Snowshoe Mountain to open ski areas November 22

Making more snow than ever before, Snowshoe Mountain will open for skiing and snowboarding on November 22, weather permitting.

Overnight temperatures are already dipping into the 30s in the Alleghenies, and resort officials are feeling confident following upgrades to the mountain’s snowmaking system.

Skiers and snowboarders gather atop the second-highest summit in West Virginia.

“We invested nearly $4 million into our snowmaking system in 2018, and the impacts of those upgrades were obvious from the start last winter,” resort spokesman Shawn Cassell announced today.

“Last season we opened with the most terrain we’d had in a decade, and the upgraded equipment allowed us to expand terrain and maintain a consistent, quality snow surface throughout the winter—despite a historically low natural snowfall total.”

Going into year-two, Cassel says “our snowmaking team has an even better handle on the new equipment, and we’re excited to see them back in action.”

The snowmaking investment also allowed the resort to reduce its energy consumption by about 5 million kilowatts per year, he said.

The upgraded snowmaking equipment is much more energy-efficient, which has allowed Snowshoe to lighten its carbon footprint and cut costs, all while making more snow than ever.

On the second-highest point in West Virginia, at 4,848 feet above sea level, Snowshoe enjoys one of the longest periods of natural snow-cover in the Allegheny Mountains.

The resort includes 11,000 acres adjoining the Monongahela National Forest and offers some of the most skiable terrain in the region as well as extensive lodging options, fully developed mountain biking trails, a Gary Player golf course, wedding and convention areas, and a wide variety of outdoor activities.

Snowshoe was chosen as the “Best Ski Resort” in the region by the readers of Blue Ridge Outdoors.

The Snowshoe Bike Park was recently named the No. 1 Bike Park in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions by MTBParks.com and hosted the 2019 Mercedes Benz UCI MTB World Cup Finals.

Snowshoe Mountain Resort is part of the Alterra Mountain Co. and is included on the Ikon Pass.

Find out more at www.snowshoemtn.com.