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PT22

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Sep 6, 2020
Posts
10
Location
Charlottesville, VA
Don't want to seem overly optimistic on snow... but looking at the extended monthly forecast for DAVIS on my accuweather app... NIGHTS: mid to high 20's and maybe a couple a 30-33 degree for the rest of NOV... then mid to low 20's and teens for the entire month of December... DAYS a couple 20's-30's-an occasional 40-42.

I was told a month or so ago when I called TM they were planning on 100% snowmaking capacity on all trails this season "as long as the temperature cooperates"... 20's at night from now through December... not sure what temp it takes to make snow, but couldn't they be making snow pretty much every night for the rest of the year? Which would mean all slopes open from what - mid December on??
 

Pinraiser

Slash spraying rag dolls on "Off the Wall".
Pass Pulled
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Posts
10
Location
Valley View
I've been in the hot tub a couple of times when they have first turned on the guns for the season. It gets old after a while but that first time each season is kind of like Christmas morning as a child. That's especially true this year. I'm thinking if they did turn them on, it would be more of a test due to the warm weather on the horizon.
That's a pretty good reason, haha. Especially the hot tub part. I guess I could sneak into my neighbors :cool:. No wonder I'm not so motivated to go this wknd...

Seriously, there is a bright side here but I think today TM is probably dealing with at least some moderate flooding. Draining the mtn would be top priority. I would hope they can get that worked out in plenty of time to fire up Fri. or Mon night. SSMR seems to have lost most of the snow they made, but it's amazing what ski areas can do with even marginal temps.
 

Laurel Hill Crazie

AKA Rob Davis
Skier
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
1,265
Location
Keystone State
Don't want to seem overly optimistic on snow... but looking at the extended monthly forecast for DAVIS on my accuweather app... NIGHTS: mid to high 20's and maybe a couple a 30-33 degree for the rest of NOV... then mid to low 20's and teens for the entire month of December... DAYS a couple 20's-30's-an occasional 40-42.

I was told a month or so ago when I called TM they were planning on 100% snowmaking capacity on all trails this season "as long as the temperature cooperates"... 20's at night from now through December... not sure what temp it takes to make snow, but couldn't they be making snow pretty much every night for the rest of the year? Which would mean all slopes open from what - mid December on??

They can make snow when the wet-bulb temperature is at 27.2* even up to 32* when there is very low humidity. Will overnight temperature stay in that range long enough to make snow? Is the ground too warm that what was made melts? Do you want a quick WROD for opening bragging rights or are you in it for maximum acreage? Will it rain?

The universal Mid-A opening and closing schedules updated for the 21st century:

Thanksgiving: hope to open with a WROD.

Mid-December: average opening with a few more trails

Christmas Week: pray to God we are open.

MLK weekend: pray it is better than Christmas week.

Presidents weekend: pray it is cold.

March: pray for that one last big snowfall.

St Patricks Day: pray we make it.

April Fools Day: we use to be open until April. now not so much.
 

pipestem

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Posts
620
Just now seeing the trail map - They went from ~37 named trails to 25, which seems much more realistic. I'm surprised one of the slopes near the quad is not green as that area is not very steep and that means they probably need to open Winterset fast. Woods hole seems flat to be a terrain park? Don't cry for Silver Streak as that was gone a long time ago, but taking Thunderdraft off is sad.
 

WV RVA Skier

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Posts
403
Location
RVA
Just now seeing the trail map - They went from ~37 named trails to 25, which seems much more realistic. I'm surprised one of the slopes near the quad is not green as that area is not very steep and that means they probably need to open Winterset fast. Woods hole seems flat to be a terrain park? Don't cry for Silver Streak as that was gone a long time ago, but taking Thunderdraft off is sad.
I believe Woods Hole is intended to be a beginner terrain park.
 

fishnski

Staying at Snowed Inn
Skier
Joined
Dec 27, 2018
Posts
482
Here is the high resolution Nam model that can pick out the higher elevation snowier spots...this is for tomorrows snow chances and note the darker heavier snow areas....
......just SW of Davis you have the ridge that the Olsen Tower sits on...I remember getting stuck in deep deep snow on march 20th trying to Atv up there....then you can see Canaan heights and the valley but then you see the darker snowier Dolly Sods down thru the Roaring plains and the very Snowy Mount Porte Crayon..once the dream Ski area....Sighhhhhh....then you can travel further south and see the Spruce Knob area and then finally the Snowshoe Area...there are some snowy ridges between Harman and Elkins that I travel thru alot and they get and hold good snow as well....the more you explore the back country the more you love the area!!
us_model-en-087-0_modusahd_2020111606_53_4677_215.png
 

WV RVA Skier

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Posts
403
Location
RVA
One of you local guys needs to let us know if/when they start blowing snow. We will need pictures.
 

pipestem

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Posts
620
Here is the high resolution Nam model that can pick out the higher elevation snowier spots...this is for tomorrows snow chances and note the darker heavier snow areas....
......just SW of Davis you have the ridge that the Olsen Tower sits on...I remember getting stuck in deep deep snow on march 20th trying to Atv up there....then you can see Canaan heights and the valley but then you see the darker snowier Dolly Sods down thru the Roaring plains and the very Snowy Mount Porte Crayon..once the dream Ski area....Sighhhhhh....then you can travel further south and see the Spruce Knob area and then finally the Snowshoe Area...there are some snowy ridges between Harman and Elkins that I travel thru alot and they get and hold good snow as well....the more you explore the back country the more you love the area!!

It's interesting. The most projected snow is on the very high plateaus, rather than very high peaks. I always thought that area N/NE of Snowshoe looked like a snow magnet.
 

fishnski

Staying at Snowed Inn
Skier
Joined
Dec 27, 2018
Posts
482
It's interesting. The most projected snow is on the very high plateaus, rather than very high peaks. I always thought that area N/NE of Snowshoe looked like a snow magnet.
Orographic lift...Mpc peak of 4770' sitting on top of 19 square miles above 4000' and 6 square miles above 4500"....Roaring Plains..highest plateau east of the Rockies...thats a Boulder!...
....front moving in and some snow now up and down the Allegheny Front..aka..Wv Alpps....
 
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Kravi

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Dec 21, 2018
Posts
10
Hopefully their cameras are online soon. Canaan Valley's cameras have been broken for two or three weeks now.
 

Pinraiser

Slash spraying rag dolls on "Off the Wall".
Pass Pulled
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Posts
10
Location
Valley View
How did the first NWS "Winter weather Advisory" 3"-5" BUST of the 20-21 season treat you? I guess we never learn. Townies "Checking in" with 1/4 inch of snow on green grass, oh boy. Quite pitiful really.:roflmao:

November averages 12" of snow and we'd be lucky to get more than half. It would be quite an accomplishment to have one run from the TM 6'er open around the 12th of Dec....skis crossed, of course.
Here we go again measuring snow with a micrometer. I'm looking forward to nice 40's-50's temps this wknd. Good for trail work. Could be a tough year for snow. Remember, we should be lucky to get 6" of snow total in Nov. If it doesn't start to turn by mid Dec., I'll be pissed. Right now, no. Dec. may be our best shot this winter before La Nina cranks up. SSMR already pushing back 9 days to 12.4. Still holding hope for TM by 12.12. Capture.JPG
 
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fishnski

Staying at Snowed Inn
Skier
Joined
Dec 27, 2018
Posts
482
Here we go again measuring snow with a micrometer. I'm looking forward to nice 40's-50's temps this wknd. Good for trail work. Could be a tough year for snow. Remember, we should be lucky to get 6" of snow total in Nov. If it doesn't start to turn by mid Dec., I'll be pissed. Right now, no. Dec. may be our best shot this winter before La Nina cranks up. SSMR already pushing back 9 days to 12.4. Still holding hope for TM by 12.12. View attachment 115073
Like that name..if i ever have to hide from fishnski due to too much trash talkin im going to use Finraiser.!..
this little blast of winter has a little more punch than the last one...its a teaser for sure...next stop on the cold front train maybe the 28th or so...amazing that the Euro wx model scoped this out 10 days ago....
download.jpeg
 

fishnski

Staying at Snowed Inn
Skier
Joined
Dec 27, 2018
Posts
482
Are they blowing?
i'm in Florida how the heck do i know...lol...thats a trick photo..its a live shot but its the Snowshoe lake/boat lift...hard to tell the difference now that TM has modernized!....the mountain was dark all night and the valley view cam didn't show any white stuff on the mountain this morn...going to get real cold the next 2 nights we shall see...but it will only be a test I guess....
 

RickH

Snow Much Fun
Skier
Joined
Sep 27, 2019
Posts
441
Location
Leesburg, Va
funny. Yeah I figured they would at least test during this cold snap. I will be up over the next week, I'll see first hand.
 

The Colonel

Putting on skis
Skier
Joined
Nov 9, 2018
Posts
137
One of you local guys needs to let us know if/when they start blowing snow. We will need pictures.
Wonder how the snow making system renovations are progression. Hopefully the are no missing parts being “in the mail”! We need info and pictures! Wonder how much of the renovated system will be automatically controlled (like Wintergreen).
 

RickH

Snow Much Fun
Skier
Joined
Sep 27, 2019
Posts
441
Location
Leesburg, Va
Can anyone confirm if they are blowing snow? Looking at the Dolly Sods Web Cam it looks like they might be at the base. Anyone there that can confirm?
 

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