Wintergreen Resort

Folks in Nellysford, Virginia, had more to celebrate in 1975/76 than the nation's bicentennial. The Wintergreen Resort ski area opened in Nelson County to much fanfare, with continued growth since. It is a mountaintop resort, putting all the amenities at the peaks instead of the base of the slopes.

Virginia motorists using Interstate 64 can travel to the Waynesboro area before transferring to the Blue Ridge Parkway that leads to the facilities. Richmond's International Airport is over 100 miles away, but smaller airfields are closer to the resort area in Staunton and Charlottesville, Virginia.

Blue Ridge Mountain Skiing and Riding

The Wintergreen Resort ski area provides year-round fun for guests visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains. It forms on the eastern flanks of the Appalachian Mountain chain, with the nation's highest peaks in the east. A summit of 3,515 feet does not stand out from the tallest peaks, but it does create a 1,003-foot vertical drop with a base elevation of 2,512 feet. That provides lots of potentials down the slopes that skiers and snowboarders can exploit.

There are many lodging accommodations around the Wintergreen Resort ski area, including rooms at the Inn, condominiums, and private homes for rent. These sit near the Blackrock area or the Devil's Knob area. Four restaurants provide guests with a wide array of foods to please any appetite, and they provide the fuel everyone needs as they hit the slopes.

The Wintergreen Resort has a full range of amenities, with a fitness center and indoor pool offering a workout away from the powder. Ski and snowboard rentals are made for a day, night, or two-day use. Visitors who need more apres-ski will find local events and area attractions offer something for them to do when they are not on their planks.

The Long and Winding Trails

The Wintergreen Resort ski area is home to Virginia's largest tubing park, known as The Plunge. It is tall (think 10-story building high) and fast (maximum speeds of 30 MPH are possible), making for an experience that kids six and older will enjoy. Tickets buy sessions of 75-minutes, and The Plunge is open into the evening hours.

The Wintergreen Resort ski area hosts several developmental racing and freestyling teams and offers NASTAR racing also. Several camps and a Ski Patrol clinic for youth are available. Private Ski and Snowboarding lessons allow instructors to focus on a guest's current ability, so they get the most from the session.

The terrain park at Wintergreen Resort provides progression over battleships, down-kinks, fun boxes, straight rails, tabletops, and more. These features are ever-changing to keep guests intrigued. Skiers and riders at the Wintergreen Resort can enjoy 125 acres of skiable terrain with a couple of dozen trails rating green/newbie (20-percent), blue/intermediates (40-percent), and black diamond/advanced (40-percent). The longest run at the resort area is 1.4 miles in length. Finally, eight lifts can move 9,200 guests per hour uphill, with lifites keeping things moving to prevent long waits.