Hello, wondering if you could help with a recommendation.

I have a 24 hour layover in Washington in a couple of weeks time, and wanted to go skiing (not boarding).

I'm arriving at Dulles around 7pm one evening, and need to be back at Dulles 24 hours later, so thought I'd rent a car, go to a resort, rent some equipment and ski for a day. Is there anywhere you would recommend, or that I should avoid?

Thank you for your help.

Assuming you want 1 answer (the "best close resort") and not 2 (the best, the closest), then I'd probably suggest Whitetail. It's probably a 2 hour drive from the airport (maybe a few minutes less), and it's got the most vertical you'll find in the area (if you define "the area" as "anything within 2 hours of IAD). Liberty's nice, but will be busier, and is a bit smaller than Whitetail (and from Dulles is probably only 20-30 minutes closer).

Other choices tend to fall beyond the 2-hour circle, but Wintergreen and Massanutten are nice for a day trip. If you're willing to drive 3+ hours each way, you can start looking at places in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but I'd say that Whitetail will probably be a great option for a quick day like that.


aaron

I'm in Loudoun as well and I agree with Scootertig that Whitetail is the best option and will give the most vertical in the least amount of time.

Nice use of a long layover. Agree on the Whitetail call. Hopefully it's not Inauguration Day (which is exactly two weeks from now)...I see a lot of folks escaping DC for the day (and/or having off) and going skiing.

Thanks very much for those tips.
You gave me a heart attack with the Inauguration Day reference but then I checked and I was wrong - I'll be there exactly one week after it on the 27th January, so I suppose that's lucky (though if by fluke I'd landed that day, I think I'd have gone into DC to check it out).

I've had a look at the website, and it looks perfect, so thanks for that.

Any accommodation recommendations would be welcome.

It looks like there's a decent choice: Express By Holiday Inn etc... and... fox's jus-em-tyme bed & breakfast ?

Were you arriving/leaving in the AM, and had opportunity to spend the night somewhere, after a day on the slopes - I'd argue for one of the places in Mercersburg. It has cool, historic and relatively undiscovered vibe to it with a nice pub right in town (Flannery's).

But as it seems you arrive at night and leave at night, you might as well crash at one of the Hagerstown locations. Most likely a highway hotel, but on your way to Whitetail, and it could be late by the time you get there anyway! Hope that helps and the day works out for you.

BT,
Only thing for you to consider is that Jan 26/27 are days off for Fairfax county public schools. That affects the number of people at the hill. Go early (0830) and get your runs in on the HS quad before the crowds arrive and then move to the black runs. If you went to Blue Knob/Roundtop you would likely miss the crowds.

From the Airport WT is no more than 1 1/2 hour trip.