By Paul Maraschiello
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The drive from Washington, D.C. to Snowshoe is always interesting. It's superhighway for 1/2 the trip and winding secondary roads through the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia for the rest. On this trip I noticed that the state of West Virginia has improved the road, eliminating some of the more treacherous parts of the trip. They have opened one new section of road that runs along the ridge and there is a lot of evidence that when they finish the new route, the trip to Snowshoe will be a lot easier and quicker.
I was psyched to visit Snowshoe again. They had received a lot of snow and it was going to be a great weekend of fun on the slopes in early December for this old ski bum. They not only open early but they continue to ski well into the spring with plenty of snow that lasts as late as April some years.
ACCOMMODATIONS
They put me up at a new lodge, Allegheny Springs. It was new and very nice. My studio
condo was very much like other rooms I had stayed at in the Rimfire. There was a TV,
VCR, with a kitchenette, just like the other rooms I have had there. They provide ski
lockers and there is a ski shop on the ground floor.
Snowshoe reminds me of a mid-size New England ski area. It has an elevation of 4,848' and a 1,500' vertical. It is the BIGGEST and BEST ski area in the Middle Atlantic States. It is an up-side-down ski area with all the amenities (hotels, bars, restaurants, shops) located at the TOP of resort. There are 57 trails and 14 lifts. They have night skiing and their snowmaking covers 100% of the skiable terrain.
SKIING
I was anxious to sample the snow. The sun was shining and it was a glorious day. I spent
the early morning checking out intermediate trails like Skip Jack, Ball Hooter, Spruce and
the other connecting trails down the main mountain but the expert runs off the Western
Express were not open. The lift lines were short and there was plenty of snow.
They were having a Demo-Day, so I decided to try a new pair of skis. There were reps from 20 major manufactures with lots of equipment that could be tried. I selected a pair of Fisher skis but I was disappointed with them. I'm an advanced skier and I prefer a stiffer ski with more torsional rigidity. The rep told me that I needed to try the skis HE skied but they didn't have a pair with them. The skis they did give me were well tuned, fast from edge to edge but they weren't able to hold on the few spots that I found that were a little skied off and slick.
The conditions were excellent. I tired myself out running up and down the mountain. After a few runs, I decided to return the demos and get a little lunch. Snowshoe had just opened the "Big Top" Family Fun Center and they invited us to check it out and try the pizza. It is a pre-fab dome affair located behind the Shavers Center. This new addition to the mountain is a 15,000 sq. ft. fun center featuring arcades, a Playstation Gaming Zone, simulators, a climbing wall, pool tables, ping-pong tables, inflatables, movies and much more.
There were skiers and snowboarders competing in the terrain park and I watched them for a little while. I got a good spot right next to the jump and began shooting. I got a lot of great shots of snowboard dudes careening through the air. I caught a few excellent shots of skiers and snowboarders going huge.
That evening, I had dinner at the Mexican restaurant located in the basement of the Mountain Lodge and the meal was very good. They had prepared a special banquet for the press and I had the chicken burrito, washed down with a few margarettas.
I was up early the next morning and took advantage of a chance to catch first tracks at 8:00 A.M. before the slopes were open to the public. The air was crisp and the trails were all well groomed. We ducked under the ropes, led by a member of the ski patrol and the small group of journalists and staff skied and rode to the bottom. We hopped on the chair and took a second run. It was really nice to have the entire mountain to ourselves. After a few of runs, we went into the Boat House for breakfast. They served waffles, bacon, sausage, and the menu really hit the spot. After that, I spent the rest of the day enjoying all the great skiing that Snowshoe had to offer. By the middle of the afternoon, I'd had it. Tired and happy, I headed back home with that great feeling that only a great weekend on the snow can provide. If you want a great ski experience, try Snowshoe, you will not be disappointed.
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