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Frankenstorm Trick and Treat, West Virginia style : Oct 31-Nov 1, 2012

MadPatSki

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I have a few friends here and I know some of you might be interested in this TR. I decided to split it because it's long and boring. It took awhile, however I've posted some TR from 1992 last June, so this is a record time for me. I also dropped everything to make this trip happened, I had to pay the price at home and work. It didn't help that my memory card was zapped when the computer during the upload.


This TR is a long and boring text and might have way too many pictures. I know, it's a link to my blog, but I don't feel like reformatting everything to post here.


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Frankenstorm Trick and Treat, West Virginia style – Part 1: Timberline, Oct 31, 2012


This was probably one of the craziest ski adventures I’ve ever experienced. Driving thousand of kilometers for many hours through a hurricane in an unlikely ski destination “potentially” buried in snow. I had skied hurricane generated snow at Wildcat in late October 2005, in what would become month #1 of a monthly ski streak, but New Hampshire is almost local compared to West Virginia. The situation was also potential more hazardous this time around.


CAUTION :


First off, I would say that this trip wasn’t taken likely. Hurricanes aren’t fun, I’m happy that I live in a part of the World that is rarely subject to the catastrophic destructive force of severe weather events. I feel extremely gracious to those that welcomed us in West Virginia, we were just visitors, visitors in a devastated area. The people at the resort were extremely helpful although they lived extreme stress living in this situation. We entered the disaster area prepared to be self-sufficient.


For those who are living through the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy or those who have live through a natural disaster will understand. The part of West Virginia we saw reminded me of Upper New England, Eastern Ontario or Southern Quebec during the great Ice storm when many millions went without electricity in early January 1998. The effects on the lives along the coast were much worst. West Virginia got hit with their biggest snowfall ever.


Once our trip was over, we could leave back to our respectful homes with heating, electricity and all amenities. It wasn’t the case for these people. I feel we brought smiles to some faces (especially thinking of Chip, White Grass Cross-Country and Backcountry Ski area owner) seeing a bunch of crazy people driving from so far away for their snow. Maybe it was reassuring for them that, after all, people could live and enjoy the elements.


Click link or pics to continue...


http://madpatski.wordpress.com/2012...virginia-style-part-1-timberline-oct-31-2012/


Here are a few fun non-skiing pics from October 30th:



Two meals in one Subway









Davis WV - Ghost town



Canaan Valley skin tracks.






No food at the ski lodge cafeteria



The lobby of the Canaan Resort Hotel.


I should be able to post Part 2 towards the end of next week.
 

Abubob

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Its about time! No - truly a very interesting report - not likely to read one like that for a while - at least I hope not. Like you say hurricanes are serious business.

I had to pay the price at home and work.
So ... what was the price??
 

MadPatSki

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So ... what was the price??

Like I mentioned to Chip from White Grass the following day (that is going to be in Part2), if I was responsible, I wouldn't have been in West Virginia. Missing 4 days of work with an important deadline. My soft deadline was November 2...the unmoveable deadline was the following Friday and couldn't go in to work on the weekend due to my daughter's bday on Nov 4 and her sleepover/party on the 3rd. Worked late everynight to make sure I meet the deadline...then I had house stuff to catch up.

No regrets, this is a trip I won't likely forget.
 

MadPatSki

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Finally? What do you mean, finally? This might be the most timely and earliest TR Pat has even posted! :lol:
+1

Actually, MadMadWorld was talking about my picture recovery.

Part 2 is 95% complete. Tons of links, all competed. I might do a few last minute editing and pics changes, clean up the pic gallery plus waiting for a non-skiing picture from someone to make it complete.
 

MadPatSki

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Awesome, awesome, awesome report and such a cool trip!

That was Part 1...posted Part 2 last night on our second and last day skiing in West Virginia. Part 2 starts where it left off, looking for beer in a place where everything is closed.

Here are a couple of pictures from Part 2...




Click on the link or pics to see another boring description of an epic trip.


Frankenstorm Trick and Treat, West Virginia style – Part 2 : White Grass, Nov 1, 2012
http://madpatski.wordpress.com/2012...virginia-style-part-2-white-grass-nov-1-2012/


Beer run on October 31







Some maggots showing up







Picture by ML242: Ski clothes and headlamps pool showdown







White Grass : November 1


More maggots ....


 

ScottySkis

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Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2

Wow that is an epic report and trip, how their hills look like compared to New England?
 

MadPatSki

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how their hills look like compared to New England?

I know Northern New England and West Virginia ski hill aren't as long (vertical). I did a bit of research prior to driving down. Showshoe is the big resort in WV and has 1500' vertical. Summit are higher. Snowshoe is somewhere arould 4850' while Canaan Valley, Timberline and White Grass Cross-Country areas are in the 4200'-4300' range.

Snowshoe was an extra 2 hours south (when the roads are good) and the resort sits at the top of the mountain similar to Le Massif. It is (or was) own by Intrawest, so it's the modern type ski hill dynamic.

Canaan Valley is more modest. Verticals for Timberline and Canaan Valley, the two liftserved areas, are respectively 1000' and 850' TLine trails (although steeper steeps) reminded me of Balsams Wilderness in Dixville Notch , NH or similar, but higher than the less commercial Laurentians ski area. I've skied the big Northern New England areas (more than 2000') and those hills aren't on the same page. I've skied few smaller areas in New England (Bolton, Cranmore, Black, Attitash, Balsams) and the only one I can think of being close to the feel was Balsams. I realized that Balsams isn't well know, so I'm not sure if it can give you an idea of the place?

Canaan Valley didn't seem that different, except the layout and topography. There was lodging and some ski-out stuff at TLine.
 
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