The 2019-2020 Washington, D.C. area commuter ski season started early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The transition seemed more abrupt than normal this year — the end of summer and early fall activities like kayaking<\/strong><\/a> and baseball<\/a><\/strong> (a little later this year!) gave way at the same time as Daylight Saving Time. A little more than two weeks after trick or treating in the 70\u00b0 temperatures, ski areas as close as Bryce in Virginia and Roundtop near Harrisburg, Pa. opened for business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Snow started falling in West Virginia in October, as it often does, in mid-October. Snowshoe Mountain may or may not be a daytrip for Washingtonians, but the first snowflakes are always noteworthy. Seven Springs, in Western Pennsylvania saw some snow on November 1. Snow guns started firing up by the second week of the month throughout the Keystone state (though not the closest to D.C.). <\/p>\n\n\n\n As I have for several years, I publish a guide for commuter skiers form the Washingtonian perspective — folks like me that may take a day trip or three to regional ski areas. I have been fortunate to ski throughout the mid-Atlantic and I like to share the experience and encourage others. When it comes to these dark, cold months I have a a saying: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don’t hate winter, use it<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nJanuary 21 Update<\/h2>\n\n\n\n