The Vertical Drop Thread

MarzNC said:
No defense needed. Snowshoe is clearly the only place in the southeast that can be called a destination resort. But someone who hasn't been there and hasn't looked at the trail map might be disappointed if they are the type that likes to ski all over the mountain to find that most trails are relatively short.

It's been a while but I've skied at Snowshoe. Now that Timberline has a high-speed lift to the top, I much prefer the vibe there than the faux village atmosphere of Snowshoe. Not really a fan of upside-down resorts either.

True-up Vert and total vert for Timberline is 980 ft. There are assorted ways down from the top, including a nice long green, a long blue, and trees if you know where to look. For some people driving from DC, Pittsburgh, or Ohio, they'll be heading to Timberline instead of Snowshoe this season. Especially if they didn't go for an Ikon pass.
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I like Timberline and Caanan Valley as well. BUT together they don't have the terrain variety or consistent snowfall and snowmaking that Snowshoe has. I skied all these places, as well as anything that was within 5 hours of DC: Liberty, Whitetail, Round Top, Masanutten, Bryce, 7 Springs, Wintergreen, Elk, Greek, and even that thing outside Scranton (Mt Sno or is it back to Montage these days??). I skied "around" the Poconos. Could never see any reason to drive more miles just to ski on a bigger Liberty or Roundtop.

If you haven't skied Snowshoe "in a while", like 10 years, you need to go back next season. The slow crappy lifts are gone, there are high speed chairs all over and there's been a ton of investment in lodging and food and other activities up top. And its much easier to get to with a new highway from the east. Its location and snowmaking skills mean a season that consistently goes into April with winter snow.... That's when I love the place. People stop coming well before the snow has stopped falling. Snowshoe skis into April every year and opens earlier too.

Timberline was in financial trouble two years ago, closed early in 2019 and went into bankruptcy, and then got bought out. But the reasons they had trouble are still there: competition from an easier to access Snowshoe and lack of snow and snowmaking infrastructure that is 50 years old. The new lifts were needed, but I hope they invest a few million in snowmaking -- like Greek Peak has in NY.
 
DHA said:
If you haven't skied Snowshoe "in a while", like 10 years, you need to go back next season. The slow crappy lifts are gone, there are high speed chairs all over and there's been a ton of investment in lodging and food and other activities up top. And its much easier to get to with a new highway from the east. Its location and snowmaking skills mean a season that consistently goes into April with winter snow.... That's when I love the place. People stop coming well before the snow has stopped falling. Snowshoe skis into April every year and opens earlier too.

Timberline was in financial trouble two years ago, closed early in 2019 and went into bankruptcy, and then got bought out. But the reasons they had trouble are still there: competition from an easier to access Snowshoe and lack of snow and snowmaking infrastructure that is 50 years old. The new lifts were needed, but I hope they invest a few million in snowmaking -- like Greek Peak has in NY.
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Last time I skied Snowshoe was part of a mini ski safari from Massanutten 5-6 years ago. Took a friend from NoVA on her first ski trip outside VA. She's only skied at Bryce (as a kid), Wintergreen, and Mnut. We drove from my timeshare unit at Mnut early in the morning, skied Snowshoe, then drove in the start of a snowstorm to stay at the newly renovated Canaan Valley Lodge. She got her first taste of fresh powder at Tline the next day, about 5 inches. I used to go for the SkiSE summit at Snowshoe in early March.

I'm totally spoiled because I'm a retired ski nut. I spend a couple weeks at Alta Lodge in April skiing with old friends and making new friends. Driving 7 hours from my house in central NC to ski Snowshoe is not worth the effort. Been there, done that when my kid was still in elementary school. She's in college now.

Did you go to Timberline last season? I went twice because the first time I and a friend's son had so much fun in the trees. Second time I did a day trip to use Indy at CV in the morning and got a 12:30pm ticket for Tline, with a $15 discount for a return midweek day. The high-speed lift to the top is a game changer. But the feel of the renovated lodge is just as important.

When I ski in the southeast, it's to have fun with friends. Heck, I have fun skiing at Big SNOW with friends. For trees and powder . . . I ski out west with different friends. Never have chased vertical in terms of doing laps and tracking vert.

One reason I was looking up stuff in MountainVertical recently was to plan an Indy Pass ski safari in the east. For Indy Pass locations, True-Up Vert is good enough.
 
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I used to hot lap the upper lift line at MRG during the spring doing mid station loads. I wonder if they still allow it or if there are good days where there’s empties?
 
billyb3 said:
I know they get some hate, but Hunter West! High-speed lift and a hair under 1300ft of nonstop vertical.
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Yes it’s fast with lots of vert
Most of the time hunter west is a tilted ice rink
Clairs is usually so icy you can shave in the reflection
 
jasonwx said:
Yes it’s fast with lots of vert
Most of the time hunter west is a tilted ice rink
Clairs is usually so icy you can shave in the reflection
Click to expand...

This made me laugh. Most of the time? Really?
 
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