Hi everyone, I have a choice to either ski Winterplace or Snowshoe over Christmas. I know you cant predict mother nature but historically are both places going to have snow on Christmas? Will one be better than the other?? Also do you think Snowshoe will be more corwded than Winterplace (I know they are both will be busy)
thanks
Snowshoe will have more trails open. Snowshoe will be more crowded.
Not sure which will be better since that depends on what you prefer. I'd check both places webcams and trail reports each day.
I skied Snowshoe this past weekend. They have a lot of snow and opened new trails 3 days in row. They plan to open Silver Creek this coming weekend.
stvbrown2184 wrote:
Hi everyone, I have a choice to either ski Winterplace or Snowshoe over Christmas. I know you cant predict mother nature but historically are both places going to have snow on Christmas? Will one be better than the other?? Also do you think Snowshoe will be more corwded than Winterplace (I know they are both will be busy)
thanks
How many ski days are you thinking about? Staying overnight with friends and family? Showshoe and Winterplace are very different types of ski areas, especially in terms of what there is to do besides skiing. At either place, night skiing is a good way to ski when there is less of a crowd. Everything is lit at Winterplace while you have to go over to Silver Creek when staying at Snowshoe. Snowshoe lodging will be expensive, assuming you can still make a reservation. For Winterplace, the towns with lodging are 20-30 min drive.
marzNC wrote:
stvbrown2184 wrote:
Hi everyone, I have a choice to either ski Winterplace or Snowshoe over Christmas. I know you cant predict mother nature but historically are both places going to have snow on Christmas? Will one be better than the other?? Also do you think Snowshoe will be more corwded than Winterplace (I know they are both will be busy)
thanks
How many ski days are you thinking about? Staying overnight with friends and family? Showshoe and Winterplace are very different types of ski areas, especially in terms of what there is to do besides skiing. At either place, night skiing is a good way to ski when there is less of a crowd. Everything is lit at Winterplace while you have to go over to Silver Creek when staying at Snowshoe. Snowshoe lodging will be expensive, assuming you can still make a reservation. For Winterplace, the towns with lodging are 20-30 min drive.
ThanksMarzNC... , I will be with my wife and inlaws... The night skiing is an option I did not think about... I am leaning towards winterplace, its just that last year we went up to Timberline in WV and while it was beautiful it seemed we were down the mountain in the blink of an eye. I have been to snowshoe before and liked it... I have never been to Winterplace, does it atleast have a restaurant on the property? I gues I am aksing if Winterplace will have enough runs open to accomadate the crowds... And if Snowshoe is just going to be a complete zoo. thanks again
You do realize Snowshoe has almost 1500' vertical on the Western Territory and about 800 in the other areas. That's a lot in the southeast. In comparison, Winterplace is not quite 600' vertical overall. You will be down those trails pretty quickly. Timberline has about 1000' vertical overall. Most of the Winterplace trails are shorter than the Silver Creek trails. Snowshoe has about twice as much skiable acreage as Winterplace, assuming everything is open.
I would not call any of the eating options at Winterplace a restaurant. Not many eating options within a 5-mile radius either. The only higher end lodging is the Resort at Glade Springs a few miles down the road. Otherwise, you have the choice of Princeton or Beckley for standard motel chains and family restaurants. For a quiet place, there is the Pipestem Resort State Park that's close to Princeton.
My guess is that it will be more worthwhile to work around the crowds at Snowshoe than going to Winterplace. I've only gone to WV in late season when the crowds are gone. That's when the extra snow that falls in WV is helpful to extend a southeast season.
Overthinking. it's the southeast, it's early season snow, and holiday crowds. it might rain. it migh be a blizzard. a lift might break. the electrical grid might go down. i've seen all that happen at xmas. grin and bear it.
snowshoe is a ski resort, winterplace is a ski area. you already said you liked snowshoe. otherwise, fly to jackson.
STV,
Consider this ski plan if you decide on Snowshoe:
Be at the rope drop at 9 AM sharp and ski all the trails around Ballhooter Lift.
Head over to the Soaring Eagle Lift and ski all those trails.
Now the crowds will be built up at Ballhooter. Ski all the way to Powderidge Lift and ski that side.
Ride up Powder Monkey Lift, catch the shuttle to Silver Creek to avoid the afternoon crowds.
Eat lunch and ski the trails at Silver Creek.
Shuttle back to the Village. Ski more basin area. Crowds should thin a little late afternoon.
If you are lucky and the Western Terr is open, pass on Powderridge and take Powder Monkey and do a few laps on Cupp and Shays. Then proceed to Silver Creek.
We try to follow this "plan" on prime weekends. It usually allows us to miss some of the crowds. It's not fool proof but it helps.
Blue Don 1982 wrote:
STV,
Consider this ski plan if you decide on Snowshoe:
Be at the rope drop at 9 AM sharp and ski all the trails around Ballhooter Lift.
Head over to the Soaring Eagle Lift and ski all those trails.
Now the crowds will be built up at Ballhooter. Ski all the way to Powderidge Lift and ski that side.
Ride up Powder Monkey Lift, catch the shuttle to Silver Creek to avoid the afternoon crowds.
Eat lunch and ski the trails at Silver Creek.
Shuttle back to the Village. Ski more basin area. Crowds should thin a little late afternoon.
If you are lucky and the Western Terr is open, pass on Powderridge and take Powder Monkey and do a few laps on Cupp and Shays. Then proceed to Silver Creek.
We try to follow this "plan" on prime weekends. It usually allows us to miss some of the crowds. It's not fool proof but it helps.
Blue Don... good plan as long as thee kiddos are not too small. I instructed at the shoe for a number of years and on any holiday period you need to get out early and then head to the Creek or stay in the Widowmwker area to avoid crowds. Cupp and Sheas becomes a bowling alley in the PM so I'd avoid it then. If you party gets split up, you do need a meeting up time and location planned in advance otherwise you won't be able to find your family in the crowds. The shoe is a destination resort worthy of an extended stay as long as you not minding paying high dollar prices for lifts, lodging and meals. Otherwise consider heading to Summit County which has almost anything you could want including some great ski skools.
If Winterplace is not crowded you can ski every trail in 3-4 hours. It's fine for an afternoon trip, but I wouldn't want an extended stay there. I had one very bad experience there with crowds four or five years ago. People were running into each other left and right. It was ridiculous. They have a cafeteria and a bar for your dining pleasure. It's pretty flat. It would be an awesome place if you were learning how to ski.
If you do Timberline/Canaan you at least get access to three ski areas and a cool town.
If you do Snowshoe you get a resort town and the Western Territory. It will be more expensive than the alternatives.
Thanks everyone, we decided on Snowshoe... bottom line factor was the ski acreage and we dont have to travel 30 miles to get a meal... Hopefully we will be able to take a day trip to winterplace soon.
You will get food quicker traveling 30 miles than waiting at packed restaurants over Christmas at Snowshoe!
Shotmaker wrote:
You will get food quicker traveling 30 miles than waiting at packed restaurants over Christmas at Snowshoe!
Haha! Probably true!
