©1999
Huntington Quarterly
Magazine
By Lynn Seldon
If you're from the Huntington area and you haven't been to Snowshoe
Mountain lately, you're in for a big surprise. A blizzard of big bucks
dumped on this well-known resort has made Snowshoe bigger and better
than ever.
Last season, Snowshoe celebrated its 25th year of operation by marking
a
new beginning in the history of the resort (and mid-Atlantic skiing).
Before you head up Cheat Mountain to Snowshoe, a little lesson in its
past will make you appreciate the historic changes now transforming the
resort.
Snowshoe was founded by Dr. Thomas "Doc" Birmingham, who had already
found southern ski resort success with Sugar and Beech in North
Carolina. Doc was enticed by Cheat Mountain's height (500 feet above any
New England ski area) and the near 200 inches of snow that the area
averaged.
Way back in 1974, the resort opened with three chair lifts and nine
slopes, including the Jean-Claude Killy-designed Cupp Run. It quickly
expanded, with slopes and facilities sprawling all over the top of the
mountain in the 70s, 80s and early-90s. With the purchase of nearby
Silver Creek in 1992, the resort had grown to an incredible 56 slopes
and 11 lifts.
Snowshoe's second quarter-century of growth is going to be even
bigger. Intrawest, developer of the likes of Whistler/Blackcomb,
Stratton, Copper and Tremblant, has poured more than $100 million into
Snowshoe since purchasing it #in 1995. This includes more slopes, more
night skiing, new lodging, more restaurants, new activities like
snowshoeing, shopping, slopeside services and more. I strongly recommend
extending a Snowshoe trip to more than two nights.
Snowshoe has grown into much more than a place to make as many downhill
runs as possible before heading back to work. There's enough to keep you
busy for many days on and off the slopes.
The first thing to reserve in advance is a room at the inn (or, in
Snowshoe's case, the condo). Condos are definitely the way to go at
Snowshoe, with a wide range of choices all over the mountain and down
at
Silver Creek. Though they may cost a bit more, the space and amenities
gained (including kitchens, fireplaces and living rooms) make a big
difference in any experience.
Snowshoe veterans all have their favorite condos and houses, but I'm
already a big fan of the new options. Ask for a junior studio, studio,
or a one or two bedroom unit in Rimfire Lodge, which is right in the
heart of the new ski-in/ski-out mountaintop Village Center. It's an
ideal base at the heart of the action. If you'd rather be away from the
hubbub, inquire about the quieter Camp Four two and three bedroom
townhomes at the edge of the slopes.
Both of these new condo complexes will work well for families, though
the units down at Silver Creek are also very popular and convenient. If
you want more of a European-style hotel experience, it's tough to beat
the Whistlepunk Inn.
When making your reservation, be sure to ask about packages that
include accommodations, rentals, lessons, discounts and more.
Once you have a place to stay, you need to make dinner plans. It may
seem silly to book reservations for meals beforehand, but it's not. My
long-time favorite, The Red Fox, is typically sold out on weekends and
the new upscale choice, Eli's, will quickly become similar as word
spreads. So make late-evening reservations for Eli's on Friday night and
The Red Fox on Saturday night.
If you are coming in on Friday, try to arrive by mid- to late afternoon.
You'll avoid lines at check-in and you'll have time to get the lay of
the land. Once up the mountain, head to Silver Creek to get any creaks
out of the old ski legs during a session of night skiing. This "resort
within a
resort" has 14 slopes lit, making for a fun first night. The runs stay
torched until 10 p.m. A lack of lift lines means you can crank out lots
of quick runs here. The black slopes aren't lit, so save them for
uncrowded quickies later in your stay. The longer blue runs like Fox
Chase and Cascade will provide perfect warm-ups.
Other options at Silver Creek, which always remains less crowded than
Snowshoe, include: a very popular tubing hill for kids and kids at
heart; the most elaborate terrain park on the east coast; and the
region's largest all-snow halfpipe (more than 300 feet). Off the slopes,
the massive self-contained Silver Creek Lodge offers anything you need
to rent, buy, eat or drink. If you're not eating at Eli's later, the
open-hearth pizzas in the Bear's Den are Silver Creek specialties. After
your outing at Snowshoe's little sister, keep your reservation at Eli's.
Part of the new Rimfire Lodge development of accommodations, shopping,
dining and services, Eli's, the creation of former Greenbrier executive
chef Robert Wong, specializes in regional cuisine in an upscale mountain
lodge atmosphere.
If you're up to it, Connection nightclub is open until two a.m. and
features a live band, while quieter Rosa's Cantina generally has low-key
trios. If you like to laugh, the Comedy Cellar is one of the mountain's
most popular attractions. Hilarious host Roy Riley brings in guest
comedians from throughout the U.S.
Set your alarm and get up early. Plan on having a quick breakfast in
your condo or heading down to Auntie Pasta's for more hearty fare. Just
try to be over at the top of Snowshoe's Western Territory by 8:30 a.m.,
when the ropes drop for famed Cupp Run and the new sister slope, Shay's
Revenge.
When Snowshoe visitors talk about their favorite runs, it's Cupp Run
(and now Shay's Revenge). With 1,500 feet in vertical drop and up to 60
percent steeps, there's some serious terrain in the Western Territory.
A new quad (reducing lift times from 20 to six minutes) and the addition
of Shay's Revenge make the area even better.
After a morning in the Western Territory, the lunch options are many.
One neat new possibility that many Snowshoe visitors don't even know
exists (you have to ski the Western Territory to get there) is
Arbuckle's Cabin. Located at the bottom of Cupp Run and Shay's Revenge,
this little place offers up creative hot stews and a wide variety of
beers and other beverages. There's a huge deck, which features music and
cookouts on weekends with good weather.
For the afternoon, head over to the main side of the mountain to
experience the bulk of Snowshoe's slopes. I've generally found that the
further away you get from Snowshoe's largest lodging and dining areas,
the smaller the crowds on the slopes and lifts.
Finally, as the day heads toward dusk, get over to the edge of the
mountain with some runs on steep Widowmaker and rides on the fast
Widowmaker quad. The steeps here will probably bring your day to a
burning close.
If your days on the slopes sometimes tend to end earlier than sunset,
there are plenty of other options. If Snowshoe has some natural white
stuff, try snowshoeing on the trails they use for hiking and mountain
biking. One other new option added by Intrawest is a horse-drawn sleigh
ride to the summit.
The evening can mean more fun under the lights at Silver Creek, a spa
visit or some time at one of the happy hours. Just be sure to save time
for dinner at The Red Fox.
The Red Fox is long established as one of the region's top restaurants.
Owners Margaret Ann Smith and Brian Ball offer an elegant European
chalet atmosphere and a variety of regional cookery, including some of
the best game and fish dishes you'll find.
If you didn't hit Cupp Run and Shay's Revenge Saturday, be there by 8:30
a.m. Sunday. It's best to get in several runs before the late-risers
show up later in the morning.
I've found that the longer you can stay on Sunday, the better. Head back
over to the main side of Snowshoe and you'll find that the slopes start
emptying and the lift lines evaporate as you head into the afternoon.
Of course, smart Snowshoe visitors try to stay at least through Monday.
Even if it's just for a few more morning runs in the Western Territory,
it makes an ideally planned weekend at Snowshoe even better.
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