Wintergreen Resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia is an 11,000-acre resort considered to have some of the best downhill skiing conditions in the Mid-Atlantic region. The resort was named the best ski resort in the region in a reader survey for Washingtonpost.com. It is about 40 miles from Charlottesville, Virginia, and 150 miles from Washington, D.C. The resort has downhill skiing but no cross-country skiing trails.
Slopes
Wintergreen features 26 trails and slopes for downhill skiing that cover 129 acres of terrain. The slopes are a diverse mixture with 23 percent rated for beginners, 35 percent rated intermediate and 42 percent rated advanced or expert. The vertical drop is more than 1,000 feet. The longest run of the slopes is approximately 1.4 miles. Skiers are transported on two surface lifts and five chairlifts out on the slopes, including two high-speed, six-person chairlifts.
Conditions
The Wintergreen mountain has a peak of 3,515 feet. Wintergreen receives an average of approximately 30 inches of natural snow each year, but the number can vary greatly from year to year. For instance, Wintergreen received 93 inches of snowfall during the winter season of 2009-10. The average length of the skiing season at Wintergreen is about 100 days, according to the Washington Post.
Facilities
Wintergreen maintains extensive snow-making facilities to accommodate its relatively mild location and moderate annual snowfall. The entire snow-making operation is computerized and tied to the current weather conditions, changing along with shifts in temperature and humidity. Wintergreen has more than 300 tower-mounted guns to disperse man-made snow on the slopes. Wintergreen has lights on 14 of the slopes to enable night-skiing, which is popular. Night-skiing hours run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday during ski season.
Rates
Wintergreen's rates vary depending on the point in the season, day of the week and time of day. Lift tickets are less expensive for youth and seniors. Wintergreen also offers a military discount. Children under the age of 5 ski for free. For adults, during the 2009-10 season, lift tickets on weekdays cost $47 for an eight-hour session, $34 for a four-hour session, $57 for an extended session (9 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and $34 for a night session. On weekends, the rates are $66 (eight hours), $53 (four hours, Sundays only), $76 (9 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and $34 (night).
Snowsports School
Wintergreen has a reputation as a hospitable resort for beginning skiers. One reason is the Snowsports School. Instruction is offered through private and group lessons, as well as specialty workshops. Skiers and riders learning through the school need to purchase a lift ticket and bring their own equipment or rent it through Wintergreen. Rates range from $32 for one of the regularly scheduled group sessions to $369 for a six-hour private session.
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