Mild winter ... #makeitsnow

Let it snow!

Put together one ski slope, a bonfire, a group of enthusiastic skiers, and some peppy music. Add flash dance steps and, voila! You've got a snow dance on a mountain slope.

The winter of 2011-12 is proving to be skimpy on the white stuff, not only up and down the Eastern Seaboard but also out west, in the mid-west, and Great Lakes areas where a lack of extreme cold temperatures has caused thin ice on lakes and ponds.


Ski Colorado, Utah, and others have joined in the fun, posting snow dances to try and appease the snow gods, Mother Nature, and anyone else who can help save the winter sports season.

In Vail, Colorado, where this year's snowfall is some of the least they have seen in 30 years, the Southern Ute Indians continued a tradition begun 50 years ago, offering up prayers for snow and "moisture for Mother Earth."

Breckenridge, tucked high in Rockies, was excited today over 4" of snow at a time when they usually have several feet of snow on the ground.

Alaska, meanwhile, has an overabundance of snow this year with record amounts being recorded throughout with avalanche danger for highways and eight-foot drifts.

It's winter so I say bring on the snow! Open the skies and let the flakes float down and fill the winter woods and mountain ridges so the snowboarders, skiers, ice skaters, and snowtubers can enjoy their brief season of fun. It's January ... think snow!

Snow flurries and cold

Out and about today in the overcast Shenandoah Valley ... gray skies and cold out there. It looks like snow and it feels like snow ... we've had snow flurries on and off all afternoon.

While in Staunton, I met a friend for lunch at Five Guys to talk and get caught up after the holidays. Standing outside in the below-freezing temperatures, I found myself shivering as we said our goodbyes ... the woodstove is cranked as it pumps out warmth as the chill tries to press in from the edges of the house.

WHSV TV-3 out of Harrisonburg has us under a chance of snow flurries through Saturday and a shot at measurable snow Monday going into Tuesday. AccuWeather follows up on that.

Cold weather is appreciated by the area ski resorts ... I could see it snowing up around the Wintergreen Ski Resort area in the Blue Ridge, and snowing on some high ridges in the Appalachians west of my house.

It's winter in the Shenandoah Valley....

Area ski resorts now open for the 2010-11 season

If you head west into West Virginia, you'll run into 31" of snow after a week of storms left plenty of the white stuff with more is on its way. Sub-freezing daytime highs are scheduled to return to the Valley area by Monday. As of Saturday, December 11, all area ski resort were open for the season:

* Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort in West Virginia has 24 trails and five ski lifts open.
* Wintergreen Ski Resort south of Charlottesville has 13 slopes and trails open along with three ski lifts.
* Massanutten Ski Resort east of Harrisonburg has 10 slopes and eight lifts open.
* Bryce Ski Resort in Shenandoah County has six slopes and three ski lifts open.
* The Homestead ski slopes are open as well as ice skating rink and more.

All have holiday programs and events planned with expectations for another great ski season. It's winter in western Virginia....

Wintergreen ... winter fun!

The cousins ... SWAC Niece & SWAC Daughter at Wintergreen ...
where everyday is a snow day!

Photos by SWAC Girl

Wintergreen's ski slopes open

All the cold weather and snow flurries the past two weeks have paid off. Wintergreen Resort opened its ski slopes over the weekend, two weeks earlier than planned.

Wintergreen Resort is located off I-64 in Nelson County, Virginia.

Let it snow!

Wintergreen's 4th annual Wounded Warrior Weekend

Banner welcomes Wounded Warriors at entrance to Wintergreen Ski Resort.

The Wounded Warrior Weekend sponsored for the fourth time this year at Wintergreen Ski Resort is a wonderful way to honor those veterans who have been permanently injured in the line of duty.

Held the last weekend in January, this year's event will take place January 25-27, 2008, as Wintergreen hosts disabled vets from every branch of the military. Ski instructors will spend the weekend teaching adaptive skiing techniques to help wounded vets adjust to their disabilities and fit into society.

Tom Brown is the event's organizer and I spoke with him about Wintergreen's part in rehabilitating these veterans. Working with Walter Reed and other veteran outlets, Wintergreen foots the bill for the entire weekend -- lodging, meals, lift tickets, ski lessons, reimbursement for travel for those who drive.

Mr. Brown added:

"It's a tremendous confidence booster for them. Some of them have told me in the past that coming to an event like this helps them to get up and out and get back into life. And, sometimes that's just the little push that they need to take a step along their road to recovery."

Many thanks to Wintergreen for what they are doing for these American heroes who sacrified to keep us safe from terrorism so that we may ski and enjoy life here at home.