With an Alpine climate, double black-diamond runs and a nearly 5,000-foot summit, Snowshoe Mountain Resort is like a little slice of Switzerland shaved off in West Virginia.
Tucked between Cheat Mountain and the vast Monongahela National Forest on the eastern edge of the state, the resort's 234 ski-worthy acres and state-of-the-art lodges offer a pristine winter playground for snow-sport enthusiasts. Fifty-seven slopes and trails cater to all skill levels, from beginners learning the basics at the Ski and Snowboard School on the Flume Trails, to experts cruising the peaks like pros at Spruce Glades and Mountaineer Terrain Park.
Although skis may be the transport of choice here, the resort features plenty of other ways to get the adrenaline pumping. The Outdoor Adventure Center leads snowmobile tours into the rural backcountry, while snowshoers can tramp across more than 25 miles of marked trails. Families are free to tumble together down the Ruckus Ridge Tubing Park at Silver Creek, a five-lane freeway of snow tubes. And those visitors eager to get off of their feet can take in the snowy scenery from aboard a Snowcat, as guides entertain passengers with mountain trivia and history.
Snowcat riders can get dropped off for a four-course meal at the Sunrise Backcountry Hut, one of 17 restaurants and dining outlets at the resort. Whether it's noshing on syrup-covered pancakes at the Black Run Sugar Shack or digging into hearty burgers and stews at Arbuckles Cabin, Snowshoe Mountain offers plenty of comfort foods to go along with the cold-weather fun.