Hi everyone,

I just joined. Someone on the Epic ski site pointed me to DCSki. I just started skiing a year ago as a 53-year-old. Both my kids (13 and 7) love to ski. Locally, we've been to Wisp (2007 Prez day Weekend) and Wintergreen (Prez Day weekend this year). My son has been to Whitetail 3-4 times with church or school groups. We live in Chevy Chase, MD.

Mainly wanted to introduce myself, but I do have one question: do any of the mid-Atlantic slopes stay open for skiing in April? (I'm assuming most try to stay open through March)

Thanks,
Jimski

Welcome Jimski!

Snowshoe used to stay open into early April when possible, but that hasn't happened in at least 2-3 years. I do remember skiing there in early April one year, and waking up to 12" of powder. It was awesome. Plus nobody else was there.

In all honesty, with decent temps they may try to stretch it to the last week of March for Spring Break, but that will be pushing it. Even with the cold temps, I doubt most will sink a lot of $$$ into making snow this close to the end of the season.

Timberline's scheduled closing is April 6.

Welcome, Jimski!!
Most WV and PA ski areas close because of a lack of customers not necessarily a lack of skiable terrain. Snow making is not the big cost driver, it is the cost of maintaining an operational staff when the crowds die off.
The Colonel

Welcome Jimski,

I started skiing 3 years ago as a 49 year old, but my kids are older (17 and 20). Skiing is a great hobby. Does your wife ski? When everyone in the family loves to ski, your winter vacations will be easy to plan. Is your oldest at BCC? I am Mr. Baron 1974 lol.

Hint, try Wisp when it' not President's day!

Steve

7-springs, obe-wan, is ur only hope .. it could happen.

wow sorry u had to join up with all these tossers like me.

if ur smart, stop skiing/riding - it will only make u unhappy and broke.

start something relatively healthy like a nice crack habit or i hear the h. is alright.

Hi JimSki and welcome.

I have been skiing 2 years and started at 49. Sounds like there are a few of us that are late starters.

I have an 11 year old that started at the same time I did.

GRK

Welcome Jimski. The midatlantic usually rolls up the carpet in late march cuz most folks are busy planting potatoes, onions and adding to the nitrogen runoff in the Potomac's watershed and don't think about skiing until t-giving roll around. Usually it's t-line, snowshoe, and occasionally 7 springs in early April.

Thanks to all for the welcome and info re Spring skiing. One good thing about starting skiing at this time of my life is that I don't have any bad skiing habits to break -- just bones.

Steve, I've heard that Wisp on a non-holiday weekend is much better, although we still had a good time last year. My daughter's "lesson" wasn't that good, though. I don't think they were prepared for how many kids would be there that weekend. I later read that the Wisp management said that Prez day weekend '07 set their all-time attendance record.

My wife skied in high school three decades ago, but we're still working on getting her back on the slopes this time around.

My son is not in BCC, although he went all the way through Somerset ES. Daughter is there now. We moved him to private school after a year at Westland MS. However, now that I've drunk the kool-aid of skiing, we may have to move him back to public school...

Aloha Jimski... FYI, one of my ski buddies is 76 and he recently ran Boston Marathon. He comes up to the Shoe about twice or three times a year. Does all the blues but doesn't want to do blacks because of the possible impact to his running schedule.

Hope you take lessons. The only way to go.

Lou,

Give your friend my congrats. I run 5Ks, 8Ks and the occasional 10K, but have never run a marathon. How long has your friend been skiing?

I just did my first blues out at Wintergreen last month; before then I stayed on greens. I'm not even going to try blacks until the blues are routine for me. Not that I'm worried that it will affect my running times, I just want to have the skill level before I try blacks.

I agree with you about taking lessons. The kids and I each took lessons every day up at Smugglers Notch this past Xmas break. I need to get us in the groove of taking lessons even on the weekend ski trips.

Jim

Agree with you Jim. I've been skiing for 40 years and about 10 of them have been trying to get rid of bad habits.

I am amazed at the progress my new-to-skiing family has done over the past five years. Five years ago, I gave one of my cousins and his wife a Christmas present consisting of two days with a private instructor. Besides that the ski bug bit them and now they're addicted, the rest of that side of the family came over and I did the same thing to them. In four years, I've got cousins and their Significant Others who are easily, and with good form, cruising down Cupp Run and Knot Bumper (all blacks) at Snowshoe. The combination of equipment and instructional ski improvements has been a watershed improvement in the industry. And Wintergreen is a great area to begin. Among most of the Mid Atlantic areas, it still has a genteel, country club atmosphere that makes it easy to learn. And the other place where you took lessons, Smuggs, is a place deeply dear in my heart as it was about the most popular in my College in VT. As well as a great family place.

On the other question: My friend has been skiing for about 30-some years. Another friend of mine, just about to turn 50, finally finished his goal of running a marathon in every continent on earth, following his finishing a marathon in Antarctica. Taking up a sport in the '40s and '50s nowadays is not a big deal if you're in good shape. Not to be presumptuous, but my first marathon was a gift to myself as a 40th birthday present. Four more later, I think I have been there and done that and now look at other ways to keep me in shape and not having to drive.

Actually, the key to fitness in modern American life is to ditch the automobile whenever and however possible. The car is in my opinion, the single most salient reason for obesity and morbidly fat people. I often chide my suburban friends by telling them that if the price of gas went up to $10.00 a gallon, the expenses would be offset by the incredible improvement in the health of the average American...

Lou,

I agree re ditching the car whenever possible. I take the Metro to work every day. Kudos on doing a marathon while still the young age of 40. Sounds like Snowshoe is your skiing base. It's on our list of places to try. I'll let you know when we are planning a trip there.

Before I got "bit" by skiing, I had no real winter sport, and couldn't wait for the Spring thaw so I could get out my mountain bike. Now I don't want winter to end...

On ski instruction, when I was up at Smuggs, one ski instructor told me I was his favorite kind of pupil to teach because he didn't have to start by "unteaching" me anything.

Best,
Jim

You'll be doing blacks in a year. Mark my words...