Here are my by step instructions on how to avoid the Ballhooter lift line. As many are aware, the line to the lift can have waits of up to 30 minutes on a busy weekend at Snowshoe. I’ll start with the morning and follow through with a few options in the afternoon. I’m sure you spent a lot of time planning your trip so don’t waste it waiting in line.
Rope Drop
Standing at rope drop at 9 AM is the single most important piece of advice I can offer if you want to beat those lines. Think about all the people who arrived late last night, drank too much, or have young ones to get ready and pick up their lift tickets. They, most likely, are a good 30 minutes behind you, so now is your time to shine. Burn as many laps as you can down Spruce, Skip Jack, and Gandy Dancer. I always start with Spruce because it is a nice mellow blue trail which is great for a warm-up. Once you hit those trails, take a few runs on Choker, Grabhammer and Upper / Lower Ballhooter. Generally, I complete 7 – 8 runs by 10 AM. At this time you’ll start to see lines building. It’s now time for the 10 AM power move.
10 AM Power Move
Depending on the skill set of your group, either head over to the Soaring Eagle lift which serves green, blue and black trails. If your group mostly consists of advanced skiers and riders, scooting over to the Western Territory is an excellent option. The crowds will not be as sparse as the early morning but I’ve found them to be manageable. Black diamond trails are usually less crowded as beginners shy away from the steeper slopes. I recommend spending the next hour in either area. You should be done with either area around 11 AM. That leads us to the early lunch plan.
The Early Lunch Plan
Most people eat lunch around noon, especially those who did not make it onto the slopes until 10 AM. I like to take advantage of that by grabbing a bite to eat between 11 AM and 12 noon. There are a few options here. Deal with the Ballhooter lift line one time at lunch and head over to one of the village eateries. This is my least popular choice. Option two is to eat at Hoot’s if you are at Soaring Eagle or the Pizza Slice across from the Western Territory. If you choose option 2, once you are done eating, grab the shuttle to Silver Creek. Personally, I follow the most aggressive plan and jump on the Snowshoe shuttle to the Silver Creek ski area before eating lunch. I proceed to the Silvercreek cafeteria or ski down to the Sugar Shack and eat there.
Why Silver Creek
The answer is simple, the Snowshoe Basin Area is very crowded and frankly, is not worth the aggravation of crowds and lift lines in the afternoon. There are some very fine trails in Silver Creek. I know, many think the lifts are slow and they are but the wait is usually just a few minutes or more. One knock on Silver Creek is the trails are shorter. I agree they are but some of the basin trails have a merged run-out leading to the skiers left of the Ballhooter lift that’s not exactly exhilarating. Enjoy the variety at Silver Creek for a couple of hours and you’ll find it time to board the shuttle and head back to the Snowshoe Village area for a final run.
The Final Run
I usually get off the shuttle bus at the Western shuttle stop near Cupp Run and pick a trail to run down to the Ballhooter lift. At this point, it is usually pushing 4 PM and time to call it a day. I accept the fact that I’ll stand in a long line one last time. I take the lift back to my condo, crack open an ice-cold beer and prepare for tomorrow.
What About Tomorrow
Switch things up a bit, if you followed one plan, try the other option. I’ve also found that Sunday is a transition day and crowds are lighter. Just remember 9 AM rope is the KEY to the start of a great ski day. And THAT is how to avoid the Ballhooter lift line.