7 Springs at turkey time
October 8, 2008
Anyone ever been to Seven Springs at Turkey time? Might be in the area.
WX depandant of course but I wonder how often they get a slope up.
More often than you'd think, they were open for the Friday after last year, think they closed after that weekend, but they were open.
It's always possible. If there are several days of consistent cold forecast they will blow snow. I can remember 3 years out of the past 10 years where I skied there the day after Thanksgiving. They even had North Face open one of those times.
I heard somewhere at some point that Hidden Valley was going to make it a point be open that weekend just to prove the efficacy of their new snow making system. Again, this type of claim or statement is pretty weather dependent...if it is 60 degrees, no one can be making snow. But hopefully it will give you another option for some early season tracks in that area.
I think there will be a race to open first here in Western PA for the first time in a long time. This is good IMO.
Weather permitting, 7S always opens T-Day weekend if it's possible. In the past, it almost always meant the entire front face would open or as much of it as possible (no white ribbon of death). Last year was different, but the weather was sketchy at best. We did not "close" after opening, but did not operate Mon-Thur. because of rain/warm temps for that first week or so. Why turn lifts if it's 50* and raining and nobody is skiing during the week in November?
7S has not opened and then closed since the late 60's or early 70's. Once open, it remains open as long as there is snow to ski. It may only be weekends in the pre-season due to weather and lack of skiers, but it stays open.
If the weather cooperates this year, there will be skiing T-Day weekend (or earlier) at 7S or possibly 7S and HV.
About 10-12 years ago (maybe longer), 7S was going to open right before Thanksgiving with just three slopes open, but a huge storm rolled in and when they finally dropped the ropes they were 100% open. It was November 17 (maybe the 15th, can't remember it was a long time ago). This was the earliest I ever skied on the East coast. It was an epic day. While riding the Gunnar Lift up, I see this snowboarder who is just ripping the Gunnar lift line trail. Hey wait a minute, I know him, it's DCski's very own Redman tearing up the early season snow. It was an unbelievable day and by no means your typical Thanksgiving here in the midAtlantic.
I remember the year I tried out for ski school, 1992. It was the weekend before TDay, around November 15th.
1992! Now I know why couldn't remember what year it was, I was only 10yrs. old.
Time flies when you're having fun.
if 92 was the year then they had a couple of great years back to back...Me and my new "Virginess" fiancee for life hit Seven springs on thanksgiving weekend winter of 93/94...the gate attendent told us that they were having the best T-Giving cond either forever or for a long time. The whole mtn was open & we had a blast....we had 2 more consecutive T-Giving trips where Snowshoe,Stratton,VT Had what they called Way above ave Conditions..Stratton told us that we were having the best conditions in 20 years.
Shhh.......You're right, I forgot to take my shoes off. I think I was 11, maybe 12.
