Photos By Heidi Crandall : ©2009 NCL Magazine : Jason Oliver, Brewmaster at Devils Backbone Brewery, races down the hill with his team at Wintergreen Resort.

Nelson County, Virginia
The deep freeze continues for Nelson and Central Virginia. Perfect weather for tubing up at Wintergreen Resort The crew from Devils Backbone Brewing Company here in the valley took advantage of the cold weather this week to have some fun at the resort. It was part of their employee appreciation day to say thanks to everyone for all of the hard work and long hours they’ve put in since opening.

The DBBC High School Toboggan Team races down the slopes!

Look for one more day of very cold temps on Thursday then a very nice warm up is on the way for the weekend. More over in Tommy’s Weather by clicking here.

Photos By Paul Purpura :©2008 NCL Mag : Ridgely The Wintergreen Bear officially opens the new fun park at Wintergreen Resort this past weekend. - Click any photo for larger view.

Wintergreen Resort – Nelson County, Virginia
In spite of the warmer temps this past weekend, Ridgely The Bear, Wintergreen Resort’s official mascot, was able to find plenty of snow above 2000 feet to officially cut the ribbon and open the resort’s newest attraction, Ridgely’s Fun Park.

Youngsters have fun this past weekend at the grand opening.

The new park designed for small children, at Discover Ridge, includes a mini-tubing carousel, tunnels, a tee-pee gathering area, plus a gentle hill for tubing. Sessions are one hour and don’t forget the hot chocolate!

Our Paul Purpura was there to capture some of the fun in these photos below! Thanks Paul!

Photos By Paul Purpura ©2008 NCL : Skiers hop off of a lift at Wintergreen for a soft opening on Friday.

Wintergreen Resort – Nelson County, Virginia
Skiers are getting what had become a rare treat over the past several years, Thanksgiving weekend skiing at Wintergreen Resort. For the past several years temperatures were too warm for skiing that early, but over the past few weeks colder temps up in the higher elevations have allowed crews to make plenty of snow on the slopes.

As we told you here last week, Wintergreen will be opening some of the slopes along with the tubing park on Saturday. They will then close the slopes next week for additional snow making and grooming then reopen the following weekend if the weather cooperates.

Folks hitch a ride back up to the top of the Dobie slopes.

You can always get the latest slope conditions by clicking on weather up above and selecting Wintergreen Ski Conditions. See you on the slopes!

Photo By Paul Purpura ©2008 NCL : Snow making began Wednesday at Wintergreen Resort.

Wintergreen Resort – Nelson County, Virginia

“The snow making crew has cranked up the snow guns and white, fluffy snow has been falling. A beautiful white carpet has started to blanket the mountains,” says Dana Quillen, VP of Marketing and PR at the resort.

Dana says snow making will continue as colder than normal temperatures are predicted through the end of November and into December.

Snow Making began in the tubing park Wednesday, but may start on the slopes as early as Thursday afternoon.

The Plunge tubing park will open for the Thanksgiving weekend beginning on Friday, November 28, 2008.

As we have been telling you in our custom daily weather, temperatures at our NCL-Wintergreen Nature Foundation site have been well below freezing for the past two days. Overnight readings have been as low as 12° recently. And, daytime highs have held in the 20’s.

For the most up-to-date information on snow making plans, visit www.wintergreenresort.com.

“The projected opening date for ski runs across the mountain is December 12, but could be earlier,” Dana continues.