DCSki Annual Guide to Winter Season Improvements

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Mid-Atlantic ski resorts are in a constant battle to make each season better than the last by adding new lifts, new lodges, and the ever popular increase in snowmaking capacity.

The familiar pattern continues for the 2011-2012 winter season, with local resorts continuing to invest in capital improvements to keep their customers happy and to be competitive with other resorts in the region.

To find out what's new at your favorite resorts, scroll below. Or, to view improvements from prior seasons, click on a year.

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What's New for 2011/2012:

What’s New for 2011: Seven Springs Resort

November 20, 2011: Freestyle skiers and snowboarders will find reason to celebrate this winter at Seven Springs, as the Pennsylvania resort unveils the first-ever urban terrain park and expands its halfpipe to Olympic proportions. Retrofitted chairlifts will reduce travel time to the top of the mountain, and a new beginner area will welcome new skiers and boarders looking to transition to greens.

What’s New for 2011: Hidden Valley Resort

November 12, 2011: Pennsylvania’s Hidden Valley Resort has added approximately 3.5 acres of glade skiing in the North Summit area of the resort, as well as a new terrain park.

What’s New for 2011: Elk Mountain

November 12, 2011: Elk Mountain has continued its tradition of planting Norway and White Spruce trees, adding an additional 1,200 trees over the summer. (1 reader comment)

What’s New for 2011: Shawnee Mountain

November 12, 2011: Two new Piston Bully Snow Cats are joining Shawnee Mountain’s snow grooming fleet this winter.

What’s New for 2011: Winterplace Resort

November 11, 2011: West Virginia’s Winterplace Resort has expanded snowmaking, widened two trails, and upgraded its terrain park with a new feature.

What’s New for 2011: Massanutten Resort

November 6, 2011: Virginia’s Massanutten Resort is expanding the scope of activities this winter with the construction of a new outdoor ice skating rink. (2 reader comments)

What’s New for 2011: Beech Mountain Resort

November 5, 2011: It’s been a busy summer of upgrades at North Carolina’s Beech Mountain Resort, with the addition of a new beginner slope, removal of a chairlift, a continued shift to automated snowmaking, and other capital enhancements.

What’s New for 2011: Snowshoe Mountain Resort

October 29, 2011: Snowshoe Mountain Resort has made a number of enhancements for the 2011-2012 winter season.

What’s New for 2011: Sugar Mountain Resort

October 18, 2011: Dedicated snowmaking at the Tubing Park will allow Sugar Mountain to expand its tubing season.

What’s New for 2011: Liberty Mountain Resort

August 18, 2011: A new loading carpet on the Alpine Quad and continued enhancements to snowmaking highlight some of the on-mountain improvements at Pennsylvania’s Liberty Mountain Resort this winter.

What’s New for 2011: Whitetail Resort

August 13, 2011: The Fanciful trail is getting some love for the upcoming season at Whitetail Resort. $2.8 million in capital enhancements will see lighting added to the intermediate trail, as well as snowmaking improvements, a new deck area, and a loading carpet on the EZ Rider Quad. (2 reader comments)

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Canaan Valley Resort: Canaan Valley Resort, located outside Davis, West Virginia features 39 slopes for beginner, intermediate, and advanced West Virginia skiing. With a vertical drop of 850 feet and the longest run at 6,000 feet, the experience is as challenging as you want it to be. Night skiing is also offered during holiday and prime ski weekends. The resort features a 150 room lodge and 23 cabins/cottages for your convenience. Additional winter sports include XC skiing, snowshoeing, snow tubing, airboarding and ice skating. An indoor swimming pool, fitness center, whirlpool and saunas are also available after a day on the slopes.

Liberty Mountain Resort: Located about an hour from both the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. areas, Liberty Mountain Resort is the perfect place for a mountain getaway! Whether you are searching for adventure or relaxation, our mountainside amenities are sure to treat you. Our mountain boasts over 100 acres of skiable terrain, including 16 trails, 3 terrain parks, and a large tubing hill. Our Ski and Snowboard Schools offer a wide variety of lessons for both beginners and advanced. Boulder Ridge Snow Tubing features 15 tubing lanes, party rooms, and food and beverage, creating a fun atmosphere for everyone. Take a "snowcation" by lodging in the slopeside Liberty Hotel and dining in one of many eateries, including the popular McKee's Tavern.

Ridge Run: Ridge Run at Wisp is an intimate enclave of luxurious, four-bedroom mountain Villas and Chalets within a exclusive Private Residence Club. Nestled between two ski runs at Wisp Resort above beautiful Deep Creek Lake, ownership at Ridge Run offers the ultimate mountain escape at a fraction of the price. Ownership at Ridge Run combines the advantages of vacation home ownership with all the outdoor amenities of Wisp including private golf membership and the services you would enjoy at a boutique hotel.

Seven Springs Resort: Seven Springs Mountain Resort is the perfect place to escape with your family this winter and reconnect! At Seven Springs, you'll find a mountain of fun - skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, snowmobiling, snowshoe tours, a luxurious spa, sporting clays, delicious dining, nightlife and more. Enjoy a mountain of fun on 285 acres of slopes and trails including beginner trails, black diamond slopes, mogul runs and five terrain parks. Come up to Seven Springs this winter and make a new memory. What are you waiting for? You really should be here!

Whitetail Resort: Head to Whitetail for some of the best skiing and riding in the mid Atlantic Region! Enjoy nearly 1,000 feet of vertical and the Region's only High Speed Quad Chairlift. Spend less time on the road and more time carving down some expert terrain like Bold Decision or intermediate favorites Limelight and Snow Dancer! Don't worry, there is plenty of fun to be had for all ability levels, and for freestylers be sure to check out Jib Junction Terrain Park (not for the faint of heart)! We even have Park Place 101 for the beginner freestyler! Don't forget about Whitetail Adventure Tubing, fun for all ages!

Wintergreen Resort: Wintergreen Resort is an 11,000-acre, four-season resort located in the Blue Ridge Mountains three hours from Washington, D.C. With accommodations ranging in size from studio condominiums to 9-bedroom homes, your winter escape has all the comforts of home. Enjoy skiing and snowboarding on 26 slopes and snowtubing in Virginia's largest park; Ridgely's Fun Park for young children; ice skating, a zipline; indoor tennis; a spa with indoor pool and hot tubs; and a variety of enticing dining options. Overnight packages offer great value and savings, call 800-266-2444 or book online - www.wintergreenresort.com. For more information, call (434) 325-2200.

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