{"id":31751,"date":"2025-01-30T22:40:59","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T03:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yurasko.net\/wfy\/?p=31751"},"modified":"2025-01-30T22:40:59","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T03:40:59","slug":"january-26-2025-half-day-of-skiing-at-massanutten","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yurasko.net\/wfy\/2025\/01\/january-26-2025-half-day-of-skiing-at-massanutten\/","title":{"rendered":"January 26, 2025 – Half day of skiing at Massanutten"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

McGAHEYSVILLE, Va. \u2014<\/strong> A cold winter, literally and figuratively, left snow on the ground for nearly three weeks in my Alexandria yard. It was about time I lived up to my “don’t hate winter, use it<\/a>” axiom and go skiing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I choose NFL Conference Championship Sunday to take my two sons (16 and 10) to Massanutten. It was my third trip to the Virginia resort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customer Experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I ordered lessons for 10 and lift tickets for 16 and myself the night before. We got a later start than I planned, so there was no time to go to Powder Shack on US 33 for ski rentals for myself and 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once we got to Massanutten I wasn’t able to able to get our lift ticket cards out of the self-serve kiosk because of 10’s lesson. I had to go to the window and get started that way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside the rental area, I had to enter our information again on a touch screen while we waited in line. I’m not sure why I had to do the work twice. Thankfully, there was helpful staff that moved 10 up to the front of the line so he could make it to his 1 p.m. lesson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My older son and I had to get in line to get our skis (and boots for him) and that took a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The whole process was frustrating – a really inefficient customer journey. I don’t think I’ll go there again if someone in my party needs lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Skiing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once geared up, 16 and I started off on the Easy Rider<\/strong> lift while 10 was in his lesson. The lift stopped often and the lines were, well weekend lines, so we only got a few runs down \u25cf<\/mark>Easy Street<\/strong>, \u25cf<\/mark>Nutten-To-It<\/strong> and \u25cf<\/mark>Southern Comfort.<\/strong> I was pleased how 16 did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After 10’s lesson, it was time for more rides down Easy Street with him while 16 explored slopes himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The snow was good shape on a bluebird day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tag-teaming on skiing with 10, 16 let me go off and explore the blues and blacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top of the Mountain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I went up the Creekside Lift <\/strong>and hopped on \u25a0<\/mark>Mass Transit<\/strong> to get over to the Peak Lift<\/strong>. By then the crowds started thinning with the NFC Championship game starting. How’d have the thought the Commanders<\/strong><\/a> would have been there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0<\/mark>Mueller’s Mile<\/strong> was my first trail off of the Peak Lift. Added since my last visit, this intermediate has two significant switchbacks. It was a little icy in spots; I think it’s probably the busiest off of Peak. It’s a fun cruiser though with with the two big turns on the way down – it reminds me of the Nile Mile at Camelback in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Mullers Mile, I took a ride or two on \u2666Diamond Jim<\/strong> and \u2666Paradice<\/strong>. Great views, great runs. They are among my favorites in the Mid-Atlantic – fun cruisers that I can do laps on all day long. I didn’t have all day though, so wandered back over to \u25a0<\/mark>Ridgecrest<\/strong> for the longest ride back down to meet up with my boys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I skipped \u2666\u2666No Hesitation<\/strong> too, the new run directly under the Peak lift because I’m not proficient at moguls and it was completely in shade. If I ever get up for a mogul run, it’s usually my penultimate or last run of the morning before lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, the snow at the top of the mountain was in really good shape and not just grading on a “above freezing Sunday afternoon” curve either. I wish I had more time on it, but that’s the challenge of getting your kids into skiing – they need help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finishing Up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After more time with 10, his ticket ran out and I got back up to the top via Mass Transit\u00a0and Peak. It was down Ridgecrest again to conclude a bit of hectic ski day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grading on my scale of \u25cf<\/mark><\/strong> to black \u2666, I’m giving my day a \u25a0<\/mark>. The customer journey kept it from being a double blue like my previous trips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I really want to get back and do another half-day late in the season when the life ticket prices go down. I think my 16 year-old is up for some of the blues and hope to get him out on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mid-Atlantic skiing day trips from D.C.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A commuter skier’s guide to ski areas close enough to do in a day from the Washington, D.C. area. Over a decade’s worth of profiles and rankings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Visit the guide<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Getting there<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a few ways to get to Massanutten \u2013 Google Maps suggests I-66 west to US 340 south, but I went the longer way taking I-66 west all the way to I-81 south and then down to US 33 east at Harrisonburg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n