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Winterplace

Winterplace Ski Resort is located at Flat Top south of Beckley, just off the West Virginia Turnpike (Interstate 77). Winterplace, which opened in 1983, offers more than 90 skiable acres with 27 trails and 10 lifts. The resort is conducive to novice skiers, with 37 percent of the slopes for beginners, 40 percent for intermediate skiers, and 23 percent for advanced skiers. A nationally accredited program offers lessons for children ages four to 11. Additionally, there is a snowboard park and a 16-lane snowtubing park, which is the largest of its kind in West Virginia.

With a top elevation of nearly 3,600 feet and a 603-foot vertical drop, Winterplace is located at the summit of Flat Top Mountain, the southernmost range of the Allegheny Mountains, and has an annual snowfall average of about 65 inches. The resort has 100 percent snow-making ability with a 50-million-gallon water reservoir. Night skiing is available on almost all of the slopes. The Winterplace season runs from December to March, with opening and closing dates depending on the weather.

Restaurant and food-court dining are available at Winterplace, and slopeside condominiums may be rented. Visitors also may choose other accommodations, including Glade Springs Hotel and Conference Resort, which is located several miles away. Situated by a major highway, Winterplace is West Virginia’s most readily accessible ski resort. It draws skiers from a wide region of the southeast.

Written by Jessica Smith