I just got back from Timberline last night after doing a night trip with some friends. I do have to say while the trip was fun, the snow conditions were horrible. It felt like boarding on slick concrete almost with fine iceballs for powder. I guess I won't go into the butt races 4 of us had on upper dew drop when we fell on the boards and simply couldn't stop because it was that slick.

The temperature was dropping way down to snowmaking conditions around 6:30 but none of the guns were going. So I'm wondering if the outlook is that spring is coming early or warmer temps are bringing an end to the 03/04 season?

no the season won't end soon. many resorts in NC stop or don't make much snow. Resort are talking about staying open into April.

well, NWS forecast for Tucker County for the coming week is rain/showers/t-storms through Thursday with highs in the 50s and lows never below freezing. kinda smells like the season slipping away.

I suppose an optimist will point out how much snow WV has received in previous Marchs.

bawalker:
I was at T-line all weekend and I guess you just got there are the wrong time but all day it was mild and the snow had a light surface of granular stuff and hard stuff underneath. A lot of borders looked happy and we skiers were loving it. It would have been nicer if it were colder but the mountain was 100% open and the bases were solid.

As an optimist I'll say that Winter is not yet over. Snowshoe just stated they'll be open until the 11th of april and I expect Timberline to stay open just as long.

We'll see.

Allow me to point out the massive, and I mean massive mound of snow on the top of the mountain (also known as Mt. Amos). That's not going anywhere... infact in previous seasons it's still been there in May when I'm biking at the top of the mountain. Therefore, I predict that they will make their end-of-season goal because a. they've still got a solid base on all the trails and b. there's a massive mound of snow.

Sure, a nice snowstorm would benefit the area (esp. Whitegrass), but as of now, they're doing fine. Despite this weeks weather, Off-The-Wall, the Drop, and Upper/Lower Thunderdraft WILL have good coverage on them. Silver Streak is starting to get thin in places... I don't know about it.

This weekend's warm weather did have one upside (okay, there's more than that... but), the landings in the park were perfect.

Maybe it's just me expecting more powder as a advanced beginner/learning intermediate without that hard concrete like ice surface underneath? Or did the surface just get that hard and packed late last night after a day of riding?

Mostly though I am still working on doing carving and when I go from heel side to toe side I tend to edge a bit and slide or fall. Something soft to fall into is preferable.

No, its been that rock solid for weeks. There's nothing they can do about it other than warn skiers and riders. I must say they do an admirable job grooming all the trails that they groom (though, running a groomer up the Drop would be awesome).

I think I'm a bit spoiled after having been there in early feb before the ice storm. I drove up one morning after we had had several snows. Moorefield and Petersburg were sunny with most snow melted but when I got on Rt 33 at the base of the appalachians I looked up and it was dark in the sky, I actually saw a snow tornado type gust of snow/window blowing around on top for a few seconds. But when I went around that bottom turn to go up the incline it went from bare dry roads to slush/packed snow. It took me nearly an hour to go from the appalachians to Timberline because the entire road was white with little or no pavement showing and no plows were out. A lady at timberline said it had snowed 6" that night.

But once I got there it was the softest conditions ever. I was doing blue runs and able to do my carving really well, hardly anyone was there at all, and there was the softest 6" of powder with a soft base at the time as well.

Ok I admit I'm a powder junkie.

ncskier was right. here in nc we still got another 28 days at least. app is trying going to stay open till the 28th weather permitting and they have enough snow to do it. i was out there fri and tonight and i know their base is huge. they will make snow until the night before they close if they have to and the temps allow. a few years ago they made snow the night before the last day. that goes to show that they care about their customers. sugar will push snow around as much as possible and not make it unless they absoutley have to. sugar will try to stay open the longets but their conditions will be horrible. beware only go to sugar if you like to feel like you just got ripped off. march madness rates start tomorrow, but herez a little comparison 4 you all. sugars march madness rate for teh weekend is 40 dollars. you can get the salt lake super pass for the same price which is good any day of the season. no black out dates what so ever. thats one heck of a deal.. utah is just the place to be if you are a snow person. they have the greatest snow on earth.

Luckily for NCSkier, the Carolina's got alot of snow out of that recent storm with the jet stream pushing that far south. I was looking at the 15 day extended outlook on Accuweather for Davis, and McHenry and both places show very mild temps in the 40's - 60's for the next 15 days or so. If that keeps up without a very very frigid cold snap I'm beginning to think about cleaning my stuff up, waxing the board and putting it away till next year.

Buuuut I'm crossing my fingers for a very cold artic freeze to happen.

Well, from the air it looked like the Valley was lacking snow-wise. While that portion of WV stood out b/c of the snow, it looked sparse compared to other years I have flown over.

Timberline (from 40 miles away and 30,000 feet) looked good however!

we did get quite a lot of snow from the snow, but by firday afternoon it was no good anymore. i was out on the slopes as soon as they opened friday morning and it was sweet. it just got warm and lots of it melted and turned to slush. in nc snow quality can change in a matter of hours. you can ride the afternoon slush and then at night it will be solid ice or groomed ice. snow is super unpredictable

Roundtop is saying 3/14 as the last day.

I wonder... if ski season is on it's last leg, are there any good places to get this years equipment on big markdown prices for next year?

Ski Center had some deals on Volkl Supersport 5 stars last time I was there.

It aint over till the fat snowwoman sings!This warm spell can turn on a dime up in the highlands.Could have a blizzard the the last w-kend open,the 1st week in april.I've been sleding up at canaan vly ski area a week after they have closed in snow squalls.Does anyone remember the snowy luau at timberline where it was about 60 degrees during the day & then at dark a blizzard hit!There were torch paraders coming down the mtn & fireworks blasting off the top of the mtn with snow just absolutly dumping!!!Now that was a grand finnally like i had never seen before.there is plenty of time to put your skis away.These late season dumps after warm spells are special.PS woke up to 6 degrees march 23rd after 9" of powder at the valley!!!