Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:29 pm
Well, After hearing the crickets in the room chirping regarding my thread about getting some members to go with us, Joey and I headed up to brave the tundra at Wolf Ridge.
Left Johnson City with light snow falling and minor accumilation of around 1/2 inch or so with temps in low 20s.
Every 10 miles we drove it became more and more promising......over Sam's Gap and the temp is now reading 12 degrees with heavy flakes falling over about 2-4 inches on the ground.
Driving up to the slopes, and the roads are now covered..... :>)
Pay for our lifties, spend 10 mins bundling up, and ready to hit the lift! Albeit, looking alot like little Ralphies brother in "A Christmas Story".
Up to the top, broke left and headed for the infamous bowl. Darn! Closed due to no lights on! Worried a bit now, but as I head down the rest of the slope my face begins to grow into a smile...... half a foot of fresh and manmade powder on the outer edges of the runs with packed powder in the middle. Awesome conditions!
Hit up some more of the steeper terrain on the other side of the lift and run after run it was just fantastic! Overall, due to the higher speeds we were running and being properly kitted out, the cold was simply not a factor.
There have been alot of neysayers on this site about the wolf, myself included, but when it's good, it is one of the best places in the area.
Overall, we had a great time and didn't leave till 10pm with the roads covered in about 2inches of fresh it was a little precarious going back down the hill but nothing too crazy. Temp at Sams Gap on the way back home? -1.
I would strongly recommend everyone check out Wolf right now while the place is where it should be in snow quality.
Sorry for the limited photos - temps were in the single digits the whole night, and the camera batteries didn't like that one bit, so it shut down after just a few minutes.
I-26 heading past Erwin...
Obligatory lift shot...
Pics of the terrain right before the camera shutdown..
Left Johnson City with light snow falling and minor accumilation of around 1/2 inch or so with temps in low 20s.
Every 10 miles we drove it became more and more promising......over Sam's Gap and the temp is now reading 12 degrees with heavy flakes falling over about 2-4 inches on the ground.
Driving up to the slopes, and the roads are now covered..... :>)
Pay for our lifties, spend 10 mins bundling up, and ready to hit the lift! Albeit, looking alot like little Ralphies brother in "A Christmas Story".
Up to the top, broke left and headed for the infamous bowl. Darn! Closed due to no lights on! Worried a bit now, but as I head down the rest of the slope my face begins to grow into a smile...... half a foot of fresh and manmade powder on the outer edges of the runs with packed powder in the middle. Awesome conditions!
Hit up some more of the steeper terrain on the other side of the lift and run after run it was just fantastic! Overall, due to the higher speeds we were running and being properly kitted out, the cold was simply not a factor.
There have been alot of neysayers on this site about the wolf, myself included, but when it's good, it is one of the best places in the area.
Overall, we had a great time and didn't leave till 10pm with the roads covered in about 2inches of fresh it was a little precarious going back down the hill but nothing too crazy. Temp at Sams Gap on the way back home? -1.
I would strongly recommend everyone check out Wolf right now while the place is where it should be in snow quality.
Sorry for the limited photos - temps were in the single digits the whole night, and the camera batteries didn't like that one bit, so it shut down after just a few minutes.
I-26 heading past Erwin...
Obligatory lift shot...
Pics of the terrain right before the camera shutdown..