TODAY's PHOTOS : Sticky Powder Mixing in with Granular Corn Yesterday

TODAY'S PHOTOS : Sticky powder mixing in with granular corn yesterday. Denis and Mike showing how much fun it can be.

LAST SPRING *

APRIL the 20th : Spring Corn Snow Still Calls Us

7am temp- 39- partly cloudy * Some work and XC on tap, good recipe!

New Snow: 6”-8” accumulated on top Tuesday and Wednesday, we took full advantage

We have closed our doors. Are around putting everything away. Fantastic season, thanks

IS IT REALLY WORTH THE DRIVE? Slopes are open top to bottom at both alpine ski areas.

OUR NORDIC CRYSTAL BALL:Corn runs will last well into next week, spring enjoyment found in watching it disappear, though.

Our crystalline precipitation for the season:170 inches

137 skiable days were felt by our ski soles.

XC touring from the first 8” on Nov. 21st – to the last meltage of April 6th.(and a mid April hit, too.)

All 50 km. were open for 65 days.

Nov:18.5”, Dec: 39.5” , Jan: 43”, Feb: 16”, Mar: 49”, Apr-4”

Great winter ski season for the east. Records have been shattered up north.

A February thaw spoiled a 100% perfect winter climate here.

For us it doesn’t get much better.

Hi Chip!
Many thanks for the fantastic Whitegrass hospitality this past season.
This was my first-ever season of skiing -- and now I'm hooked forever.
Two thoughts: (1) where have I been all these winters??!! and (2)
Better late than never. Special thanks for your late-season help in
picking some gear for the future. When I walk by those skis stacked
pride-of-place in the garage, I sigh and long for next season.
In any case, let's plan to meet on powdered white water in November
again this year, eh?! Cheers, Mitch

Overheard “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. Mark Twain

Ulle, our Norse God of Snow, you have garnished us in powder more than we could of ever imagined. Your power is not to be taken lightly

Our DUDE OF THE WEEK! Sacco Carter, in between wood carving and fatherhood, still has boundless energy for the cold rivers or long slopes of remaining snow. “Suck the youth right out of um…”, as he puts it.

Our Favorite Artist-We Collect Michael Gorrie’s Work!

<a href=http://www.home.earthlink.net/~michaelgorrie/>://www.home.earthlink.net/~michaelgorrie</a>

I was in Canaan Valley, WV and observed an unusually steep
gradient between elevation and snow pack after a 160 inch 2000-2001 winter
season-to-date snowfall (normal is 134"). Here are WV observations from
March 25, 2001:
Elevation (ft) snow depth (inches)
2,800 T
3,300 12
3,850 17
4,400 24

BoB Leffler

LOCAL RIVER LEVELS:”There’s no boating in WV unless the Laurel Fork is up”, Chuck Nichols, spurting his direct adornment toward our local Class 3 jewel.

(Secret: If the Glady at Evenwood is 4 feet, the Laurel is 0”, it is best above 5’ and below 6’)

WHERE TO SKI NOW: NEW ENGLAND HAS BEEN BOMBED WITH SNOW!!

MAD RIVER GLEN, VERMONT

<a href=http://www.madriverglen.com/conditions.asp> http://www.madriverglen.com/conditions.asp</a

I see that some sites in Vermont and New Hampshire are reporting over 40
> inches, which is not impossible. It is interesting that Crater Lake,
> OR, is reporting 43 inches. It's not too often that late March snow
> depth in New England is comparable to Crater Lake! If this stuff melts
> in a hurry, there will be some real problems, I surmise. Let's hope it
> doesn't warm up too fast up there. I skiied, BTW, at Catamount on the
> MA/NY border. Plenty of snow, of course, but a bit slushy on Saturday.
> Snow cover in may parts of the Berkshires will obviously persist well
> into April, if not May in the higher elevations. Doug

JAY PEAK,VERMONT

(Snowfall)
The info you put on your page about Jay, as good as it is, is a year out of
date. The 488" all time record was broken a month ago. They got 571" and counting for this season.

220-year average, 340 inches. 1999/2000, 488 inches (new all-time record); 1998/99, 305 inches; 1997/98, 355 inches; 1996/97, 407 inches; 1995/96, 434 inches; 1994-95, 276 inches; 1993/94, 427 inches: 1992/93, 347 inches; 1991/92, 373 inches; 1990/91, 296 inches; - more snow by far than any other ski resort in Eastern North America and more snowfall than many western resorts.

CRAFTSBURY, VERMONT</b<a href=”http://www.craftsbury.com/snow.htm”> http://www.craftsbury.com/snow.htm</a>

TUG HILL NY STATE:</b<a href=http://www.tughillregion.com/ski-osceola/>Snowiest Place In the East</a>

LAPLAND LAKE, NY

<a href=http://www.laplandlake.com/liveshot/ski-report.html>http://www.laplandlake.com/liveshot/ski-report.html</a>

TUCKERMAN”S RAVINE, NH

<a href=http://www.tuckerman.org/> http://www.tuckerman.org/</a>

wHaT’S uP ?</b

MUCH MORE EASTERN SKIING AHEAD!

The Easter vacation has drawn many towards New England. We planned a White Mountain tour, into Tuckerman Ravine or Gulf Of Slides, also the amazing Mad River Glen in Vermont…got side tracked skiing fresh snows here. Why not take advantage of their very best snow year ever?

Quick report that we had an incredible few days of skiing this weekend, and will continue to have until the "skiers stop coming" -E. Freidman, GM, MRG

Hope to see you up here. ChuckD</I

April 20-21- Earth Day: Helping survey for woodcock and spring cleanup. Canaan Valley Nat’l Wildlife Refuge: Phone (304) 866-3858 for details.

LAST SAT-SUN IN APRIL: SMOKEHOLE CANOE RUN: Our annual right to spring floating along the Peruvian-like cliffs of this wild and scenic section. Folks, you know who you are.

FIRST WEEKEND IN MAY: CHEAT RIVER FESTIVAL-Albright, WV…trying to clean up the Cheat River watershed, especially the Canyon itself.

Many spring events popping up locally:

<a href=http://canaanvalley.org/> http://canaanvalley.org/</a>

<hr>

ALASKA REPORT: FIRST WEEK OF APRIL *

Heavy spring snows keep ten of us occupied kicking in trails, suffer from instant re-coverage. White outs, feet overnight, 50” new by the time we leave, still falling. Impossible to fly into Denali, we retreat to the Hatcher Pass Lodge and its powder paradise. Our group skis together. Avalanche courses keep my skis going even faster than expected, hearts beat louder.

The Talkeetna Mountains are steep off the rolling fertile Matanuska Valley, famous for putting out the world’s largest cabbage . We find refuge in a windblown open bowl that refills with snow every day we are there. Trips up the pass and off into neighboring peaks bring many open powder runs that we found so soft and pure. More glacier training in ropes in the eve and a sauna that I feel asleep in as a night capper.

NATO maneuvers on, as we await a chance to fly into Denali and the Ruth Glacier…

Welcome back home, Meister Chipper.

So how washometown snow? Get that site of yours loaded up with pics of the backcountry ofbackcountries, will ya! We're all waiting. Winter forever here too. Fernie, B.C. has been getting hit with a bunch of closely spaced storms, incl.two pretty big ones.

Went bc skiing yesterday near the border with Montana.We 4wd'upto Galton Pass (5500') on an active logging road. Praise the lordforthosesoftwood loggers. Fromthe pass, we skinned up 1000' toa round-topped ridge. Nice long views-though obscured by a snow squall-to the east,2500' down tothe Wigwam river drainage. The runs were through open gladed slopes. It was overcast with sucker holesand snowing, which gave the air a weird yellow cast. The base was thin breakable crust alternating to 4"-6" powder pockets, easy goingwhen I kept them pointed downhill.

Neat Canada/US watersheds here:the north-flowing Wigwam's headwaters are in Montana, next to the south-flowing Flathead, whose headwaters are in British Columbia. Its a topsy turvy world out here. Anyway, we were within salutin' distance of Old Glory while we earned our Canadian turns. By the bye, this whole area was todaydeclared a wildlife protection area, with jurisdiction passing from the provincialdept. of Forestry tothe dept. of Environment. Endangered Bull Trout dwell in both rivers. Environment will call the shots, but the cutting will go on, though understricterregulation.

Today broughta full day's lift-servedin Fernie. It snowed all night and all day. The snow had that luscious fast feel to it inmost places; others were more challenging. For example, Concussion Glades had this intriguing mix of fresh pow andsunballs from a few days ago. Kind of a soft lumpy cushy feel, with the odd hard bits. It looked worsethan it was and offered exhilarating skiing. Theglade isguarded by a bevy of firs:huge old, gnarly,crusty, bearded creatures whosilently witness our passage. We skied fresh lines all day with hardly anyone else in sight!

Anyhoo, that is that for now. Hopethe Whitegrass season finishes with a bunch of big lake effect blows. Turn, turn, turn to all. Pierre</I

THESE MTN BIKE FOLKS ARE GREAT!<a href=http://www.mtntouring.com/htm/home.htm> http://www.mtntouring.com/htm/home.htm</a>

A Cool Telemark article from Ski Mag:

<a href=http://www.skimag.com/print.cfm?alias_id=4619> http://www.skimag.com/print.cfm?alias_id=4619</a>

WHAT'S PLAYIN? WE have been pulling in Pittsburg's Public Radio WYEP for the a most delectable tuneage on planet earth. Absolutely nothing is better than their mix; it is rich, diverse, engaging, tasteful, and above all…EXCITING!! Keeps the place hoppin'. Public radio as it could be in your hometown.<a href= http://www.wyep.org >http://www.wyep.org</a> They stream live online and hear for yourself. Support them for music’s sake.

OUR COUNTY WEATHER FORECAST:

For the very latest: SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM! <a href=http://www.accuweather.com/adcbin/local_index?thisZip=26260&btnZip=Go&nav=home> http://www.accuweather.com/adcbin/local_index?thisZip=26260&btnZip=Go&nav=home </a>”…if you don’t like the weather forecast…wait a minute.”

KIDS SKI TOO! Our popular 20 year running Kids Trade-For-Free Ski Program starts at $45, jumps to $175 with boots, short-wide skis, poles, and step in bindings. Buy once and trade for free until adult sizes where another $75 is collected. Your total lifetime investment should be around $250.00. They always have their own gear, praying for snow. We enjoy watching them grow up skiing. Cross country skills acquired while limber and unafraid usually puts a child in the drivers seat at mastering the easier and less complex sports of snowboarding and alpine skiing. Our hot shot skiing kids make easy proof. Free the heels…lifts, we don’t need no stinking lifts! Zero travel when snow hits home. What are you waiting for?

<hr>

Discover why Cross Country Skiing is one of the most wonderful lifetime winter sports. Besides being healthy and challenging, it burns up very little of our world's resources. Our ski area and cafe electric bill now averages less than $3.49 per day. Guess who's burnin' up all the energy in this sport?

RECENT BACKSCATTER</B

Thanks for a great season. We came up two weekends and had a great time. It's so great to have a facility like White Grass providing a refuge from
the hustle & bustle of DC, along with friendly people, and the best food in The Valley. See you next season! Paul Chandler

Thank you for another great day in nordic nirvana! Brita and I had the best
day skiing on that fresh West Va powder!
Whitegrass is the friendliest and most positive ski center on the planet.
We always get our batteries recharged soaking up all that positive energy
that flows at Whitegrass.
Thanks again to you, Laurie, Tom, Stroh, and everyone.
much love,Brita and Brad

Chip,
Hey it's Si ?here. Just wanted to say thanks for the
wonderful winter. I had a very good time at Whitegrass
and felt welcome with all the very nice folks. I hope
I get to see you all this summer. I will be back next
winter for sure.

the west is so beautiful and the snow is so bountiful. real love for the outdoors and lots of tele going on. it feels as good as west virginia. eric and Marcella

Hello Chip: Missed you on Monday 3-26 when you were skiing in the Russian
Plains, but as Ken might have told you I had quite the adventure, skiing in
White Grass' late March wonderland. I've enjoyed reading about and seeing
pictures of the mountain and the Dolly Sods wilderness on the web site, and
have pined for the real thing. I took Monday off work, an excellent choice
given the superb early spring conditions, drove up from Bowie MD, and set
off on Three Mile, Fern Gully, and the Cabin Mountain Trail bound for the
Sods. I had the plan of skiing westward along the Dolly Sods side of the
mountain and then come back down on one the trails near the Canaan such as
Boundary, Beech Lick, or Upper Springer. At the edge of the Sods, I found a
wide trail and continued on for more than an hour in the strong late March
sunshine through the heart of the Sods. Eventually I saw a trail that
appeared to start back toward White Grass and started descending. Everything
looked alright as there were wide swaths cut on the mountain in my view that
seemed like a ski resort. However, too late I realized I was on a lengthy,
switchback fire road which kept going down interminably, so far down, in
fact, that even with the 3.5 feet of base up on top I eventually ran out of
snow and ended up in a rustic settlement along Lindeman Road called Dry
Forks, WV. School buses dropping off children told me that I was now in
Randolph rather than Tucker County. Fortunately, friendly trout fishermen
helped me get my bearings and gave me a ride the 8.5 miles back to White
Grass, as it was getting late. I had skied all the way across the Sods and
down the next mountain over. They said the trout fishing had been awful due
to the unseasonable cold, but they deserve some excellent fishing now for
their good deed. I'm the guy with the funny red, low cut Salomon boots and
Peletonen skis from the late 80s that makes it up to White Grass at least
once a year; one these years you'll have to put me in new stuff. Have a
blast in Alaska and we'll watch for your report. --Dave Unnewehr

Chippie,

10" -12 " at whitegrass

12" -14 " in Waitsfield

Tell me again....Why are we going to Alaska?

Dickie

Spent a week on the Ruth the second week of May a few years back. It’s an incredible place and so is the fly-in. We got bombed by 9 feet of snow during two storms in 3 days. It sure made trail breaking tough after that. Saw huge avalanche come off mountain behind us.