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Wintergreen Resort
Wintergreen, Virginia
(Click here for the official web site for Wintergreen, or scroll below to read DCSki's complete profile...)
[Resort Overview] [Summer Activities] [Statistics]
[Trail Map] [Map] [Current Conditions] [Webcams]
[Related News] [Upcoming Events] [Reader Comments]
[Recent Tweets] [Nearby Lodging]
| Resort Overview - reported by M. Scott Smith, DCSki Editor |
Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort celebrated its 25th season several years ago, and although access and facilities have improved over the past 25 years, one thing has remained constant: a great location in the heart of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains with great views.
Wintergreen Mountain peaks at 4,000 feet, bringing cool summer temperatures and helping to attract and keep snow during the winter months. The resort offers 26 slopes and trails with a respectable vertical of 1,000 feet. There are 125 skiable acres, and Wintergreen features a half-pipe for snowboarders. Wide-open beginner terrain is plentiful, along with plenty of steeps to keep the experts happy.
In the past decade, Wintergreen has spent over $20 million in capital improvements, including the installation of two six-passenger, high-speed lifts. The most recent “six pack” was added in 2004. In 2003, Wintergreen installed a state-of-the-art York computerized snowmaking system, which it has continually upgraded. In fact, Wintergreen began an additional $12 million project in 2012 to double its already impressive snowmaking capacity. 100% of Wintergreen’s terrain is covered by fully automated snowmaking.
“We can do wonderful things with it,” said Jay Roberts, Vice President of Mountain Operations. “It’s nice to have natural snow, but our snowmaking system allows us to make snow across the mountain quickly. We have the ability to start and stop snow guns from a desktop at the snowmaking plant,” he added.
Wintergreen is proud of its snowmaking system, and the quality of grooming.
“Quality is more important than quantity,” said Roberts. “You only ski on the top couple of inches. We balance the depth of our snow with the quality of our snow.”
For the 2005-2006 winter season, Wintergreen added Outer Limits, a new trail in the Highlands area. A brand new beginner area debuted at Wintergreen for the 2006-2007 winter season, featuring new beginner-friendly conveyor lifts. The Treehouse provides kids with their own ski area and 90-foot conveyor lift. For the 2010-2011 winter season, Wintergreen added Ice Skating, a new Learning Conveyor Lift, new rental equipment and more snowmaking power.
Wintergreen also has two tubing parks, including Virginia’s largest. One park offers a gentler ride, while the other offers hair-raising runs reaching 25-40 miles per hour.
Photos provided by Wintergreen Resort.
| Summer Activities |
Wintergreen is a year-round resort. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for skiers to take in a round of golf after a morning on the slopes. The resort offers two golf courses: Devils Knob, the highest course in Virginia at an elevation of 4,000 feet, or the 27-hole Stoney Creek course, offered in the valley and open year-round.
Outdoor Adventure is a common theme at Wintergreen during the summer. The Outdoor Wilderness Leadership School offers corporate development opportunities, getting employees out of the office and into the mountains for personal development.
A 16-day, high-impact backpacking course is offered during the summer, providing an outdoor education curriculum that increases awareness in communication, leadership, self-reliance, motivation, goal setting, and technical skills.
You needn’t spend 16 days at Wintergreen to take advantage of the great scenery; a morning on the resort’s network of mountain bike trails might do the job. Kayaking, rock climbing/rappelling, and ropes instruction are also offered.
If you’re into tennis, you’ll note that Tennis magazine has ranked Wintergreen as one of its “top 50” resorts for the past 14 years. 19 clay courts are offered to visitors, as well as 3 indoor courts. Tennis instruction is available.
Horseback riding, swimming, canoeing/boating, and fishing are also popular activities at Wintergreen.
| Statistics |
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Resort Name:
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Wintergreen Resort | |
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Vertical Drop:
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1,003 feet | |
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Base Elevation:
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2,512 feet | |
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Peak Elevation:
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3,515 feet | |
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Trails:
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26 (23% beginner, 35% intermediate, 42% advanced) | |
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Skiable Acres:
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129 | |
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Longest Run:
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1.4 miles | |
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Lift Capacity:
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11,200 per hour | |
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Lifts:
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7 (2 high-speed six-seaters, 1 quad, 1 triple, 1 double, 2 conveyor lifts) | |
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Night Skiing:
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Yes, on 14 slopes | |
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Terrain Park:
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Two terrain parks, with snow features, jibs, and rails. | |
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Halfpipe:
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(No halfpipe) | |
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Tubing Park:
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“The Plunge” Tubing Park has ten 900-foot long lanes with a 100 foot vertical drop. “The Slide” Tubing Park has gentler, more tame downhill runs for ages two and up. | |
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Address:
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P.O. Box 706 Wintergreen, VA 22958 |
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Phone Number:
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(800) 266-2444 or (434) 325-2200 | |
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Latitude:
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37.916508 | |
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Longitude:
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-78.941746 | |
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Twitter:
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http://twitter.com/wintergreenva | |
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Facebook:
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http://www.facebook.com/WintergreenResort | |
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Web Site:
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http://www.wintergreenresort.com/ |
Estimated Distances from Major Cities
| Baltimore, MD | 3 hours, 30 minutes | 187 miles |
| Washington, DC | 2 hours, 50 minutes | 149 miles |
| Arlington, VA | 2 hours, 50 minutes | 147 miles |
| Richmond, VA | 1 hour, 50 minutes | 100 miles |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 5 hours, 25 minutes | 310 miles |
| Harrisburg, PA | 4 hours | 238 miles |
| Philadelphia, PA | 5 hours, 10 minutes | 289 miles |
| Charleston, WV | 3 hours, 45 minutes | 227 miles |
| Raleigh, NC | 3 hours, 50 minutes | 201 miles |
| Charlotte, NC | 4 hours, 20 minutes | 254 miles |
| Trail Map |
To view a full-size trail map for Wintergreen, click on the following thumbnail image. The trail map will open in a new window. Please note that DCSki's trail maps can be out of date; always pick up a copy of the latest trail map at each resort.
| Map |
| Current Conditions |
A snow condition report for Wintergreen is shown below. Because condition reports may not be updated regularly, be sure to check the date and timestamp on the report. Before making a trip, we recommend contacting resorts directly for the latest conditions.
| Wintergreen, VA |
As of 14:34:00 on 2011-03-26
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| Report data is over 2 days old -- please check back later. | |
To view additional ski condition reports for areas throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and across the world, visit the DCSki Conditions page.
| Webcams |
Wintergreen has an official webcam page here.
A shot from one of Wintergreen's webcams is shown below. Note that this image is displayed directly from Wintergreen's web site. It may not appear properly if the webcam is down. This picture may also not be up to date.
| Related News |
The past five articles related to Wintergreen are shown below.
Firsthand Report: Wintergreen Wahoo (February 14)
Jim Kenney has been skiing at Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort for the past 25 years. That tradition continued with a visit this past weekend, where Jim found Wintergreen’s 25 trails dressed in wonderful snow. Jim provides this Firsthand Report.
Firsthand Report: Ninth Annual Warriors Conference at Wintergreen (January 27)
Connie Lawn and Charles Sneiderman spent the past weekend at Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort, attending activities for Wounded Warriors. They filed this Firsthand Report.
(5 reader comments)
Mid-Atlantic Ski Season Gains Momentum (December 27, 2012)
A shot of cold air and some natural snow has helped launch the 2012-2013 winter season in a big way. Find out the status of Mid-Atlantic ski areas.
What’s New for 2012: Wintergreen Resort (November 25, 2012)
Wintergreen Resort is in the midst of a major snowmaking upgrade, which will double its already impressive snowmaking production.
The Weekly Altitude (November 18, 2012)
The Weekly Altitude provides a look at what’s happening in the Mid-Atlantic ski and snowboard scene. In this week’s issue: Wisp Resort to change hands; Wintergreen’s “Snow License Program” offers free skiing to 5th and 6th graders; Thanksgiving Eve Pub Crawl at Bear Creek; and Whitetail pledges $10,000 to the MPMC Project.
To view more articles related to Wintergreen, click here.
| Upcoming Events |
The DCSki Event Schedule currently doesn't have any events listed for Wintergreen. To view events at other resorts, please visit the DCSki Event Schedule.
| Related Bargains |
The following bargains are related to Wintergreen.
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To view more bargains, click here. Remember, bargains may include exclusions or expirations not noted here. Contact the company offering the bargain to verify details.
| Recent Tweets |
Recent Tweets from Wintergreen Resort
| Nearby Lodging |
The following property located near Wintergreen is listed in the DCSki Lodging Finder. Property owners pay DCSki a small listing fee for this service. Inclusion in the Lodging Finder does not represent an endorsement by DCSki.
| Wintergreen Resort: Wintergreen Resort offers tastefully furnished studios, beautiful mountain villas and luxurious condominiums perfect for a family ski vacation or romantic getaway. Our 300 accommodations range from studios to seven-bedroom homes featuring comfortable living areas, fully equipped kitchens, toe warming fireplaces and a balcony or deck. To plan your Wintergreen vacation, please call 800-266-2444. |   |
| Reader Comments |
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The views and opinions expressed in DCSki Article Comments are strictly those of the comment authors and have not been reviewed or approved by DCSki. If you believe a comment is inaccurate or inappropriate, please contact DCSki's Editor. Report on Wintergreen - March 19-20 - posted by Brad
March 20, 2005 at 6:05 pm My wife and I are beginner-level skiers, and were invited to go to Wintergreen for an end of the winter ski trip. We were unsure of the conditions; but since our friends had use of the condo we were staying at for free; our only cost was lift tickets - so needless to say, we went!
We have only been to Ski Wisp in the past - this is our 3rd time skiing. We both agreed that we liked Wintergreen MUCH better than Wisp. It's a long, steep, curvy drive to get to Wintergreen; but we thought the resort was laid out much better. Wide open, more spread out, better lifts, etc. The people at the resort were very friendly and helpful. We skied most of the green slopes and had a great time. The snow coverage was starting to get thin in a few areas and the snow was a bit slushy by the afternoon - it was in the 50's! Kind of cool being able to ski in just a sweatshirt, thin nylon ski pants and no gloves or hat! We really liked Wintergreen, even though I'm sure conditions are not nearly as good now as they are in Jan and Feb. We'll be trying out Seven Springs and Canaan in December/Jan of this upcoming winter. Comments on Wintergreen - posted by brittany
June 7, 2006 at 11:21 am I thought that my trip this winter was amazing. It was my first time going there and learning how to snowboard. The staff was nice and the slopes were wonderful! It is an expeience I will never forget! especially since i'm only 15.
Comments on Wintergreen - posted by Sue Mike
January 7, 2008 at 1:49 pm My boyfriend and I visited Wintergreen this past weekend and had an awesome time. We drove in from Richmond after work and stayed till Sunday afternoon.
The staff was friendly and helpful. We took snowboarding lessons...we had a very patient instructor, THANK YOU! The fireplace in our condo was incredibleit warmed us up after a long day on the slopes. Wintergreen was a perfect weekend retreat away from the city. We cant wait to come back again! Comments on Wintergreen - posted by Kerstin
January 10, 2008 at 12:14 am We started going up to Wintergreen about 12 years ago, when friends with a condo invited us up to their place - and since then, Wintergreen has become like a second home to us. Our kids have learned to ski there, we've taught friends' kids to ski, and generally love the family atmosphere, scenery, and service.
From a skiing perspective, Wintergreen has a few things going for it, namely, the 1000 foot vertical drop, and slopes that take full advantage of that drop (the Highlands), rather than splitting the vertical drop into segments. There are hardly ever lift lines on the Highlands, so "expert" skiers can avoid both crowds and beginners, for the most part. I used to complain that there were too many first-time skiers on Dobie, which I think is slightly too sleep for some beginners, but the new "Discovery Ridge" beginner area really helps with that (although it's a bit too far from the ski rental area, to be honest). Wintergreen has an amazing snow-making system, and truly makes the most they can out of our mid-Atlantic winters. Several of the runs (Dobie, Wild Turkey, Eagle Swoop, Tyro) are also pretty wide, so you can take different routes down each. Plus, Wintergreen has TWO high-speed six-seat lifts. The mid-week season pass (also valid Sunday afternoons) is a great deal, and makes frequent skiing affordable. In terms of scenery, Wintergreen benefits from being a top-down resort, so a lot of condos, houses, and slopes have great views of the blue ridge mountains. From my perspective, that's one of the best parts, you really feel like you're up in the mountains. Wintergreen as has a nice "community" feel, and seems more like a destination than some other mid-Atlantic resorts we've visited (we've been to seven) that just have a lodge and that's about it. There are some good food choices (especially the breakfast buffet at the Copper Mine, which we recently tried for the first time) and we like to hang out for drinks and music at the Edge. I've only been to the spa once, but I thought the renovated spa was fantastic. The main downsides are long lift lines on Saturdays, and the slow Big Acorn lift. And, of course, the unpredictability of mid-Atlantic winters... Comments on Wintergreen - posted by Glenn
January 10, 2008 at 11:10 pm I am a second year skier and I have been very happy with the experience of learning to ski at Wintergreen. Maybe we have been lucky but I have dealt with 4 different instructors and all were top notch. Recently, my daughter and I had individual private lessons. I asked for 2 very different kinds of instructors to fit our different needs. They managed to come up with the perfect match for each of us both from an instructional fit and personality.
We also had good experience with the group lessons we took at the outset. We went when it was not crowded which helped, so we got lots of individual attention. It always seems like they have an abundance of instructors for their group lessons. Comments on Wintergreen - posted by Mark
February 15, 2010 at 4:55 pm Went to Wintergreen on President's Day weekend in 2010. Resort very crowded. Slopes were in relatively poor condition with little grooming despite the fact that they had 7 feet of snow this season. Biggest problem was the lift lines. During morning, we waited between 8-12 minutes for the Quad and in the afternoon the wait was 18-20 minutes. Far too little lift capacity for the number of skiers on the mountain. Have skied there many times in the past and the wait for the lifts is so much longer than other resorts.
On the plus side, the accomodations were nice and the restaurants are quite good. My wife also enjoyed the Spa much to the detriment of our bank account. This could be a real jewel if they would increase the lift capacity or limit the number of skiers. Comments on Wintergreen - Not so minty fresh... - posted by AJ
March 6, 2010 at 7:42 pm Not so minty fresh... Unfortunately, I would have to rate Wintergreen as my most disappointing ski experience. The lift line management was unbelievably poor resulting in waiting in line for an hour to get the lift just prior to the 4pm closure of the black diamond skiing areas. There was almost a riot!
I will never go there again. |
Want to share your own comments on Wintergreen with other DCSki readers? Enter your comments below. Feel free to describe the things you like most about Wintergreen, along with any areas you feel could be improved.
 Canaan Valley Resort: Canaan Valley Resort, located outside Davis, West Virginia features 39 slopes for beginner, intermediate, and advanced West Virginia skiing. With a vertical drop of 850 feet and the longest run at 6,000 feet, the experience is as challenging as you want it to be. Night skiing is also offered during holiday and prime ski weekends. The resort features a 150 room lodge and 23 cabins/cottages for your convenience. Additional winter sports include XC skiing, snowshoeing, snow tubing, airboarding and ice skating. An indoor swimming pool, fitness center, whirlpool and saunas are also available after a day on the slopes. Liberty Mountain Resort: Located about an hour from both the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. areas, Liberty Mountain Resort is the perfect place for a mountain getaway! Whether you are searching for adventure or relaxation, our mountainside amenities are sure to treat you. Our mountain boasts over 100 acres of skiable terrain, including 16 trails, 3 terrain parks, and a large tubing hill. Our Ski and Snowboard Schools offer a wide variety of lessons for both beginners and advanced. Boulder Ridge Snow Tubing features 15 tubing lanes, party rooms, and food and beverage, creating a fun atmosphere for everyone. Take a "snowcation" by lodging in the slopeside Liberty Hotel and dining in one of many eateries, including the popular McKee's Tavern. Seven Springs Resort: Seven Springs Mountain Resort is the perfect place to escape with your family this winter and reconnect! At Seven Springs, you'll find a mountain of fun - skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, snowmobiling, snowshoe tours, a luxurious spa, sporting clays, delicious dining, nightlife and more. Enjoy a mountain of fun on 285 acres of slopes and trails including beginner trails, black diamond slopes, mogul runs and five terrain parks. Come up to Seven Springs this winter and make a new memory. What are you waiting for? You really should be here! Whitetail Resort: Head to Whitetail for some of the best skiing and riding in the mid Atlantic Region! Enjoy nearly 1,000 feet of vertical and the Region's only High Speed Quad Chairlift. Spend less time on the road and more time carving down some expert terrain like Bold Decision or intermediate favorites Limelight and Snow Dancer! Don't worry, there is plenty of fun to be had for all ability levels, and for freestylers be sure to check out Jib Junction Terrain Park (not for the faint of heart)! We even have Park Place 101 for the beginner freestyler! Don't forget about Whitetail Adventure Tubing, fun for all ages! Wintergreen Resort: Wintergreen Resort is an 11,000-acre, four-season resort located in the Blue Ridge Mountains three hours from Washington, D.C. With accommodations ranging in size from studio condominiums to 9-bedroom homes, your winter escape has all the comforts of home. Enjoy skiing and snowboarding on 26 slopes and snowtubing in Virginia's largest park; Ridgely's Fun Park for young children; ice skating, a zipline; indoor tennis; a spa with indoor pool and hot tubs; and a variety of enticing dining options. Overnight packages offer great value and savings, call 800-266-2444 or book online - www.wintergreenresort.com. For more information, call (434) 325-2200. |
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