Happy Groundhog Day!

It's February 2nd and that can only mean one thing - today is Groundhog Day! I always find this day quite amusing - large gatherings of people out at Gobbler's Hill at the crack of dawn partying and freezing their butts off - all waiting for the reaction of this oversized rodent affectionately known as Punxsutawney Phil. This year February 2nd appeared to be no different as the masses of cold, drunken crazies converged on this little town in Pennsylvania all waiting to see if dear old Phil would - or would not - see his shadow. The verdict for 2009 (drumroll please....) --- well, in case you haven't heard by now, dear old Phil did indeed see his shadow thereby signaling 6 more weeks of winter. Personally, with all of those spotlights and attention focused on the poor guy I don't know how he could have avoided himself, but I guess that is irrelevant at this point in time......

Luckily, for those who love skiing, Phil's Prognostication of 6 more weeks of winter could only have come as pure joy! As I've mentioned in previous posts, skiing conditions in the West Virginia mountains have been absolutely incredible this 2008-2009 ski season. Snowshoe Ski Resort has already surpassed last year's snowfall with over 145 inches of snow to date and looking at the weather forecast for the week ahead it seems as if another great Snowfall is on it's way! All of this great snow is sure to keep the resort operating well through the end of March. Fortunately, Mountain Valley Retreat is located 30 minutes from Snowshoe Ski Resort and is a great lodging alternative for couples or families who want to enjoy Pocahontas County's winter wonderland without dealing with all the hustle and bustle at the center of the hectic ski resort. Just a quick drive to the resort puts you right at lifts and when you're done for the day our warm and inviting cabin rental is waiting for you with all of the amenities of home. With all of this in mind somehow 6 more weeks of winter doesn't seem all that bad now does it?