Massanutten Questions

[ndabunka]

Long time skier here and a regular at Snowshoe and all the Boone area resorts. Considering Massanutten for the first time as I have been reading about the waterpark & condo package they have going on this weekend but have a few concerns. Seems they are the closest to Richmond & DC so am wondering if the slopes might be VERY crowded this weekend. We HATE the long weekend lift line waits at Winterplace (assume partially due to it's easy access off the interstate). If "the nutt" is anything like that, we will skip it and go to SnowShoe.



The waterpark is a draw but not at the expense of good skiing. Also don't know what the slopes are like there. My 6 year old has been skiing about a year and a half. Is getting better and better but he is still a green slope skill. Are there multiple greens he can ride or would we be spending all day both days riding one slope?



Thanks in advance for the guidance...

[marzski]

Personally I like Mnut better than Snowshoe with younger kids (ages 4-10) who are not advanced skiers. It's really fun once they can do the easy blue off Lift 5 mid-station (go under the lift after you get off). Using the new conveyor Lift 3 is great for kids. Can go down 3 different ways. Geronimo has the easy terrain park on one side. I like the fact that when they need a break, it's a short run to the lodge from just about anywhere on the mountain.



Tubing at Mnut is much better than SS in my opinion.



From what I understand, Mnut is never as crazy as Winterplace on weekends. For one thing there are very few groups. Mnut caters to the timeshare owners. If the slopes get too crowded, they won't sell as many units. We have been going on holiday weekends (MLK, Pres. Day) for several years. We ski 9:00-11:30, then go back around 2:30 or 3:00 and ski into the lights. A multi-day lift ticket means free night skiing on all days. Even with peak crowds, the wait is under 15 min. Pretty much no wait on Lift 6 at the top all day long.



If you need to rent equipment, it's cheaper at Function4Sports in Harrisonburg near US33 and I-80. Although the package deals with lessons or ski school are decent.



Slope Sliders is a great program for kids. My daughter started at age 4. She went 2-3 times each winter until she was 7 and old enough to do the 90-min clinic instead. Was skiing the Mnut black runs by her third season.



Here are recent TRs:



Dec2009-Jan2010 TRs by marzski

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/sh...ad.php?t=11085

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/sh...ad.php?t=11230

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/showt ... hp?t=11558

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/showt ... hp?t=11569



Night skiing

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/sh...ad.php?t=11116



Park

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/sh...ad.php?t=11273



Epic Powder Dec 20, 2009

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/sh...ad.php?t=10996

[ndabunka]

Thanks for the details. I only "discovered" Mnut tonight so don't even know if they have rooms available but did like the pricing. The boys are able to both ski blue runs but greens are better for the little one (both ski top to bottom on the green/blue runs @ SS). If they have rooms available, we will try it this weekend. It's a long trip for us (5 hours) but that's the same for SS so wouldn't mind saving $$$'s and trying a new resort. We have all of our own equipment so that's not an issue.



@marzski 210533 wrote:Personally I like Mnut better than Snowshoe with younger kids (ages 4-10) who are not advanced skiers. It's really fun once they can do the easy blue off Lift 5 mid-station (go under the lift after you get off). Using the new conveyor Lift 3 is great for kids. Can go down 3 different ways. Geronimo has the easy terrain park on one side. I like the fact that when they need a break, it's a short run to the lodge from just about anywhere on the mountain.



Tubing at Mnut is much better than SS in my opinion.



From what I understand, Mnut is never as crazy as Winterplace on weekends. For one thing there are very few groups. Mnut caters to the timeshare owners. If the slopes get too crowded, they won't sell as many units. We have been going on holiday weekends (MLK, Pres. Day) for several years. We ski 9:00-11:30, then go back around 2:30 or 3:00 and ski into the lights. A multi-day lift ticket means free night skiing on all days. Even with peak crowds, the wait is under 15 min. Pretty much no wait on Lift 6 at the top all day long.



If you need to rent equipment, it's cheaper at Function4Sports in Harrisonburg near US33 and I-80. Although the package deals with lessons or ski school are decent.



Slope Sliders is a great program for kids. My daughter started at age 4. She went 2-3 times each winter until she was 7 and old enough to do the 90-min clinic instead. Was skiing the Mnut black runs by her third season.



Here are recent TRs:



Dec2009-Jan2010 TRs by marzski

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/sh...ad.php?t=11085

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/sh...ad.php?t=11230

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/showt ... hp?t=11558

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/showt ... hp?t=11569



Night skiing

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/sh...ad.php?t=11116



Park

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/sh...ad.php?t=11273



Epic Powder Dec 20, 2009

http://www.skinc.com/messageboard/sh...ad.php?t=10996

[2slikstix]

Capncoldbeer took his wife and kid up there 2 weeks past. Package had waterpark tix , spa for her, and condo at the base in valley. Pretty cheap. Skiing is good. Not SS, but more tame for kids to advance on. They cater to selling timeshares, not groups.

[marzski]

@ndabunka 210539 wrote:Thanks for the details. I only "discovered" Mnut tonight so don't even know if they have rooms available but did like the pricing. The boys are able to both ski blue runs but greens are better for the little one (both ski top to bottom on the green/blue runs @ SS). If they have rooms available, we will try it this weekend. It's a long trip for us (5 hours) but that's the same for SS so wouldn't mind saving $$$'s and trying a new resort. We have all of our own equipment so that's not an issue.



In that case, the boys should have no problem skiing off Lift 5 mid-station. It's a slow double-chair with padded seats that loads in a building. If the 6yo likes a magic carpet, the one in the ski school area is open to the public after 2pm.



Mnut is so overbuilt for the timeshare units, I never have trouble getting a unit. Only the Mnut hotel fills up. If you have a choice, the advantage of being at Woodstone in the valley is being closer to the water park, spa, and the deli (good pizza, salads, pasta). Only a few miles up to the ski lodge. There is a pool complex at Woodstone and up on the mountain. Both have lifeguards. Kids are not allowed in the hot tubs there. No charge for Mnut guests. The mountain rec center also has a gym.



Once you have lift tickets, it's possible to get onto Southern Comfort (green) from the end of the lower parking lot, just below the garage for the groomers.

[Superorb]

I never thought about renting a timeshare/condo at Mass. Meimei, how are the rates for 2 people on a weekend? Kim used up all her leave days when we went to SS so it'll have to be a weekend if we go there instead of Beech.

[marzski]

@Superorb 210816 wrote:I never thought about renting a timeshare/condo at Mass. Meimei, how are the rates for 2 people on a weekend? Kim used up all her leave days when we went to SS so it'll have to be a weekend if we go there instead of Beech.



While getting a timeshare unit can be reasonable for a family or group of 4-6, it's not cheap. It works for me because we are owners at Mnut. The regular Mnut hotel rate is $150/night.

[ndabunka]

MNut called back but didn't have anything that was "walking distance" to the slopes. This was a necessity as the boys ski and than want to take a break each day which means that I can continue skiing without having to "pack everything up, get on shuttle (or car), drive back to room, get them set up and then get back out the slopes for an hour and then get back to room and get them back out (or not) once more before the day is out. I am certain they do have some things that are slopeside but the reservation lady stated that those are for owners and the special was only the left overs.



Ended up booking at the SilverCreek area of snowshoe. It is an older place but it was cheap enough $500 for two nights and two adult lift tickets (good for both SC & Snowshoe of course). They had a ball and the ski-in ski-out worked fine as we skied all day Saturday @ Silver Creek. Entire Mountain was open and perfect for the boys. I'll post more detail in a non MNut thread. Thanks for the guidance MNut veterans. Maybe nest time now that I know more about it.

[marzski]

@ndabunka 210939 wrote:MNut called back but didn't have anything that was "walking distance" to the slopes. This was a necessity as the boys ski and than want to take a break each day which means that I can continue skiing without having to "pack everything up, get on shuttle (or car), drive back to room, get them set up and then get back out the slopes for an hour and then get back to room and get them back out (or not) once more before the day is out. I am certain they do have some things that are slopeside but the reservation lady stated that those are for owners and the special was only the left overs.



Ended up booking at the SilverCreek area of snowshoe. It is an older place but it was cheap enough $500 for two nights and two adult lift tickets (good for both SC & Snowshoe of course). They had a ball and the ski-in ski-out worked fine as we skied all day Saturday @ Silver Creek. Entire Mountain was open and perfect for the boys. I'll post more detail in a non MNut thread. Thanks for the guidance MNut veterans. Maybe nest time now that I know more about it.



There are only a few "slopeside" units above Geronimo. But you can't get them in advance. It's a matter of luck to be assigned to one. The hotel is within walking distance of the ski lodge.



Silver Creek is good for kids.