Y’all aren’t sick of the powder yet, are you?
I didn’t think so. Good. Because there’s more on the way.
A wave of snow is coming to fluff up some good powder with arctic air. It looks like 4-6 inches for most regions, and up to a foot of fresh snow for higher elevations.
Here comes the next wave of snow for the mountains. Skiers and boarders rejoice! This has the potential to "fluff" up some good powder with the arctic air and northwest flow behind the storm well into Saturday. Some higher elevations could get close to 12" again, but most are… pic.twitter.com/a5p8A2C04S
— Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) January 18, 2024
Tips For Staying Warm On The Mountain
It’s no secret that it is cold out there. Winterplace just put this how-to-stay-warm guide on its website. Allow me to share it with you:
- As temperatures drop, ensuring your safety on the slopes is our priority. With the upcoming cold weekend forecast, here are some essential tips to prevent frostbite and make the most of your time at our resort. Stay warm and ski smart!
- Dressing adequately is the first step in preventing any level of frostbite. Layer your clothing and use a fabric that can wick moisture as the innermost layer. Make sure all of your skin is covered.
- Take breaks and get out of the cold every once in a while.
- If your clothes are wet and cold, you should put on dry clothes immediately.
- Remove any clothing and jewelry that is restrictive and make sure the blood gets flowing properly throughout your body.
- Stay hydrated!
Without delay, here’s what you need to know in the southeast today:
Timberline
Here’s what the snow reporting team has to say this morning:
Snowmaking began Monday morning and continued until early this morning, expanding coverage and refreshing conditions throughout the mountain. There will be no active snowmaking during operating hours today. You’ll find a machine groomed surface on the majority of the mountain today. Off the Wall, The Drop, and Upper Thunderstruck remain ungroomed.”
Snowshoe
There’s a winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service for today. Between 6 and 12 inches of snow is expected overnight.
Snowshoe has upped its open terrain to 45 trails now. Sawmill, Black Bear, and Shamrock are all open this morning. It’s still cold (8 degrees as of this morning), so make sure to layer out there.
Backcountry snowmobile tours are back on. You can book those at The Depot.
Sugar
Reader and Discord user Rob McLaughlin hit Sugar yesterday for his 27th day of the season. And it was his best day of the year “by far.”
“Soft groomers and some freshies on the side,” he said in the Discord channel. “Bluebird.”
School day rates are in effect today for Avery and Ashe Counties in North Carolina, and Carter and Johnson counties in Tennessee. There are 20 trails open this morning.
Omni Homestead
The snowmaking team has been very busy in the past few days, Omni Homestead Marketing Director Lynn Swann said.
“Our base is now 28” and we will be up to 6 trails tomorrow and all 9 on Friday. We also have 2 tubing lanes open.”
The ski area is offering free rentals for anyone who books a ski package for January 18-21, January 25-28, or February 1-4.
Need a break on the drive back from Snowshoe? Stop at the Omni Homestead to take a dip in its hot springs. The two resorts are just an hour and a half from each other.
Appalachian Ski Mountain
Girls Go Shred’s first ladies park night of the season is Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. at App Ski. The event is free with the purchase of a lift ticket, and is open to women of all age and ability level, both skiers and snowboarders.
The Arbor Shred for the Cup Big Air Competition is scheduled for Sunday, January 21. There are three categories – beginner, intermediate, and advanced, and you can register here.
There are just seven trails and five lifts open at App Ski today.
Beech
There are 15 of 17 open trails at Beech today.
Tonight is Ladies’ Night: lift tickets are $15 from 5 p.m. to close. There is a free mini park clinic starting at 6:30.
Adult Race League also begins tonight!
Massanutten
The ‘Nutt is 95% open.
No Hessitation, the resort’s first ever double black diamond, opened up at noon yesterday.
There’s currently a build in progress at the Pacesetter Terrain Park. Upper Mak Attack, Lower Mak Attack and Slot are all open as of today. The snow guns will turn off as temperatures rise throughout the day.
Video of the Day
The Sun Came Out from Burton. It’s a backcountry film with an artistic edit, and it features some heavy hitters, including North Carolina’s own Zeb Powell.
My favorite part though? The 12-minute mark, which features Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Raibu Katayama hitting a cheese wedge in the backcountry. The jackets are yellow and the vibes are mellow.
The Rest
Don’t forget: Clear your calendar from February 9-11. That’s when Massanutten and SkiSoutheast will host team up to host our summit. It’s a great way to meet like-minded, snow-loving people, and possibly make some lifelong friends in the process.
Thanks to everyone that has already joined us on Discord.
Think snow!
Think cold!
Click here to join us on our new SkiSoutheast Discord channel. It is a great way to meet new snow loving friends and shares experiences, ask questions, and more!
And as always, email me at [email protected] with your thoughts and photos.