I'm a from Florida so any ski trip requires a lot of travel. Truth is I have never skiied east before my February trip to Timberline, this was a second trip for the season after CO. It looked like as far north as I would want to drive for a road trip and I wanted a cheap trip. It turned out to be pretty inexpensive compared to out West. I had a pretty fun time there, you got to be realistic about your expectations. I think they are having a weird weather year. I had a few good snow days followed by days where it warmed up quickly. The resort staff was great, they can make a ton of snow and were blowing snow and grooming when ever the temps permited. I skiied Monday thru Friday, lift lines were no problem but the crowd did pick-up on Friday. Trails are narrow and of course can be icy. It is a small area and some might get bored quickly. I'll probably return but only after I've exhausted my budget for traveling west.

The skiing at Timberline is great, but NOT for groups and not for beginner beginners. The beginner slope is 2 miles long. Can you imagine being up at the top of that and trying to get down when it is your first time skiing? I have taken groups of 50, with students who had never seen snow before, and after one day of trying to get down those 2 miles, refused to ski the next day even though they had already paid for it. The other slopes are pretty good, and the advanced ones are relatively challenging, but the lift lines are long and slow, which takes some of the fun out of skiing.

Timberline is not for groups though. Their Bunkhouses have 30 beds to a room, with only two bathrooms to service them. The rooms are dirty, cramped and ill kept. As the toilet and shower are in the same room, they cannot be used simultaneously. The bunkbeds are stacked three high, with about a 2-foot clearance between them, so you cannot sit up in them and you are sandwiched into them. There is also no walking room between the bunks once everyone sets their suitcases down.

Though most of the staff are fairly nice people, the set up for groups leaves a bit to be desired. You are not allowed any flexibility with the reservations, even last minute cancellations because someone is ill, and though there is a separate rental equipment area for groups, the equipment is in bad condition. It has also happened to us that no staff showed up to provide us skis.

Timberline is for families or smaller groups that can stay in private lodging or rentals. It is not for large groups that need to stay in their bunkhouses.

I go to Timberline every year in Feburary and it is great. It is better to go in the middle of the week because on weekends there are a lot of people there. it has some great runs as long as there is snow. The houses are great but Snowshoe has a better village and more slopes. Great for family and friends to get away.

If you're looking for a place for good all around skiing, Timberline is the place. If you are looking for a full service resort with a lot of night-life and entertainment, try somewhere else. For beginners, I think Salamander is the best beginer slope in the east. It's two miles long!!

This is a perfect place for families and small groups of friends who want to rent a chalet and spend some quality time together. There are no hotels to be seen and lodging is in the form of rental houses. If you want to be close, use the houses in the Yoakum Run area at the base of the slope. They're within walking distance and not as pricey as those on the mountain.

If you take the time to find them, there is an interesting selection of local eateries within 10 miles. Good food with local atmosphere. Don't be afraid to try the places that look like a hole-in-the-wall!

I Boarded Timberline last week end and i enjoyed it greatly, having been every year since '02 this was one of the mest with alot of fresh powder and open runs. The lift lines are the only draw backat timberline, i have to say they are honsetly the worst lifts any resort could possibly have. An upgrade is manditory for both lifts. at least to high speed 4 or possibly 6 person lifts would make the experience unbelievable.