Hello Everyone –
Well any true skier or snowboarder probably can tell you without even looking out their back door that the conditions on the slopes right now are what’s the word I am looking for, huh, well, awesome, yea, that’s it, awesome. Every year there is a period of time in the southeast that the conditions are just epic, sometimes that duration is one week, two weeks and sometimes an entire month. Well I ask you this question, when is the last time you heard anyone around here mention the dreaded bare spot or even thin cover.
So this week’s column is for you, the skier or snowboarder out there who has been saying I am too busy, I will go to when I get the chance because it’s great now and it’s not going to change anytime soon. I just hope you don’t eat those words my gravity loving friend. You know the region just as well as I know, you blink and it’s gone. Well what is not gone right now is the snow on the slopes. I have heard some complaining about the cold temperatures and the last time I checked it is winter and around these parts it is supposed to be cold during the winter that is unless you didn’t know. Those cold temperatures are keeping the slopes from Tennessee to Maryland in tip top shape. Just point them downhill and let’em go! The groomers love this because they are putting down like a Zamboni on a skating rink.
Don’t even worry about looking at those snow reports because everything is perfect right now and there isn’t many times you will see this region in this type of zone for condition purposes. So it’s time to grab the gear and head to your favorite resort. If you need to check out the snow reports and you just might be questioning a base depth here or there, let me guarantee you it is out there, so as my son’s soccer coach tells him, “Don’t Worry Be Happy.”
This actually a very good time to take a lesson as a number of the resorts if not all of them are going to continue their National Learn To Ski And Snowboard Month lesson promos through the end of the season. So if you haven’t been on the slopes for a couple of years and now want to give it a try, this would be a fun time to start sliding. You will not regret your decision.
Now if the weather does start to turn a bit milder, which is actually in the forecast in the near future, again don’t worry because all of the resorts have taken advantage of the excellent snowmaking conditions to prepare the slopes for the rest of the season. It is going to take a few weeks of summer like temperatures to move this snow out of here and off the slopes. Actually I think all of the snowmakers could probably use a break right now as they have been able to go around the clock for pretty much the last three weeks and I think their water hoses might be dragging a bit if you know what I mean.
Before I end up this week I want to share an experience from last week that I think you will find a bit unnerving, at least it made me a bit angry. Let me set the scene, the West Virginia Ski Areas Association was part of a news conference being conducted by the state’s Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, in which he was proclaiming the month of January as the official Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in the Mountain State. The news conference was actually streamed live right here on skisoutheast.com and Mike and the crew got a kick out of yours truly stepping to the podium and saying hey to the world over the internet.
The news conference was also going to be the only public appearance by Governor Tomblin that day and the entire media world wanted an update on the West Virginia water crisis in Charleston. That meant the ski presser got the attention of about 35 members of the media, local and national. Prior to the start of the news conference, a producer from the Aljazeera America Network stated to me (not knowing who I was) that he couldn’t understand why this silly ski news conference had to take place at all and it was wasting his time. I proceeded to introduce myself as being with the WV Ski Areas Association and that the 5000 people employed by the quarter of a billion dollar industry probably wouldn’t appreciate his disrespect. He rolled his eyes and got out of my arms reach. Good move!
That’s it for this week, more to come as the season continues, just remember whether it be cold or whether it be hot, we’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather will be. Think about it! See you on the slopes!