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Massanutten Resort
Harrisonburg, Virginia
(Click here for the official web site for Massanutten, or scroll below to read DCSki's complete profile...)
[Resort Overview] [Summer Activities] [Statistics]
[Trail Map] [Current Conditions] [Webcams]
[Related News] [Upcoming Events] [Reader Comments]
| Resort Overview - reported by M. Scott Smith, DCSki Editor |
Massanutten Resort is a four season resort featuring downhill skiing, two golf courses, two recreation facilities, an indoor / outdoor WaterPark (open year round), and a newly renovated spa. Massanutten’s ski hill boasts the highest vertical in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania - over 1,100 feet. Even with its southern location, Massanutten tends to enjoy a lengthy season - often the first resort in Virginia to open and the last to close.
All trails at Massanutten are lit for night skiing. The resort is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Several lift ticket options are available, including a four hour flex ticket, eight hour flex ticket, night, and extended day. In July of 2009, Massanutten’s Ski Area upgraded an original Borvig double chairlift from 1972 to a brand new Dopplemayr CTEC quad chair featuring a loading conveyor (the first in Virginia). The new loading conveyor should help beginners successfully use the lift while minimizing lift stop-time. The new lift went in on the opposite side of the beginner trail and has afforded the Learning Center with more space and a second carpet conveyor lift.
In 1998, Massanutten added the Peaked Mountain Express Tubing Park, which immediately became a big hit. “We are amazed at the popularity of the Snow Tubing Park,” said Steve Showalter, Ski Area Manager for Massanutten. “So, to accommodate as many people as possible we increased the number of lanes and added a carpet conveyor lift.” The Tubing Park now includes up to ten 900-foot lanes that drop 120 vertical feet. The new carpet conveyor lift was installed in the Tubing Park to allow fast and easy transport to the top of the hill, while increasing the amount of rides each guest is able to enjoy per two hour session (two hour sessions available each hour).
Massanutten’s Snow Sport Learning Center offers skiers and snowboarders programs tailored to every level of ability. The resort also hosts the Massanutten Adaptive Ski School, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting alpine skiing for people of all ages with a variety of physical challenges.
Snowboarders will enjoy one of the best Terrain Parks in the region, which features as many as twelve rails and jumps to satisfy thrill seekers. Massanutten also has a smaller terrain park geared towards the needs of the beginner freestyle rider.
There are plenty of accommodations available, from on-mountain condos and hotels, to local lodging properties found twenty minutes from the resort. Over 1,200 timeshare condominiums can be found at the resort.
Massanutten’s history dates back to 1971. The resort is currently owned and operated by Great Eastern Resorts.
| Summer Activities |
In 2005, Massanutten opened an extensive indoor/outdoor water park. The indoor park is open year-round. Slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, a video arcade, and dining are all included in the over-100,000 square foot facility. The facility cost over $30 million to build.
Golf is a popular summertime activity at Massanutten Resort. Open year-round with two full-service, fully stocked pro shops, the 18-hole Mountain Greens course is a Championship course located near the top of the mountain. The 9-hole Woodstone Meadows course is located at the bottom of the mountain. The Mountain Greens course is challenging with great views; the Woodstone Meadows course offers generous fairways and gently sloping greens.
| Statistics |
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Resort Name:
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Massanutten Resort | |
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Vertical Drop:
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1,110 feet | |
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Base Elevation:
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1,750 feet | |
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Peak Elevation:
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2,925 feet | |
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Trails:
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14 (30% beginner, 35% intermediate, 35% advanced) | |
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Skiable Acres:
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70 | |
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Longest Run:
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4,100 feet | |
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Lift Capacity:
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6,350 per hour | |
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Chairlifts:
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8 (3 quads, 1 double, 1 J-Bar, 3 conveyors) | |
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Night Skiing:
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Yes | |
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Terrain Park:
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Two terrain parks; one is geared towards beginners. The layout of both parks is changed daily to keep them fresh. | |
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Halfpipe:
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(No halfpipe) | |
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Tubing Park:
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900-foot long hill. | |
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Address:
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P.O. Box 1227 Harrisonburg, VA 22801 |
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Phone Number:
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(800) 207-MASS or (540) 289-4954 | |
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Web Site:
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http://www.massresort.com/ |
Estimated Distances from Major Cities
| Baltimore, MD | 2 hours, 50 minutes | 167 miles |
| Washington, DC | 2 hours, 10 minutes | 132 miles |
| Arlington, VA | 2 hours, 10 minutes | 130 miles |
| Richmond, VA | 2 hours, 5 minutes | 127 miles |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 4 hours, 25 minutes | 258 miles |
| Harrisburg, PA | 3 hours | 187 miles |
| Philadelphia, PA | 4 hours, 35 minutes | 269 miles |
| Charleston, WV | 3 hours, 40 minutes | 237 miles |
| Raleigh, NC | 4 hours, 35 minutes | 246 miles |
| Charlotte, NC | 4 hours, 40 minutes | 293 miles |
| Trail Map |
To view a full-size trail map for Massanutten, click on the following thumbnail image. The trail map will open in a new window. Please note that DCSki's trail maps can be out of date; always pick up a copy of the latest trail map at each resort.
| Current Conditions |
A snow condition report for Massanutten is shown below. Because condition reports may not be updated regularly, be sure to check the date and timestamp on the report. Before making a trip, we recommend contacting resorts directly for the latest conditions.
| Massanutten, VA |
As of 13:56:00 on 2010-03-28
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| Report data is over 2 days old -- please check back later. | |
To view additional ski condition reports for areas throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and across the world, visit the DCSki Conditions page.
| Related News |
The past five articles related to Massanutten are shown below.
Firsthand Report: Heroes on the Hill at Massanutten (March 24)
The rain and time change didn’t stop a few folks from coming out for Massanutten’s Heroes on the Hill day on March 14, 2010. Robbie Allen provides this Firsthand Report.
(2 reader comments)
Firsthand Report: Massanutten Weekend (February 28)
DCSki Columnist Matthew Graham found ample opportunities for fun during a weekend visit to Massanutten February 20-21, 2010. He found fun on the Virginia resort’s popular snow tubing hills, in the indoor water park, on the ski slopes, and listening to live entertainment at night. OK, there might have been one face plant that resulted in a trip to the first aid office, and that probably wasn’t fun. But the rest of the weekend was “plain stupid fun.”
(2 reader comments)
What’s New for 2009: Massanutten Resort (May 17, 2009)
Massanutten Resort will unveil a new fixed quad chairlift this winter, replacing a double that was originally installed in 1972.
(2 reader comments)
Firsthand Report: Return to Massanutten (January 4, 2009)
After a five year absence, DCSki Columnist Jim Kenney returned to Virginia’s Massanutten Resort on Friday, January 2, 2009 for a family ski trip. Jim provides this Firsthand Report.
(5 reader comments)
Who’s Open? A Detailed Look at Mid-Atlantic Ski Areas (March 17, 2008)
Spring is a mixed blessing: Mid-Atlantic resorts begin to close one by one, but the weather is nice and the rates can’t be beat. DCSki provides a detailed look at the current operating status of Mid-Atlantic ski areas.
To view more articles related to Massanutten, click here.
| Upcoming Events |
The DCSki Event Schedule currently doesn't have any events listed for Massanutten. To view events at other resorts, please visit the DCSki Event Schedule.
| Related Bargains |
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| Reader Comments |
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The views and opinions expressed in DCSki Article Comments are strictly those of the comment authors and have not been reviewed or approved by DCSki. If you believe a comment is inaccurate or inappropriate, please contact DCSki's Editor. Comments on Massanutten - posted by The
August 15, 2004 at 7:40 pm A great view, inside a natural bowl. Fantastic snow making. The two slopes off the quad chair to the top are not as difficult as touted, but this is OK, as this lift line is never long, and the slopes are good. The beginner slopes are a zoo, and the long beginner slope has a dangerous mix of beginners and speeding experts. Great ski patrol, and a good base lodge.
Comments on Massanutten - posted by Jim Kenney
August 15, 2004 at 7:40 pm Massanutten was the closest ski area to my personal residence until I recently moved. Primarily for that reason I went skiing there 2-5 times a year during the '90's and late '80's. It's a pretty well run ski area with excellent snowmaking, a must because of the chronic paucity of natural snow. It skis a good bit smaller than its 1,100 foot vertical drop due to a poor trail/lift layout that funnels most of the skier traffic to a busy run out leading to big lift lines at the bottom of the mountain on prime weekends.
Massanutten has a fairly nice lodge with an elevated outdoor deck good for viewing the slopes during springtime. The bar area often has a live band for apres ski on weekends and a good college crowd from nearby JMU. Massanutten has better than average scenery for Mid-Atlantic skiing. There are not only nice views of the natural bowl the resort and accompanying golf course are located within, but also of the Shenandoah Valley to the south if you make a short climb above the main double chair (Rebel Yell). This lift also serves the single toughest slope, Dixie Dare, which often gets some pretty good bumps by mid season. An important key to beating the worst crowds on a busy day is to ski the two easy black runs (Paradice & Diamond Jim) served by the area's only Quad Chair. This section has about an 800 foot vertical and is nominally for experts only, which eliminates a lot of novice southern skiers clogging up most of the other trails and lifts. Snow tubing is big at Massanutten and a lot of those Rebels go for that too. I like to go to Massanutten during March Madness Days when lift ticket prices are slashed in half. When the crowds are down I've had some very good days on the slopes of Massanutten, but perhaps the best thing about skiing there is the opportunity to have dinner at the Bavarian Chef Restaurant on the way home. This chef-owned restaurant is one of my all-time favorites. I have never been disappointed in about 20 visits. I believe it is open Wed-Sun, with delicious entrees (Rindsroulade is my favorite) and wonderful vegetables served family style for groups of four or more. Prices are in the $15-20 range, which might not be much more than fast food at a ski lodge! If you take Rt. 33 to head east back to the D.C. area it is directly on Rt. 29, south of Madison and a few miles north of the Rt 29 and Rt 33 intersection. Comments on Massanutten - posted by Mark
December 28, 2004 at 10:47 pm Took my wife & kids for a first-time visit on 12/28/04. It was a mixed bag, and I doubt we'll return any time soon.
The bad stuff: ERRATIC/INCOMPETENT MANAGEMENT OF LIFT LINES. It's no surprise that even on a Tuesday, the slopes were mobbed by holiday skiers. What amazed me was the inept supervision of the lift queues. Lift 5 -- a double-chair that needs to be upgraded to a quad -- is the only lift serving the intermediate slopes, and (as noted by the prior posters) was mobbed, especially after lunch. I wouldn't have minded the wait, except that the "attendants" kept sending up singletons! A well-run resort would rethink both the queuing lane layout (a free-for-all with no "singles only" lane) and the need for more active staff intervention to minimize needless waits. The best part, though, was at 4:35 pm, when the 4 of us stopped at Lift 5 hoping for a last run. The staffer stopped me & my son, claiming he'd lose his job if he let us on after the 4:30 cutoff, and refused to let us onto the lift. I could accept this a little more gracefully if he hadn't let my wife & other son (who were directly ahead of us in line) past without objection wearing identical passes. (Note to self: ski areas with 8-hr flex tickets are a better buy than 9-4:30 tix.) The good stuff: Snowmaking & grooming were excellent. Rental equipment staff plentiful & capable, not hung up on paperwork when you return gear. As noted above, the trick to enjoying the mountain is to ski the long trail(s) at the top half. Although rated a black diamond, Diamond Jim is really only of high-intermediate difficulty if there's decent powder. (We encountered a few patches of bare ice, but nothing treacherous. ParaDice was closed/snowless & didn't have snowmaking going at all today.) But the rating, and the lack of alternative routes down, scares off the novices, plus the quad to the summit is fast & had no wait at all. And last but not least, a trip to Harrisonburg means a stop for dinner at the Southern Kitchen in New Market, where the fried chicken and fresh-baked pies rock my world. Bottom line: Maybe the resort's flaws are less vexatious outside the holidays, but I doubt I'll bother to find out. A good 2.5 hrs of highway driving from DC (with the hammer down and no real traffic) and with subpar trail/lift layout, the Nut is less attractive than close-in ski areas (Liberty, Whitetail) with more varied trail options and more flexible lift-ticket policies. Conditions were great during my stay - posted by James B Beavan III
February 8, 2008 at 1:39 pm I have a timeshare at Massanutten, but didn't get to use it in 2007, so finally got there the final week of January 2008. My friends and I skied 3 times and found the snow to be very well groomed and the crowds to be average on Sunday, light on Monday and non-existent on Thursday (less then 200 people total I'd guess). I didn't bother with the beginner slopes other then getting to lift 5 and the one taking you to the peak. I agree with one of the other posters, there's not much difference between their intermediate and supposedly expert slopes. Like him that was fine with me because I had a ton of fun going down all the slopes that were open. They do a really nice job of grooming the slopes at Massanutten, it wasn't until Thursday that I found some icy patches on the lower part of the mountain. If you are looking for double diamond this isn't it, but the runs from 2900 feet up are pretty long and grueling enough for me. You get a really nice view of the valley and the night skiing was very good I thought.
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