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Epic Day at CV 3/7/07
March 10, 2007
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skier219
March 7, 2007
Member since 01/8/2005 🔗
1,318 posts
This was one of those days I only get every couple years, because weather and travel have to be aligned just right when you live far from the mountains. In fact, the last time I had such a memorable powder day was at Mad River Glen about 10 years ago.

I put up some pics from the day here, with comments:

http://members.cox.net/craig.hunter/cv030707/

This was a heck of a day to be my first at CV. There was at least 10" new snow on the slopes by the end of the day, with 12-14" in many areas, and 16" in isolated spots (trees, sides of trails). The snow was very dry and a delight to ski. After sampling a slew of trails, I spent most of the day in the Weiss Meadows and their connector trails, in The Glades, and on Spruce Run. Those trails were all in great shape with excellent deep snow, and were deserted in the morning -- I was amazed that I was making the only tracks on some of the trails from 9-10:30AM.

I skied through the woods where it looked safe, but stayed within sight of trails since I am unfamiliar with the ski area. I only ski through trees when the powder is deep, because it provides a nice safety cushion and keeps speed in control.

In spots, the snow was flying up over my ski tips and past my thighs, and I had a few surprise face shots on Spruce Run. It was really cool to ski fast through the powder and trees and see the snow exploding all around me. I had forgotten how awesome it is to ski powder, and it really boosts my confidence.

I skied 9-4:15 with only a couple short breaks outdoors -- with all the snow coming down, I was covered pretty heavily and didn't want to go inside to melt and get wet. So I pretty much rocked the mountain for 7 hours straight and loved every minute of it. At the end of the day, there was so much snow I was able to ski down past the lodges and into the parking lot right to the back of my car.

I can see how CV would be an average intermediate mountain with groomed snow, but with fresh powder it's a real gem of a ski area. As I was blasting through the glades, trees, and narrow trails, I honestly kept thinking back to my times at MRG. That good. I just don't get this kind of terrain at Snowshoe or Wintergreen where I normally ski.

Tomorrow I will be at TL and looking forward to skiing without a blizzard! Will be 34F and sunny, and with temps around 10F overnight the snow should stay pristine at least until mid day. Sadly, the weather is going to degrade the great conditions fast starting on Saturday, so get out there and enjoy it while you can!

P.S. Found a coupon in the Mountain Highlands Traveler and got a $15 lift ticket at CV. I would have paid $100 for such epic skiing, which made the $15 deal amazing. Grab a coupon while you can!

Craig
crunchy
March 7, 2007
Member since 02/22/2007 🔗
596 posts
holy effin crap man! that was HERO SNOW! Wish i was sportin some wider ski's but as soon as I got in the mindset to just go and float thru it, it was amazing! i think I took maybe a 45min break all day.

I was tempted to swing over to Timberline tho, cause the terrain at Canaan is no match for Timberline, but none the less, that was an epic epic powder day for mid-east. it had to be more that 12" in alot of spots because of the snow over the weekend. Holy effin wow! My only regret, not arranging to hook up with the other Dcskiers that were there to enjoy it
skier219
March 7, 2007
Member since 01/8/2005 🔗
1,318 posts
I was on my Public Enemy twin tips (85mm waist) and they were sublime. In fact I had to adjust my powder technique -- I am used to making classic S powder turns (with a second pass to make figure eights) on skinny skis, but figured out halfway through the day that the PEs could simply float on top and ride in big fast arcs. They are not great crudbusters, as I found out right at the top if the mountain where the snow was chopped up coming around the corner from the lift, but they would ride right over that stuff too -- yet another new technique. I don't think I used an edge all day!

I think I will pull out my Elan Mag 12s for TL tomorrow; they are shorter and great for groomed, cut up fresh, and crud. I doubt there will be any untracked left at TL, though one can hope!
The Colonel - DCSki Supporter 
March 7, 2007
Member since 03/5/2004 🔗
3,110 posts
And I thought it was great on Sunday and Monday...wow, what fantastic pictures. Gets me juiced up to go back asap.
Thanks for the report. Looking forward to what you have to say about skiing Timberline.
The Colonel
DCSki Sponsor: Past Yonder: A Human's Views on AI
David
March 7, 2007
Member since 06/28/2004 🔗
2,444 posts
Awesome TR and Pics!! See ya at T-line tomorrow. It's gonna be a sweet day!!
crunchy
March 7, 2007
Member since 02/22/2007 🔗
596 posts
nice! i think saw you cruisin past me once on the flat area you had to pole yourself thru to get to the dark side and prosperity. and the fact i only saw one person with real pow skis very bummed I didnt stay another day, but i got some DAMN good skiing in at TL/CV 4 out of the last 5 days! Man im in love with Davis, WV. and the best thing is that each time I go there, the ride seems shorter
chico
March 8, 2007
Member since 02/15/2007 🔗
3 posts
Yesterday was a great ski day for sure. I knew all day that CV would have been the place to be, but I had some friends in town that only ski at T-line so we went there instead. It was a great day at the line, but all the snow except small patches was skied up early. Today will be fun....
crunchy
March 8, 2007
Member since 02/22/2007 🔗
596 posts
from the webcam, looks like Tline groomed last night!? oh well, im sure there will still be tons of pow in the glades and off-piste tho. should be a sweet day, wish I woulda stayed, altho my legs are a little sore from that sweet pow at CV yesterday
pagamony - DCSki Supporter 
March 8, 2007
Member since 02/23/2005 🔗
925 posts
Oh thanks so much for adding to my misery. Now I've got to start planning for a 6 hour road trip just ahead of the next big powder day whenever that happens. just thanks

chico, are you saying that at tline even the trees and liftline trails were tracked out on a wednesday? double crazy.
kwillg6
March 8, 2007
Member since 01/18/2005 🔗
2,066 posts
That's the reason I say ski CV on big pow days. There are literally 100s of pigs at t-line all going bandit to get the freshies, especially the rustys. You gotta get up early in the AM and ignore the ropes if you want the best pow pow at t-line. Even then, you are usually following patrol.
bousquet19 - DCSki Supporter 
March 8, 2007
Member since 02/23/2006 🔗
778 posts
Wow...great report about your epic day, Craig. Looks like you timed it just right and chose the right place to be!

Thanks for the tip about the $15 coupon in Mtn Highlands Traveler. I'll watch for it if I get a chance to Go West (Virginia) again soon.

Woody
skier219
March 9, 2007
Member since 01/8/2005 🔗
1,318 posts
Quote:

That's the reason I say ski CV on big pow days. There are literally 100s of pigs at t-line all going bandit to get the freshies, especially the rustys. You gotta get up early in the AM and ignore the ropes if you want the best pow pow at t-line. Even then, you are usually following patrol.



I am glad I ran across your advice in the other thread about TL/CV -- choosing CV for the powder day was the right way to go. After skiing at TL the next day, I could tell it had been ripped up pretty quick. Plus, it's a larger more open mountain, and I think the terrain would trap less "accessible" powder than CV. I appreciated having all that powder on regular trails and open glades at CV. No real need to venture off-trail.

I did see a bunch of patrollers and their buddies poaching powder on upper Spruce at CV, which was roped off, so I followed them in twice. With the new snow on top of the previous storm's snow, it was quite deep in there.

BTW, I just tallied my bills: $120 for two night's lodging and two excellent days of skiing. Hard to believe. Of course, gas was another $70 and that's really nuts!

Craig
skier219
March 9, 2007
Member since 01/8/2005 🔗
1,318 posts
Quote:

Oh thanks so much for adding to my misery. Now I've got to start planning for a 6 hour road trip just ahead of the next big powder day whenever that happens. just thanks



It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it! I just couldn't make it into work with all that snow falling (270 miles away, but it was snowing nonetheless). And then I got snowed in and just had to ski the next day too.

The sad reality is that I probably could have hit more powder jackpots like this earlier in the season, but I don't get desperate enough to do it until March rolls around and the end of the season looms.... Next year!
crunchy
March 9, 2007
Member since 02/22/2007 🔗
596 posts
Quote:



The sad reality is that I probably could have hit more powder jackpots like this earlier in the season, but I don't get desperate enough to do it until March rolls around and the end of the season looms.... Next year!



I hear ya man! the first time i went this year was on presidents day weekend, and the forecast said 1-3" possible, but it snowed about 8". Since then, ive gone up every time they have more than a 50% chance of snow in the forecast, and its worked out quite well, cause those forecasts are always under estimated for the highlands
Denis - DCSki Supporter 
March 9, 2007
Member since 07/12/2004 🔗
2,337 posts
Seeing that snow forecast I suddenly realized that I was unlikely to save the world, or even my agency, on Thurs. and decided to drive up Wed. after work and ski on Thurs.

Had a great day. Skied powder all day. I'm exhausted but I sure had fun doing it. There was a foot of new powder on average and in many places drifted deeper and I rarely touched the firm base below. CV suffers (or gains) from a lot of benign neglect. There was no lift attendant at 9:01 so I loaded myself and went up. Only patrollers were coming down. There was a patroller at the top and I thought I was in trouble. Instead he was super friendly and wanted to know my plans. I pointed toward the backcountry but then thought to ask if anything had been left ungroomed. It didn't look like it. He said Weiss Meadow #3 was ungroomed but watch out for groomers who were still working on other stuff. Sure enough it was and it skied great. I loaded myself on the lift over and over with no attendant until well after 10. Also nobody was at midstation or the top. Could be a serious liability issue if there were any mishaps. I'll bet TL groomed everything and had a big crowd. I don't think there were 50 skiers on the whole of CV when I left at noon to go to Whitegrass. There is a nice but short piece of woods below Weiss M that empties out onto the green run from the top of the bunny slope to the main base. The "C" liftline was much deeper than the meadow but also a bit cut up. That's the lift that takes you to the top of Gravity. Normally you must duck a rope but I skied over the fence on a huge drift. I poked into the backcountry and skied the north side of Weiss Knob once but it was almost too deep to move, then went to Whitegrass for a late lunch and a little skinning and skiing in the PM. The morning 7 deg. temp. warmed fast and the powder got pretty thick by 11. My legs got really worked and I was whipped by 2:30. As I had hoped there was not much need for skinning because you could ride and get uncut snow on every run. CV is a much better choice than TL on such a day.

It was a hair raising 5 hr. drive on Wed. night but I did arrive safely. I saw about 1 accident per mile or car in the ditch on 66 for a distance of about 30 miles. Once past Front Royal the roads were much better and it had stopped snowing. I was quite worried when I got to Harman and saw just a dusting on the side of the road and the temp. had risen to 31. Got to TL at 10 PM and it was 13.

An epic day indeed. I'l remember it for many years which is more than I can say for what I did at work Wed. or today.
Clay
March 9, 2007
Member since 04/11/2006 🔗
555 posts
And you made it through Moorefield with no incidences!
Sounds like a great day all around!

Clay
pagamony - DCSki Supporter 
March 9, 2007
Member since 02/23/2005 🔗
925 posts
That's funny - I was at CV on a Friday night a few weeks ago and only saw a liftie at the top or bottom maybe once; there were only about 20 skiers total. At the midstation, sometimes there was a young woman in there intently reading a book, and sometimes not - very odd.

I am just so glad everyone got out to play except for me, but I had my time.
skier219
March 10, 2007
Member since 01/8/2005 🔗
1,318 posts
Great report Denis! I always enjoy hearing about your experiences. I am glad to hear there was still so much untracked snow at CV the next day.

I skied through the woods at the bottom of the meadows a couple times, and shot out onto the green trail below -- that was a fun little area to explore. I don't normally feel comfortable skiing trees, but the abundant snow made it really nice and easy.
skier219
March 10, 2007
Member since 01/8/2005 🔗
1,318 posts
I could not tell if there was a liftie at each of the stations, because of the bronzed mirror glass they use on the lift shacks. But there were guys in each one the day I skied there -- I saw them occasionally pop out to shovel snow or pick up the pieces when a greenhorn fell or lost gear. At the bottom, they were only helping load chairs a few times I came through. Seemed to be self-serve most of the time. I did think it was s little odd, but I have to say my mind was focused on getting back up for the next run!
The Colonel - DCSki Supporter 
March 10, 2007
Member since 03/5/2004 🔗
3,110 posts
Since I started wearing a helmet about 10 years ago, I have at least twice (one being last Sunday) said to my self "Thank goodness for the helmet". Both of these incidents I was smacked by the metal supports for a chair while loading. Both times it was at the base of the Canaan chairs. For whatever reason (and it must be policy) the liftees at Canaan do not grab the chair as you are getting in to ease the sitdown. Both times I was smacked it was hard enough that I might have been knocked out, or at least woozy, were it not for my helmet. Both times I took the helmet off to check that it was not cracked!
Canaan management should change the policy, getting on a lift should not be any more hazzardous than it naturally is.
The Colonel

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