A DCSki reader sent me the following link to a Google map showing what looks to be cut ski trails near the Spruce Knob Recreational Area in West Virginia:

http://maps.google.com/?ll=38.868248,-79.522047&spn=0.047714,0.079823&t=k

(Zoom in as far as you can and you should see it.)

Are these trails from a current resort? Or from a lost ski area?

I think both Canaan Valley and Timberline Resorts are north of there, but maybe I'm wrong. We have an entry for the Weiss Knob Ski Area on the DCSki Lost Ski Areas page, and my understanding is Weiss Knob became the White Grass Touring Center, which I think is also north of the location indicated in the Google map.

Anyway, if anyone has any ideas about whether those are trails and where they belong, please let us know.

Can't see it on your map ..but sounds like "Tori" mountain. Trails cut, pads for towers poured, huge amount of vertical, for some reason project was abandoned.

Thought I could help by providing this link for closer view.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=38.877178~-79.522144&style=h&lvl=15
(Zoom in a little more if you desired)

Those are the old trail cuts for Tory Mountain.

That is definately Tory Mountain (bought by owners of Wisp last year) which is located on a mountain JUST behind Harmon. Yes the same little sleepy unincorporated town where some of us make a right to head to Timberline.

Yep, echoing the others: Tory Mountain. It was bought back in the late 70s/early 80s by Dr. Brigham, the original owner of Snowshoe, but by the time the trails were cut he had run out of money and ditched the place. Recently the owners of Wisp have been investing time and money into the place, clearing brush, perhaps building a lodge, and making quite a road from Harmon to the mountain's base. Tory posts over 1200 feet of vertical, and someday might become the Pico to Almost Heaven.

It'd be nice if we could get some weekend access by jumping a gate or something to go back and get pictures. Maybe take a 'nature hike' too.

I would say Tory , however it's on the wrong side of 33. I heard talk about 10 years ago of a proposed ski area just north of Onego anf this would be the correct fit and location.

found this:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/sports/20040622-085204-2239r.htm

I got mixed up...It is on the correct side of 33. I just don't know what I was looking at.

We have talked mucho about this Mtn but everyone has talked about the "north facing" allready cut slopes.....Those slopes are SOUTH FACING! Correct me if I'm wrong please...

Andy, check the contours and 3D images from Google earth, and...

Consider yourself corrected.

Damb those DC Metro bus fumes!!! Summit/base thing GOT ME..The map sure makes it look like the slopes fall from the Spine of the Mtn....Yeh, mainly a north/northeast face...Can I sue Mayor Marrion Barry for those bus fumes?...not to mention the 2nd hand smoke from his Crack pipe!....Thank you for your support..

Ssssoooo how's this for a theory....owners of Timberline are aware of Tory's purchase by competitor...they realize that Timberline is lacking in a few things over the past few years and decides to really update their snowmaking and cut some new terrain, all in an attempt to buy some loyalty from folks.

With this in mind, perhaps Timberline may consider upgrading their lifts in the next year or so? Just a theory...

speculating one a whim
Steve

How easy (or hard) would it be to get back there? A friend of mine has a camp about 20 mins from Harman. What would be the odds of traveling to the Harman area by vehicle and then getting (walking) over to that access road? How much of a hike would that be (assuming one could reach the "slopes" and do some investigating while there and then hike back)? Is it conceivable? Would there be any sort of "Keep Out" "Private Property" signs everwhere? Would there be any sort of penalty for hiking out there anyway? As one can see this is very interesting to me because this has been in practically my backyard and I have never known about it. When late Spring comes around and all the snow is gone I would love to make my way up there and scope things out. I guess the main concern I have is whether or not this is out of the question? Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.

It's about a 1000 foot vertical hike over a few miles up the access road. If you want to do it in the winter I'd recommend a snowmobile. Go on the weekends, because the weekday I went up there by bike 2 summers ago they shoo'd me away at the top.

I just figured that walking would be the only way in. I don't have a snow mobile so I would just wait until the snow melted off and it warmed up some. I am not too into mountain biking (as of now) and I don't figure my 4-wheeler would be a very inconspicuous (if possible) way of getting up there. What do you have to do to get to the access road after you get out of the car?

Come on now...free the heel, free the mind

Whitegrass Nordic Ski Center rents both snowshoes and backcountry touring skis/boots. You can climb a steeper track with snowshoes and carry your skis on your back (strap them to your backpack) but then you have these 6 foot sticks snagging all the branches as you wander through the trees. With backcountry touring skis they have fish scales along the camber of the ski (sort of the instep) that grip as you head up, slide as you point them down. You can't climb as steep of track as you can with snowshoes or climbing skins but they are about the most versatile thing for poking around in the woods.

We all know that snow coverage has been pretty thin this year. It appears that this Tory place has about the same elevation as Whitegrass. I'd keep a watch at www.whitegrass.com and whenever Chip posts that things are super covered and the woods open, then I'd head into Tory. I find Chip's snow report to be about the most honest of the area. Yes, he is an optimist but he really doesn't want to see people bust up their gear or get hurt going off piste so he keeps the reports pretty real.

If you have never skied with a free heal, I'd recommend a cable binding in lieu of something like a NNN-BC. The folks at Whitegrass will also give you a very basic class to get you pointed in the right direction.

Steve

To get to the bottom of the access road you head south past Harman on 32 and take a left at the bottom of Rich Mtn. towards Spruce Knob/Lake. It's a little ways down on the left (you can see it on terraserver, if not Google). You walk around a gate and across a low-water bridge then start climbing.