Mountain State’s Highest Peaks in Winter
By Chip Chase
The philosophy in Canaan Valley, WV is to tuck those new ski loops up above 4000’, keep to the north side of the hill, and lead your skiers to as many interesting places as possible. It seems skiers are drawn to the tippy top of the mountain by nature. After all, changing vistas are around every corner and riding these trails add to the eventual exhilarating trip back down. As the southern skier’s taste grows wilder, so does their thirst for new trail systems and snowier areas. The loftiest backcountry of the Monongahela Forest secretly contain the region’s highest ten peaks, and are all above 4700 feet! Virtually untrampled, some of these sentinels are more easily accessed in winter than any other time of the year. These woods traditionally hold their snow longer than any points south of New York’s Adirondacks.
Primitive trails or forest roads lead into most of West Virginia’s finer ski basins. Even local ski lifts will help whisk you into these alpine conditions, for a mere one way ticket price. Places so cold that if there’s snow to be found anywhere…well. When you can’t see it from the road below, it lays thick and waiting high above, a secret stash. Combinations of easy to gradually challenging trail loops and open woods await, as newer routes are being discovered each year. The goal is to provide not only additional ski days up there, but further enhance the popular over-the–mountain ski treks.
Favorite new trails include Canaan’s 7 km railroad grade that hugs the Cabin Mountain and ends near the eastern most terminus of the Bald Knob.
The entire trip is through virtual wilderness and a gradient surely to get those hips-a-driving. Gauley Divide, west of Snowshoe, is another stronghold where high elevation and deep snowfall unite. Thousands of icy north facing acres lie unexplored in high terrain statewide each winter. Atop the mountain state’s highest 25 peaks, we guess that 9 out of 10 have never ever been tracked in winter. Keep in mind that these spruce covered ridges are all in the path of frequent lake effect snows and average 100 days per year when it is dressed up in white. Still a challenge is to access these remote locations and guide yourself up and over without much previous scouting.
The next time snow conditions leave a lot to be desired from the parking lot, or to where your car spins you, look upward on the shady side and head for higher ground. You’re bound to be pleasantly surprised!