Whitetail / Liberty 2017-18

[piusthedrcarve]

I just woke up from 7 months long sleep.   WT, Liberty, and Roundtop will start making snow from this week(end). 

As usual, let's use this tread as gathering and sharing date/time of your ridings so that others can join.

For me, I will be riding on Friday evening with kids.  I have ridden on Thursday night over last 2 seasons and it was blast.  You will have slopes for yourself after 8 pm.  I have been asked by my daughter to ride with her with 'Normal' board and teach her jibbing.  So, will ride 'Normal' board too. I plan to go Liberty and Roundtop too.  And few trips to WV (Canaan Valley, Timberline). So, if anyone rides there, please post your riding date/times here too.  Unfortunately, I won't be able to loan gears since I thinned my quiver last season.

Hope to see many carvers on the slopes.

[timrich99]

I guess Roundtop is opening Thursday with Liberty/Whitetail on Friday.  I may venture out to Liberty Sat nite

[piusthedrcarve]

Hi timrich99,

Ride Liberty?  I am thinking to start my season next mid-week.   I'll post up when I go. BTW, let us know its condition.

Hope to catch few turns with you this season.

[piusthedrcarve]

12/16 Liberty Report

First riding for this season.  Got there around 11:30 and spent an hour on front side to drop my kid into the ski school and did few warm-up laps.  Snow was sticky and slow. Grooming was poor but was expected with the amount of snow they made.  Then, went to backside which only opened 3 runs. It was really Pack Powder.  Enjoyed its condition for few runs then I saw a carver with a black board who cruises down those runs effortlessly with very balanced postures. I chased down and *Whoa*, it was Matthew (BOL member), who started alpine snowboarding last season but very dedicated.  His progress was truly amazing. I followed him few runs to see it more closely and surely his riding was different level.  Good job. Matt.

Little wind took humidity out from snow after 2 and got faster and faster.  I rode a hammerhead Mad 170.  Loved it.  Wiped out few times due to legs got shot but It was FUN-filled first day of riding with another awesome carver.   Called it a day after 4:30. 

Not sure when my next riding will be yet.  Probably Wednesday or/and Thursday.  The place is undecided. Maybe Roundtop or Whitetail, if WT opens Homerun, Snowpark, and Limelight. 

Edited December 17, 2017 by piusthedrcarve

[piusthedrcarve]

I'm going up WT today (12/18) and will ride from 10-4.  I'm thinking to ride a freeride board.  Need to work on some ground tricks and possibly jibbing. Haven’t tried them so looooong.  New to magnatraction and other fancy words that 'normal' board mfg. advertise as serious dope.  It will be interesting to see how recent decks has come.  In case, I will have my usual hardboot setup in car. :)

Edited December 18, 2017 by piusthedrcarve

[piusthedrcarve]

12/18 Whitetail

No crowd.  Grooming was better than Liberty last Saturday. Fanciful, Snow Dancers, and Exhibition were opened.  All of the 3 trails were partially covered and 1/3 width was marked with poles. Snow was fast and holding well even though it was high 40'F.  After 2 pm, few spots became too thin and dirt was visible.  SnowPark and HomeRun, Limelight were not even opened.  Until it gets cold again, stay away from WT unless you ride on bunny hills.

I rode an all mountain board so that I can refresh my softboot riding.  This was first time riding 'real' softboot board over past 15 years.  Most my softboot boards were WC BX boards. WOW and Ouch.  I couldn't finish the turn. Effective edge was too short and wiped out a lot at end of turn and few season-ending close calls.  Magtraction placed on camber under feet is only what... 60 cm.  I don't remember I ever lost grip on middle section with traditional camber board anyway.  So I concluded the word is another marketing hype word.  But it was great for  ground tricks like switching and buttering.  Took few jumps but loading and releasing was much different (than alpine/bx boards).  Few olies helped to find it but the kick was not impressive.  

Next riding will be Thurs/Friday.

[timrich99]

I went to Liberty last Sat 12/16 for the evening session.  Rode soft boots while teaching my stepdaughter trying to get her hooked on boarding(her first time).  After she went in because her butt was sore, me and my high school buddy made a few more runs on the front side.  By that time the surface was very inconsistent with it starting to freeze, you could make a couple good turns then whoa ice, made for one really good wipe.

not a bad time knocking off the rust, but time to break out the plates and hard boots.

i joined my friends night club and going to head back up for Jan 5/6 night sessions.

[piusthedrcarve]

timrich99,

oh. the night club pass is valid all weekday/weekend nights?  I may get that next season too. I was hoping to ride yesterday and today but WT/Liberty/Roundtop weren't able to make any snow.  So decided not to go. 

Maybe one day next week since few snow storms are forecasted next week. Few weather models shows a significant snow storm on 30th. European model sees it as a huge one like Jan. storm 2015, which dumped 38".  I'm not convinced... but hope it happens.

[timrich99]

Yes the night club card kicks in Jan 2nd through end of season, any night after 4-10 and starting at 3 on Sunday's, all three resorts.

back in 2011 I had a night season pass(I lived in Martinsburg, 25 miles to Whitetail) and that year it was better to have the season pass because season started around nov 22nd

now being back in NC, I am going to try the night club card, looks like if I go 5 nights it has paid for itself, if it works out next year I will buy it under the early bird special before end of October.

[piusthedrcarve]

Thanks for the Good info. More and more I prefer night riding due to crowd.

With the same reason, I try not to ride on Holiday weekends or weekends. But my kids have begged me from the first day of their winter break, so I’ll be out tomorrow at WT with kids & other families.  Probably ride a BX board.  Finally, WT announced Homerun (my favorite) will be opened today. 

[FTA2R]

Anyone planning on riding this weekend?  Obviously it's been pretty darn cold and their sites said they've been making snow, so I think conditions will be decent.  I'm tentatively planning on going Sunday, not sure where, though. Roundtop would be ideal, but it's the farthest from me.

Wouldn't mind meeting / riding with some other carvers this year.

 

[piusthedrcarve]

12/28 Whitetail

Rode from 1-9 pm. 1-5 pm only rode 6 runs. Too many people. Exhibition and HomeRun were opened.  Snow was chalk. Thanks to 3 days of teen temp. They made a lot of snow, compare to last week I was there. Farside & Bold Decision will be opened next. They only blew guns on trails that they are going to open next. Crowd was significantly less after 6.  After 8, no line and pretty much same as regular midweek night session. Snow condition will be one of best in seasons.

[piusthedrcarve]

Going up. Liberty tonight. 

[piusthedrcarve]

01/14/18

I got there around 4:30 and.... didn't ride until 5:15 due to crowds.  First time seeing massive crowd like this at Liberty.  After 7, crowd got thinner and spent not more than 5 minute at lift lines.  Last few sessions, I rode only softboot decks and needed few runs to get it back.  Snow was fast. 20'F and dropped to 13'F by 10.   Okay.  Snow was good. As they advertised, it was packed powder.  But problem was so many ppls scrapped all those good snow to the sides and left middle of the run (in width) to rock hard ice.  So,  at the initiation, digged and engaged edge well then the edge got slipped or wiped out at the middle of a turn on most of the Blue/Black runs.  Believe me I love hard icy snow (especially on Madd) but these were bullet proof ice that got built after 60-70 degrees few days ago. Especially, Lower Heavenly, Upper Blue Streak, White Lightning, which are my favorites.  Other black trails mostly got bumps by pushed snow.   Best condition trails were at the Park: Vertigo & West Side. 

I haven't ridden much Liberty at weekend night.  Maybe due to a closest resort from metropolitan and holiday weekend?  There were at least 40-50 straight bombing down young boarders and skiers.  I witnessed many close calls or wipe-out due to uncontrollable speed, so I rode very conservatively.  On the last run near the closing time, I rode down Blue Streak upper to lower to the base lodge with casual carving short turns. When I made last 'hard' turn to stop, I got hit hard from behind (on toe side turn) by one of those straight lining snowboarders.  Left upper arm, shoulder, and hand took most of the impact from his full face helmet. He got knocked down hard and seemed he got a slight concussion.  I tumbled few rolls but I was ok at the scene but the hit areas are getting sore by hours.  I think the soreness/discomfort is not an ER deserving pain.. so I'll see a doctor on Tuesday.

Ride safely and avoid busy days.

[timrich99]

If I can get outta work around noon Friday, I am going to hit Whitetail both Friday and Saturday Night.

[piusthedrcarve]

01/29

I rode 9 to 5 today at WT. Condition was super slush. After yesterday rains with a week of 50 & 60s, a lot of brown thin spots were there. Due to VA's student holidays, there were sizable crowds and few min. of waiting at SnowPark lift till 3.  A lot of group lessoning kids were there so it was like typical weekend at WT.  Snow was not holding edges at all.  Few inch underneath were either dirt or frozen granular snow. Slush piled pushed snow didn't help either.   It was my first day of new softboots and bindings.  The setup was good for carving but definitely needs a lot of adjustments to dial in, especially boots.   

[piusthedrcarve]

2/3-4

I am going up to Roundtop this weekend.  I heard many good things about the resort.  I will ride tonight and tomorrow. I'll be riding hardboots for tonight and maybe softboots tomorrow to test some softboot decks.  Hopefully Super Bowl thin out crowds for tomorrow. 

[timrich99]

What did you think of Roundtop?  I haven't been up there in a really long time.

[piusthedrcarve]

Shoot.... forgot to post riding review of last trip to Roundtop. I rode at Roundtop today and had a blast. 

2/19

Saturday snow brought many people to WT/Liberty/Roundtop.   Yesterday, WT & Roundtop posted in FB around Noon that they reached maximum capacity and no more space in parking lot. I checked their webcams and confirmed they were CROWDED.  Today forecast was rain, so I figured it will be less crowded.  I left home before 8 and arrived Roundtop at 10.  Here is a photo taken at 10:30 at the bottom of Minuteman.

WHAT??  Nearest parking lot was not even 1/2 full.  Minuteman was empty like the photo above.  Same emptiness on Ramrod & Gunbarrel (both black diamond). Exhibition was set up for Nastar gates and not more than 20 ppls were there.  I rode mostly Exhibition & Minuteman and never had to wait.

38 degree at 9 and 42 around 2.  light rain at 3. Fogged up at 4. Typical icy under slush day of Mid Atlantic.  After 2 days of massive holiday crowd, pretty much snow was pushed to sides and showing ice in middle for every trails.  Steeper areas and high traffic areas were very thin.  Due to its condition, there were not much bumps but pushed around snow only.  It was ok to carve down with good visibility,  Edge hold was very minimal so had to really pay attention on each turn.  Madd helped me tons. Their terrain park featured many rails and jumps that are much bigger and better than WT or Liberty. I did few jumps and rode down some banks. it was fun.Rain at 3 pretty much emptied slopes. Then it fogged in next hour. Visibility got so bad I wasn't able to make 2-3 consecutive hard charging turns, so called it a day at 4. 

A half of Upper & Lower Exhibition were used for their ski team training in the morning and Lower Exhibition was set up for NASTAR from Noon.  That was my main reason to come to Roundtop, even though it is the farthest among Snowtime resorts. My 10 years old son wanted to try out but WT & Liberty do NASTAR only one or two day for a season.  Roundtop does it every weekend from Noon to 3 & Friday night and also hosts a lot of USASA competitions. He did it alright (35 sec.) with park/jibbing skis.  I never skied before... so no real ski advice were given to him, except watching Vonn & Shiffrin's skiing down on TV last few days.   He is hooked.   I guess I'll be visiting Roundtop more often.

 

[timrich99]

I was up at Liberty that sat/Sunday night, we got about 2inches of fresh on Saturday.  Sunday was crazy when we first got there, same thing hard to find a parking spot. Since I have a Night Club Card, I had to wait til 3 on Sunday, the day crowd started to thin out but I rode the singles line to get through quicker.  Rode softies still working on teaching my daughter.  We broke for dinner and overheard people saying there was a bit over 8,000 on the mountain that day and it was in the Top 5 of biggest days ever, obviously no way to confirm but I did hear also about Whitetail getting to capacity on that Sunday.  My buddy is up at Liberty tonight(Monday) and he said they are confirming being open during the week, but the weekend right now is sketchy, they may not have enough to be open this weekend so we will see.  I was planning on going Saturday night.

[piusthedrcarve]

Dumping at Snowshoe....they got 55" over last 7 days, , while Snowtime resorts got nothing.  I am heading to Snowshoe with family at the end of this month for a week. Their closing date is 4/1 but it may will be extended with all the snow they got.  

[piusthedrcarve]

 

Hope this happens but I know 7-10 day forecast in Mid Atlantics is useless.

[piusthedrcarve]

Now 2 day before the storm arrives.  now it seems Northern VA will get much more than WV. 

I'll be at Snowshoe from 3/26th - 30th with kids.  Mainly, I will ride alpine snowboard(s), along with Alloy D.O. 161 demo. If anyone can join during the time, let me know.