DCSki Forums

March 6, 2018

Member since 01/22/2017 🔗

25 posts

I have read up a lot about Mount Porte Crayon (the 4th highest peak in WV) just south of Canaan Valley and this mountain sounds absolutely epic. People have claimed that it is the snowiest place in WV and the Mid-Atlantic which would make sense since its elevation is 4770' (less than 100 feet shorter than Snowshoe) and it has the latitude of the Canaan area (which, to us, seems like the snowiest ski resorts in the Mid-Atlantic). Of course, I have also read extensively about the ski resort that could've been on that mountain - Almost Heaven Mountain Resort proposed by Bill Bright. This ski resort would've had the highest vertical drop of any resort in our region (over a 2000' vert drop down to the base at Laneville). To top it off, that 2000'+ vertical is also on a north facing slope. It seems like there were also plans for a mountain top village like Snowshoe (I'm guess in the Roaring Plains West since it is a flat plateau). Based off of some Google Earth images it appears this mountain also has some pretty impressive natural bowls near the top. It seems environmental reasons and the inability to obtain property rights to the summit made the plans for this resort fall apart. What could've been!

Even though there is no ski resort on this mountain, it seems to still be very popular for backcountry skiing. I've read reports that MPC holds snow better than any other mountain in the region including the nearby Canaan Valley resorts which are several hundred feet lower in elevation.

All of this information I have stated was talked about many years ago, though (Generally atleast 5-10 years ago). Does anyone have any new information about this mountain? According to the Randolph County Public Land Records, "Almost Heaven Mountain Resort LLC" still owns a part of the north face of MPC. Is it official that the resort will never be made?

Also if anyone has any more information at all about the mountain (or perhap correct any information I have provided), please comment. I'd love to hear what everyone knows about this mountain, especially if you have backcountry skied there!

- Ski the Alleghenies

P.S.: Feel free to follow our Twitter account @skitheallegheny. We cover the Allegheny Mountain resort's (Blue Knob, Hidden Valley, Seven Springs, Laurel Mountain, Wisp, Timberline, Canaan Valley, Snowshoe, & Winterplace) weather and slope conditions very extensively throughout the season!

wgo

March 6, 2018

Member since 02/10/2004 🔗

1,666 posts

Lots of discussion on this topic here over the years. Here is an article from 15 years ago:

http://www.dcski.com/articles/141

Some additional speculation in the comments to this article as well.

fishnski

March 6, 2018

Member since 03/27/2005 🔗

3,530 posts

Ive probably got a thousand posts on this Mtn..posted as Andy..homebiscuit..fishndcski...fishnski..probably some more since I had to trick the conversation back to "Almost Heaven"...the mountain is why I built my house where it is..why I began posting on DCSKI....me against DCSKI..with a couple of renegades to hang with... Everyone just wanted to keep and improve TL and Canaan so we didnt ruin the pristiness of the area and make it too busy...Ha the Frickin HA!...Fast foreward 15 years and look at the State of the Valley...what a freakin shame that Mountain just sits and vedges..jus like the Valley....but boy is that Mountain fun to watch in Action when im up there...awesome to see how it creates weather and holds onto snow and clouds...