, although I haven't looked carefully at a Snowshoe brochure recently, they used to claim (for many years) that they receive an average of 185 inches of natural snow per year. Now I'm glad to see some accurate snowfall data on the Shoe. 127" to 129" puts the Shoe about in-line with the average annual snowfall at 7-S.




127-129" is what NWS and Snowshoe are claiming for the season to date total for 2005-2006, not the whole year. They're on pace for the 180" they claim. If you look at the NWS data the 10 year average is actually 165", not 180". There is a noticeable difference there but the NWS does miss about 6 days of data every year so they admit they are slightly on the low side.

Additionally, the data is right in line with other weather stations in the area when you correct for elevation. Pickens, Davis, Canaan and Kumbrabro (sp?) all get about the same at comparable elevations.
Roger Z
February 16, 2006
Member since 01/16/2004 🔗
2,181 posts
Since we've somehow managed to cross-wire political beliefs with snowfall averages, I have a profession to make.

I'm a ski-o-con. Political beliefs: pro-powder, pro-vertical, pro-moguls and pro-trees. Analyzes global political issues with an eye toward improving skiing quality in different countries- use of military force to liberate ski regions that are lacking proper facilities if necessary. Makes most critical judgment calls for ski/work decisions when inebriated, skiing usually prevails. Unlike current vice-president, is not known for shooting fellow skiers or snowboarders, and is both amused and wary of people who wear hunting gear to ski slopes (amusing- imagine hunting in a ski outfit. wary- what exactly are they hunting for on a ski slope? Virginia does have a concealed carry law... be friendly to them...)

Ski-o-cons are generally considered the right wing version of ski-o-crats. Ski-o-crats are more reluctant to invade countries in order to free up valuable skiing resources (unless there's a humanitarian edge to it), like to "hug" trees when skiing in the glades (if a ski-o-con "hugs" a tree while skiing in the glades, he's likely to go back with a chainsaw to get even), and most importantly has a free heel. Ski-o-cons are very envious of the free heel and hope to someday emulate their ski-o-crat buddies in this regard.

Swimmer
February 16, 2006
Member since 02/3/2005 🔗
143 posts
Well allllllrighty then..now that we have completely drifted off the original thread topic

drifted or highjacked? I don't know, is there a difference?

All I wanted to say is that I had fun, met a couple of DC skiers, the patrollers were cool and Silver Creek uncrowded beats the pants off of Western Terroritory when it's full. Widowmaker with snow on it is pretty sweet.

The eye candy around the resort was hot, the grooming policy was not. 4848' shop is bootfitting/binding mounting and the guy Scott, running it, is a cool dude. Dinner at the Foxfire was tasty. I was not aware that the Red Fox and Foxfire are ran by the same owners. These two places are not ran by Intrawest while The Junction and Cheat Pizza are. Foxfire owners are planning to put in another resteraunt as the new consruction continues that will feature Asian style cuisine.

As for ski-o-cons or ski-a-crats...all I can say is "whatever". It's that type of bullshit that keeps me coming back here to watch my favorite "train wreck".

Steve
tgd
February 16, 2006
Member since 07/15/2004 🔗
585 posts
Roger: I do not believe your ski-politics accurately represent a true ski-o-con outlook. For one, a ski-o-con does not envy the free-heeler. Rather the free-heeler must be recognized as a threat to the overall stability, security, and homogenization of the ski-industry. Free heelers, and the countries/establishments they frequent exist to be "alpinized". Only by fixing their heals can we add stability and predictability to the global skiing community. Besides, earning turns does not promote fossil fuel consumption - a cornerstone of ski-o-con philosophy and investment portfolios. Your fascination with free-heelers is most likely the result of brain-washing by the liberal ski media.

Likewise, a ski-o-con does not see glades as ski terrain to be preserved. Rather they are barriers to the development and exploitation of a given ski mountain. Glades should be clearcut to leverage natural resources for the greater good - for example, million dollar ski homes. The freshly cleared slopes can be surface mined to exploit hidden resources while setting the table for a stable and predictable groomed ski experience.

A ski-o-con is not deterred by climate or culture in his global ski view. Ski-o-cons advocate the judicious and surgical use of nuclear weapons to introduce winter to nations blessed with sweet vertical but held back from membership in the world ski community by unfavorable climates.

Irresponsible use of alcohol is supported by all ski parties (speaking politically of course); however, pharmaceuticals are the preferred chaser for the ski-o-con while so-called "ski-o-crats" probably prefer medicinals found commonly in Mother Nature.

I believe your love of tree skiing, moguls, ungroomed terrain coupled with your latent envy of free-heelers will lead to your eventual estrangement from the ski-o-con movement. Perhaps you could consider a membership in the ski-liberty-arian party?

Tom
tgd
February 16, 2006
Member since 07/15/2004 🔗
585 posts
Sorry Swimmer, we are as always agents of the untopic. Great trip report btw.

Tom
Roger Z
February 16, 2006
Member since 01/16/2004 🔗
2,181 posts
Hmmmm... yes, the ski-o-con is definitely a broad category and there are many parties who dispute what it means while there are very few who actively embrace the label. I always thought the lynch-pin of ski-o-con politics was the fact that the real reason we thought we ought to invade Iraq was to turn Kurdistan into the next Switzerland.

But regarding your post, TGD, I was thinking that you had confused ski-o-cons with the ski-o-realist school of thought there. I detect a wiff of Straussian skiosophy in your description, though most everyone who skis these days is accused of being a Straussian by those damn Randian snowboarders.

However, your point about the ski-liberty-arian party is well put. What other party would support Moonshine Mountain? The ski-o-crats would object to our crass sexual exploitation and unzoned double-wide resort community, the ski-o-cons would- as you point out- want all of the lifts to be made out of parts from a Hummer, and the ski-o-realists would favor turning the whole mountain into a multi-millionaire home/hunting preserve. What's a boy to do?

Ski politics is truly a difficult subject to maneuver.

Swimmer, still enjoyed your post. Sorry to add to the hijacking, but since you enjoy train wrecks... whoo whoo!!!
Murphy
February 16, 2006
Member since 09/13/2004 🔗
618 posts
Quote:

Sorry Swimmer, we are as always agents of the untopic. Great trip report btw.

Tom




The untopic is like the mob. You try to free your self from it but it keeps suckin' you back in!
jimmy
February 16, 2006
Member since 03/5/2004 🔗
2,650 posts
Swimmer i heard your Springer Spill, while Somewhat Scary was Sertainly Spectacular, glad you recovered. Figures it would take a skier from CVBC to find the snow in the trees at SSSC.

As i am still just a skis-R-us kid, i don't wanna grow up to be a con, crat or liberty-arian, but i can tell you this, trains don't drift but they can be hijacked and the best way to stop a hijacked train is to wreck it......"i hear the train a coming it's rollin round the bend...." LOL i can't believe no one got this one "Western Terroritory " Train reck part duex?
warren
February 16, 2006
Member since 07/31/2003 🔗
485 posts
Hey Jimmy,
I see you STILL can't get that jingle outta yo head from when I mentioned way back when

-Warren-
Swimmer
February 16, 2006
Member since 02/3/2005 🔗
143 posts
I am tempted to post a pic of the bruise from my spill. Full on evil. I've broken my back, have had my jaw re built, been through a few bumps before...but this bruise is just plain awesome. How I was able to ski I dunno. Must have been the powder fever blocking the pain.

I tell ya one thing..I ain't going back to the top of Springer until there is enough snow to cover the tree tops.

Steve
fishnski
February 16, 2006
Member since 03/27/2005 🔗
3,530 posts
Would you be a right wing,extremist Ski-o-con if you Hi-Jacked busloads of Boyscouts heading to TL & demanded a high speed sixpac? When I go to West Va I kneel down & pray 5 times a day to Mount Porte Crayon...What does that make me....A fanatical Ski-o-con?.......Watch yo Mouth!
jimmy
February 16, 2006
Member since 03/5/2004 🔗
2,650 posts
Quote:

When I go to West Va I kneel down & pray 5 times a day to Mount Porte Crayon...What does that make me....A fanatical Ski-o-con?.......




fishnski you a ski-slamic extremist!!!! ????
kennedy
February 16, 2006
Member since 12/8/2001 🔗
792 posts
The curative powers of pow. A slider nearly crippled will find the will and ability to stand long enough to clip in and ride and all pain shall be forgotten just long enough for the beer to kick in. Indeed powder has been said to raise the deceased so that they indeed may slide again but this is merely speculation. It has also been said that if you listen at carefully any mountain resort you can hear the screams of the damned calling out for a powder day. Again that may well be Jimmy hidden somewhere in the trees lamenting the thin cover.
fishnski
February 16, 2006
Member since 03/27/2005 🔗
3,530 posts
U so funny!...I luv U long Time!! I don't care what M&M & Roger say about you!
pagamony - DCSki Supporter 
February 16, 2006
Member since 02/23/2005 🔗
929 posts
Hey, watch it there. TL was built for busloads of boyscouts. It's actually owned by the John Birch society. The lifts are slow so the boys won't kill themselves in a pow induced alpine frenzy. We'll go every year come hell or high water.

put your freakin high speed six on that narrow wind-scoured western slope called MPC and stay off our mountain ;-)
tgd
February 16, 2006
Member since 07/15/2004 🔗
585 posts
Friends, beware the Powder - it is an evil thing. Powder coddles selfishness. Take last Saturday, we were skiing at Tline as the storm kicked up and began dumping. My beautiful wife, whom I love dearly, was not feeling well and my daughter was having trouble negotiating soft powder stashes up to her waist. They wanted to call it a day. I obliged by taking them back to the house - only to sneak back out in the storm to ski another 2 hours of pow with mr jimmy - my enabler on this grey snowy day. My wife was not pleased - I was out on a limb. In some marriages, this is a crisis moment. Yet, I felt no guilt. I understood deep in my psyche that if given the choice of being with my family on a powder day and not skiing versus being alone and skiing that I would quaff the mighty powder - everytime. Yet I felt no remorse. Am I wrong? Am I a bad husband? father? Is it the demon powder that Willie Dixon foretold "makes a preacher lay his bible down"? I want more now.
fishnski
February 16, 2006
Member since 03/27/2005 🔗
3,530 posts
Hear-Hear on your earlier Ski-o-con Post....You wear the Ski pants in the family!....Now go hug your family
Roger Z
February 16, 2006
Member since 01/16/2004 🔗
2,181 posts
As they say at Despair.com , "powder corrupts, but absolute powder is really cool."

Andy, stop lying. You know I don't talk smack about Jimmy unless it's related to football! You skislamic fanatics are all alike...

MPC = Mecca Powder Corrupts?
tgd
February 16, 2006
Member since 07/15/2004 🔗
585 posts
MPC = Monster-Powder-Cojones
Swimmer
February 16, 2006
Member since 02/3/2005 🔗
143 posts
You obviously know the rule of the mountains...."there are no friends on powder day"

learn it, love it, live it
jimmy
February 16, 2006
Member since 03/5/2004 🔗
2,650 posts
Quote:

You obviously know the rule of the mountains...."there are no friends on powder day"

learn it, love it, live it




ski it first, ski it last, ski it slo ski it fast, whats that all over ur face boy?


Ski and Tell

Snowcat got your tongue?

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