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What our guests are saying about White Grass:
Thank you so very much for an incredible weekend! It was clear that our entire NATO clinic couldn't get enough of White Grass in only three days! Some of my "w" thoughts: WHITE GRASS = wild, wondrous, wacky, warm, wispy tendrils of smoke, white fluffy snow, wise souls, wilderness of the Allegheny Mountains, and wide arms around the community. ...p.s. I baked the White Grass oatmeal cookies for my family (1/2 with raisins and 1/2 with choc. chips), and they loved them!!
Jordan Main
What a surprise to check your web page last night to find out I was elected "Dude of the Week". Thanks for recognizing and validating the work of a nordic ski-bum. It's been and will continue to be a real pleasure to work with you, the staff, and all the Friends of White Grass. PS. In squirt boating kayaking, we refer to the dream like trances we get after a particularly good mystery session as the "Mystery Effect". Today at work I'm experiencing the "Powder Effect" a dream like trance one gets after a particularly good powder session.
Stro
Holla Chip... Thank god for your website. Backcountry surfing for the desk-bound stuck watching the snow melt away this week. I have gooseflesh from reading about all the good things to see and do. Can almost smell snow on the wind coming over the ridge from Mt Porte Crayon. Wondering what will come of the nato clinic and have already decided to go to Madriver this year after reading the couloir article. Your sods topo is now my screensaver. Thanks for salvation.. Please add me to your subversive mailings list.
Rush
Peter Rust and I were there skiing at White Grass last Wednesday and Thursday and wanted to let you know we had a great time! Even though we're both inexperienced skiers and slightly out of shape, we enjoyed the skiing immensely! We especially loved the cafe food and various & sundry magazines to read. I bought a copy of your cookbook to use at home since I like the easy recipes. I'm a birder too, so skiing through the woods provided an opportunity to see a few interesting birds.
Connie Van Zant
Missed you on Monday 3-26 when you were skiing in the Russian Plains, but as Ken might have told you I had quite the adventure, skiing in White Grass' late March wonderland. I've enjoyed reading about and seeing pictures of the mountain and the Dolly Sods wilderness on the web site, and have pined for the real thing. I took Monday off work, an excellent choice given the superb early spring conditions, drove up from Bowie MD, and set off on Three Mile, Fern Gully, and the Cabin Mountain Trail bound for the Sods. I had the plan of skiing westward along the Dolly Sods side of the mountain and then come back down on one the trails near the Canaan such as Boundary, Beech Lick, or Upper Springer. At the edge of the Sods, I found a wide trail and continued on for more than an hour in the strong late March sunshine through the heart of the Sods. Eventually I saw a trail that appeared to start back toward White Grass and started descending. Everything looked alright as there were wide swaths cut on the mountain in my view that seemed like a ski resort. However, too late I realized I was on a lengthy, switchback fire road which kept going down interminably, so far down, in fact, that even with the 3.5 feet of base up on top I eventually ran out of snow and ended up in a rustic settlement along Lindeman Road called Dry Forks, WV. School buses dropping off children told me that I was now in Randolph rather than Tucker County. Fortunately, friendly trout fishermen helped me get my bearings and gave me a ride the 8.5 miles back to White Grass, as it was getting late. I had skied all the way across the Sods and down the next mountain over. They said the trout fishing had been awful due to the unseasonable cold, but they deserve some excellent fishing now for their good deed. I'm the guy with the funny red, low cut Salomon boots and Peletonen skis from the late 80s that makes it up to White Grass at least once a year; one these years you'll have to put me in new stuff.
Dave Unnewehr
Chipper, I had a feeling White grass would be a cool place but I had no clue how cool it would be. I know if I had more time to ski the top of the mountain that I would have fallen in love with the place. Even skiing around on the snow farm was a hoot. It gets me fired up to see people like you that are so into snow. The fact that you took the time to shovel snow in key spots is pretty cool. We plan on coming back next year. When we do come back I'll bring about 10 more people from Erie and Pittsburgh and we can double the race field. Enjoy the snow while it's here and I'll pray for more.
P.S. Thanks for the taste of the moonshine. That stuff was smooth.
Jim
Thanks again for another great weekend and the start of my 20th (21st?) year at Whitegrass! The Birchesgarden and apres ski Stout were incredible on Sunday, and Ben is a now an official "Aurora Man" after whipping down some of the steeps.....Thanks also for inspiring me on Saturday - it was my first time out this season, and I was skiing heavy and robot-like until I saw you floating along, which reminded me to ski light and breezy with some rhythm! As I was telling my friends on Sunday: "If heaven is half as good as Whitegrass, I'll be happy!" See you soon!
George Flam
Many thanks for the fantastic White Grass hospitality this past season. This was my first-ever season of skiing -- and now I'm hooked forever. Two thoughts: (1) where have I been all these winters??!! and (2) better late than never. Special thanks for your late-season help in picking some gear for the future. When I walk by those skis stacked pride-of-place in the garage, I sigh and long for next season. Not long though: the rivers are up, Dude!! Yee haw. So one last thanks for the tip on the gage levels for the Laurel Fork of the Cheat that you posted on the White Grass web site. That is going to be a fantastic help in deciding when to cut work, ...err I mean, call in sick..., and head to the mountains. See you on the river.In any case, let's plan to meet on powdered white water in November again this year, eh?!
Mitch
We love the White Grass and have been fans since the early 80's!! I can never decide what I like the best-- the skiing or the food!!
Donna Goodman
Hi Chip, Thank you for another great day in nordic nirvana! Brita and I had the best day skiing on that fresh West Va powder! Whitegrass is the friendliest and most positive ski center on the planet. We always get our batteries recharged soaking up all that positive energy that flows at Whitegrass. Thanks again to you, Laurie, Tom, Stro, and the everyone.
Brita and Brad
I've returned from patrolling at Soldier Hollow for the Olympics and Paralympics and having a hard time adjusting to normal life. Anyway, its time I get this note off to you. I want to thank you and the staff at White Grass for accommodating our annual Nordic Ski Patrol Seminar in early February. White Grass never ceases to amaze me. Last year we had great snow and great weather and a great clinic. This year we had no snow and a great clinic. Of course we were successful because of your flexibility and the high quality of your staff. Charlie took us over to Timberline for the skiing portion of the clinic. Our group of ski patrollers is now a notch stronger in cross-country techniques thanks to her. I found several of her technique tips very useful while patrolling out in Utah. Also we enjoyed trying out the latest in equipment. No Nordic Ski Patrol clinic is complete without the ropes, compass, search and rescue exercises. White Grass provided us with challenging hiking terrain, plenty of vertical and trees. Then to top it off, the great food and ambiance of the WG cafe is one of the reasons I come to West Virginia. We look forward to doing this again next year. Keep thinking snow.
Penny Dimler
I just want to mention what a great cure White Grass is for the winter blues and blahs. If I had to sum it up in one sentence, it would go something like this:To paraphrase Hunter S. Thompson, when your life gets complicated and the weasels start closing in, during the winter the only way to fix it is to blast on out to Canaan Valley and spend a few days (or more) at White Grass thrashing around in the snow!
Jack Kangas
Hi Chipper and White Grass wow what a great weekend! Can't thank you enough for such an awesome time. The party was great fun and hats off to the chefs! Everything was gourmet delicious. All beside the fact that the skiing was out of this world!!! We tried to track up as much snow we could... high up fresh snow through the trees! Can't wait to do it again! Much love.
Jeanne and JT
Love your web site, and your ski area. It's a place where a transplanted Yank like me can get my fix of snow. The food is better than any other XC area bar none, too. Keep truckin'. And thanks for pulling me out of that ditch a couple of years ago.
Ron
Discover why Cross-Country Skiing is one of the most wonderful winter sports that can last a lifetime. Besides being healthy and challenging, it burns up very little of our world’s resources. Our entire ski area’s electric bill averages less than yours at home. Guess who’s burnin’ up all the energy in this sport…Cheers!
u2014 Chip, Laurie, and the White Grass Staff