Winter (even though the calendar still says fall) has arrived in a big way in the mountains of West Virginia, with the first flakes of the season falling Monday morning and by early Tuesday there was more than 5” of the white stuff on the ground. Forecasters are predicting more snow throughout the day Tuesday and Wednesday, with an additional 5” expected by the end of the day Wednesday.

On Monday, Snowshoe kicked off snowmaking for the 08-09 season and this new snowfall will only help the mountain build an amazing base of snow. With just less than a month until Opening Day, scheduled for November 26, if this cold, snowy weather continues,  Long term forecasts are calling for seasonal temperatures to continue for the foreseeable future.

Some cross-country skiers have taken advantage of today’s natural snow to make the first tracks of the season in West Virginia.

The 2007-08 season is now history for West Virginia’s Ski Resorts.  The season began in November at Snowshoe Mountain and finished up in April at Timberline Resort.  During the season, West Virginia Resorts provided the most open terrain of any state in the region as the resort’s snowmakers did an amazing job covering the terrain for skiers, snowboarders and snow tubers.  Time now to look ahead for the 2008-09 season that is schedule to start around Thanksgiving.  So put away those skis and snowboards and enjoy spring, summer and fall.  Check back in August as next year’s West Virginia Ski Area Association’s Mountain Pass will become available.

Greetings –

Almost a foot a snow has fallen this week in the mountains of West Virginia, the home for the region’s top ski resorts Canaan Valley, Oglebay, Snowshoe Mountain, Timberline and Winterplace. More snow is in the forecast for the higher elevations in the Mountain State the next couple of days. Nearly 80 percent of the state’s 164 trails are open for skiers and snowboarders and all of the tubing lanes at Canaan Valley, Snowshoe Mountain and Winterplace are open.

The snowmakers at all of the state’s resorts continue to work whenever the temperatures have allowed this week and with the temperatures dropping into the single digits a couple of the nights, manmade blizzards have been visible at the resorts. Because of the excellent snowmaking opportunities and the natural snow skiers, snowboarders and snowtubers are finding the best conditions of the season and the best conditions in the region. The natural snow has also allowed the state’s Nordic Areas, White Grass and Elk River Touring Centers to provide lots of terrains for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

As the month of February nears an end all of the resorts are gearing up for an excellent spring skiing, riding and tubing season. All of the resorts have plenty of snow on the slopes at this point to provide fun on the slopes through the end of March. .

There are a number upcoming activities at West Virginia winter resorts and the best way to find out what’s happening in the mountain state click on a resort link at the bottom of the home page. Winter continues and so do the best conditions in the region for skiing, riding and tubing in the mountains of West Virginia.

Greetings –

West Virginia Ski Resorts have taken advantage of the return of winter conditions since early January to create the best conditions of the season. Skiers and snowboarders are now finding 96 percent of the slopes open in West Virginia as 158 of the state’s 165 ski and snowboard trails are available for downhill fun. Visitors to the resorts will also find the three snow tubing hills 100 percent open at Canaan Valley, Snowshoe Mountain and Winterplace.

After natural snowfall totals were lagging in November and December all of the resorts in West Virginia have made up for lost time by receiving at least three-feet of snow in January. In some cases even more as snowfall in Tucker County where Canaan Valley Timberline Resorts are located and in Pocahontas County where Snowshoe Mountain is located, topped the four-foot mark for 2008’s first month. Along with the natural snowfall have come the lowest temperatures of the season, as the thermometer dropped into the single digits at all of the resorts during many over night periods. The cold temperatures allowed all of the resorts’ snowguns to operate around the clock, which has been vital to opening additional skiing and snowboarding terrain for visitors coming in from the various mid-Atlantic and southeast states.

The resort’s snowmakers used the cold temperatures to create manmade blizzards from north to south across the Allegheny Mountains, producing 20,000 tons of snow per hour when the temperature dropped into the teens (when combining all five resort’s snowmaking efforts at once), that’s enough snow to cover 20 football fields with a foot of snow each hour. This month’s natural snowfall also has benefited the various Nordic areas that offer cross-country and snowshoeing to visitors to the mountains of West Virginia.

Skiers and snowboarders have no excuses now to make turns on the slopes of West Virginia Ski Resorts because the conditions are great and there are still over two months left in the season.

Greetings –

As the holiday season approaches Mother Nature delivered an early present with up a half a foot of snow in the mountains of West Virginia. After a week of on and off “underdeveloped snow” at all of the resorts, the snowfall was a welcomed sight at Timberline, Winterplace, Snowshoe Mountain and Canaan Valley. The natural snowfall may also allow the White Grass and Elk River Touring centers to open a few cross-country and snowshoeing trails.

Snowshoe Mountain was able to open its Silver Creek area this past Friday and in turn begin offering the most open terrain in the mid-Atlantic and southeast regions. After suspending on-slope operations for a week the folks at Timberline dropped the ropes again on Saturday, while Winterplace will resume skiing and snowboarding on Monday, December 17.

Along with the natural snowfall came much needed subfreezing temperatures as the thermometer dropped into the low 20’s at the higher elevations. Those temperatures allowed snowmakers at all of the resorts to crank the snowguns and start covering the slopes again. By the way, skiers and snowboarders should anticipate aggressive snowmaking at all of the resorts, which means the guns will be operating on open terrain. That also means don’t forget your goggles. It is recommended to call ahead to all of the resorts for up to date conditions and opening day news.

Here is a reminder about an opportunity in Tucker County this season for skiers and snowboarders. Canaan Valley and Timberline Resorts have joined forces for the 2007-2008 ski season to offer guests the ability to ski both mountains for one price. Guests taking advantage of the Ski The Valley Pass will have 76 trails and four terrain parks, when the resorts are fully open and the option of skiing the two mountains when and how they want.

The Pass will be sold as a two-day lift ticket and can be purchased at the lift ticket windows of both ski areas. The cost for the pass is: $40 for a two-day pass during Value Season (Dec. 14-24; Mar. 17-23); $65 for a two-day pass during weekdays in Prime Season (Jan. 1-Mar. 13); and, $95 for a two-day pass during weekends in Prime Season (Jan. 4-Mar. 16). The ticket will not be available during the Christmas (12/25-12/31), Presidents Day or Martin Luther King Day holidays.

It looks like there is a continued chance of snowmaking conditions and natural snow for most of this week in the higher elevations of West Virginia’s Allegheny Mountains. So get out there and make those first turns of the season.