While you might not consider West Virginia a winter sports destination, it’s a skier’s dream. The ski resorts here don’t just appeal to locals, they see traffic from Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and Baltimore, among other large Northeastern cities. If you’re looking to escape some of the more brutal Northeastern winter, these West Virginia ski resorts, which tend to see more moderate weather, are the place to go.
Snowshoe Mountain Resort — Snowshoe
If you’re looking to chase the highest elevation available, you want to be at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. Located on 2 of West Virginia’s highest peaks, this resort gets plenty of snow dumped on it and will satisfy your inner powder hound. Snowshoe tends to open in late-November and close in late-March.
Snowshoe is the largest resort around, with 257 skiable acres. Of those acres, 100% are covered via the resort’s snowmaking capabilities. There are 61 runs at Snowshoe with 25 beginner runs, 20 intermediates, 15 advanced, and 1 double black diamond. There are 12 lifts here, with 3 high-speed quads, 6 triples, and 3 surface lifts.
You can enjoy 1,500 feet of vertical drop here, and Snowshoe’s summit sits at 4,848 feet with a base of 3,348 feet. After dark, 86 acres are open for night skiing.
10 Snowshoe Dr, Snowshoe, WV 26209 | 877-441-4386 | snowshoemtn.com
Timberline Mountain — Davis
Timberline Mountain is 1 of 2 Davis, West Virginia, ski resorts in the Canaan Valley. Expect an approximately 3-month season here that starts in mid-December and ends in mid-March.
There are an even 100 acres of skiable terrain at Timberline with complete snowmaking coverage. Timberline has 22 runs to choose from, with 11 for beginners, 4 for intermediates, 5 for advanced skiers, and 2 double black diamonds. There are 6 lifts here, including 2 triples and a high-speed 6-person lift.
The base is at 3,268 feet with a peak of 4,265, good for 997 feet of vertical drop. Night skiing is available in just over a quarter of the total skiable area.
254 Four Seasons Dr, Davis, WV 26260 | 304-403-2074 | timberlinemountain.com
Canaan Valley Resort — Davis
This resort is family- and beginner-friendly but caters more toward advanced skiers than Timberline. Canaan Valley holds the highest mountain valley east of the Rocky Mountains and has plenty of high-level skiing to enjoy. Canaan tends to open in mid- to late-December and close in mid-March.
There are 95 skiable acres here, with 75 of them (79%) covered with snowmaking capabilities. There are 47 runs to choose from and 4 lifts to get you there. Of the 47 runs, 9 are for beginners, 17 are for intermediate skiers, 20 are for advanced, and the last 1 is for double black-level skiers.
With a summit of 4,280 feet and a base of 3,430 feet, you’ll get 850 feet of vertical drop at Canaan Valley. Night skiing is available, though only for a few of the 47 runs.
Park Rd 826, Davis, WV 26260 | 800-622-4121 | canaanresort.com
Winterplace Ski Resort — Ghent
Last on this list, and off on its own, is Winterplace Ski Resort. This is one of the more well-loved small ski areas in the US, and for good reason. Expect a reasonably standard ski season here from mid-December to mid-March.
There are 27 total runs with 10 lifts, including a pair of quads. This beginner-friendly resort offers 11 beginner runs, 12 intermediate runs, and 4 advanced runs. Slightly smaller than Canaan Valley, there are 90 skiable acres at Winterplace.
Winterplace offers a modest vertical drop of 603 feet from a peak of 3,600 feet down to its 2,997-foot base. Night skiers will love it here, as all the runs stay open after sunset.
100 Old, Flat Top Mountain Road, Ghent, WV 25843 | 304-787-3221 | winterplace.com
West Virginia takes a small but mighty approach to its ski resorts. While you’ll only find 4 resorts in the state, you’ll be in good company with skiers from regional metropolitan areas heading here for the its milder temperatures and good powder.