Tag Archives: Davis West Virginia

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Timberline is Perfect

So, about the title- I will get to that in a minute. But first, let me tell you, the opening day at Timberline down in West Virginia this past week, was nothing short of spectacular for a first day out on the slopes. I met my crew- Porter, Craig, Chris and John down there and we all rode the fabulous high speed 6 pack all day. One thing about skiing with friends with whom you have skied most of your life is that you know how they ski. No surprises, each person has his own style, line, and no one gets in the way. I have skied with Porter and Craig for over 50 years and John a little less. Chris I just started to ski with, but we all have that infectious enthusiasm for the sport.

Chris, John C and Craig
Craig and Porter- old skiing and masters racing buddies forever.

Porter and I talk skiing all year round, even on mountain bike rides. We talk about the World Cup races, new equipment, technique and other various topics, but his enthusiasm is so very similar to mine. It is gratifying to have such friends who share a very important pastime in our lives.

So, last Thursday, I left the house at 5:55 AM and put on my Pandora, Morman Tabernacle Choir Christmas station and got in the spirit for the 3 + hour drive south. This is my favorite time of the year especially when there is snow on the ground. The Christmas lights, the decorations, the music, all get me going and the drive down is so peaceful with my music surrounding me. I pulled into Davis, WVa. just before 9 and headed 7 miles down the road to Timberline Four Seasons Resort. So, the post title? It outlines not only the conditions of the place, but also the name of the family that invested 15 million to bring this gem of a ski area back to life several years ago. The Perfect family is from mid-west and operates two ski areas there- Perfect North in Indiana and Swiss Valley in Michigan. Now, you would not think that these places are much for skiing, but there are record numbers of skiers who go there. In 2019, the Perfects invested in Timberline and it has been a huge success since.

Timberline has a lot going for it. First of all, it is about 1300 feet above the elevation of our Laurel Highlands. So oftentimes, more natural snow falls there and it is a little colder due to the altitude. Secondly, for skiers around the mid-Atlantic, it has over a 1000 vertical foot drop which give us just a little more elevation per run than all the runs in the Laurels. With a high speed lift, multiple trails open, and excellent snowmaking and grooming, we were able to rip off close to 30 thousand vertical feet with roughly 1000 vertical feet per run. The snow was so good I even broke out my new pair of Stockli Stormrider 88s and really enjoyed the way that they perform. It is not often that you break out a new pair of skis on opening day, but the area makes great snow, lots of it, and grooms to perfection.

Some of side features are things like the food. We went up to the bar to order some specialty sandwiches for lunch and lo and behold- they had a lobster roll on the menu. Now just having returned from Maine this fall, I had my share of New England lobster rolls. So I was a bit skeptical eating one in a ski area in West Virginia. But I have to tell you, it rivaled the ones we ate in Maine and I told the kitchen crew the same. Davis is a cool little town. Lots of neat little shops, eateries and breweries. It also has one of the best bike shops in the region- Blackwater Bikes. Davis is a great town for those looking for adventure all year round. Challenging mountain biking and also really good skiing at Timberline. White Grass Ski Touring Center is nearby for those who like cross country skiing. The Lodge at Blackwater Falls State Park is an excellent choice for lodging and all in all, you can’t go wrong taking the trek from Western Pa to Davis.

The high speed 6 pack chair and the friendly crew at Timberline

Our crew will be back and can’t wait to once again enjoy the challenging slopes at Timberline. And I can’t say enough about the friendly employees who are happy to share their mountain with you. And, if you can be with your buddies with whom you have skied most of your life, that is an added attraction. People wondered who those old guys were ripping up their mountain, but the friendly conversation with the lift operators, ski instructors, and the general skiing public was welcoming and encouraged us to come back often- which we will do.

If you want take a good little road trip, look no further than Timberline. It really is Perfect with no pun intended. Think snow and thanks for reading.

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The Drive South

Snow in them thar hills. 

You know, it might seem counter intuitive, in a slow starting local season, to drive south to ski. But that is exactly what my pal Porter Scott and I did to try to break the seal on the new ski season- at least here in the mid-Atlantic. Tucker County, West Virginia is higher than our local Laurel Highlands and Timberline Mountain is roughly 4500 feet in elevation. Snowshoe is a little higher but for the most part, this elevation difference makes for more natural snow conditions, and good snowmaking where maybe locally we may be a little shy for the moment.  

Porter and yours truly. 

I had not skied Timberline in the past, and my only experience there was riding in the 24 Hours of Canaan mountain bike race back in the mid-90s. At that time, Timberline seemed a little tired and in need of a serious upgrade. Enter the Perfect North company who are from the mid-west and own several areas there. The Perfect family has invested over 15 million in Timberline and in short, have made it, well, perfect as a local ski option for the tri- state area. The installation of a new 6 pack ,high speed, chairlift and upgraded state of the art snowmaking, have made this a great option for anyone who wants to drive to Davis, West Virginia and experience what Tucker County has to offer. Another selling point to this place is the fact that most of the runs are over 1000 vertical feet as opposed to the 700 + vertical at local Pa resorts. That little bit of extra vert is certainly welcomed, especially in the early season when you are anxious to get out and ski. Porter and I rallied 21,000 vertical there, and the conditions could not have been better. Good natural snow, good machine made snow, and excellent grooming with their fleet of Pisten-Bully groomers. 

Nice to see snow at this time of year. 

Ok- enough of the statistics. Let me tell you why we decided to go. Porter and I are avid skiers. We have skied together for over 50 years and we always talk skiing and make opportunities to ski together whenever we can. He is enthusiastic about skiing, like I am, and the thought of a day trip to West Virginia was appealing. Even though it is three hours driving time down and three hours back. We anticipated good skiing this time of year, coupled with the fact that both of us really like the Mountain State. He went to school down there, and I always have enjoyed my time there mountain biking. I have skied Snowshoe, but had never skied Timberline and I always get this warm feeling whenever I see the sign for Wild, Wonderful, West Virginia when we cross the border. Probably best to stay over a night or two instead of the drive all in one day. But really the conversation with Porter up and back made the time go quickly. People in Davis are friendly and the folks at Timberline could not have been more customer service oriented and just plain nice. Everyone says hello, has a smile on their face, and to hear a southern twang in a ski lift line is kind of amusing. Most people would not associate the south with skiing, but there are great options in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. The elevation helps and it seems like the people of Davis really like their outdoor opportunities and love their local Timberline Mountain. 

“Perfect” grooming and nice views of the Canaan Valley. 

The day was “perfectly” sunny, and Porter and I ripped off a lot of runs. We were so happy to be skiing, and I picked up right where I left off at Mammoth Mountain, California, in May. Working on some technique changes that were suggested by my friend from Tahoe when we skied together, along with associated thoughts by the legendary Harald Harb who I have been following on You Tube. Look him up. Great tips from a great coach. In any event, it was great to get a good start to hone my technique and feel pretty good on a pair of skis again. But then again, what about West Virginia? 

Great Views from the Salamander Trail- a long cruiser. The south’s longest run. Lots of beautiful homes being built along this trail. 
The friendly and very capable staff at the base of their new 6 pack chairlift. 

I guess the experience is best described when you stop after skiing and have a cold beer in one of Davis’s breweries like Stumptown Ales, followed by an always enjoyable Italian meal at Sirriani’s right in the middle of town. Happy people, talking skiing and mountain biking, and in general, just enjoying the vibe of a little town dedicated to health, exercise, and good friends with an outdoor oriented community. West Virginia is great, and the town of Davis personifies the vibe of the Mountain State. I am so happy my friend Chris Huffman suggested that we try Timberline. We will be going back for sure. I love riding my mountain bike down there and now have another ski option a little closer to home. Thanks Chris and thanks to Timberline for a really enjoyable experience. Think snow, go ski Timberline, and thanks for reading. 

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