Start of West Virginia’s ski and snowboard season in sight

Skiers and snowboarders will be making turns in parts of West Virginia within the next two weeks.

The 2014-2015 slope season is scheduled to open on Nov. 26 at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in Pocahontas County and Nov. 29 at Canaan Valley Resort in Tucker County with Winterplace Resort in Raleigh County and Timberline Resort in Tucker County set to follow on Dec. 6.
Oglebay Resort in Ohio County will open its trails as weather permits.

Cold temperatures and natural snow have already moved into West Virginia’s mountains.

“It’s got the blood pumping, as it may be, for the West Virginia ski industry,” said Joe Stevens, communications director for the West Virginia Ski Areas Association, of the weather.

“That’s just giving the snowmakers at all of the resorts….a chance to work, basically, around the clock getting the slopes covered. When the temperatures are dropping like they are right now, they can flat out make some snow.”

Stevens said in ideal snowmaking conditions, with temperatures in the low teens, more than 20,000 tons of snow can be produced in West Virginia every hour.


Traditionally, the ski season in West Virginia continues from Thanksgiving through early April — weather permitting — drawing in thousands of skiers and snowboarders from states that include Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Florida.