honest opinion - when should I ski?

[krs1pitt]

title says it all, can't decide on this weekend or next. Supposedly some fresh snow for sat morning but was just out last weekend. Do holiday crowds get bad for mlk weekend? Trying to convince my fiancee for this weekend, thanks for your help

[toast21602]

no doubt about it, go this weekend.

[phillycore]

Go Both... but if you can only do one or the other... go this weekend, but start sat. morning and not friday.

Friday is wmmr day and it will be a f'n zoo... of course it's only $9.33 a ticket so in that sense it's not bad...

Pres. day weekend will be busy, this weekend will not be... go this weekend.

[krs1pitt]

thanks guys, I figured that was the case. Do they normally blow after wmmr days since I'm assuming it's all scraped off by pizza wedges? Just started hitting up jfbb this year and now am obsessed with fresh snow / first tracks.

[krs1pitt]

so they usually get the mountain back in shape after a big day like that? I went to blue exclusively last year and haven't gone back since going to jfbb.and seeing how well maintained it is. Looking at the temps it seems like it'll be a cold one so I thought snowmaking was a possibility, planning on hitting east mt first this trip since I always miss out on the freshies.

[kragan]

I went to one of the WMMR days last year and it was not bad at all. I got there at opening and had the place nearly to myself for quite a long time. Most people are coming up to party and hang out and they are not typically early risers.

[johnnypowder]

I went to one of the WMMR days last year and it was not bad at all. I got there at opening and had the place nearly to myself for quite a long time. Most people are coming up to party and hang out and they are not typically early risers.

Like others I suggest this weekend.

 

The MMR crowd will be the worst mid morning until the bar opens. Once the bar opens (by 11am at the latest) the slopes clear out. Afternoon skiing is actually very good. Getting into the bar in the afternoon is more difficult than skiing.

 

Jack Frost takes great care of the slopes. With the new snow expected and the cold temps of the week conditions should be excellent. They also generally lay down a new layer of snow Friday night after the MMR day and do their grooming magic as well.

 

MLK weekend is simply crazy! Now if you can take the day off Friday 1/15 we have a demo day at Jack Frost (tickets are $24.95 in advance) and it won't be too bad. But starting Saturday through Monday (Monday is horrible!) crowds at all area ski resorts are unbearable.

 

-John

[krs1pitt]

regarding the bar, is there different food up there as opposed to the general concessions on the lower floor? i always think about heading up but end up settling on something downstairs.

[fluffy]

regarding the bar, is there different food up there as opposed to the general concessions on the lower floor? i always think about heading up but end up settling on something downstairs.

 

There is a small kitchen upstairs called 'Fiddler's Fridge'. It has some different items and some of the same items as the regular cafeteria. It's worth checking out.

[JFskiDan]

i skied wmmr day last year....ok till about 11, then i rolled because it was pretty crowded. the slopes will be fine for the weekend, their groming is always top-notch.

 

anytime you ski early, you wont be dissapointed. MLK will be crowded, Pres weekend will be more so.

 

usually

 

 

 

Usually C1er has a quick conditions report like around the 9 oclock hour which is nice when you cant make it out first thing.

Edited January 7, 2010 by JFskiDan

[RidgeRacer]

I say both but if you have to choose one I'd say this weekend...with some fresh snow and a decent weekend on tap you cant go wrong. Plus isnt Glen Plake in the house on Sunday...that alone should decide it for you.

[C1erArt]

title says it all, can't decide on this weekend or next. Supposedly some fresh snow for sat morning but was just out last weekend. Do holiday crowds get bad for mlk weekend? Trying to convince my fiancee for this weekend, thanks for your help

 

The slopes can be pretty ripped up at 4pm, and pristine the next day since there is no night skiing, and they have time to blow if needed and groom everything. But there is tons of snow on the slopes, so if they don't blow there is plenty of base to be able to groom it smooth.

 

But I think the previous poster had it right - the crowd will be in the lodge (they had the keggers stacked up today), not on the slopes, especially not on the east side. Saturday should be great (as long as they pick up all the beer cans).

[Robert2]

Go.

Don't wait.

Ever.

The JF snowmakers and groomers are perfectionists at making perfect snow every day they are open running lifts.

Its that simple.

None of this crap like Blue mountain does where they let the snow get churned to ice and death cookies and still open hills.

 

We do not get enough natural snow in PA to let mother nature make skiable conditions so JF and BB groom to perfection every day.

I got 50 days on the snow last year at JF and I never was disappointed.

I went to Blue twice and both times I got to ride on dirty sharp volcanic ash ungroomed

hills. There's just no excuse for letting that happen to a piss ant tiny hill of a ski resort like Blue.

 

As far as this weekend goes....

note the temperature this week has been consistently in the 20s... not 30s

and Saturday will be in the teens........

so skiers tend to give up faster and many don't even take the drive to ski because they think

its too cold to ski.

If you think its too cold to ski then you just aren't dressing for it.

If your hands are cold.... wear mittens instead of gloves.

You will never see an Eskimo wear gloves... they wear mittens.

If your mittens aren't warm enough then wear a glove liner under the mitten.

IF your core ...body...chest... lungs are cold then perhaps you need to wear a facemask and never breath the cold air.

 

If your feet are too cold in plastic ski boots... learn to snowboard.

Snowboarding boots are not as form fitting and plastic as ski boots.

Snowboarding boots are not worn as tight as ski boots so blood flow is not as

restricted as tight ski boots.

Better blood flow...means warmth.

Also note that snowboarding boots are laced up and you can wear them so loose that you can

fit real thick wool hunting socks that you could never stuff into a ski boot if you bought boots that just fit you with thin socks.

I can't wear my ski boots in 20 degree weather but I can wear my snowboarding boots

even in 20 below zero wind chills.

 

 

Its going to be very cold this winter... all winter... so work on how to dress for 5 degrees and

go ski. The cold will chase the goobers in blue jeans off the hill and you won't be waiting in any lift lines at JF.

 

I didn't think the last 3 years of WMMR days has really had ski crowds.

So what ...they sell a $9 lift ticket....

the WMMR crowd is a blue jean crowd..... there for the party.

It rains... they go in the lodge.

It snows... they go in the lodge.

Its cold.... they go in the lodge.

There will be live music playing in the first floor bar and the WMMR party on the second floor....

so yea...it will be a zoo but not on the hills.

Go ski.