This fall, West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Resort will be installing a mid-station to its Western Express lift, allowing the upper half of Cupp Run and Shay’s Revenge to open earlier in the season. Cupp Run and Shay’s Revenge offer a 1,500-foot vertical, and the elevation change and 1.5-mile length of these slopes has historically delayed their opening until later in the season, as Snowshoe has not always been able to make early-season snow on the lower portions of the trails.

The Western Express high-speed quad was installed in 1998, replacing an old fixed-grip lift and reducing the uphill trip time from 22 minutes to just six minutes. However, the older lift included a mid-station. When Intrawest installed the new Western Express lift, they ensured that the design would allow a mid-station to be added at some point in the future. Construction on the mid-station terminal is scheduled to begin on September 22, 2008.

“This mid-station is a huge plus for the more advanced skiers and riders visiting Snowshoe all season,” said Ed Galford, VP of Mountain Operations at Snowshoe. “Because of the scope of the two slopes serviced by the Western Express lift, snowmaking is a huge endeavor, and Cupp and Shay’s are usually two of the last slopes on the mountain to be opened. Now, with a little cooperation from Mother Nature, we should be able to have the upper portion of the slopes open in time for the Holiday crowds in late December.”

Galford added that Snowshoe is still committed to opening the entire Western Territory as quickly as possible in the season.

Snowshow is also making some minor changes to the geography of Cupp Run, widening an upper section of the trail. Some snowmaking equipment is also being upgraded on Cupp.

Snowshoe is also enhancing snowmaking on the beginner Skidder Slope, through the installation of 15 new Techno Alpine fully-automated fan guns. The surface lift on Skidder is also being adjusted to allow for easier loading and unloading. Over at the Silver Creek area, Snowshoe is moving the Magic Carpet lift in the beginner area in order to provide an increased teaching area there.

Snowshoe is celebrating its 35th season this winter.

Crews install a lift tower for the Western Express high-speed quad in 1998. Photo by M. Scott Smith.