SPORTS TALK

With Michael Betteridge

Go West Young Man!

Last year at this time, I wrote about skiing and snow conditions. I lamented how we hadn’t had any truly cold winters or snow since 2021. The last really big winter was 2010 and the Snowpocalypse! We had 70 inches of snow that year—44 inches in February alone.

Our average snowfall for this area is 21 inches per year. In the past 15 years, we have had six years slightly above average. That means that there were nine below average. The best year in that time period was 2021 at 37.7 inches for the season; the worst year was 2023 at 2 inches.

This year, as of February 2026, we have had two inches! Now, before all you skeptics start shouting at me that we got more than that in December, you’re right, but it was up in the mountains, not down here in the valley. Sabillasville got four inches last December. Thurmont got one-and-a-half inches, and the further south you went, the higher the totals. For example, Silver Spring got four inches in December. Go figure!

We just finished another January thaw with temps in the mid-50s in the middle of the month. It’s awfully hard to get snow on the ground when that happens. However, all you need to ski is cold, and we’ve had plenty of that overall, especially at night. Snowmaking has been great at Roundtop, Liberty, and Whitetail. They have 85 percent of their terrain open, thanks to the snowmakers.

But here’s the rub. Ten years ago, when Snow Time, Inc. owned those ski resorts, an all-day lift ticket cost $32.00. You could also buy a four-hour ticket at a reduced rate, and they had something called advantage passes, where you could ski all season for $20.00 a lift ticket. If you skied more than four times in a season, it made sense to pay the one-time $99.00 advantage fee.

Now that Vail owns those three resorts, a one-day adult lift ticket costs $99.00, and there are no discount rates. That’s the same amount you paid for an entire season’s advantage pass in 2016. In 2026, you can buy a season ticket for $833. That means you would have to ski at least nine times to break even. That’s a lot of cheddar for a family of four looking for a local day-trip outdoor excursion.

Truthfully, it’s no longer the weather that is keeping me from hitting the slopes. It’s the cost. You really have to ski yourself into condition. That means that, at best, I could ski four hours before calling it a day early on. Fortunately, I can get the senior pass (60+). But that still means that if I want to ski locally for four hours, I have to shell out $88.00. That’s $22.00 per hour, 200 percent above the minimum wage in Pennsylvania. Yikes!

I could be headed for another ski-less year—not because of the weather, but because of the cost. Ski lift ticket prices locally have climbed like a snowboarder in a terrain park, hitting his first ramp.

The answer: Roadtrip…go west, young man! Wisp has a ski FREE midweek package, which includes lodging and lift tickets Sunday through Thursday for $99.00 per person. Check out Canaan Valley, where one of my all-time favorites is Timberline in West Virginia. The mountain is 100 percent open! Weekday lift tickets at Timberline are $65.00, and there are some great local rentals and Airbnbs to choose from. The last time I was there with my family, we rented a really cozy log cabin only 10 minutes from the slopes. And Timberline has a bonus, too. Next door is another ski lodge: White Grass, where you feel like you time-traveled back into the 60s. Go there and strap on a pair of cross-country skis. Explore 20 miles of beautiful backwoods snow and trails near the historic Dolly Sods Wilderness Area. Now, that’s old school! While you are there, check out the white bean chicken chili in the lodge. It’s the best on the planet!

Hey, if you’re going to open up your wallet this year to have some snow fun, why waste it on a day trip?

Gas up the car, throw the family and gear in the back, and go catch some air!