PeterC0523 Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 As of now, it seems like the only mountains that are planning to open by Thanksgiving weekend (and are within a reasonable driving distance) will be Shawnee, Alpine, and Hidden Valley. Assuming the conditions and number of trails open are comparable between the three, which would you guys go to? I've never been to Hidden Valley or Alpine, and I was too young to remember how Shawnee is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poconoceancity Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 As of now, it seems like the only mountains that are planning to open by Thanksgiving weekend (and are within a reasonable driving distance) will be Shawnee, Alpine, and Hidden Valley. Assuming the conditions and number of trails open are comparable between the three, which would you guys go to? I've never been to Hidden Valley or Alpine, and I was too young to remember how Shawnee is. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Shawnee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timeless Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 As of now, it seems like the only mountains that are planning to open by Thanksgiving weekend (and are within a reasonable driving distance) will be Shawnee, Alpine, and Hidden Valley. Assuming the conditions and number of trails open are comparable between the three, which would you guys go to? I've never been to Hidden Valley or Alpine, and I was too young to remember how Shawnee is. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Shawnee rather than Alpine, but I would think both will be pretty sketchy. Where is Hidden Valley? (Presumably well hidden.. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted November 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Shawnee rather than Alpine, but I would think both will be pretty sketchy. Where is Hidden Valley? (Presumably well hidden.. ) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hidden Valley is in Northern Jersey, about 2 hours from where I am. Shawnee and Alpine are about 1.5 hours. So if Hidden Valley has better conditions or more trails open I think it'd be worth the additional 30 mins on the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicSkier Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Hidden Valley is in Northern Jersey, about 2 hours from where I am. Shawnee and Alpine are about 1.5 hours. So if Hidden Valley has better conditions or more trails open I think it'd be worth the additional 30 mins on the road. I don't know, i've never heard of Hidden Valley, but Shawnee seems to have mastered opening up early, so that may be your best bet, but only time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted November 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 I don't know, i've never heard of Hidden Valley, but Shawnee seems to have mastered opening up early, so that may be your best bet, but only time will tell. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It would seem that way, but I've also heard that Shawnee (in the past) has opened with just 1 trail. Any truth to this? FYI - this is Hidden Valley's site if you're interested... http://www.hiddenvalleynj.com/main.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidude Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Shawnee does like to open with one trail. I went to alpine one year, and they opened with one trail the size of my driveway. But it wasn;t too busy there, and it was skiing, very very bad skiing, but still skiiing. I would go to HV, cause the other two places are pretty cr@ppy as far as early season goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted November 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Shawnee does like to open with one trail. I went to alpine one year, and they opened with one trail the size of my driveway. But it wasn;t too busy there, and it was skiing, very very bad skiing, but still skiiing. I would go to HV, cause the other two places are pretty cr@ppy as far as early season goes. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks for the input! Have you ever been to HV? If so, how was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidude Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 Never been there, but it almost has to be better than alpine, and from what I hear, it almost has to be better than shawnee too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lineskier Posted November 15, 2004 Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 I've been to Shawnee opening day, they have small beginner slope and a top to bottom slope open. It gets crowded, but its not that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted November 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 I've been to Shawnee opening day, they have small beginner slope and a top to bottom slope open. It gets crowded, but its not that bad. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What was the difficulty rating (relative to their other trails) would you say the "top to bottom" slope was? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sno Mountain Skier Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 i would go to hv. i went there on an opening day a few years ago and it was relatively cheap and they had about 5 slopes open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lineskier Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 What was the difficulty rating (relative to their other trails) would you say the "top to bottom" slope was? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> its a green circle, easy slope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted November 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 i would go to hv. i went there on an opening day a few years ago and it was relatively cheap and they had about 5 slopes open. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> How were the slopes during opening day? Crowded? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted November 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 its a green circle, easy slope <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I see.... If we end up going to Shawnee with conditions like that, maybe I'll work on my switch riding. I've been itching to hit the sloples, just about any kind of snow will do for now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted November 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 i would go to hv. i went there on an opening day a few years ago and it was relatively cheap and they had about 5 slopes open. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Looks like HV is out of the question for Thanksgiving. This is the reply I received from an HV rep: "Good morning, Peter. Thanks for your interest in visiting Hidden Valley during the Thanksgiving holiday. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we'll be able to open until the first week in December. We hope that you'll visit us once we open. Thanks again, Janice" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoshredder21 Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 i cant go anywhere on the thanksgiving weekend . got my aunts wedding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timeless Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 i cant go anywhere on the thanksgiving weekend . got my aunts wedding <{POST_SNAPBACK}> She's family, she'll understand If she doesn't, she's only an aunt.. you must have others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoshredder21 Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 haha yea, but the parents wont man i want to snowboard, right NOW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted November 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 Alpine is out for Thanksgiving weekend too. This is a reply from one of their reps: "The long range forecast is not favorable for us to be open Thanksgiving Weekend, we are currently planning to be open early to mid December." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 Shawnee won't be open either. It takes exceptionally cold early temps for them to get to work. Just not happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted November 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 (edited) Shawnee won't be open either. It takes exceptionally cold early temps for them to get to work. Just not happening. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ugh... 0 for 3... Why God? WHY?!?!? I guess PA skiing/riding is out of the question for Thanksgiving weekend. Edited November 17, 2004 by PeterC0523 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 On HV's website http://www.hiddenvalleynj.com/winter_snow_report.html they say "SCHEDULED OPENING DAY FOR THE 2004-2005 SEASON IS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH" Thats the day after thanksgiving. I don't know if that is newer, info than the email, older info than the email, of just PR bs. If its cheap enough though, I might head out, if they do get it open by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 And the Weather Channel's ski report lists Shawnee as a 11/26 opening. Ski areas just try to stir some hype. It was 50 today in the Northern Poconos. The 10 day forecast show a total of about 20 hours of snowmaking time between now and 11/26. And just about the same amount of hours of 50+ temps. The NY ski areas that put down a base and were open last weekend won't be hurt much by temps in the 40's, but they won't have much of a chance to make more snow in coming days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC0523 Posted November 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 (edited) On HV's website http://www.hiddenvalleynj.com/winter_snow_report.html they say "SCHEDULED OPENING DAY FOR THE 2004-2005 SEASON IS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH" Thats the day after thanksgiving. I don't know if that is newer, info than the email, older info than the email, of just PR bs. If its cheap enough though, I might head out, if they do get it open by then. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I've been watching those opening dates on their sites for the past few weeks. I sent Hidden Valley, Alpine, and Shawnee emails yesterday, Nov 16. HV replied the same day, Alpine replied today, Nov 17, and Shawnee has not replied yet. I think they intended on opening Thanksgiving weekend, but unfortunately they can't deliver due to the weather. Edited November 17, 2004 by PeterC0523 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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