After a relatively short drive west of Baltimore, the breathtaking vista of the Allegheny Mountain Range presents itself in 3-D majesty. Winters there mean snow-covered peaks and valleys as challenging to confront as the largest playgrounds we remember from our school days.
Canaan Valley in West Virginia is an Allegheny winter playground, laying claim to exciting slope sports for the past 50 years. Ski resorts there warmly welcome visitors of all ages.
Canaan Valley Resort State Park features 39 slopes, with a vertical drop of 850 feet.
“The Resort and State Park are one and the same,” said Lisa Ratliff, director of sales. “[It’s] an affordable retreat for families, couples and friends wanting to get away.”
If you go
» What: Canaan Valley Resort State Park in Canaan Valley, W.Va.
» Distance: 210 miles from Baltimore; 190 miles from D.C.
» Info: 1-304-866-4121; 1-800-622-4121
» On the Net: www.skithevalley.com; www.canaanresort.com
» West Virginia Visitors Center: 1-304-558-2003
In addition to downhill skiing, the resort offers snow tubing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice skating and airboarding. Ample rental equipment is available along with certified instructors willing to teach the techniques.
While Ratliff notes that snow tubing is probably the most popular sport because anyone can do it and it is more affordable than the other sports, she sings the praises of airboarding, calling it “the newest craze.”
For those unfamiliar with the sport, the adventurer speeds around on the mountains on steerable, inflated “sleds.” Canaan Valley is one of the few resorts in the East that offers airboards.
At Timberline Four Seasons Resort, daredevils can ski the longest run in the Southeast — the two-mile Salamander Run. Timberline also features excellent terrain and schedules a full menu of snowboarding events.
Not everyone wishes to play on the slopes, however. Many come to Canaan Valley to relax and soak in winter ambiance.
“People frequently ask about Canaan Valley Resort’s cabins,” said Tricia Sizemore of the West Virginia Department of Commerce and Communications. “These cozy accommodations offer a retreat with charming touches like wood-burning fireplaces.”
Stores and galleries in the area present an excellent opportunity for a relaxing afternoon. The Mountain Made Artisan Gallery is located in a restored historic coal company store and features the work of more than 600 West Virginia artisans. The MountainMade Country store is a great place to find the perfect souvenir while nibbling on its fresh-baked bread and tarts.
Natural attractions for the non-sloper include Mountain Trail Rides, the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad and the Seneca Caverns.
A weekend (or longer) in Canaan Valley gives credence to West Virginia’s apt moniker, “Wild and Wonderful.”
