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Wintergreen Resort
Wintergreen, Virginia
(Click here for the official web site for Wintergreen, 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]
[Related Bargains] [Recent Tweets] [Nearby Lodging]
| Resort Overview |
Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort celebrated its 25th season several years ago, and although access and facilities have improved over the past 25 years, one thing has remained constant: a great location in the heart of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains with great views.
Wintergreen Mountain peaks at 4,000 feet, bringing cool summer temperatures and helping to attract and keep snow during the winter months. The resort offers 26 slopes and trails with a respectable vertical of 1,000 feet. There are 125 skiable acres, and Wintergreen features a half-pipe for snowboarders. Wide-open beginner terrain is plentiful, along with plenty of steeps to keep the experts happy.
In the past decade, Wintergreen has spent over $20 million in capital improvements, including the installation of two six-passenger, high-speed lifts. The most recent “six pack” was added in 2004. In 2003, Wintergreen installed a state-of-the-art York computerized snowmaking system, which it has continually upgraded. The snowmaking system includes 40,000 linear feet of pipeline, with outlets every 125 feet, more than 400 snowguns and 45 weather stations.
“We can do wonderful things with it,” said Jay Roberts, Vice President of Mountain Operations. “It’s nice to have natural snow, but our snowmaking system allows us to make snow across the mountain quickly. We have the ability to start and stop snow guns from a desktop at the snowmaking plant,” he added.
Wintergreen is proud of its snowmaking system, and the quality of grooming.
“Quality is more important than quantity,” said Roberts. “You only ski on the top couple of inches. We balance the depth of our snow with the quality of our snow.”
For the 2005-2006 winter season, Wintergreen added Outer Limits, a new trail in the Highlands area. A brand new beginner area debuted at Wintergreen for the 2006-2007 winter season, featuring new beginner-friendly conveyor lifts. The Treehouse provides kids with their own ski area and 90-foot conveyor lift.
Wintergreen also has two tubing parks, including Virginia’s largest. One park offers a gentler ride, while the other offers hair-raising runs reaching 25-40 miles per hour.
Photos provided by Wintergreen Resort.
| Summer Activities |
Wintergreen is a year-round resort. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for skiers to take in a round of golf after a morning on the slopes. The resort offers two golf courses: Devils Knob, the highest course in Virginia at an elevation of 4,000 feet, or the 27-hole Stoney Creek course, offered in the valley and open year-round.
Outdoor Adventure is a common theme at Wintergreen during the summer. The Outdoor Wilderness Leadership School offers corporate development opportunities, getting employees out of the office and into the mountains for personal development.
A 16-day, high-impact backpacking course is offered during the summer, providing an outdoor education curriculum that increases awareness in communication, leadership, self-reliance, motivation, goal setting, and technical skills.
You needn’t spend 16 days at Wintergreen to take advantage of the great scenery; a morning on the resort’s network of mountain bike trails might do the job. Kayaking, rock climbing/rappelling, and ropes instruction are also offered.
If you’re into tennis, you’ll note that Tennis magazine has ranked Wintergreen as one of its “top 50” resorts for the past 14 years. 19 clay courts are offered to visitors, as well as 3 indoor courts. Tennis instruction is available.
Horseback riding, swimming, canoeing/boating, and fishing are also popular activities at Wintergreen.
| Statistics |
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Resort Name:
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Wintergreen Resort | |
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Vertical Drop:
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1,003 feet | |
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Base Elevation:
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2,512 feet | |
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Peak Elevation:
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3,515 feet | |
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Trails:
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26 (23% beginner, 35% intermediate, 42% advanced) | |
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Skiable Acres:
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129 | |
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Longest Run:
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1.4 miles | |
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Lift Capacity:
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11,200 per hour | |
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Chairlifts:
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7 (2 high-speed six-seaters, 1 quad, 1 triple, 1 double, 2 conveyor lifts) | |
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Night Skiing:
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Yes, on 14 slopes | |
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Terrain Park:
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Two terrain parks, with snow features, jibs, and rails. | |
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Halfpipe:
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(No halfpipe) | |
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Tubing Park:
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“The Plunge” Tubing Park has ten 900-foot long lanes with a 100 foot vertical drop. “The Slide” Tubing Park has gentler, more tame downhill runs for ages two and up. | |
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Address:
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P.O. Box 706 Wintergreen, VA 22958 |
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Phone Number:
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(800) 266-2444 or (434) 325-2200 | |
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Twitter:
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http://twitter.com/wintergreenva | |
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Web Site:
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http://www.wintergreenresort.com/ |
Estimated Distances from Major Cities
| Baltimore, MD | 3 hours, 30 minutes | 187 miles |
| Washington, DC | 2 hours, 50 minutes | 149 miles |
| Arlington, VA | 2 hours, 50 minutes | 147 miles |
| Richmond, VA | 1 hour, 50 minutes | 100 miles |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 5 hours, 25 minutes | 310 miles |
| Harrisburg, PA | 4 hours | 238 miles |
| Philadelphia, PA | 5 hours, 10 minutes | 289 miles |
| Charleston, WV | 3 hours, 45 minutes | 227 miles |
| Raleigh, NC | 3 hours, 50 minutes | 201 miles |
| Charlotte, NC | 4 hours, 20 minutes | 254 miles |
| Trail Map |
To view a full-size trail map for Wintergreen, 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 Wintergreen 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.
| Wintergreen, VA |
As of 07:21:00 on 2010-02-08
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| Snow conditions provided by SnoCountry Mountain Reports™. Reproduction prohibited. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Wintergreen are shown below.
Firsthand Report: Embedded with the Wounded Warriors at Wintergreen Resort (February 1)
On January 23, Connie Lawn and Charles Sneiderman visited Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort to cover the Wounded Warrior Weekend, which brings service members wounded in battle to the slopes for winter recreation. They filed this Firsthand Report.
(2 reader comments)
Mother Nature Delivers Early Holiday Gift to Mid-Atlantic Skiers: Some of the Best Pre-January Conditions on Record (December 24, 2009)
Mother Nature delivered an early holiday gift to mid-Atlantic ski areas, dumping up to three feet of fresh snow the weekend before Christmas and keeping temperatures low enough to fire snowguns around the clock. As a result, many ski areas should have close to 100% of their terrain open in the coming days.
What’s New for 2009: Wintergreen Resort (November 15, 2009)
Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort is introducing a flex ticketing plan for the 2009-2010 winter season, and will also be offering several Women’s Ski Clinics. Wintergreen will also open a Zip Line.
DCSki Introduces New Features to Track Resort “Tweets” (November 15, 2009)
The Twitter microblogging service allows individuals and companies to create and share short text-based updates called “Tweets.” Over a dozen ski areas in the mid-Atlantic region have created a presence on Twitter, using Twitter to post announcements and information. DCSki now captures these updates and makes them readily available to skiers and boarders, whether or not they have their own Twitter account.
Firsthand Report: Mardi Gras Weekend at Wintergreen Resort (March 12, 2009)
Connie Lawn and Charles Sneiderman visited Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort on March 7, 2009 to cover the Mardi Gras Weekend, which supported the Adaptive program at Wintergreen. They filed this Firsthand Report.
(5 reader comments)
To view more articles related to Wintergreen, click here.
| Upcoming Events |
The next five events scheduled to be held at Wintergreen are listed below.
Wintergreen Women’s Clinic (February 12, 2010)
(Wintergreen Resort, Virginia)
Women’s Weekend (February 19-21, 2010)
(Wintergreen Resort, Virginia)
Wintergreen Slopestyle (February 21, 2010)
(Wintergreen Resort, Virginia)
HEAD Celebrity Weekend (February 26-28, 2010)
(Wintergreen Resort, Virginia)
Members Weekend (March 5-7, 2010)
(Wintergreen Resort, Virginia)
To view more upcoming events at Wintergreen, click here. Remember, events are subject to change at any time, and DCSki's list of events may not be comprehensive. Please contact Wintergreen directly to verify event details before making a trip.
| Related Bargains |
The following bargains are related to Wintergreen.
Four-Pack Student Passes at Wintergreen (Wintergreen Resort, Virginia)
Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort is offering a “4-Pack Student Pass” to students (with valid ID) for $139. The 4-Pack consists of four one-day lift tickets (which must be used on four separate days by the original purchaser). (Added November 8, 2009)
Military Discounts at Wintergreen Resort (Wintergreen Resort, Virginia)
Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort plans to offer a 20% Military Discount to active members of the military on most ski products, as well as discounted overnight lodging. For more information and restrictions, please contact Wintergreen at 800-926-3723. (Added November 8, 2009)
To view more bargains, click here. Remember, bargains may include exclusions or expirations not noted here. Contact the company offering the bargain to verify details.
| Recent Tweets |
Recent Tweets from Wintergreen Resort
| Nearby Lodging |
The following properties located near Wintergreen are listed in the DCSki Lodging Finder. Property owners pay DCSki a small listing fee for this service. Inclusion in the Lodging Finder does not represent an endorsement by DCSki.
| Luxury Townhouse at Wintergreen Resort: One of the nicest homes and BEST VALUES at Wintergreen. Rental of this 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home includes GUEST PASSES for discounts on skiing, ski rentals, and other resort activities. |   |
| Tesoro Vacation Home: Tesoro is located on the mountain, just minutes away from the slopes and tubing park. With 4 bedrooms and 3 baths, it is perfect for several couples or families wanting to enjoy great skiing, the spa, or golfing! Walk to the Wintergreen Shuttle stop or enjoy a short drive to the slopes and park in the owners parking lot. |  |
| Three-Bedroom Condominium at Wintergreen Resort: This cozy 3 bedroom, 3 bath unit provides a perfect escape in the Blue Ridge mountains within the Wintergreen Resort. Newly furnished and painted, with a beautiful view of the Shenandoah Valley. |  |
| Wintergreen Resort: Wintergreen Resort offers tastefully furnished studios, beautiful mountain villas and luxurious condominiums perfect for a family ski vacation or romantic getaway. Our 300 accommodations range from studios to seven-bedroom homes featuring comfortable living areas, fully equipped kitchens, toe warming fireplaces and a balcony or deck. To plan your Wintergreen vacation, please call 800-266-2444. |  |
| 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. Report on Wintergreen - March 19-20 - posted by Brad
March 20, 2005 at 6:05 pm My wife and I are beginner-level skiers, and were invited to go to Wintergreen for an end of the winter ski trip. We were unsure of the conditions; but since our friends had use of the condo we were staying at for free; our only cost was lift tickets - so needless to say, we went!
We have only been to Ski Wisp in the past - this is our 3rd time skiing. We both agreed that we liked Wintergreen MUCH better than Wisp. It's a long, steep, curvy drive to get to Wintergreen; but we thought the resort was laid out much better. Wide open, more spread out, better lifts, etc. The people at the resort were very friendly and helpful. We skied most of the green slopes and had a great time. The snow coverage was starting to get thin in a few areas and the snow was a bit slushy by the afternoon - it was in the 50's! Kind of cool being able to ski in just a sweatshirt, thin nylon ski pants and no gloves or hat! We really liked Wintergreen, even though I'm sure conditions are not nearly as good now as they are in Jan and Feb. We'll be trying out Seven Springs and Canaan in December/Jan of this upcoming winter. Comments on Wintergreen - posted by brittany
June 7, 2006 at 11:21 am I thought that my trip this winter was amazing. It was my first time going there and learning how to snowboard. The staff was nice and the slopes were wonderful! It is an expeience I will never forget! especially since i'm only 15.
Comments on Wintergreen - posted by Sue Mike
January 7, 2008 at 1:49 pm My boyfriend and I visited Wintergreen this past weekend and had an awesome time. We drove in from Richmond after work and stayed till Sunday afternoon.
The staff was friendly and helpful. We took snowboarding lessons...we had a very patient instructor, THANK YOU! The fireplace in our condo was incredibleit warmed us up after a long day on the slopes. Wintergreen was a perfect weekend retreat away from the city. We cant wait to come back again! Comments on Wintergreen - posted by Kerstin
January 10, 2008 at 12:14 am We started going up to Wintergreen about 12 years ago, when friends with a condo invited us up to their place - and since then, Wintergreen has become like a second home to us. Our kids have learned to ski there, we've taught friends' kids to ski, and generally love the family atmosphere, scenery, and service.
From a skiing perspective, Wintergreen has a few things going for it, namely, the 1000 foot vertical drop, and slopes that take full advantage of that drop (the Highlands), rather than splitting the vertical drop into segments. There are hardly ever lift lines on the Highlands, so "expert" skiers can avoid both crowds and beginners, for the most part. I used to complain that there were too many first-time skiers on Dobie, which I think is slightly too sleep for some beginners, but the new "Discovery Ridge" beginner area really helps with that (although it's a bit too far from the ski rental area, to be honest). Wintergreen has an amazing snow-making system, and truly makes the most they can out of our mid-Atlantic winters. Several of the runs (Dobie, Wild Turkey, Eagle Swoop, Tyro) are also pretty wide, so you can take different routes down each. Plus, Wintergreen has TWO high-speed six-seat lifts. The mid-week season pass (also valid Sunday afternoons) is a great deal, and makes frequent skiing affordable. In terms of scenery, Wintergreen benefits from being a top-down resort, so a lot of condos, houses, and slopes have great views of the blue ridge mountains. From my perspective, that's one of the best parts, you really feel like you're up in the mountains. Wintergreen as has a nice "community" feel, and seems more like a destination than some other mid-Atlantic resorts we've visited (we've been to seven) that just have a lodge and that's about it. There are some good food choices (especially the breakfast buffet at the Copper Mine, which we recently tried for the first time) and we like to hang out for drinks and music at the Edge. I've only been to the spa once, but I thought the renovated spa was fantastic. The main downsides are long lift lines on Saturdays, and the slow Big Acorn lift. And, of course, the unpredictability of mid-Atlantic winters... Comments on Wintergreen - posted by Glenn
January 10, 2008 at 11:10 pm I am a second year skier and I have been very happy with the experience of learning to ski at Wintergreen. Maybe we have been lucky but I have dealt with 4 different instructors and all were top notch. Recently, my daughter and I had individual private lessons. I asked for 2 very different kinds of instructors to fit our different needs. They managed to come up with the perfect match for each of us both from an instructional fit and personality.
We also had good experience with the group lessons we took at the outset. We went when it was not crowded which helped, so we got lots of individual attention. It always seems like they have an abundance of instructors for their group lessons. |
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