skiing in warm weather at Wintergreen this weekend?

Hi,

The forecast calls for the following temperatures day/night in leading
up to a planned Saturday trip:

Thursay 52/35
Friday 64/39
Saturday 63/38

Can anyone tell me what this might be like? I am not a bigtime skier,
though I've been several times in my life. I would think that 3 days
with no freezing weather would mean slushy? Is this a complete mess?
Is it worth going ahead or should I cancel my vacation? I have never
been skiing when it was higher than about 40 degrees during the day.
Any comments from others who might know what this means to skiing would
be a big help. Thanks.

Fred

wrote:

The forecast calls for the following temperatures day/night in leading
up to a planned Saturday trip:

Thursay 52/35
Friday 64/39
Saturday 63/38

Can anyone tell me what this might be like? I am not a bigtime skier,
though I've been several times in my life. I would think that 3 days
with no freezing weather would mean slushy? Is this a complete mess?
Is it worth going ahead or should I cancel my vacation? I have never
been skiing when it was higher than about 40 degrees during the day.
Any comments from others who might know what this means to skiing would
be a big help. Thanks.

Where is the forecast for? Wintergreen is on top of a "mountain" and
it's often ten to twenty degrees cooler up top than in the valley.

Assuming that the temps are accurate for the actual skiing area, it will
most likely be slushy, or perhaps corn snow. One positive thing that
can be said is that it won't refreeze overnight so it won't be hard/icy
in the AM. I'd still go - plan on hitting the lifts as soon as they
open, ski through lunch and bag it around 1pm or when things really
become unruly.

Slush can be fun, but you have to be able to carve it. If you're using
the skid-twist method slush can be unpleasant to dangerous.

//Walt

wrote:
Hi,

The forecast calls for the following temperatures day/night in leading
up to a planned Saturday trip:

Thursay 52/35
Friday 64/39
Saturday 63/38

Can anyone tell me what this might be like? I am not a bigtime skier,
though I've been several times in my life. I would think that 3 days
with no freezing weather would mean slushy? Is this a complete mess?
Is it worth going ahead or should I cancel my vacation? I have never
been skiing when it was higher than about 40 degrees during the day.
Any comments from others who might know what this means to skiing would
be a big help. Thanks.

Fred

Fred, this is spring skiing. Start early, when it gets
too slurpy, stop and drink beer (or whatever is your
favorite) in the sun until you fall asleep. Get up
and resume indoors when it gets colder.

wrote:
Hi,

The forecast calls for the following temperatures day/night in leading
up to a planned Saturday trip:

Thursay 52/35
Friday 64/39
Saturday 63/38

Can anyone tell me what this might be like? I am not a bigtime skier,
though I've been several times in my life. I would think that 3 days
with no freezing weather would mean slushy? Is this a complete mess?
Is it worth going ahead or should I cancel my vacation? I have never
been skiing when it was higher than about 40 degrees during the day.
Any comments from others who might know what this means to skiing would
be a big help. Thanks.

Could be great - don't disparage slush; some great skiing to be had on
slush, and with modern wider, softer skis everyone can enjoy slush. Not
like the old (or maybe current days??) days when actual skill was involved.

But you can adjust your experience by following the sun, staying on just
softening snow. Recipe for a great ski day.

BTW, those forecast temps are air temps. Snow temps will be lower...

redlodge wrote:
Means it is going to be slushy, I am with the beer recommendation.

What? You don't like slush? Why not?

(Beer is of course independent of snow conditions.)

Yes, those air temps are what are listed on the Wintergreen Resort web
site. If I search for Wintergreen, VA they come up warmer by about 7
to 10 degrees.

What is skid/slide skiing? Can you give me tips on skiing on slush?
Maybe I am a skid slider since it is so easy to go to fast, I spend a
lot of time trying to dig in and run perpendicular to the slope to try
and slow down. Sometimes I actually curve and use my momentum to go
back up the mountain so that I can slow or stop.

Fred

I have been to Wintergreen ONCE. It was my second ever ski trip so don't
hold it against me - I didn't know any better.

First - If your choice is cancel your trip because you have something better
to do - cancel. If your choice is cancel and sit home and wish you could
find something to do - go ski slush and make the best of it. Rent skis and
buy the insurance.

Second - The group needs to hear a little about Wintergreen. First the
parking lot is at the top of the "mountain". You ski down the other side.
As you might guess, you don't have a lot of verticle to work with. Maybe
400 feet. When I was there was also warm weather. There was ice/slush on
the runs and they NEVER turned the snow blowers off. They might when you
are there if nothing is freezing. It was warm enough that the golf course
at the bottom of the runs was operating while I was skiing. Yes I did need
to watch for golf balls because the diameter of the golf ball was larger
than the snow "base". Wintergreen was so tiny - it had two green runs on
the main lift area, two blues and a black on a lift to the right, and three
blck runs on a lift to the left. Again, none had much verticle. And it was
CROWDED. 15 minute lift lines if your stayed in the single line. But
inspite of being small, crowded, and somewhat strange layout - it was fine
for my second trip. Not that I would go back. If I'm going to pay for
travel/hotel/lifts/etc. I want a lot more.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,

The forecast calls for the following temperatures day/night in leading
up to a planned Saturday trip:

Thursay 52/35
Friday 64/39
Saturday 63/38

Can anyone tell me what this might be like? I am not a bigtime skier,
though I've been several times in my life. I would think that 3 days
with no freezing weather would mean slushy? Is this a complete mess?
Is it worth going ahead or should I cancel my vacation? I have never
been skiing when it was higher than about 40 degrees during the day.
Any comments from others who might know what this means to skiing would
be a big help. Thanks.

Fred

KentB wrote:

I have been to Wintergreen ONCE. It was my second ever ski trip so don't
hold it against me - I didn't know any better.

First - If your choice is cancel your trip because you have something better
to do - cancel. If your choice is cancel and sit home and wish you could
find something to do - go ski slush and make the best of it. Rent skis and
buy the insurance.

Second - The group needs to hear a little about Wintergreen. First the
parking lot is at the top of the "mountain". You ski down the other side.
As you might guess, you don't have a lot of verticle to work with. Maybe
400 feet. When I was there was also warm weather. There was ice/slush on
the runs and they NEVER turned the snow blowers off. They might when you
are there if nothing is freezing. It was warm enough that the golf course
at the bottom of the runs was operating while I was skiing. Yes I did need
to watch for golf balls because the diameter of the golf ball was larger
than the snow "base". Wintergreen was so tiny - it had two green runs on
the main lift area, two blues and a black on a lift to the right, and three
blck runs on a lift to the left. Again, none had much verticle. And it was
CROWDED. 15 minute lift lines if your stayed in the single line. But
inspite of being small, crowded, and somewhat strange layout - it was fine
for my second trip. Not that I would go back. If I'm going to pay for
travel/hotel/lifts/etc. I want a lot more.

Hmmm. Wintergreen has over 1000 feet of vertical drop, so it's likely
that you didn't see it all on your trip there. Or perhaps some of the
terrain was closed when you were there. Anyway, nobody should travel
very far to ski Virginia.

BTW, I've been to Wintergreen, but in the summer, not the winter. The
runs looked OK, assuming that the snow is in passable shape. If it's
crowded, then obviously that would be no fun.

I wouldn't be put off by the fact that it's an upside down resort (i.e.
parking and the lodge at the top). That's common in areas where the
mountains are basically long ridges - might as well put the lodge at the
top and enjoy the view.

//Walt

If there was 1000 feet of verticle while I was there it didn't feel like it.
I can't say that wasn't 1000 ft since I didn't measure it. I do vividly
remember that I could see the bottom of the runs from the top of the runs
with no trouble.

Since this was my second ski trip EVER, I was in shock. I had been to
Purgatory (now Durango Mtn) and Telluride on my first trip. So that was
what I expected at Wintergreen. After renting boots/ski/poles I continued
to the end of the line which took me out side. I looked for a trail map and
didn't find any. I went back inside and asked for a trail map. The guys
started laughing at me. He took me back out side and said "You see that
lift? Ski the right side or ski the left side. Don't get lost." I asked
"That all there is?" and he said there were two blues and a black to the
right and three blacks to the left and that was all. This was NOT what I
was expecting. I thought every resort was as big as the Colorado resorts I
had been to.

But realistically- Wintergreen was doing a lot with what they had. The runs
were short and not very steep, the weather was warm, the snow blowers were
running, and the lifts were running. There were a LOT of people there
making the most of it. I see on their web site they have added a six pack
lift to reduce the lift lines. I still thought it was better to ski
Wintergreen than to sit home wishing I was skiing.

"Walt" wrote in message
...
KentB wrote:

I have been to Wintergreen ONCE. It was my second ever ski trip so
don't
hold it against me - I didn't know any better.

First - If your choice is cancel your trip because you have something
better
to do - cancel. If your choice is cancel and sit home and wish you
could
find something to do - go ski slush and make the best of it. Rent skis
and
buy the insurance.

Second - The group needs to hear a little about Wintergreen. First the
parking lot is at the top of the "mountain". You ski down the other
side.
As you might guess, you don't have a lot of verticle to work with.
Maybe
400 feet. When I was there was also warm weather. There was ice/slush
on
the runs and they NEVER turned the snow blowers off. They might when
you
are there if nothing is freezing. It was warm enough that the golf
course
at the bottom of the runs was operating while I was skiing. Yes I did
need
to watch for golf balls because the diameter of the golf ball was larger
than the snow "base". Wintergreen was so tiny - it had two green runs
on
the main lift area, two blues and a black on a lift to the right, and
three
blck runs on a lift to the left. Again, none had much verticle. And it
was
CROWDED. 15 minute lift lines if your stayed in the single line. But
inspite of being small, crowded, and somewhat strange layout - it was
fine
for my second trip. Not that I would go back. If I'm going to pay for
travel/hotel/lifts/etc. I want a lot more.

Hmmm. Wintergreen has over 1000 feet of vertical drop, so it's likely
that you didn't see it all on your trip there. Or perhaps some of the
terrain was closed when you were there. Anyway, nobody should travel
very far to ski Virginia.

BTW, I've been to Wintergreen, but in the summer, not the winter. The
runs looked OK, assuming that the snow is in passable shape. If it's
crowded, then obviously that would be no fun.

I wouldn't be put off by the fact that it's an upside down resort (i.e.
parking and the lodge at the top). That's common in areas where the
mountains are basically long ridges - might as well put the lodge at the
top and enjoy the view.

//Walt