Article

What’s New for 2006: Canaan Valley Resort

By M. Scott Smith, DCSki Editor

November 11, 2006

West Virginia’s Canaan Valley Resort will be celebrating its 35th Anniversary this winter, and the celebration will include various discounts throughout the season. Canaan Valley Resort is also capitalizing on the popularity of Airboarding, which it introduced last winter season, by creating a separate area and terrain park just for Airboarding.

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“This is a truly special time for Canaan Valley Resort and the State of West Virginia, as we reflect on where we started and how far we’ve come,” said Troy Cardwell, General Manager for Canaan Valley Resort. “Our goal remains, and has always been, to create an environment of fun and relaxation for the entire family,” he added.

Canaan Valley Resort will hold a 35th Anniversary Celebration Weekend from December 8-10, 2006. During this weekend, $35 combination lift ticket/ski rentals will be sold, along with 35 cent food and beverages. $35 lodging rooms will also be available, while supply lasts.

“The weekend will be a fun-packed extravaganza of games, music, ski and snowboard events and special discounts,” said Cardwell.

The resort will continue its 35th year celebration throughout the season by offering $35 lift ticket/rental combos on all non-holiday Mondays.

Last season, Canaan Valley Resort was the sixth resort in the country to introduce Airboarding, also called snow body boarding. Inflatable airboards provide an on-snow experience similar to body boarding in the ocean, allowing participants to make sharp turns and stop quickly. Airboarding returns this winter, and the resort has set up a dedicated area and terrain park, separated by snow fencing from skiers and snowboarders. According to the resort, the new Airboarding terrain park will have low-to-the-ground features such as jumps and burms.

“Those brave enough will be able to catch major air and allow them to try their hand at the barrel roll,” said Cardwell.

Canaan Valley Resort requires Airboarders to first take a one-hour lesson.

Canaan Valley Resort also announced that it will offer a Valley Passport Card, providing significant discounts on lift tickets, lodging, tubing, and food and beverages. The Passport is priced at $49 for adults, $29 for juniors (age 6-12), and $139 for a family of four.

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About the author

M. Scott Smith

DCSki Editor

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.

Reader Comments

DCSki Reader

November 12, 2006

Great, more airboarding. What about skiing and snowboarding?

DCSki Reader

November 12, 2006

When do we get a preview of what's new for the other resort in the Valley, Timberline? Is Timberline doing anything new? Are they going to be airboarding too?

Scott

November 12, 2006

For the 2006-2007 winter season, Timberline has added 60 new stationary snow guns, and a surface lift to service the terrain parks.

DCSki Reader

November 12, 2006

They have added 60 new stationary guns? Where have they added them to? They added a new lift that will service both terrain parks? It goes all the way to the mid-station then? Last weekend when I was up there I think I saw about 30 snow blowing sticks in the parking lot. Do they plan to put those sticks up this season?

jimmy

November 13, 2006

Hey Scott, any word on the $13 lift ticket for WV Residents on Thursday? They doin that again this year?

Scott

November 13, 2006

Jimmy,

Yup, but the rate is now $15. There are also discounts on other days of the week. I finished updating the DCSki Bargain Tracker over the weekend, so check that out. If you go directly to a resort profile (you can find a list on the left column of DCSki's home page), go to the "Related Bargains" section and you should see them. For Canaan Valley Resort, WV residents get $15 tickets on Thursdays, and ladies (from anywhere) can buy $15 tickets on Tuesdays. Valid ID is required (for one or both specials, in borderline cases, I suppose!)

Indo schredder

November 19, 2006

Kind Sir, I would like to see an article about what's new at T-line as well.

Holmey

November 20, 2006

T-Line did purchase 60 new snow sticks. If you saw them in the parking lot, that surprises you? I mean, it is only less than three weeks before their anticpated opening, still plenty of time to figure stuff out, put them into service. : ) I am obviously being a smart alec. I was told that several of them ended up on Thunderstruck. As for the surface lift, not sure if it will service both parks or just Bear Claw. They don't blow the Lower Dew Drop park in until mid-February so if it does not service it, oh well, not much of a loss there. And look at all the other wonderful improvements they have made. They only destroyed the best slope that they had (Upper Silver Streak) by cutting the trees out between it and White Lightning. They did this so they could inconvenience the skiing public even more by closing White Lightning down for more ski races, usually done on the busiest ski days of the year. Like the Guiness guys say "Brilliant". And also keep in mind that after comments made on this site, they now groom a slope which was considered one of the more challenging slopes in the mid-Atlantic (The Drop) because of the huge whales contained on it. They did this so that "experts" from DC and Baltimore could ski it. Yes folks the fun never stops at Timberline.

DCSki Reader

November 20, 2006

From the pictures in that article that Clay put in the forum it doesn't look like the surface lift is exactly ready to roll. It also doesn't look like there is going to be a lot of space for both a park and a lift in that little area. WHy do they wait so long to build the lower dew drop park.

DCSki Reader

November 22, 2006

just in canaan this past weekend, they are expanding their terrain park this winter to double what it has been in the past...having a Rail Jam Dec 9th, the same weekend has their 35th Anniversary party...winner get a seasons pass...see you there

Holmey

November 27, 2006

Why do they wait so long to blow in the Lower Dew Drop terrain park? Because it's Timberline, where nothing makes sense. If you follow Timberline's snowmaking schedule, they start by blowing Wood's Hole, Upper Lightning and White Out in first, then proceed to Upper Dew Drop and Lower Heaven, etc., etc. They have their schedule and Lower Dew Drop is one of the last to get blown in per their schedule. They have not and, apparently, will not deviate from their schedule. So what if all the rage is terrain parks, doesn't matter to T-Line. As for the surface lift, it surprises you that with two weeks to go, it is not ready?? It actually surprises me that they actualy starting doing something with it prior to season opening. I stopped by the T-Line lodge a few years ago in the fall after Mtn. Biking. Ever see the movie the "Omega Man"? The place looked EXACTLY as it did on the last day of the season prior to my visit. I mean exactly. The chair I tipped over in April was, well, still tipped over. That is how it is at Timberline. You heard it here first. With the widening of Upper Lightning, it will take them twice as long to blow it in since they have only about 7 working pedestals on it. They struggle to open the 2nd weekend of December every year, they widen the slope, add no additional snowmaking and I guess put it in God's hands. The mountain manager is a hard working, smart cookie as are many of the staff. But I think they struggle with management to do the things that they know need done. If they open on 12/7 as they advertise, it will be with Wood's Hole and maybe Lightning and White Out. And that is only if we get a stretch of cold weather here in the next few days. Otherwise, get out the golf clubs and plan on golfing in December.

DCSki Reader

December 4, 2006

Holmey, sad but true huh. Terrain parks are definetily the biggest rage currently in the industry, there is no question. ALMOST every resort across the country this year is expanding terrain parks and making them one of the top priorities to have and to market. All the industry mags talk about terrain park expansion and how it is a must. Resorts that are on the ball will have terrain parks, or atleast several features, up for customers the first opening day or days. Resorts that don't make terrain parks a priority are really dropping the ball. It's so easy to stick a few features in the ground as soon as the mountain is open, there is no reason not to and all the reasons to. It's a no brainer.

I heard Canaan bought a bunch of new rails/boxes at the end of last season and also that they are going to build a couple different park areas. They even have an park event scheduled the first weekend they will be open. Sounds like they are starting to listen to industry trends.

Anybody know what kind and how many rails and boxes Canaan has now in there aresenal? What will they have up for there rail jam this weekend?

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