Skiing in West Virginia

The nickname of West Virginia, the Mountain State, should give a good clue as to why those looking for a good ski adventure near the East Coast should consider West Virginia. There are ski resorts up and down the spine of the Appalachian Mountains, but some of the more popular resorts are located in West Virginia. The hills of West Virginia provide a great opportunity to hit the slopes, and they are a relatively short drive from the major metropolitan areas of Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Charlotte. This article will give an overview of three of the main ski resorts in West Virginia.

The most famous and popular ski resort in West Virginia is Snowshoe. Combined with its sister resort Silver Creek, Snowshoe won the title of best ski resort in the Southeast from onthesnow.com. Combined the ski areas at Snowshoe have a total of 60 trails that are available under the right conditions. These trails include a variety of runs that are rated anywhere from green circles, the easiest rating, to the double black diamond run known as Shay's Revenge. Among the more popular difficult runs that are available at Snowshoe are Cupp Run and Widowmaker.

The two areas are connected by a shuttle service, and skiers will want to rent skis at the Silver Creek Lodge. Snowshoe shuts down earlier, as its trails are not lighted. Silver Creek allows for skiing under the lights until 9 pm. There are a number of shopping and lodging options available in the Snowshoe area. Snowshoe Mountain remains open all year, and the resort has a very nice golf course known as the Raven. Those who stay at the resort can get a stay-and-play package at the Raven, which is a 7,045-yard championship course.

The Canaan Valley Ski Resort is a part of the Canaan Valley State Park that is a short drive from the town of Elkins in the West Virginia Mountains. The resort has a number of hotel rooms and several ski lodges are also located in the area. Those who visit Canaan Valley can take their choice of 42 different slopes. The total drop from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the slope is 850 feet. Weekday lift tickets bought online start at just $19.

Like its neighbor Snowshoe, Canaan Valley is also open throughout the year. Businesses and government agencies hold meetings in the conference facilities. This state park also has a championship golf course that measures 6,984 yards. Green fees with a cart come to $49 during the week and $56 on the weekends during the prime season. These fees allow players to get in as many holes as possible, dependent upon availability.

The southernmost ski resort in West Virginia is Winterplace, located near the small town of Ghent. Winterplace offers skiers 27 trails and 9 lifts. Ski lessons come with "learn-to-ski" tickets. Lift tickets at Winterplace Ski Resort start at $32 for night skiing and $48 for all day during the week. Weekend rates for lift tickets can go for as high as $64.

Getting to West Virginia ski resorts can be a bit of a challenge because of the mountainous terrain, depending upon the weather. Most people who come from the major urban areas will utilize Interstate 77 for access to Winterplace. The resort is less than five minutes from the main exit. Interstate 79 is utilized for access to Canaan Valley. Snowshoe is the most remote of the ski resorts.

Those who want to fly will probably get the best rates flying into Yeager Airport in Charleston, although there are also commercial airports in other West Virginia cities like Huntington, Beckley, Parkersburg, and Lewisburg. Regardless of the road taken, skiing in West Virginia with its stunning mountain vistas is one of the best skiing opportunities in the Eastern United States.