Snow-making at Canaan Valley ski area increased by 20 percent

Skiers cavort at Canaan Valley Resort in West Virginia. Photo courtesy Canaan Valley Resort State Park

A year after doubling its snow-making capacity, Canaan Valley Resort ski area near Davis, West Virginia, is increasing its capabilities by another 20 percent, according to the resort’s general manager.

In 2016, the ski area added six stick-guns and five propeller-driven snow guns and was able to keep most of its trails open even after early-season cold gave way to warm stretches, said general manager Steve Drumheller.

“The ability to manufacture snow is critical to operating our ski area and offering guests the best experience possible,” said Steve Drumheller, general manager of Canaan Valley Resort.

“Our increased investment in equipment combined with a terrific mountain team enables us to do just that.”

Resort officials also added new ski- and snowboard-rental equipment as well as new ice skates and cross-country skis and created a new “out-of-bounds” cross country ski trail on the back side of its ski hill on the flank of the Canaan Valley.

The ski area opened Dec. 10, and its signature Gravity run saw its earliest opening ever and swept Liftopia’s “Best in Snow” awards in the southeastern U.S. as the top-ranked ski area in its Beginner-Friendly, Most-Challenging, Family-Friendly, Best Snow Quality, Least Crowded, and Best Value categories.

A drive of less than three hours from Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., the ski area is located in the highest mountain valley east of the Rocky Mountains with a summit elevation of 4,280 feet above sea level.

With 47 trails and slopes, 91 skiable acres, terrain park and ski school, and four lifts – one quad, two triples and a magic carpet, the area is swiftly becoming one of the most visited in the mid-Atlantic region.

The ski area will open from December 15 through March 18, 2018, according to Drumheller.

For more information, visit Canaan Valley online or call 1-800-622-4121.