Where do you drive to ski? (Massanutten, Cana: homes, university, earthquakes)

[BayAreaHillbilly]

If you ski in places where you don't have to fly to get there, where do you go (e.g. within VA, WV, PA, NC, etc?).

Which resort(s) is(are) your favorite(s)?

How long do you normally drive for a weekend ski outing (door to door drive times outbound and inbound)?

Just how icy is it in reality? Are we talking rime ice all down the run, or only just heavy crust?

Is there EVER anything that one would call a powder day?

Many thanks in advance for your replies.

[Movingwesttoeast]

East coast skiing is almost always crusty! I guess there would be a powder day right after a big snowfall -- but those are not often. There are not any really good hills around the DC area. There are a few places within 60-90 minutes (depending on where you live in the area), but they have low verticals, and often long line. They are okay for kids, but not great for serious skiers.

[GoHokiesGo]

There are a few smaller resorts near the western MD and PA border, such as Ski Liberty, Roundtop and Whitetail, and they're within 2 hours of most of the Northern VA area. If you drive south out on 81 you'll pass a few places, like Bryce and Massanutten.

The best skiing in the mid-Atlantic region is probably Snowshoe in West Virginia, but it's roughly 3-4 hours away from here (which is a bit too far for me for a day trip). They've got the best variety and quantity of trails, and you can catch some fresh powder there as well at times if you go when it's snowed recently.

Nothing here is going to be similar to what you find out West or in Canada and the Northeast, if that's what you're used to. You learn to deal with the ice around here, and take what you can get for conditions.

[vermonter16]

Jay Peak Resort on the canadian border in Vermont....yeah, it's a drive - but they seem to have the best conditions I've seen on the east coast. I hate the ice I find around this area.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Appreciate the replies.

Just to rub in the experience of Western skiing, we hit Squaw this past weekend and made first tracks. We know we would miss our long seasons moving East.

This is a long term plan to retire closer to family and within a better public transpo situation. So we know we'll need to make some trade offs. The Mid Atlantic strikes us as a fairly optimal solution compared with some other areas we are considering.

[saganista]

We don't really have such good skiing in this area. Also, not as many earthquakes, mudslides, or raging forest fires that devour dozens of multi-million dollar homes. You'd probably get used to it here after a while, though...

[Carlingtonian]

Whitetail--not bad but crowded as can be. But closest.

Northern PA--This is the best option, I think. Camelback and Elk Mountain are great!

More on this website: www.dcski.com

Some ice is to be expected on the Ice Coast, but I was unprepared for Whiteface in NY state. Oh. My. God. I've been snowboarding for 12 years and can do double-black diamonds--Superstar at Killington is no problem--but the ice moguls there were insane (and, to my great frustration, unmarked).

[jpktch]

I went to college at James Madison University (quite some years ago) and we really enjoyed Massanutten. It's small and friendly. On the days we had fresh snow, we'd jump in the car and hit the slopes. It's not the Alps, but it's fun. :-)

[trm5507]

7 Springs near Pittsburgh has always been my favorite

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Whitetail--not bad but crowded as can be. But closest.

Northern PA--This is the best option, I think. Camelback and Elk Mountain are great!

More on this website: www.dcski.com

Some ice is to be expected on the Ice Coast, but I was unprepared for Whiteface in NY state. Oh. My. God. I've been snowboarding for 12 years and can do double-black diamonds--Superstar at Killington is no problem--but the ice moguls there were insane (and, to my great frustration, unmarked).

Whiteface = Iceface! LOL!