West Virginia Explorer
Glade Creek wanders through a snowy hollow at Babcock State Park. Photo courtesy Rick Burgess.

Explore winter in West Virginia with Rick Burgess: Part 2

Arts

December 1, 2018

David Sibray

Winter in West Virginia may be more varied than in any other eastern U.S. state: Its northern panhandle suffers the brunt of lake-effect snows, while its Potomac lowlands and sheltered southern valleys witness only a few blanketing snows per season. Rising to more than 4,000 feet above sea level, its Allegheny Mountains are practically Canadian in climate and may be beset by blinding squalls long into spring.


Photographer Rick Burgess has been wandering his home state of West Virginia since the 1970s, capturing its essence through his camera’s lens, revealing a magical land without the use of digital enhancement. We hope you enjoy the following tour of winter in West Virginia through the wizardry of Burgess’s eye.

Turkey Spur Road at Grandview. Photo by Rick Burgess.

An early snow clings to hemlock on Turkey Spur Road at Grandview in Raleigh County.

Wind-blown snow lingers on the Eastern Continental Divide on the Randolph-Pendleton county line.

Spring snow lingers on the Seneca Pass on the Eastern Continental Divide at 3,300 feet above sea level.

Winter visits the Alleghenies on the Highland Scenic Highway, often impassible through much of winter.

Winter visits the Alleghenies on the Highland Scenic Highway, often impassible through much of winter.

A radio-telescope at Green Bank Observatory looks skyward. Photo by Rick Burgess.

The world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope looks skyward at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Gandy Creek enters the legendary Sinks-of-Gandy Cave on a frigid morning. Photo courtesy Rick Burgess.

Gandy Creek enters the mouth of the legendary Sinks-of-Gandy on a frigid morning in Randolph County.

Horses graze in a snow-dusted pasture in Mercer County. Photo courtesy Rick Burgess.

Horses graze in a snow-dusted pasture in Mercer County in southernmost West Virginia.

Spruce trees bend under the weight of snow on Black Mountain. Photo courtesy Rick Burgess.

Spruce trees bend under the weight of snow on Black Mountain on the Highland Scenic Highway.

Seneca Rocks rises like a castle amid the snow covered mountains above the North Fork of the South Branch. Photo courtesy Rick Burgess.

Seneca Rocks rises like a castle amid the snowy mountains above the North Fork of the South Branch.

The New River wanders through its gorge beneath the Hawks Nest overlook. Photo courtesy Rick Burgess.

The New River wanders through its gorge beneath the Hawks Nest overlook at Hawks Nest State Park.

Be sure to watch visit Part 1 of our “Winter in West Virginia” series featuring Rick Burgess’s photography. Looking for Christmas gifts? You’ll find many of his works for sale here.

Read Also: Top reasons visiting West Virginia in winter is a great idea!