19 December 2016 — Mountain ops at resorts across the country feeling just like a yo yo today as frigid temps last week rose to balmy highs yesterday, followed by another plunge…operators in the lower midwest did their usual open today, closed tomorrow, re-open the next day, unfortunately the “closed” day was Saturday at Paoli Peaks, Boston Mills, Brandywine, and a few others. But it’s all good, the snowguns were back on last night and the compressors are compressing, take a look at the photo above from this morning where Paoli has pointed the fan guns at Empire Park. Notice also the meticulously groomed trail in the foreground, they’re good to go…no such trouble in certain parts west, Jackson Hole received two feet in two days…Southern cooking report just in from Woody Bousquet — well not exactly southern, more like Virginia highlands — he sez “I snuck off to Snowshoe WV when they dropped the ropes on Cupp Run the afternoon of Tuesday, December 13, a half day before the officially announced opening of Cupp. Arbuckle’s Cabin at Cupp’s base wasn’t even shoveled out then, but we got the season’s first cup of coffee there the next morning. New snowmaking equipment installed for 2014-15 should facilitate early openings of Cupp in future years, temperatures permitting.” Intrawest was itching to get Cupp open early last season, but the banana belt bit back. What a difference a year makes. Apparently the fabulous conditions aren’t impressing management at nearby Timberline WV, they’re holding off opening day until December 23rd. Passholders are underwhelmed…Woody also reports that Whitetail PA opened this weekend. First-day runs were limited, but the fact that they did anything prior to Christmas is pretty darn good, and Woody says conditions rated a solid six out of ten. Now before you get too excited, keep in mind that when his students get 60% he gives them a “D”….speaking of Pennsy, word is that Laurel Highlands long awaited resurrection from the dead will happen this Wednesday. Kudos to Seven Springs and the Commonwealth for making this happen…Pac NW we got snow right now at Anthony Lakes Resort in Oregon, they’re gonna get snowed on for the next day and a half, started their full time season on Saturday…back tomorrow with some insights on the weekend’s World Cup competition, the good, the bad, and the incredibly bad.
Photo courtesy Paoli Peaks. “Yo Yo” was a Joe South composition that reached #3 for The Osmonds on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1971. Woody Bousquet is a good friend and our favorite correspondent from the southeast region.