Winterplace Ski Resort

Resting on Raliegh County's Flat Top Mountain, the Winterplace Ski Resort is a popular winter venue in West Virginia. Locals and park rats often call it New Winterplace, a homage to the old Winterplace across I-77 on the north slopes of Bald Knob. Today's venue is just as easy to access, but it also provides better access to the snow.

Getting here is easy, as the ski area sits between Beckley and Princeton, West Virginia. Interstate 77 takes motorists right to the venue, with several connecting east/west US and West Virginia State Highways to the north and south. There are many local and domestic airfields nearby, but North Carolina's Charlotte Douglas International Airport handles much of the air traffic in the region 199 miles away.

One of the Best Learning Centers in the Southeast

The Winterplace Ski Resort gets about 100 inches of snowfall each year, a typical amount around here. When the conditions are right, the staff can also use snowmaking equipment, with 100-percent coverage possible. That creates a good snow base for new skiers and snowboarders to learn and practice across and makes this venue rank highly as a learning center.

The Winterplace Ski Resort is a member facility of the National Ski Patrol System and the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA). That means that the staff keeping guests safe are highly trained, and the instructors meet PSIA requirements for improving everyone's performance on the snow. Using the American Teaching System, staff will teach guests to ski or ride guaranteed, or the class is free to take again. There are private, family, and group lessons also available for learning and alpine skill improvement.

The Winterplace Ski Resort has a demo center, rental shop, two retail shops, and a tune and repair center to get everyone up and going on one or two planks. A food court, lounge, and services mid-mountain keep everyone fueled and hydrated. The fun does not stop when the sun goes down, with several runs, the terrain park, and the snow tube area equipped with lights for nighttime adventures.

The State's Largest Snow Tubing Area

Snow Tubing facilities have grown in popularity, and the snow tubing at the Winterplace Ski Resort has grown into the largest in West Virginia. Two tubing carpet lifts keep the whole family moving back to the top for another run down one of the wide tubing chutes. There are up to 14 lanes total, depending upon the snow conditions.

The Winterplace Ski Resort has over 90 skiable acres for skiers and riders to explore, with 27 runs across it. Those trails rate as green/beginner (37-percent), blue/intermediate (40-percent), and black diamond/advanced (23-percent). A terrain park offers non-alpine skiing and riding at the Winterplace Ski Resort for anyone looking to cut loose.

The Winterplace Ski Resort uses ten lifts to keep things moving uphill. That includes two doubles, three triples, two quads, and three super carpets with an uphill capacity of 13,000 guest every hour.