Woo hoo! Got my Ikon pass today!

Skied in the trees in nice powder last thanksgiving, I am not a fair weather/conditions only skier, ice makes you better the best and strongest skiers grew up on east coast hard snow

I agree about EC skiers mogul-mike. That’s a cool pic there.

Way to bring the stoke Mike.

How did you find us?

I have been ready to ski since June, I don't remember how I found you guys I guess while I was googling for Killington glade videos, after getting a new pair of Tecnica Mach 1s last year my skiing is back to where it was years ago when I won a psychocross race at snowshoe mountain, that was skiers and snowboarders combined but skiers could not use their poles.

Thank you Brownski! One of the coolest thing is cool people ski, always meeting awesome people, unlike around here (northern Va DC area) great area for work but can't wait to hit 95 north when the snow guns fire up!

Good EC skiers know how to use their edges, tune their skis and hug a tight tree line. The best Western skiers know this too. Good western skiers have an eye for avalanche terrain, can pick a better line in deep powder. The best EC skiers know this too. Truly expert skiers are experts anywhere.

Moglmike wrote

psychocross

Ah, that explains why I've never heard of the Psychocross at Snowshoe.  I didn't start skiing regularly in the southeast, including VA/WV, until 2004.  I'm also originally a New Yorker, but from NYC.  Went to camp in western NY and school in Lake Placid for a couple years.

I have a few good friends in the DC area who take trips based on Ikon.  But they tend to fly west instead of driving north.  We met up at Taos and Big Sky last Feb.

Last time I skied Snowshoe, Silver Creek, Timberline and Canaan was in the mid 90s when I was working outside of DC. People don’t realize that the top of Snowshoe is about the same elevation as Marcy.

PeeTex wrote

Last time I skied Snowshoe, Silver Creek, Timberline and Canaan was in the mid 90s when I was working outside of DC. People don’t realize that the top of Snowshoe is about the same elevation as Marcy.

Was that before Intrawest owned Snowshoe?  By the time I went for the first time (2006?), Silver Creek had been part of Snowshoe for a while.  I opted to stay there with my daughter, partially because of the indoor-outdoor pool.

Even fewer people realize that Beech Mountain in NC is 5500 ft.  It's the highest town in the eastern U.S.  The ski area opened in 1967.  What's almost more fun is the free sledding hill that the town runs, complete with snowmaking.

About the time of the merger, not quite 30 years ago. There was less terrain at that time as well. There was only one run off the back as I recall.
What I remember about Snowshoe was that the runs mostly consist of three quick turns and then a lot of run out followed by a long lift line.

I thought I had remembered a sign at the lodge saying it was 5200’ elevation but a google search says less - that must be true because the internet said so.

PeeTex wrote

About the time of the merger, not quite 30 years ago. There was less terrain at that time as well. There was only one run off the back as I recall.
What I remember about Snowshoe was that the runs mostly consist of three quick turns and then a lot of run out followed by a long lift line.

I thought I had remembered a sign at the lodge saying it was 5200’ elevation but a google search says less - that must be true because the internet said so.

The Silver Creek trails are quite short, but these days that's the best way to avoid lift lines after 11:30am or so during busy weekends or holidays.  Nicer area for people taking lessons.  There are rumors of adding a trail or two to the Western Territories.  What's really helped is the snowmaking infrastructure on the two long black runs over there that was added a few years ago, paid for by Alterra.

Top elevation isn't as important to marketing any more.  Snowshoe is the only true ski resort in WV/NC/TN.

More important that even in a low snow winter, Snowshoe gets 100+ inches of natural snow and plenty of cold snaps for snowmaking.  Can be over 200 inches in a good winter.  Pretty much unlimited water supply given the size of the lake.  Still offering lift ticket deals like 3 for $149 during the early Fall or the Ridiculous Pass for $259 in March.  Although there are plenty of folks in the DC/NoVA area who use Ikon for a trip out west plus a few weekends at Snowshoe.

What I've been paying attention to is Bill Rock, who was a very popular GM at Snowshoe around the time I skied there.  He left after about five years to join VR as COO of Northstar in 2010.  Then was in charge of Park City during the crazy merger period with Canyons.  He just moved to Bloomfield as a member of the Exec. Team, overseeing Utah and Colorado.  Fair to say he understands the value of VR taking over Peak Resorts locations in the mid-Atlantic.

Alterra really missed out by not buying the three Snowtime resorts that are the closest to DC.  The price tag wasn't that high given that not many major capital improvements were needed immediately by the time Peak Resorts took over.

1st you all got me convinced to go Ikon next season since I have a mid week pass at Killington this season already but a cool friend just called trying to convince me to get the ikon this year! I am trying to find out what mountains it works on the $749 pass, I looked at the Ikon website but the left side of the website is covered by a few lines that ask to purchase one etc and I can't see where it seems it may list the ski areas it is good at, any help appreciated

https://www.ikonpass.com/en/shop-passes/ikon-base-pass-2019-2020

Try this link.  I can see all the details.

My pass showed up today

Moglmike wrote

1st you all got me convinced to go Ikon next season since I have a mid week pass at Killington this season already but a cool friend just called trying to convince me to get the ikon this year! I am trying to find out what mountains it works on the $749 pass, I looked at the Ikon website but the left side of the website is covered by a few lines that ask to purchase one etc and I can't see where it seems it may list the ski areas it is good at, any help appreciated

Are you looking on a phone or desktop?  I do most forum stuff on a desktop.

Here's the list sorted geographically.  That's the only way I can think about how to plan for making the best use of a multi-resort pass.  Ikon Base mostly provides 5 days, non-holiday.  One trip out west is usually enough to justify the purchase, assuming you get also ski in the northeast for 5+ days.

IKON PASS DESTINATIONS by Location for 2019-20

Washington: Crystal Mountain, The Summit at Snoqualmie
California: Squaw/Alpine, Mammoth, June, Big Bear

Montana: Big Sky
Wyoming: Jackson Hole
Utah: Deer Valley, Solitude, Brighton, Alta, Snowbird
Colorado: Aspen/Snowmass, Steamboat, Winter Park, Copper, Eldora, Arapahoe Basin
New Mexico: Taos Ski Valley

Michigan: Boyne Highlands, Boyne Mountain

Maine: Sugarloaf, Sunday River
New Hampshire: Loon Mountain
Vermont: Stratton, Killington/Pico, Sugarbush
West Virginia: Snowshoe

Alberta, Canada: SkiBig3 (Banff, LL, Norquay)
British Columbia, Canada: Revelstoke, Cypress Mountain, CMH Heli-Skiing
Ontario, Canada: Blue Mountain
Quebec, Canada: Tremblant

EDIT: added A-Basin, which was announced 8/1/19

Great thank you! I using an ipad

I have not been out west in long time, how is it taking skis on a plane, thanks for the info this is a cool place I stumbled into,

Moglmike wrote

I have not been out west in long time, how is it taking skis on a plane, thanks for the info this is a cool place I stumbled into,

Skis are not considered oversized.  Need some sort of bag, soft or hard.  The catch if you don't fly Southwest is the baggage fees.  Also should figure out how to carry boots on the plane.  Start a new thread about packing if you want to learn more.

Okay , nice  I see one trip out west pays and I have never skied Maine or New Hampshire my friend said she wants to take 2 weeks and hit those along with some Vermont ones, and a trip to Jackson Hole thru Pinnecle or something like that, wow this could be my most epic winter ever, thanks again