To skiers and boarders living in the geographically blessed realms of the Rockies, the Sierras, and the mountainous part of New England, the molehills of the southern Mid-Atlantic states are usually relegated to bad East Coast skiing punch lines. But for those skiers and riders within a five-hour radius of West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Resort, the misguided lack of respect simply means that the resort’s 60 trails won’t be clogged with Gore-Tex-clad hotdogs proving their worth.

By all standards, Snowshoe defies expectations for a Mid-Atlantic resort—as quickly becomes evident once you drive past the mountain base and continue up to the resort’s nerve center. Snowshoe is a reverse resort, meaning that the main facilities, rental stores, and most lodging are located at the summit of the 4,848-foot mountain, offering easy slope access and a king-of-the-hill perspective on the surrounding Allegheny Mountains. Add in neighboring Silver Creek Area, and the resort offers a total of 251 skiable acres across 77 trails (12 open for night skiing) and four terrain parks. Annual snowfall tops out at 180 inches, but as part of the Intrawest Resorts family, Snowshoe (whose siblings include Whistler/Blackcomb) has perfected snowmaking. If the temps are low, there will be snow on the mountain. Admittedly, these stats may not measure up to those in Colorado or Utah, but Snowshoe is the Mid-Atlantic’s biggest resort, and it shows.

Experts will find simple bliss in the Western Territory, which consists of two black runs, one feeding into a bumpy double diamond, the other keeping it smooth and steep as you zip past snow-covered fir and

To skiers and boarders living in the geographically blessed realms of the Rockies, the Sierras, and the mountainous part of New England, the molehills of the southern Mid-Atlantic states are usually relegated to bad East Coast skiing punch lines. But for those skiers and riders within a five-hour radius of West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Resort, the misguided lack of respect simply means that the resort’s 60 trails won’t be clogged with Gore-Tex-clad hotdogs proving their worth.

By all standards, Snowshoe defies expectations for a Mid-Atlantic resort—as quickly becomes evident once you drive past the mountain base and continue up to the resort’s nerve center. Snowshoe is a reverse resort, meaning that the main facilities, rental stores, and most lodging are located at the summit of the 4,848-foot mountain, offering easy slope access and a king-of-the-hill perspective on the surrounding Allegheny Mountains. Add in neighboring Silver Creek Area, and the resort offers a total of 251 skiable acres across 77 trails (12 open for night skiing) and four terrain parks. Annual snowfall tops out at 180 inches, but as part of the Intrawest Resorts family, Snowshoe (whose siblings include Whistler/Blackcomb) has perfected snowmaking. If the temps are low, there will be snow on the mountain. Admittedly, these stats may not measure up to those in Colorado or Utah, but Snowshoe is the Mid-Atlantic’s biggest resort, and it shows.

Experts will find simple bliss in the Western Territory, which consists of two black runs, one feeding into a bumpy double diamond, the other keeping it smooth and steep as you zip past snow-covered fir and spruce. Both Western Territory slopes drop a full 1,500 feet—the biggest vertical in the region—stretching for 1.5 miles at a 60-degree fall line that feeds you into nominal lift lines and a mini-lodge serving chili and beer. Beginners, meanwhile, should ply the greens lining the basin, from the marathon Upper, Middle, and Low Flume to Silver Creek’s Cubb Run. Snowboarders and freeskiers can choose from four terrain parks, including a 450-foot half pipe and an array of tabletops, rails, drops, jumps, and a terrain garden. One lift ticket gives you access to Snowshoe, Silver Creek, and Western Territory.

The piste-weary, meanwhile, have 11,000 acres of backcountry at their feet, ideal for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and horse-drawn sleigh rides. Kids can enroll in ski or board school, or trek over to Silver Creek’s tubing hill. Apres-ski options, from full spa services to numerous eateries, displace the small-town feel a bit, but the resort’s modest size is one of Snowshoe’s attractions, especially if you’re partial to taking a late-evening stroll through a West Virginia version of a winter wonderland.