I had a good time skiing at West Virginia’s Canaan Valley Resort on Sunday, January 5, 2025. I skied from about 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The temperature ranged from the low teens to the high teens while I was there. The wind was light and so were the crowds. A sunny morning gave way to a cloudy afternoon. Storm’s a comin’.
The conditions during my visit were a nice mix of manmade and natural snow. There appeared to be about 6-12” of natural snow in the woods beside the ski slopes, and the entire valley looked wintry. There were only a couple trails open from the summit. The main route down from the top consisted of Upper Canaan Curve to Chute to Valley Vista to Face, but there were a few side trails you could also dabble with like Cutback and Lower Timber Trail.
Snow guns were running the whole time I was there, but none were blasting in my face on the main route down. They were blowing on Upper Valley Vista, Upper Timber Trail, and I believe over by Ski Daddler and Weiss Meadows. With the cold and snowy weather predicted for the coming week I expect the open trail count to rise significantly.
It was the Sunday after New Year’s Day. I took about 20 rides on the Weiss Quad chair (about 750’ vertical) and only rode with another person once. Even with limited trails open from the top, I was able to log a ton of miles and get a good workout on my first day of skiing this winter.
I love the three hour drive from Northern Virginia to Canaan Valley, especially on a Sunday. I had light traffic coming and going via I-66, I-81, US-48, and Rt. 32. The last 20 miles from about Bismarck, WV on US-48 to the ski area had some packed and/or blowing snow on the road surface, but it’s not too hilly and I made good time in both directions.
Admittedly, the Canaan Valley ski area is somewhat slower than many other local ski areas in getting their slopes covered with manmade snow. So why did I choose to ski there yesterday? Well, age 70+ skis free there and that’s my demographic. Free is good. Also, the place is never crowded. I got a close-in parking spot. I booted-up with plenty of elbow room in the lodge and skied on very low-traffic slopes the whole day with no lines anywhere.
The ski area reported 8 inches of new snow overnight after I left. I expect more terrain opening soon with the skiing only getting better over the next couple of weeks.
Husband, father and retired civilian employee of the Department of Navy, Jim Kenney is a D.C. area native and has been skiing recreationally since 1967. Jim's ski reporting garnered the 2009 West Virginia Division of Tourism's Stars of the Industry Award for Best Web/Internet/E-Magazine Article.
UPDATE.
10 Jan 2025, I skied again at Canaan Valley ski area today, from 1030am to 3pm. Conditions were considerably better than last Sunday, and they were pretty good that day:-)
I skied more off the groom than on the groom. Skis 85mm underfoot weren't fat enough:-) New trails now open since my visit last Sunday: Gravity, the full C Lift Line, the full Timber Trail, Timber Spur, Upper Valley Vista. Gravity and C Lift Line were highly variable from 12" untracked or chopped-up to a few bare dirt spots and divots. Had to be careful. Lower angle ungroomed areas and run outs were quite nice and more predictable. Timber Trail was groomed all the way. Gravity actually skied better at 245pm than 1045am. It got tamed a bit by being packed down by skier/boarder traffic.
I never took the exact same line down the mtn twice for first 2.5 hrs. Nice, pale sunshine until about 1pm, then cloudy. Temps in the 20s. Again, in 4.5 hours only rode with another person once on the chairlift. Small crowd.
Ski Daddler and Lower Canaan Curve should be open tomorrow. If they get the predicted few inches of snow tonight the weekend should be outstanding! The mtn was still not fully tracked out when I left.
Here are a bunch more photos from 10 Jan 2025:
US 48 heading west, one beautiful highway to the slopes!
The plow drivers are getting serious on Rt 32 nearing Canaan Valley.
West Virginia SnowSports Museum along Rt 32.
Timber Trail is one of the better green circle runs in the Mid-Atlantic, long and enough pitch to keep better skiers entertained and moving. Beautiful timbers along the trail too. Photo doesn't capture how special, it's like a tunnel almost.
Gravity trail. Steeper than it looks in this photo.
C-Lift Line trail, fun and has about the same pitch as gravity, but more narrow.
View off the backside of the summit.
Two groomers working on Ski Daddler and nearby trails. Expect them to open tomorrow.
Looking down the main Weiss Quad Chair lift line. There were a number of snow guns running all day, but not this one. Trail going to the right of guy in red jacket is Ramble. It was very powdery all day.
CV snow sports school area and first timers slope.
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