West Virginia Is Offering the Most Open Terrain

/in /by

The big news out of the mountains of West Virginia is that four resorts are now open for the season, including Snowshoe Mountain, Timberline, Canaan Valley and Winterplace.  All of these resorts have been making snow around the clock the last couple of days and due to the ahrd work from the snowmakers and cold temperatures from Mother Nature, the most open terrain right now can be found in West Virginia.

More cold temperatures are in the forecast, which means all of the resorts will be opening addtional terrain as soon as possible. When the temperature drops into the teens, over 20,000 tons of snow a hour can be produced in West Virginia.  That is a man made blizzard.

Make sure to become of a friend of the West Virginia Ski Areas Association Facebook page and receive all of the most recent snow news.

Happy Holiday from the staff of the West Virginia Ski Areas Association.

Plenty of Skiing Available in West Virginia

/in /by

Snowshoe Mountain continues to open additional terrain on a daily basis for skiers and snowboarders to enjoy during the holiday season.  Right now the Pocahontas County Resort is sporting 29 trails and 12 lifts at the Snowshoe and Silver Creek Areas.

Else where in West Virginia, Timberline opened last week and Canaan Valley opened yesterday. Winterplace will now be opening on Christmas Day. Oglebay will be opening as soon as weather permits. Cross-Country Skiing will happen at White Grass and Elk River Touring Centers whenever Mother Nature allows.

The best news is that it is snow in the mountains of West Virginia today, December 23 and is in the forecast through Christmas Day.  West Virginia resorts are offering the most open terrain for the holiday season in the region.  So if you are looking for that White Holiday, look no further than West Virginia.  

Make sure to become a friend on the association’s Facebook page.

Happy Holidays from the staff of the West Virginia Ski Areas Association.

The Season Has Started In West Virginia

/in /by

Snowshoe Mountain kicked off its 2011-2012 ski season on Friday, December 9.  The Pocahontas County resort has over 40 acres of terrain open, including 14 trails and 5 lifts for skiing and riding at both the Snowshoe and Silver Creek areas. 

Else where in West Virginia, Timberline will be opening tomorrow, Saturday, December 17. Canaan Valley, December 22 and Winterplace, December 24. Oglebay will be opening as soon as weather permits. Cross-Country Skiing is already happening at White Grass and Elk River Touring Centers.

Make sure to become a friend on the association’s Facebook page.

West Virginia Skiing Has Begun

/in /by

Snowshoe Mountain kicked off its 2011-2012 ski season on Friday, December 9 with blue skies, 30 acres of terrain and hundreds of excited skiers and riders. Snowshoe opened with more acres of terrain than any other ski resort in the East Coast aside from Killington. Thanks to cold weather and round the clock snowmaking, the resort is opening additional terrain to the Snowshoe area and Powder Monkey lift on Saturday, December 10 bringing their total to 40 acres of terrain, 11 trails and 5 lifts for skiing and riding.

The rest of the alpine resorts in West Virginia, Canaan Valley, Timberline and Winterplace will be opening Saturday, December 17.  Oglebay will be opening as soon as weather permits. Cross-Country Skiing is already happening at White Grass and Elk River Touring Centers.

Make sure to become a friend on the association’s Facebook page.

Opening Day for Skiing & Riding in West Virginia.

/in /by

Charleston, WV –The Mountains of West Virginia received another coating of snow this week, just in time for the opening of the 2011/2012 ski season. Snowshoe Mountain opened today (Friday)  with six trails and three lifts at the Snowshoe area and three trails and one lift at the Silver Creek area. Three other of the state’s alpine areas, Canaan Valley, Timberline and Winterplace are all planning to open for the season on Saturday, December 17. The natural snow allowed one of the state’s Nordic areas, White Grass Touring Center to begin providing cross-country skiing last week.

Along with the natural snow, the temperatures in the higher elevations have dropped so that snowmaking operations can resume this week, allowing West Virginia areas to provide excellent season opening conditions. The snowmakers at all of the resorts will produce man made snow whenever temperatures permit, allowing the industry’s unsung heroes to cover the slopes for skiers and snowboarders. When snowmaking conditions are at their best (in the low teens), over 20,000 tons of snow is being produced in West Virginia per hour, enough snow to cover 20 football fields with a foot of snow each hour. That’s a man made blizzard for skiers, snowboarders and snow tubers to enjoy in the mountains of West Virginia.

The mountain state’s resorts annually attract over 800,000 skier visits and that number is still attainable despite a two week delay due to the recent mild temperatures. “It looks like winter is finally arriving and our snowmakers are ready to get the slopes covered,” says Terry Pfeiffer, President of the West Virginia Ski Areas Association. “Mother Nature has thrown us a bit of a curve ball this season, but we can handle it with the upcoming cold temperatures for our snowmaking systems.”

A Winter Message from WV Governor Earl Ray Tomblin

/in /by

Early December is the perfect time to begin exploring nature in hibernation. From personal walks along state park trails to tours of homes grandly decorated for the holidays, the winter wonderland of fun in the hills of West Virginia is just beginning.

Next weekend, you can travel back to yesteryear with the Bramwell Christmas Tour of Homes. These homes were built by coal barons at the turn of the 20th Century. Their grand details shine under the twinkle of holiday lights. Charles Town is holding its Christmas Home Tour December 10th as well. The historic eastern panhandle tour showcases the areas beautiful homes for all to see.

If you prefer the chilly winter air and plush drifts of snow, West Virginia’s esteemed ski resorts are gearing up for what aims to be a great season. From downhill skiing to snowboarding and tubing, Canaan Valley Resort and Conference Center, Timberline Four Seasons Resort, Snowshoe Mountain Resort, Winterplace Ski Resort and Oglebay Resort and Conference Center offer plenty of fun for the entire family. Snowshoe Mountain is also offering snowmobile and snowcat tours. Oglebay Resort and Conference Center provides a more relaxed evening with the Winter Festival of Lights, featuring millions of holiday lights over 300 acres in the park. Whitegrass Ski Touring Center and Elk River Touring Center provide ample room to cross-country ski or snowshoe this winter.

For those who prefer to stay warm alongside a cozy fireplace and watch winter right outside the window, West Virginia state parks and forests offer lodging. Fill your lungs with crispy air and enjoy a winter walk in the woods followed by an evening in our parks’ cozy cabins and lodge rooms. Our parks enable you to get away without the long distance travel. This time of year is a great time for good deals on lodging, not to mention fantastic venues for holiday events like ringing in the New Year with live entertainment and specialty meals.

As winter settles in, embrace the beauty of West Virginia by getting out and playing in the cool air and snowy terrain. Make your plans early because while Mother Nature hibernates, tourists do not. People from near and far know all too well the fun our resorts, parks, and historic towns offer and our venues will book quickly. Enjoy winter and all it has to offer in West Virginia.

Ski Season to Start this Weekend in West Virginia

/in /by

The West Virginia ski season will start this week as Snowshoe Mountain is scheduled to open its slopes on Friday, December 9. The resort had scheduled a Thanksgiving week opening but the recent mild temperatures didn’t allow for any snowmaking, contributing to the two week delay.

When the ropes drop this Friday, Snowshoe will have five trails open, including the resort’s terrain park, skiers and snowboarders will find a 10” – 30” base, and three lifts will service the open terrain. Also on Friday, the Silver Creek area of the resort will be opening for day and night skiing and riding three trails, serviced by one lift. In all the resort will have approximately 30 acres of skiing and riding fun.

The remaining West Virginia ski resorts have announced the following opening dates; weather permitting, Winterplace, December 10, Timberline, December 16, Canaan Valley, December 17 and Oglebay Resort, mid-December (date to be determined).

Start of WV Ski Season Gets Delayed

/in /by

Here is the official word from Snowshoe Mountain’s Communications Department on not being able to open Thanksgiving Day:

Snowshoe, WV— With 2.5” of rain falling on Pocahontas County, W.Va in the last two days, Snowshoe Mountain has announced that the resort will not open for skiing and snowboarding this weekend. Snowshoe will offer a variety of Holiday activities, including a traditional Thanksgiving feast at The Junction Restaurant, Holiday crafts and movies in The Big Top, plenty of opportunity at Village retail stores to get a jump on Holiday shopping and nightlife activities. The resort will continue to monitor weather conditions and announce a new Opening Day when conditions allow.

The following are the scheduled opening days for the rest of West Virginia Ski Resorts: Timberline, December 8, Canaan Valley and Winterplace December 9 and Oglebay mid-December.

Ski Season Set To Start In West Virginia

/in /by

The snowguns have been operating in Pocahontas County this week and it looks like Snowshoe Mountain will be opening this Thursday (Thanksgiving Day), November 24. Timberline Resort is opening 12/8, Winterplace 12/9, Canaan Valley 12/9 and Oglebay Resort mid-December.

New Snow In The Mountains Of West Virginia

/in /by

Reports from Snowshoe Mountain this morning (10/29, 7 am) indicates that five inches of new snow is on the ground and it’s still snowing.  The snowguns are also operating getting ready for Snowshoe’s November 23 opening day.  Timberline Resort is opening 12/8, Winterplace 12/9 (earlier weather permitting), Canaan Valley 12/10 and Oglebay Resort mid-December.