Hey all,
I was looking for some advice regarding a trip to WV I'm taking this weekend. I recently moved to DC after living in Florida my whole life, so I am not very accustomed to driving in snow, mountains, etc. Months ago, my girlfriend and I rented a cabin in West Virginia for this upcoming Presidents' Day weekend. I've been going out west to snowboard my whole life, so exploring the east coast has been my priority.
Anyways, I drive a Honda Civic, which I bought chains for this past week. We want to leave early to minimize/eliminate night driving on Friday to get to our cabin which is right outside Elkins, West Virginia. I'm looking for advice on the best route to take to arrive safely. I have little experience in the snow, and quite frankly it freaks me out a bit, especially with all the snow this week. We we're thinking about renting a 4WD SUV, but the lady who we are renting the cabin from thinks that is unnecessary. What are everyone's thoughts?
We were planning on hitting up Snowshoe or Canaan (whichever is easier to get to). Any and all advice from some more experienced winter driving enthusiasts would be much appreciated. Thanks!
An
Front wheel drive w/ chains will get you around. I live in WV and drive through Elkins whether I'm going to CV or Snowshoe. CV is a little closer to Elkins by distance but the roads are a little tougher due to the several mountain ascents/descents. Elkins to SS (Rt 219 South) is ~1.25hr; follows a valley so its very flat but the last 7 miles where you cross a couple ridges (not mountains) then the 5 mile road up to SS. All this is well maintained.
Not sure which the shortest route to recommend to Elkins coming from DC, but seems that you may be driving past CV to get there. If you prefer a 4-lane only route to Elkins you could take I70W to I68W to Morgantown, then I79S to I33E to Elkins. From DC beltway that route will take you 5hrs.
Be sure to practice installing/removing your chains BEFORE your trip.
Good post from Bonz. Forecast for 5-10" in Elkins over next 2 days, then likely no more. Suppose ski areas could get more. With chains you are golden, but slow going. Could possibly get a WV gas station to install if you encounter serious snow. Easier to remove by yourself. Keep asking here as Friday approaches for input on local WV road conditions. I think you'll be ok and only have to keep chains in trunk for insurance. CV will be much less crowded than SS, as will Timberline to a lesser extent, although they may have less terrain open. Your choice, maybe vary mtns, hit CV on way home?
Thanks everyone. So is that 5 hour route likely the safest route to Elkins from the beltway? I'm ok with taking longer if that means it's safer. Bonzki, when you say 79 to I33 do you mean 79S to US-48E? I'm looking at google maps now and that seems to be the case..
Another route it suggests is I-66 W to US-48 W and WV-55 W from DC. Are those roads well kept? Just trying to nail down the best kept route.
I went to college in Elkins. One caveat that you need to realize is that most of the bad weather will be up on the Allegheny Front, which is essentially the two mountain ranges between the South Branch Valley (Moorefield) and the Tygart Valley (Elkins). This is where all the snow will be. There are basically four routes to get there:
1. I-70, I-68. I-79, US 33. This is the so-called 5 hour route. I would not use that route. First it is really long, and you are basically crossing and then re-crossing the front.
2. I-70, I-68, US 219 (Deep Creek Option). In this option you head up 68 and drop down US 219 through Deep Creek, Oakland, Thomas, Parsons and then Elkins. I would not take this route as basically you are driving half the route up on the front, so longer time in the snow.
3. I-66, I-81, US 48. (Gov Byrd Boondoggle) Under this route you head to I-81, pick up US 48 and take that all the way to Davis at the northern end of Canaan Valley. You can then either take a left on US 32 south then US 33 and head into Elkins, with a big mountain to cross, or head west and pick up US 219 into Parsons and then Elkins.
4. I-66, I-81, US 48, WV 55, US 33. (Old School Route) Under this route you would leave US 48 and head south at Moorefield to Seneca Rocks, pick up US 33, cross two epic ranges and then be in Elkins.
I would recommend No. 3 with one caveat. Where near Elkins is your cabin? east, west, north, south.? To me, this would be the difference between heading down Canaan Valley to Elkins, or heading the Parsons way.
portern91 wrote:
Thanks everyone. So is that 5 hour route likely the safest route to Elkins from the beltway? I'm ok with taking longer if that means it's safer. Bonzki, when you say 79 to I33 do you mean 79S to US-48E? I'm looking at google maps now and that seems to be the case..
Another route it suggests is I-66 W to US-48 W and WV-55 W from DC. Are those roads well kept? Just trying to nail down the best kept route.
Yes, I-79 South to Exit 99 where you pick up Rt33 East. I see Gmaps has it as Rt48 East but I'm pretty sure the signage is Rt33. Regardless, you can't miss it and it's a 4 lane divided highway (does have a few lights and crossings so it's not an interstate) to Elkins.
Other routes are well kept but lower priority compared to primary arteries. It may come down to checking MD, WV DOH and forecast websites for conditions Friday morning then making a decision that you're comfortable with.
KeithT wrote:
I went to college in Elkins. One caveat that you need to realize is that most of the bad weather will be up on the Allegheny Front, which is essentially the two mountain ranges between the South Branch Valley (Moorefield) and the Tygart Valley (Elkins). This is where all the snow will be. There are basically four routes to get there:
1. I-70, I-68. I-79, US 33. This is the so-called 5 hour route. I would not use that route. First it is really long, and you are basically crossing and then re-crossing the front.
2. I-70, I-68, US 219 (Deep Creek Option). In this option you head up 68 and drop down US 219 through Deep Creek, Oakland, Thomas, Parsons and then Elkins. I would not take this route as basically you are driving half the route up on the front, so longer time in the snow.
3. I-66, I-81, US 48. (Gov Byrd Boondoggle) Under this route you head to I-81, pick up US 48 and take that all the way to Davis at the northern end of Canaan Valley. You can then either take a left on US 32 south then US 33 and head into Elkins, with a big mountain to cross, or head west and pick up US 219 into Parsons and then Elkins.
4. I-66, I-81, US 48, WV 55, US 33. (Old School Route) Under this route you would leave US 48 and head south at Moorefield to Seneca Rocks, pick up US 33, cross two epic ranges and then be in Elkins.
I would recommend No. 3 with one caveat. Where near Elkins is your cabin? east, west, north, south.? To me, this would be the difference between heading down Canaan Valley to Elkins, or heading the Parsons way.
It’s northeast of Elkins up Shavers Fork Road near the Stuart Recreation Area. Thoughts? Thanks so much for all the help.
cheat river lodge? Anyway, you want to take US 48 to Davis. If it is snowing hard, take a right and follow 219 into Parsons then Elkins and then out to Stuart and Shavers Fork, less twisty. only possible bad section is the drop from Thomas to Parsons past the Olsen Tower area. Parsons to Elkins is 2 lanes but in the valley similar to 219 from Elkins to Snowshoe.
If it is not too bad, at Davis turn left and take WV 32 to Harman US 33 and follow that west to near the end of the four lane as you get close to Elkins, that will be faster than the 219 route in good conditions, but more climbing and twisty from the south end of Canaan Valley to Elkins.
KeithT wrote:
If it is not too bad, at Davis turn right and take WV 32 to Harman US 33 and follow that west to near the end of the four lane as you get close to Elkins, that will be faster than the 219 route in good conditions, but more climbing and twisty from the south end of Canaan Valley to Elkins.
Unless I am confused that would be a left turn on 32 (south) at Davis.
If your car doesn't have navigation, don't rely on Gmaps on your phone because many areas lack cell service. Take a portable (ie Garmin) or good ole paper maps.
KeithT wrote:
cheat river lodge? Anyway, you want to take US 48 to Davis. If it is snowing hard, take a right and follow 219 into Parsons then Elkins and then out to Stuart and Shavers Fork, less twisty. only possible bad section is the drop from Thomas to Parsons past the Olsen Tower area. Parsons to Elkins is 2 lanes but in the valley similar to 219 from Elkins to Snowshoe.
If it is not too bad, at Davis turn left and take WV 32 to Harman US 33 and follow that west to near the end of the four lane as you get close to Elkins, that will be faster than the 219 route in good conditions, but more climbing and twisty from the south end of Canaan Valley to Elkins.
Great! Would you say the first route without the climbing and twisty route from the south end of Canaan is relatively safe as long as I'm cautious with a front wheel drive honda civic? I plan on checking conditions before I leave, I just have never driven in West Virginia before so I'm not sure what to expect in terms of road care.
Bonzski wrote:
If your car doesn't have navigation, don't rely on Gmaps on your phone because many areas lack cell service. Take a portable (ie Garmin) or good ole paper maps.
Thanks for the tip. I have an offline mapping app (HERE), garmin GPS, and paper maps. I'm not taking any chances with directions.
Let me emphasize!!! Be careful using GPS when going to the WV ski areas. Know the route you are planning to take before leaving. There are some horror stories of folks relying solely on GPS and winding up in Dolly Sods on a dirt road when going from NOVA to Canaan Valley (GPS shows as shortest route!). Also some built-in vehicle GPS might be out of date and not show all the completed sections of Route 48/Corridor H highway. GPS on a smart phone should be more up to date, but use common sense when using. No routes described in this thread should involve dirt or ultra country roads in the middle of nowhere. OK to use GPS, just don't totally rely on it. And as mentioned, in some of the mountainous or rural areas you might not have cell phone connectivity. It is now an easy trip from NOVA to Elkins and Canaan (weather dependent).
Have a good time. Whether you ski at Canaan/Timberline or Snowshoe, try to visit Canaan Valley coming or going home: it truly is a special place with many natural wonders!
MorganB
aka The Colonel
If there is snow on the roads in WV, perhaps not worth the extra trek to Snowshoe. Mostly because it's an upside-down resort and you must drive up to the top to get to the "base" of the resort. With fresh snow, CV and Tline provide plenty of fun and will be much less crowded on a holiday weekend.
When driving in WV during a snowstorm, there are three issues: snow on the road, how WV clears roads, drivers on the road without enough snow driving experience. Allow extra time.
The food at the restaurant in the CV Lodge is pretty good.
marzNC wrote:
If there is snow on the roads in WV, perhaps not worth the extra trek to Snowshoe. Mostly because it's an upside-down resort and you must drive up to the top to get to the "base" of the resort. With fresh snow, CV and Tline provide plenty of fun and will be much less crowded on a holiday weekend.
When driving in WV during a snowstorm, there are three issues: snow on the road, how WV clears roads, drivers on the road without enough snow driving experience. Allow extra time.
The food at the restaurant in the CV Lodge is pretty good.
Isn't there another entrance to snowshoe that is easier to get up?
portern91 wrote:
marzNC wrote:
If there is snow on the roads in WV, perhaps not worth the extra trek to Snowshoe. Mostly because it's an upside-down resort and you must drive up to the top to get to the "base" of the resort. With fresh snow, CV and Tline provide plenty of fun and will be much less crowded on a holiday weekend.
When driving in WV during a snowstorm, there are three issues: snow on the road, how WV clears roads, drivers on the road without enough snow driving experience. Allow extra time.
The food at the restaurant in the CV Lodge is pretty good.
Isn't there another entrance to snowshoe that is easier to get up?
The primary entrance road you'd be using is treated/maintained very well. Snowshoe is the largest employer (and tax payer) in the county so there's a vested interest in keeping it open with empoyees and some visitors living/staying at the bottom. I drove up/down it several times juring Jonas without problem (AWD, no chains).
I'll be there, would be happy to make some turns with you. PM me in advance if interested.
KeithT wrote:
I went to college in Elkins. One caveat that you need to realize is that most of the bad weather will be up on the Allegheny Front, which is essentially the two mountain ranges between the South Branch Valley (Moorefield) and the Tygart Valley (Elkins). This is where all the snow will be. There are basically four routes to get there:
1. I-70, I-68. I-79, US 33. This is the so-called 5 hour route. I would not use that route. First it is really long, and you are basically crossing and then re-crossing the front.
2. I-70, I-68, US 219 (Deep Creek Option). In this option you head up 68 and drop down US 219 through Deep Creek, Oakland, Thomas, Parsons and then Elkins. I would not take this route as basically you are driving half the route up on the front, so longer time in the snow.
3. I-66, I-81, US 48. (Gov Byrd Boondoggle) Under this route you head to I-81, pick up US 48 and take that all the way to Davis at the northern end of Canaan Valley. You can then either take a left on US 32 south then US 33 and head into Elkins, with a big mountain to cross, or head west and pick up US 219 into Parsons and then Elkins.
4. I-66, I-81, US 48, WV 55, US 33. (Old School Route) Under this route you would leave US 48 and head south at Moorefield to Seneca Rocks, pick up US 33, cross two epic ranges and then be in Elkins.
I would recommend No. 3 with one caveat. Where near Elkins is your cabin? east, west, north, south.? To me, this would be the difference between heading down Canaan Valley to Elkins, or heading the Parsons way.
After talking with people and checking the weather, I think I am going to take route number 3 from this list. Anyone think I'm being particularly reckless, or does this seem like the best way to get to Elkins?
Driving tactics are more important than the route. Slow down, more than you think you should. Stay off the brake as much as possible. Slow down with your gears or the lo setting on your automatic. Drive gently for all turns, all stops, all acceleration.. If you see cars in the ditches, slow down more. Stay about 3x the normal dry road distance from the car in front of you. If people tailgate you, turn on your 4 way flashers and slow down until you irritate them into passing. A test dummy in front of you is a lot better than an idiot behind you.
Denis wrote:
Driving tactics are more important than the route. Slow down, more than you think you should. Stay off the brake as much as possible. Slow down with your gears or the lo setting on your automatic. Drive gently for all turns, all stops, all acceleration.. Stay about 3x the normal dry road distance from the car in front of you. If people tailgate you, turn on your 4 way flashers and slow dow until you irritate them into passing. A test dummy in front of you is a lot better than an idiot behind you.
Great advice, thanks so much.
Some of the best tips for snow driving. Thanks!
I know it may be a bit unrelated to your original query, but an interesting future vacation you may consider is a New England escapade. Amtrak takes you from DC to Rutland VT (Killington, Okemo, Bromley) or to Waterbury VT where you may end up at Stowe, Sugarbush, Bolton Valley or Jay Peak. Since you're from Florida, to put it in context, in an equivalent area comprised of Miami Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, you have over 20 midsize to large ski areas. The variety and challenge of the terrain is amazing, with vertical drops normally starting over 1,000' up to 3,000 (Killington). If you're at Stowe and stay there, you really don't need a car, their town shuttle system takes you all the way from the Ben & Jerry factory in Waterbury to the upper Stowe village, with easy access to over 15 miles of restaurants, hotels, etc.
