The Weiss Knob Ski Area was built in 1959 by Bob and Anita Barton. The ski area had four rope tows and artificial snowmaking. Although the rope tows are no longer in operation, the Weiss Knob Ski Area became the White Grass Touring Center, which has remained a popular destination for cross country skiers since 1979. White Grass offers over 50 kilometers of trails, with an 1,196-foot vertical. 25 kilometers of the trails are groomed. White Grass also relies on “snowfarming,” using 5 kilometers of snowfence to capture snow. Because of this, and the smaller amount of snow required for cross country skiing, White Grass is often the first ski area in the region to open.
Woody Bousquet provides the following scan of a Weiss Knob brochure, as well as a ski patch.
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Front cover of an old Weiss Knob brochure. Scan provided by Woody Bousquet.
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Image provided by Woody Bousquet.
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In July, 2007, Linda Gray wrote to DCSki and indicated that she learned to ski at Cabin Mountain as a kid. “My parents starred in a film ‘Dreamland’ that was made to promote Cabin Mountain,” Linda writes. “Dad was a past president of the Ski Club of Washington DC in the 1950’s.” Linda notes that the Ski Club of Washington DC (SCWDC) published a 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition in 1986 providing a look back at skiing from 1936 to 1986. The Collectors Edition includes a history of Cabin Mountain.
Actually Cabin Mountain, aka "Driftland" was an entirely seperate ski area from Weis Knob and should be recognized as such. The second ski area was the one established by Bob Barton on Weis Knob. Another was the one where Whitegrass is now. All three ski areas had their own identity and operations which did overlap somewhat. All three finally sucumbed to competition or areas with those new fangled chair lifts.
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