Snowtime Weekend in S.Central PA - Roundtop & Whitetail

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

Got reservations for Roundtop Sat (my third trip there) and Whitetail Sun (my second trip there). Pretty perfect timing as both announced today that for the first time this Skison they are 100% open. 

 

Particularly psyched that they have Upper Gunbarrel open at Roundtop. I have never skied that before and the top of it has a 50° pitch - which is I believe the steepest on map headwall in PA (White Lightning headwall at Montage was regraded from 54° to 46° a while back).

 

Had been planning to do Hunter this weekend, but with Temps as of a few days ago being forecast to go down as low as 10 below with high winds there this weekend  (forecast has moderated with lows around 0 and highs in the teens now expected), I switched my reservations to these balmier south central PA resorts where it is expected to get into the 30s both days.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Ski2Live Live2Ski

[toast21602]

WTGAI. Really curious about Whitetail so post up a picture or two if you can!

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

I do have some Whitetail pix from my trip there on 3-17-19. These are mostly from the "Exhibition" bump run on the rear face.  They were nice and soft that balmy day. Closing day of their season and we skied them to the last chair.

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by Ski2Live Live2Ski

[theprogram4]

The 3 south central PA mountains interest me as they are the same distance from where I grew up as the Pocono resorts are, yet I know little about them.  If I had an epic pass, I’d ride all three in one day, then log them as separate days in the stat log, then wonder why PASRs are worried about my stats during powder days at jhole.  Woo!

[toast21602]

1 minute ago, theprogram4 said:

The 3 south central PA mountains interest me as they are the same distance from where I grew up as the Pocono resorts are, yet I know little about them.  If I had an epic pass, I’d ride all three in one day, then log them as separate days in the stat log, then wonder why PASRs are worried about my stats during powder days at jhole.  Woo!

You're free to post your stats as you wish, since they are your stats.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

9 minutes ago, theprogram4 said:

The 3 south central PA mountains interest me as they are the same distance from where I grew up as the Pocono resorts are, yet I know little about them.  If I had an epic pass, I’d ride all three in one day, then log them as separate days in the stat log, then wonder why PASRs are worried about my stats during powder days at jhole.  Woo!

Can't hit more than one Epic Mt a day this year due to reservations policy (except JF and BB considered one). Liberty still doesn't have much of its best terrain open so glad I am hitting these two - though I still have never made it to Liberty.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Ski2Live Live2Ski

[toast21602]

2 minutes ago, Ski2Live Live2Ski said:

Can't hit more than one Epic Mt a year this year due to reservations policy. Liberty still doesn't have much of its best terrain open so glad I am hitting these two - though I still have never me it to Liberty.

It is surprising to me how these places don't have all of their terrain open with the weather that we have had since December. 

[theprogram4]

1 minute ago, toast21602 said:

It is surprising to me how these places don't have all of their terrain open with the weather that we have had since December. 

I’ve been wondering the same thing about spring mountain, I was thinking about going there last night 

[theprogram4]

4 minutes ago, Ski2Live Live2Ski said:

Can't hit more than one Epic Mt a day this year due to reservations policy (except JF and BB considered one). Liberty still doesn't have much of its best terrain open so glad I am hitting these two - though I still have never made it to Liberty.

I assume day passes are separate for each resort?

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

8 minutes ago, theprogram4 said:

I assume day passes are separate for each resort?

You could get a day pass for more than one Epic Mt on same day.

I believe day passes for JF and BB are still good at the other - continuing a policy that has been in place since at least the early 80s (first time I skied them).

[theprogram4]

7 minutes ago, Ski2Live Live2Ski said:

You could get a day pass for more than one Epic Mt on same day.

I believe day passes for JF and BB are still good at the other - continuing a policy that has been in place since at least the early 80s (first time I skied them).

Ah, I was hoping a round top day pass also worked for that same day at liberty and whitetail 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

55 minutes ago, Ski2Live Live2Ski said:

Got reservations for Roundtop Sat (my third trip there) and Whitetail Sun (my second trip there). Pretty perfect timing as both announced today that for the first time this Skison they are 100% open. 

 

Particularly psyched that they have Upper Gunbarrel open at Roundtop. I have never skied that before and the top of it has a 50° pitch - which is I believe the steepest on map headwall in PA (White Lightning headwall at Montage was regraded from 54° to 46° a while back).

 

Had been planning to do Hunter this weekend, but with Temps as of a few days ago being forecast to go down as low as 10 below with high winds there this weekend  (forecast has moderated with lows around 0 and highs in the teens now expected), I switched my reservations to these balmier south central PA resorts where it is expected to get into the 30s both days.

Have fun. Are you staying overnight?  

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

28 minutes ago, toast21602 said:

It is surprising to me how these places don't have all of their terrain open with the weather that we have had since December. 

Most don’t have the powerful snowmaking that Blue has.  Camelback just became 100%

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

29 minutes ago, toast21602 said:

It is surprising to me how these places don't have all of their terrain open with the weather that we have had since December. 

Most don’t have the powerful snowmaking that Blue has.  Camelback just became 100%

 

when I see South central mentioned it reminds me of this. 

[JFskiDan]

4 hours ago, toast21602 said:

It is surprising to me how these places don't have all of their terrain open with the weather that we have had since December. 

They got Vailed.  

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

Upper Gun Barrel 50° Headwall today

 

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

Beautiful day - moderate lines on the Expedition and Ramrod lifts allowed for 25 runs. Gun Barrel boosted the adrenaline, Ram Rod is a nice run too. Barrett's trail a winding change of pace. 

Nice soft surface from snowmaking at start of day. Got scraped a little by 2 pm. 

Everyone seemed to be regulars greeting one another in line. Fun place. Took 2 hrs to get here.

 

[toast21602]

Looks good! Great day to be out. 

[EdBacon]

Does anyone send it off those boulders or is it all ice?

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

All snow on the boulders I believe but did not see anyone go off them. The slope was really as much steepness and excitement as anyone there was wanting. I did 4 runs down it while snow was fresh (guns roaring for first couple keeping it fresh). Returned to it after lunch and it was scraped slick to the point I felt out of control and did not hit it again after that.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

Given the weather forecast I will likely stay out here and ski Monday too, maybe even Tuesday. Really doesn't make sense to drive home through a snow storm tomorrow night to not ski in deep fresh snow Monday. 

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

4-5" of fresh snow overnight last night at Whitetail and region as a whole - all after grooming was finished so a beautiful layer of powdery goodness atop the packed powder - and one diamond  trail left totally ungroomed. Kept snowing all day adding another 4-5" with more to come. Driving was hairy- especially on the way to Mt with roads still unplowed.

Main lift got pretty crazy line wise from 10-12 but the expert area lift never got worse than 10 min. 

No pix today as it was snowing too much to want to take out phone and take off gloves. Imagine a white square and you get the idea of the pic.

Staying over to ski tomorrow too. Gotta decide whether to try Liberty or return to Whitetail. I have never been to Liberty and it is closer to being on the way home, but it's smaller and I don't know what the roads will be like around it in snow.

Edited January 31, 2021 by Ski2Live Live2Ski

[theprogram4]

2 minutes ago, Ski2Live Live2Ski said:

4-5" of fresh snow overnight last night at Whitetail and region as a whole - all after grooming was finished so a beautiful layer of powdery goodness atop the packed powder - and one diamond  trail left totally ungroomed. Kept snowing all day adding another 4-5" with more to come. Driving was hairy- especially on the way to Mt with roads still unloved.

Main lift got pretty crazy line wise from 10-12 but the expert area lift never got worse than 10 min. 

No pix today as it was snowing too much to want to take out phone and take off gloves. Imagine a white square and you get the idea of the pic.

Staying over to ski tomorrow too. Gotta decide whether to try Liberty or return to Whitetail. I have never been to Liberty and it is on the way home, but it I smaller and I don't know what the roads will be like around it in snow.

Try liberty!

[toast21602]

5 minutes ago, Ski2Live Live2Ski said:

4-5" of fresh snow overnight last night at Whitetail and region as a whole - all after grooming was finished so a beautiful layer of powdery goodness atop the packed powder - and one diamond  trail left totally ungroomed. Kept snowing all day adding another 4-5" with more to come. Driving was hairy- especially on the way to Mt with roads still unloved.

Main lift got pretty crazy line wise from 10-12 but the expert area lift never got worse than 10 min. 

No pix today as it was snowing too much to want to take out phone and take off gloves. Imagine a white square and you get the idea of the pic.

Staying over to ski tomorrow too. Gotta decide whether to try Liberty or return to Whitetail. I have never been to Liberty and it is closer to being on the way home, but it's smaller and I don't know what the roads will be like around it in snow.

Whatever is steeper. 18" of snow on flat trails isn't going to be fun.

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

Pretty sure I am doing Liberty tomorrow. No better chance to sample the place than tomorrow, skied everything interesting at Whitetail a good amount today, and as hairy as driving back to NJ will be, may as well do all my driving in that direction.