SNOWSHOE, W.Va. — In advance of a strong El Niño, officials at Snowshoe Mountain have announced plans to open skiing and snowboarding on the day before Thanksgiving, weather permitting, featuring a new chairlift and an action-packed 2023-2024 events calendar.

Snowshoe president Patti Duncan says crews are installing a new chair lift in advance of the season while hospitality staff are designing an action-packed season.

“The days are getting shorter, the nights are becoming chilly, and excitement for winter is starting to build here on the mountain,” Duncan said.

“The weather experts are all in agreement that we’re in for a strong El Niño pattern this winter, and historically that has been a very favorable setup for natural snowfall here on the mountain.”

In the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, at the second-highest point in the state, Snowshoe Mountain is the largest of the state’s skiing destinations, chosen as the best ski resort in the region by readers of Blue Ridge Outdoors.

The resort complex, notably located at the summit of the mountain, includes more than 60 slopes and trails, more than 11,000 acres of backcountry, and more than 1,400 condominium and lodge hotel units.

In actuality, a four-season resort, the resort is a year-round adventure destination. The Snowshoe Bike Park was recently named the No. 1 bike park in the U.S. southeast and mid-Atlantic regions by MTBParks.com and has played host to the Mercedes Benz World Cup and will host the 2023 World Series.

Duncan said the resort will be replacing the Powder Monkey lift, installed in 1977 as one of the ski areas’s original lifts, with a fixed-grip quad by Leitner-Poma & Skytrac that will feature a conveyor loading system that will shorten ride times as well as increase the mountain’s lift capacity, ease congestion in the Basin area, and improve access to the Western Territory.

Ahead of the November 22 opening, the resort will host an exclusive “Preview Day” on November 21 for season pass holders, employees, and volunteers.

Snowshoe will also implement changes to its day-parking infrastructure, including the implementation of paid parking in the South Mountain area. Parking information is available here.

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

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Snowshoe has also released its schedule of events for the upcoming winter season:

• NOVEMBER 21 | Passholder/Employee Preview Day
• NOVEMBER 23 | Opening Day
• DECEMBER 10 | West Virginia Ski FREE Day
• DECEMBER 15 | Opening Day for Silver Creek & Coca-Cola Tubing Park
• DECEMBER 15-17 | Ride-with-Pride Weekend
• DECEMBER 24 | Village Christmas Celebration
• DECEMBER 23-31 | Holiday Celebrations
• DECEMBER 31 | New Year’s Eve Parties
• FEBRUARY 3-4 | SARA Racing (Southern Alpine Racing Association)
• FEBRUARY 5 | Cupp Run Challenge
• FEBRUARY 10 | Uphill Thang & Randonnée Race
• FEBRUARY 24-25 | USASA Skier & Boardercross Racing
• MARCH 3-4 | Banked Slalom Race
• MARCH 9-10 | College Weekend & Pond Skim
• MARCH 17 | West Virginia Ski FREE Day
• MARCH 31 | Last day of ski season

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For more information or to make a Snowshoe lodging reservation, call 877-441-4386 or visit online at Snowshoemtn.com.