After a stretch of significantly cold weather through much of December, ski resorts across the Mid-Atlantic have been able to make snow aggressively, building solid base depths and opening an increasing amount of terrain. Several periods of natural snowfall also contributed to coverage, particularly at higher elevations.
While a warming trend is expected in the coming days and may temporarily limit snowmaking, most resorts have already established a durable base and are ending December in a strong operating position, with additional terrain openings planned at several areas.
Below is a snapshot of current conditions as reported by each resort. As always, before visiting a resort, check directly with them to verify current operating hours and conditions. And, after visiting a resort, feel free to share your experience and trip report on the DCSki Forum!
Wisp Resort is open with 13 of 34 trails and 4 of 10 lifts operating, reporting a base depth of 26 inches.
Bear Creek Mountain Resort is open with 83% of terrain available, operating 19 of 23 trails and 4 of 6 lifts, and reporting a base depth of 18–34 inches.
Blue Knob is currently closed and plans to re-open on December 18.
Blue Mountain is open with 22 of 40 trails and 4 of 16 lifts operating, reporting a base depth of 18–36 inches.
Camelback Mountain is open with 18 of 39 trails and 3 of 14 lifts operating, reporting a base depth of 18–42 inches.
Elk Mountain is open with 15 of 27 trails and 4 of 7 lifts operating, reporting a base depth of 32–48 inches.
Hidden Valley is currently closed and plans to re-open on December 19.
Jack Frost/Big Boulder are open with a 20-inch base, offering 8 of 37 trails and 2 of 21 lifts.
Laurel Mountain is currently closed and plans to re-open on December 19.
Liberty Mountain Resort is scheduled to open for the season on Saturday, December 20, beginning its 60th season, with multiple trails anticipated to be available across a range of ability levels.
Montage Mountain is open with 14 of 26 trails and 5 of 7 lifts operating, reporting a 20-inch base.
Roundtop Mountain is open with 10 of 22 trails and 4 of 9 lifts operating, reporting a 24-inch base.
Seven Springs is open with 18 of 50 trails and 4 of 14 lifts operating, reporting a 24-inch base.
Shawnee Mountain is open with 10 of 23 trails and 3 of 10 lifts operating, reporting packed powder conditions and a base depth of 24–48 inches.
Ski Big Bear at Masthope is currently closed and plans to re-open on December 20.
Ski Sawmill is currently closed midweek and plans to re-open on December 20.
Spring Mountain is currently closed and plans to re-open on December 18.
Tussey Mountain is currently closed and plans to re-open on December 20.
Whitetail Resort is scheduled to open for the season on Saturday, December 20 at 9 a.m., with trails planned across beginner through advanced terrain.
Beech Mountain is open with 12 of 17 trails and 7 of 9 lifts operating, reporting a base depth of 62–68 inches.
Sugar Mountain is open with 12 of 20 trails and 5 of 7 lifts operating, reporting a base depth of 30–61 inches.
Bryce Resort is fully open, operating 12 of 12 trails and 4 of 4 lifts, and reporting a base depth of 12 inches.
Massanutten Resort is open with 18 of 23 trails and 5 of 7 lifts operating, reporting a base depth of 24–40 inches, including alpine skiing, snowboarding, and tubing.
Omni Homestead has announced plans to open soon for the season.
Wintergreen Resort is open with 15 of 27 trails and 3 of 5 lifts operating, reporting a base depth of 27–39 inches.
Canaan Valley Resort is open with 8 of 47 trails and 3 of 5 lifts operating, reporting a 48-inch base.
Snowshoe Mountain is open with 22 of 61 trails and 4 of 14 lifts operating, reporting a base depth of 70 inches. The resort has announced that Western Territory and Silver Creek are expected to open soon, which will add a substantial amount of advanced terrain and overall acreage.
Timberline Mountain is open with all 21 trails operating and 2 of 4 lifts open, reporting a base depth of 24–60 inches.
Winterplace is open with 13 of 28 trails and 4 of 11 lifts operating, reporting a 35-inch base.
M. Scott Smith is the founder and Editor of DCSki. Scott loves outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, kayaking, skiing, and mountain biking. He is an avid photographer and writer.
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