Written by Donna C. Gregory
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Bryce Resort | Basye, Va
(800) 821-1444, bryceresort.com
Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains, Bryce Resort is a favorite of snow-loving families, with eight slopes ranging from beginner to advanced. Newbies will appreciate Bryce’s top-rated ski and snowboard school.
Bryce is home to one of the largest ski teams in the southern region, with more than 60 racers. Children can attend Race Training Clinics beginning at age six, as long as they can get on and off the chair lift and ski with poles. Snowboard clinics also are available.
The Homestead | Hot Springs, Va
(800) 838-1766, thehomestead.com
You don’t have to be a ski bunny to appreciate The Homestead. Beginners and beyond can ski or snowboard 45 acres of wide, well-maintained trails. Other cold-weather activities include cross-country skiing, snow-tubing, snowmobile tours and the region’s only Olympic-sized ice-skating rink. After a long day on the slopes take a warm soak in the resort’s heated pool, fed by a mineral-rich natural spring. (Thomas Jefferson reportedly imbibed the spring’s restorative powers back in 1818!) The Homestead also has a full-service spa.
Massanutten Resort | McGaheysville, Va
(540) 289-9441, massresort.com
Summer never ends at Massanutten Resort’s massive indoor water park. Conquer eight fun water slides, or hone your balance on the “Flow Rider,” a surfing attraction that creates the perfect, continuous wave—all while enjoying a comfortable 84 degrees. When you’re ready to cool off, head outdoors where 14 snow trails for all levels, a terrain park and snow-tubing park await.
Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort | Snowshoe, West Va
(877) 441-4386, snowshoemtn.com
Thrill-seekers will want to head north to Snowshoe’s “Western Territory,” which is “home to the best and most advanced terrain in the region,” reads the resort’s website. The territory boasts 1.5 miles of downhill skiing with a steep, 1,500-foot vertical drop. If that’s a little too extreme for your tastes, the “Northern Tract,” “Silver Creek” and “Snowshoe Basin” areas offer easier terrain for learning and intermediate skiing. When you’re ready for a break, take a snowmobile or “snowcat” tour of the slopes or the backcountry, led by Snowshoe’s professional guides. Other features include the Coca-Cola tube park, the Split Rock swimming area and the Big Top, with arcade games, climbing wall and other kid-friendly activities.
Wintergreen Resort | Wintergreen, Va
(434) 325-2200, wintergreenresort.com
Even if Old Man Winter doesn’t bring enough of the white stuff, no worries: Wintergreen is the only ski area on the East Coast to have 100 percent of its terrain covered by a state-of-the-art, automated snowmaking system, according to the resort’s website. “This complex system involves approximately 40,000 linear feet of pipeline, more than 400 snow guns and 45 weather stations.”
The award-winning, 11,000-acre resort has plenty to offer cold-weather enthusiasts, including 26 slopes ranging from the “Upper & Lower Dobie” for beginners to the double black diamond “Cliffhanger.” Two terrain parks give skiers and snowboarders a place to practice their freestyle skills on snow features, jibs and rails. Wintergreen also has Virginia’s largest snow-tubing area, including “The Plunge,” a 900-foot, 10-lane hill with a 100-foot vertical drop.
Winterplace Ski Resort | Ghent, West Va
(800) 607-SNOW, winterplace.com
Winterplace Ski Resort is a favored destination for snow-tubing enthusiasts since it’s home to the largest tubing park in West Virginia. It’s also a good fit for newbie skiers. The resort’s beginning skiing and snowboarding classes come with a guarantee: If you don’t learn the skills necessary to hit the slopes, you can retake the class for free.