SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN

'Snowshoe Mountain' is a ski resort located near Snowshoe, West Virginia, in the Allegheny Mountains. The "mountain" (the USGS does not recognize a "Snowshoe Mountain") is actually the bowl shaped convergence of two mountains — Cheat and Back Allegheny — at the head of Shavers Fork. Cheat reaches its peak elevation here (Thorny Flat: 4,848 feet/1,478 meters), the second highest point in the state.
Snowshoe is unusual among ski resorts in that its village is located at the mountain's summit, rather than at its base. Snowshoe has gained prominence also as a four-season destination, with extensive mountain biking trails, a popular golf course, wedding and convention areas, along with summer outdoor activities. The resort comprises the Snowshoe and Silver Creek ski areas. About 480,000 skiers visit the resort each year, primarily from West Virginia and the larger cities of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

Contents

Mountain

History

See also

External links

Mountain

The Snowshoe area of the resort is located on Cheat Mountain. Cheat's highpoint is Thorny Flat, which reaches the resort's highest elevation of . The resort makes up in total, which includes the Snowshoe Mountain and Silver Creek areas; the mountains have a total of 57 slopes and trails and two trails (Cupp Run and Shay's Revenge) which feature a vertical drop. The mountain summit receives an average of of snowfall each winter.
Snowshoe had originally been envisioned as a four season destination, although it would take years for mountain bike and horseback riding trails to become a significant draw.  One key advantage for the mountain has continued to be its cooler temperatures, due to its elevation.  With a mean temperature of in January and in July, Snowshoe can be considerably cooler than nearby areas at lower elevations.

History

Snowshoe Mountain opened to skiing on December 13, 1974. The area had been logged from about 1905 to 1960, after which it was virtually barren and abandoned. Thomas "Doc" Brigham discovered the mountain and believed it would be a good location to build a new ski resort. Brigham, a dentist from North Carolina, had previously opened the Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain ski areas.
The ski trails and lifts were given names that recalled the history of logging such as Grab Hammer, J-Hook, Ball Hooter, and Skidder. Two trails, Shay's Revenge and Heisler Way, were named for brands of gear-driven steam locomotives that ferried men and logs around the mountains during the logging era.
Although Brigham had high hopes for Snowshoe, the mountain went through a difficult first decade plagued by financial problems. Over the next several years, though, the resort's reputation and popularity would grow, and in 1992 it purchased the Silver Creek ski area which is just a half mile away.
The resort was purchased in 1995 by Intrawest, a Canadian ski-resort operator which specializes in creating or expanding commercial opportunities at its mountain resorts through village-style commercial and condominium real estate development. In 1999, Intrawest opened the Rimfire Lodge, its first development in what it called (at the time) The Wildcat Village. The village expanded rapidly, with additional condominium-hotel developments opening over the coming years, including Highland House, two phases of Allegheny Springs, The Seneca, and Expedition Station.
In addition to the central village, Intrawest has also assisted developing "outside neighborhoods," including Soaring Eagle Lodge and Sawmill Village, both which were developed independently.
In 2006, Intrawest was acquired by the private equity firm Fortress Investment Group.  Intrawest continues to operate as an independent unit of Fortress.

See also

★ Pocahontas County, West Virginia

External links

★ Snowshoe Mountain official website

★ Intrawest official website

★ Soaring Eagle Lodge official website

★ Sawmill Village official website