Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510130091
SECTION: TRAVEL PAGE: G-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BARBARA LESKEY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Skiing began here in the late 1940s after pilots reported the valley as a unique area where snow often lasted into April. With more than 160 inches of annual snowfall, the area offers several ski options.
Visitors opt for Canaan Valley Resort State Park and Timberline Four Seasons Resort for downhill slopes while White Grass Ski Tour Center and Blackwater Falls State Park have an abundance of Nordic trails.
The Canaan Valley State Park area has quickly become a major ski destination because of its unspoiled beauty. It is in one of the highest regions east of the Mississippi at 3,200 feet above sea level.
The land was once owned by a lumber company that left it to the state in the early '60s. West Virginia acquired additional land and the area became Canaan Valley State Park. By 1972, there were cabins, a golf course and skiing facilities.
Canaan Valley State Park lodge, completed in 1977, has emerged from an isolated park situated in the middle of a wilderness to a full-fledged resort area. The resort not only offers downhill skiing, but 30 kilometers of cross-country trails, an ice skating rink, an indoor pool, a hot tub, saunas, game rooms and a fitness center.
In addition to the Aspen Dining room and Laurel Lounge, the resort offers 250 rooms, with remote control TVs with cable, in-room movies and complimentary coffee. As and alternative, there are 15 private, deluxe cabins, with two to four bedrooms and cozy fireplaces. They also include linens and cooking utensils.
The 30 kilometers of cross-country skiing trails are marked and ungroomed, plus there are acres of wide open meadows, all in a natural setting. There is no trail fee and the Nordic Center offers ski rentals, lessons, guided tours and accessories. (800) 622-4121.
Five miles away skiers enjoy Timberline Resort with top elevation of 4,268 feet and a vertical rise of 1,000 feet. Timberline and Canaan Valley Resorts offer a combined lift ticket whereby skiers may ski two mountains - accessing 68 slopes on one lift ticket. Just take the shuttle service that runs on weekends every half-hour during regular hours of ski-lift operation.
There's no overnight lodging at the Timberline ski area, but there is Timbers Pub, Timberhaus Cafeteria, ski rentals and a retail shop. The Pub, on the upper level of the base lodge, has a fireplace and a full-service bar, overlooking the slopes. Timberline also offers a ski school and child care center. There is condominium lodging nearby. Call 1-(800)-SNOWING.
Cross-country skiers will enjoy White Grass Ski Touring Center. At White Cross visitors find 50K of maintained trails, 25 of them machine groomed. There are back country and TeleMark adventures, plus rentals and ski school. At the center there is a full service Nordic Shop and a Natural Foods Cafe. (304) 866-4114.
Blackwater Falls State Park offers more than 35K of trails that meander through the park's alpine scenery. The trails range in difficulty from beginner to intermediate. There is an eight-mile Blackwater-Canaan Trail that provides the adventurous skier with a challenging excursion, but you must contact the park office for details.
Guests are offered a complete line of Nordic accessories, ski instructions, equipment, rentals and guides, plus a full-service sales shop. There's also a toboggan run that features a rope tow and warming hut.
Blackwater Falls has lodge rooms and cabins for rent all year. The cabins are completely furnished for housekeeping, but must be reserved in advance. (304) 259-5216.
If you opt for Canaan Valley State Park Resort, there's no need to worry about getting a sitter. Take the children with you and let them enjoy the resort, too. Bucky's Ski 'n Play is a program targeted to children ages 3 to 6. It's designed to teach the fundamentals of skiing using qualified instructors, while providing a playtime atmosphere with outdoor games.
The ski season at Canaan Valley lasts through March and there are ski packages for every pocketbook, as well as for every age group.
For further information: Tucker County Convention & Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 565, Davis, W.Va. 26260; (800) 782-2775. For information on all of West Virginia's skiing and state park lodges call 1-(800)-CALL WVA.
If you go: This area is in the Monongahela National Forest and the scenic Allegheny Front of the Appalachian Mountains forms its character. There are no super highways, so if it's your first time on the curving, sometimes gravel, mountain roads, plan your traveling for daylight hours. Watch for wildlife, especially white tail deer which are abundant in the valley.
Barbara Leskey is a free-lance travel writer based in Youngstown, Ohio.
by CNB