With Huntington chalking up its largest snow since 2010 in December, the fever to bust out of the Ohio River Valley (the lowest elevation in WV) and jet up to the snow-covered mountains to ski has been growing exponentially with each passing day.

Finally on Saturday, Jan. 2, the Dave Trippin’ crew made a day trip down to check out skiing in the time of Covid, to soak up some of that gorgeous mountain scenery and make our first turns of the 2020-2021 ski season.

 With each of West Virginia’s five downhill ski resorts (Canaan Resort, Oglebay, Snowshoe, Timberline, and Winterplace) all limiting visitor numbers, it is (particularly on weekends) paramount to buy advanced lift tickets and rentals because pretty much all of the ski resorts in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast are reporting weekend sell-outs. And some resorts selling out weeks in advance.

 Securing advance day passes, and completing our rental forms online, we were able to drive down to Winterplace by opening and swiftly get onto the mountain thanks to a noticeable reduction of visitors on the mountain. If you don’t have your rental forms filled out, you have to go back out in the parking lot and fill those out in your ca, referred to as “your own private ski lodge,” in a repeated loud speaker safety message.

   With an industry theme of “Ski Well, Be Well,” Winterplace, and as has been reported, the other WV resorts, are doing everything within their capacity and rights to ensure public health and safety on the mountain. Signs to sanitize, wear face masks at all times and to stay six feet apart were everywhere at Winterplace. On the mountain, ski patrollers were quick to yell out while in lift line, “masks up so we can stay open.” And guests were asked to only share ride lift rides with family or friends in their bubble or circle.

  While Winterplace has its group indoor dining area closed, the regular dining area is open with distanced lines. Still, we felt much more comfortable in bringing our own food to eat outside at socially distanced picnic tables since the temperature was in the high 40s. Were temps in the 20s, I would probably still (at this point) not eat indoors where there good sized crowds in the afternoon but knock out a protein bar outside to stay distanced since ski visitors to WV come from all over the Southeast and beyond.

 To avoid as many people as possible I would recommend hitting first tracks at rope drop on the weekends, trying to ski mid-week when possible, opting for some night-skiing this year (which can really be an adventure on typically empty slopes) and skiing on through lunch when a lot of folks head indoors.

 While we had a blast navigating the slopes without capacity crowds, I have to admit that while I probably complained about it then, it was sad not to see a parking lot of those bus loads of Scouts and youth groups from all over the sunny South, many who have never seen snow, most running to go jump right in it, and most trying the wild and wonderful winter sport of skiing for the first time. 

 Hopefully next year, Winterplace and WV’s ski resorts can be back dealing with just the regular trials and tribulations of trying to be a snow farmer in the mid-Atlantic. In the meantime, the resorts seem to have a heck of a good plan, a strong will and under those masks, a good face and steely resolve to survive during this global pandemic and carve out the best season humanly possible

Getting Your Ski On! Here’s a look at the contact info and current conditions at WV’s five downhill ski resorts:

 Canaan Resort – canaanresort.com and 800.622.4121.
47 trails, snow tubing, cross country and snowshoeing (if natural snow) and ice skating rink.

 Snowshoe Mountain – snowshoemtn.com and 877.441-4386.
61 trails, snow tubing at Silver Creek, snowmobiling, off-road adventure tours and more.

 Timberline Mountain – timberlinemountain.com and 304.403.2074.
23 trails

Oglebay Resort – Oglebay.com and 304.243.4177. 

Winterplace – Winterplace.com and 800.607.SNOW.
27 trails open and snow tubing.