I have put up a few pictures of my ski hill here in Southwest VA. I use snowfence to catch natural snow and hope to get a small surface lift before spring comes. There is a small protable lift out now that uses a 5.5 hp gas engine.

http://www.southernskiing.com

I also hope to post reviews and snow reports that other skiers send in from their day on the snow.

Now if we'd just get a few inches of snow and some wind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

talk to snow makers. He might be able to help you start making some snow.

I have a small external mix snowmaker that uses a pressure washer and air compressor but only uses around 1-2 gallons per min. It would take too long to cover the hill....plus lots of time that I don't have at this point....you know...family/job/life all take quite a bit if time. Heck, this year it's been so warm, snowmaking wouldn't have helped! But, cold is supposed to be on the way!

Tromano, this guy is more core than you and I will ever be. I salute you Travis, you got some passion!

I salute him too. I wish my hill was that large.

Nice job man. Lets see some snowmaking pics this week.

Awesome Travis! I would love to do something like this some day, and have run through the details in my head many times over the years. There's a pretty cool rope tow you can buy for under $1K, which I would consider, or maybe build something similar. Is this the one you're talking about?

http://skilift.nashacanada.com/

Here's a video:

http://www.freeskier.com/freeskier/news.php?news_id=560

If I had a hill and some snow, I would definitely rig up a ski slope. Man that would be awesome!

Those are the guys I have been talking to!

Looks like a good lift for backyard use, I've even checked into using it to tow sledders up....not really designe for that with the grip and all attached to the ski pole.

Travis, I really think you're on to something here.

A lot of us on this board lament to some degree or another the "corporate" turn that skiing has taken over the last 10-20 years, mainly it's turn to focusing on real estate at the expense (you could argue) of skiing. We look to places like Laurel, or Murphy's (and Mine) Mythical Moonshine Mountain and lament the passing of good ol' fashion east coast skiing.

But none of us have truly taken classical sking right back to its roots like you're doing (and like Snowmakers is doing in Covington, but with snowboarding). Maybe this is the way to go. Maybe it's best to let the freeheelers highline the highlands for a while and for us to go "ad fontes"- back to the roots. Ski on the farm fields, jack up the rope tow. Let's start it from scratch and see if we can't reinvigorate the sport.

The more I think about it Travis, the more I think I'd visit your hill if I was still back east (and it was open). Good luck, I hope some other folks from DCSki pay you a visit sometime. Plus Tazewell's a great spot. Maybe there's some good bluegrass places to go to afterward?

RogerZ has a wonderful point there that is at the very root of this grumbling inside of us to take on such tasks. I too have a wonderful idea for a ski area here in Wardensville, but it's on a friends grandfathers land. So I just can't go and start building anything, but have to wait on him and his time. But, he is completely agreeable to the idea and the idea is to get a 200-800 snow area for riding and park terrain on.

It's truely the desire to be able to break out the skis or the board and feel utterly free when riding. To feel like you are sking down and area in a James Bond film that hasn't been tracked or traveled before. A park where you and the buddies can hang out and learn the tricks on. Somewhere to just have fun, fall, get up, and have no worry of the drunken college frat boys mowing you down or the boyscouts taking out your knees when they fall and roll.

Heck I would even HIKE to the top of a hill to ride down it.

Heck, I can even find a half dead tractor, pull the desiel engine off of it and ues that for a rope tow.

I just like the fact that after work I can make a few turns, even 2-3 are better than none! I made 4 rus tonight in the dark and it was awesome!

We have 5 inches of snow on the ground now at 10pm and its still snowing, it really busted loose with a heavier band around 9pm. I bet we had 1 inch in 15 min. Whiteout! Behind my snowfence I have about 12 inches of powder drifted and I skiied it. I hit a little grass when I turned, but paccked the snow with the ATV and this should provide a firm base for what drifts tonight.

I like the roots aspect of getting back to "skiing on the farm"....but I also like riding up a high speed quad and skiing whatever amount of vertical! Plus, the resorts have snow....maybe....when it is cold and dry.

I'll be posting pics on my site if I have time tomorrow

Travis.....I am not worthy!!! Your passion exceeds my ambition at my stage in life. What a worthy project! Some of us have hiked at Allegheny Mountain on Rt 33 after a big snow to huck some big drifts, but to have your own slope!!!!You are the MAN!

nice, but where's the pics?

Last year during our travels, my 10 year old daughter and I ended up at pipestem state park during a small snowfall. We found a small slope, upacked the skis, and had a great two hours skiing down and hiking back up. It was huge fun and in alot of ways beat dealing with the crowds over at winterplace and didn't cost me a hundred bucks either. I could do that every week.

Also, last year, Powder mag had a piece on a backyard ski area in vermont named 'widow moses'.

Have fun with it and post those pics. I am so jealous.

WOW! On your 12th post you are now a 5 star poster! I'm Jeolous....I've got an overpass on our new Highway/bypass around FLAT Wilmington,NC that once every 5 years I could ski down. I will buy a pressure washer & make snow on it...got to buy a generator too, Dang it...better be worth another star!

Wow, five stars eh! Sorry about the pictures, I made 1 run this morning before work and took several pictures but left my usb to camera cable at home, will post when I get home late tonight (after 9pm)

The snow was pretty good, didn't snow much more overnight and only drifted a few inches more, but I'd say there is around 12 inches in the drift, or more. Pics will be updated on the site.

I've been to Pipestem, but never thought about skiing it. I'm not much of a hiker though.

How wide is the drift from the fence?

What's the likely hood of getting a ski caught up in the fencing while skiing at night?

Murph- how long have you been in Southwest Virginia? Snow poaching on private property? The mountains are high and the hollers' are deep boy, stay away!!!

About 8-12 ft or so from the fence. Short and narrow turns....I still am hitting grass if I get to the edge... but I mowed and dug up almost all the exposed rocks in the fall.

I have posted pictures on the site:
http://www.southernskiing.com

Ski poaching...never heard it said like that!

How many of you all know which way the wind would have been blowing to catch that drift?...Left to right or vise versa across the pic? Think what a row of planted Spruce could do up on MPC on any(there is very little if any) exposed areas!

snow was coming from right to left. I did quite a bit of skiing this evening! My brother skiied with me and we used the ATV to go up. Video is up on the site of todays adventure!
http://www.southernskiing.com