Ski Southeast Messageboard

Hey guys, I hope everyone had a great T-day and are ready to make some turns. Quick question....does anyone have any info on mid-winter weekend crowds up in the valley? I am looking to make a trip in February and since everyone going has a 9-5, we will probably be skiing on Saturday and Sunday only. Which resort usually has the biggest crowd, timberline or Canaan? Do they still have a pass where you can ski at both the same day , or did I just dream this up? I have been to the valley before, but it was about 12 years ago. Any info/ suggestions are welcomed. I hope timberline's lifts are good and sturdy now...yikes. Thanks guys.

Canaan is definately less crowded on weekends but neither one is as bad as the NC areas or Snowshoe.

They don't have a shared ticket and Canaan is less expensive, I love it but only if it is 100 percent open which depends on natural snow but it doesn't take much for them to open the those runs. Then to if there is good natural snow T-line has some great glade and undesignated tree skiing, CV does to but it's much shorter. I love that area so much, can't wait for the first 12 or more storm,

One other thing, last season Canaan never offered night skiing but last year we all hope was an anomoly in general.

Thanks for the info David. I figured you would have something to say about the valley. Yeah I hope our trip gets lucky and there are great conditions while we are there. CV and Timberline are much more my style than Snowshoe. If I remember correctly...Davis has a cool little vibe to it with a couple places to eat/grab a beer. Is that still the case?

I've never had to wait in a lift line longer than 10 minutes at Canaan or Timberline. They don't have high speed lifts, but the ride is still pretty reasonable. Nothing like the trip time Sugar Mountain had before the high speed lift was put in.

I enjoy both CV and Timberline, though Timberline is definitely the better of the two.

Davis is a decent little town. Driving to it sucks though if you're up there during a snow storm. The road to Davis is very dark. Terrifying to drive on at times.

I love the old school feel of the valley though. I usually go there over snowshoe. Between the two resorts, you have nearly as many runs, but nowhere near as many people.

As for the dual resort pass, there is nothing for skiing at both resorts the same day. There is a "ski the valley" pass that can be purchased, but that is good for one day at each resort.

I've been two pres weekends; I have NEVER stood in a line at canaan, and have been pretty fortunate to hit it when it's almost 100% open. Tline, I've stood in some lines there. you never know when their lifts will...malfunction. They also only load something like 2 out of 3 chairs on the (skier's right) 3 seater, which I understand was originally a 2 seater without any horsepower upgrade and cannot service a full load safely.

However, as others observe, even at it's worst the valley is a fraction of what you would see further south.

Thanks for the info guys....I really like what you guys are saying about the crowds in the valley. I love sugar and beech during the week, but there are just too many people there on the weekends. Thanks again, hope to see some trip reports this weekend! Think SNOW!

Hey guys just wanted to bring this back up since the conditions are finally looking good again. I have a group of six leaving Salisbury on 2/10 and we will be skiing at canaan and Timberline on 2/11 and 2/12. Hopefully our paths will cross with some of you. Anyway, just wanted to see if any of you guys have any more suggestions about either mountain, or any place to eat we need to check out over in Davis. Y'all think Timberline will have there s_ together in two weeks? I sure hope so. Had an awesome ski day in march of 03 and I have been wanting to get back there ever since. Only 10 trails open this morning has me wondering if we should just do CVSP both days instead. But anyway, hope most of you are skiing today, I plan to do a warm up with my six year old at app ski mtn next Sunday as well. Let me know if anyone will be up there. Later guys

Oh one more question. Google is routing me thru W Salem to martinsville and Roanoke and pretty much dead north from here (Salisbury). Route is primarily hwy 220 and 42 and 43. Thoughts on that. Last time (2003) I took int 77 to int 64 and hit hwy 220 and went straight past snowshoe. But if the hwys are quicker I love the option that avoids the interstate and tolls. But. I don't want to be stuck behind a slow poke for 40 miles on a winding hwy either. Thanks in advance guys.

The times I've been major storms hit, and we weren't going far. Make it into Davis once but the weather had the fiddle closing early. We found the alpine lodge / sawmill about the only thing open and looking back it really wasn't worth the effort. There is one place I'd call a "larger gas station" in Canaan proper, and that's about tit. Can't help with driving as we came from a different direction.

I have always found CV to be less crowded, but as others have said, either will be way less than the NC resorts. Be sure to try each place as they are quite different and fun in their own way. Not sure if they are doing the ski the Valley ticket this year which is a liftie good at both resorts. My favorite place to eat in that area is Hellbender's in Davis. Really really good Mexican with big portions!