Ski Slopes and Resorts Near DC
Lifestyle
What are the best DC ski slopes and resorts?
Is Covid interfering with your annual ski trip? We can relate. Here’s the thing, though: while DC may not be a known mecca for wintertime diversions, it does have its (frosty) perks. So, from socially-distanced slopes to chill outdoor breweries, here are the ski-themed resorts and destinations that are worth a trip this winter.
Whitetail Mountain Resort is one of the closest ski destinations to DC, and it’s a popular one with crowds of both beginner and experienced skiers. This year, due to COVID-19, Whitetail is limiting the mountain to season pass holders and advanced online reservations only. Regular lift tickets go on sale starting December 8, and Epic Day passes, which afford you access to many popular resorts around the country are also available. With an almost equal number of black and double-black diamond and green or blue slopes, this mountain was made for skiers of any level. There’s even a snow tubing park for the kids!
Liberty Mountain Resort is another excellent ski destination with easy access to DC. The mountain is also in close proximity to historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, which has plenty of breweries and outdoor dining, as well as weekend cabins and historic homes that are easily booked online. Beginners prefer the bunny hills and magic carpet lift toward the front of the resort. Meanwhile, expert skiers and snowboarders gravitate to the steeper slopes on the back of the mountain. Liberty is also managed by the same company that runs Whitetail, which means a season pass gives you greater access to both resorts. And the slopes stay open late, with an option to take advantage of night skiing.
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This is one of the largest ski resorts in the region, and there is literally something for everyone. This resort has 172 acres of fun, with many ski houses that have ski-in/ski-out access, plus a full-service hotel right on the mountain. It’s a bit of a drive, but many of the trails are technical and longer than resorts closer to DC. And almost always, the ski conditions are better than the resorts closer to home.
It’s a hike from DC, but once you arrive, skiers and snowboarders here are rewarded by some dare-defying slopes, the most trails for any nearby resort, and a year-round village vibe that includes family-friendly restaurants and lodging, including several upscale, alpine accommodations. Snowshoe Mountain covers a total area of 11,000 acres in the Appalachian Mountain Range and includes the second-highest point in the state at 4,848 feet in elevation. For more technical skiers, there’s an option to explore the terrain park or test fate with hair-raising black diamonds, Cupp Run and Shay’s Revenge, which have a vertical drop of 1,500 feet.
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Wintergreen Resort
Wintergreen is the only ski area on the East Coast where 100 percent of the terrain is covered by automated snowmaking, so as long as it’s cold outside you’re guaranteed to have a snowy, good time. This is also a value-driven resort, where lift tickets start at just $49 for a four-hour session of skiing Monday through Friday and $84 for an eight-hour session. After a long day of fun on the mountain, head down to the valley, where you’ll find Devil’s Backbone Basecamp Brewpub or Bold Rock Nellysford Cidery with plenty of outdoor space and roaring fire pits that make for a lofty après-ski experience.
