Mid-Atlantic ski areas are using the offseason to replace a chairlift, expand snowmaking systems, upgrade mountain infrastructure, and complete new guest facilities ahead of the 2026-2027 winter season.
Among the largest projects are a new Blitzen quad at Pennsylvania’s Seven Springs Mountain Resort, major snowmaking work at Maryland’s Wisp Resort and Virginia’s Wintergreen Resort, the new Shavers Center at West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Resort, and a 140-room hotel at Virginia’s Massanutten Resort.
More offseason projects are likely to be announced this fall. Here is what has been confirmed so far.
Seven Springs Mountain Resort is replacing the Blitzen triple chair with a new fixed-grip quad from Doppelmayr.
The lift will increase uphill capacity by approximately 33 percent, carrying about 600 more passengers per hour than the triple. The top terminal is being relocated about 400 feet downhill to reduce congestion and improve skier access to Lost Boy and the North Face side of the mountain.
By early July, crews had completed concrete foundations for the lift towers, terminals, and operator buildings. Grading was underway around the new unloading ramp and runout, with lift components scheduled to begin arriving later in the month.
Seven Springs selected a fixed-grip lift after evaluating skier traffic, terrain, and local weather conditions. The resort noted that fixed-grip lifts can operate more reliably during icing events than detachable lifts.
Additional improvements include a new PistenBully 400 Park Pro snowcat, replacement of approximately 3,000 feet of aging snowmaking pipe, and a new haul rope and grips for the Cortina chair.
The Blitzen project is expected to be completed before the ski season, pending final approvals. DCSki first reported the planned replacement in December 2025.
Wisp Resort is making another round of snowmaking improvements following the installation of 28 new snow guns last summer.
Little Dipper is receiving 12 permanently mounted TechnoAlpin TL8 stick guns. Two will be installed on 20-foot towers and ten on 30-foot towers. The project should allow the trail to open earlier and provide more consistent coverage in the North Camp area.
Eight portable snow guns previously used on Little Dipper will be reassigned to other parts of the mountain.
Wisp is also installing a 700-foot, 24-inch supply line between a snowmaking pond and the pump house. Approximately 800 feet of snowmaking pipe on Lower Wisp is being replaced, along with lateral pipes and five hydrants. A new lake pump will increase the flow of water from Deep Creek Lake during snowmaking operations.
As part of regular lift maintenance, towers 3 and 6 on Chair 4 are being replaced. The resort is also adding skis, snowboards, boots, and poles to its rental fleet and installing surveillance cameras at chairlift unload areas to enhance operational awareness and support guest safety throughout the mountain.
Wisp completed its conversion of more than 2,000 lights around the property to energy-efficient LEDs this spring. Heating and air conditioning improvements have been made in McHenry Lodge and Hearth & Hops Tavern, and a new stage is being added for events and conferences.
Additional details are available on Wisp’s 2026-2027 upgrades page.
Wintergreen Resort is continuing a multi-year project to modernize its snowmaking system.
This summer, the Virginia resort is installing 14 TechnoAlpin TT10 fan guns on Eagle’s Swoop. The older guns being replaced there will be moved to other locations around the mountain.
The work follows the installation of ten TT10 fan guns on Dobie and Central Mountain before the 2025-2026 season.
Wintergreen is also expanding its ATASS snowmaking automation system. Automated controls allow snow guns to respond quickly as temperature and humidity change, helping crews take advantage of shorter snowmaking windows.
A new electrical substation from Central Virginia Electric Cooperative will provide additional support for the snowmaking system and future expansion.
Elsewhere on the mountain, the Patch lift is receiving a new haul rope and The Plunge tubing park is getting a new conveyor. Annual lift inspections and preventive maintenance are also underway.
Wintergreen described the projects in a July 2026 construction update.
Snowshoe Mountain Resort expects to open the new Shavers Center during the 2026-2027 winter season.
The building replaces the original Shavers Center, which served Snowshoe for nearly 50 years. It will consolidate several skier services near the center of the resort.
Plans place Ski School operations on the lower level. The main level will offer food and beverage service with seating for approximately 300 guests, supplemented by a large slopeside deck. Ticketing and activity sales will be located near the entrance, and the building will also accommodate groups and events.
The project was originally scheduled for completion in December 2025. Construction continued through the past winter, and Snowshoe reported in an August 17, 2026 update that work was wrapping up.
Snowshoe is targeting Wednesday, November 25, 2026 as its opening day, weather permitting.
Massanutten Resort plans to open ShenandoaH2O, a new five-story hotel connected to the resort’s indoor waterpark, in October 2026.
The 140-room hotel will include king and double-queen rooms, themed bunk rooms, and two- and three-bedroom suites. Other amenities will include a restaurant and lobby bar, meeting and event space, an outdoor gathering area, a pool, a fitness center, and a retail outlet.
A 25,000-square-foot expansion of the indoor waterpark is scheduled to open in early 2027. Plans include new pools, private cabanas, a five-person family raft ride, and a three-lane mat racer. Massanutten has also added nearly 300 parking spaces as part of the development.
The project expands Massanutten’s lodging capacity and its lineup of year-round activities. The hotel is scheduled to be available throughout the 2026-2027 ski season, while the waterpark expansion is expected to open later in the winter.
Massanutten also recently debuted “Mountain Mayhem,” a new alpine coaster, this past July. It is Virginia’s first alpine coaster.
Massanutten announced the ShenandoaH2O name and updated construction schedule in May.
Vail Resorts has introduced discounted Epic Pass pricing for skiers and snowboarders ages 13 through 30. For the 2026-2027 season, that age group receives a 20-percent discount on the Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass.
Eligible passholders who purchased early also receive ten Epic Friend Tickets, which provide 50-percent discounts on lift tickets for friends and family.
Vail Resorts owns eight Pennsylvania ski areas covered by DCSki: Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, Laurel Mountain, Liberty, Roundtop, Whitetail, Jack Frost, and Big Boulder.
The company has also announced a multi-year program to improve food, rentals, lessons, and digital services across its resort network. Vail has not yet detailed which elements of that program will reach its Pennsylvania properties this winter.
Many Mid-Atlantic ski areas have begun selling 2026-2027 season passes but have not yet released summaries of their summer projects. Additional announcements typically arrive closer to fall, after construction and equipment deliveries are further along.
DCSki will continue tracking improvements at ski areas throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina as the 2026-2027 season approaches.
M. Scott Smith is the founder and Editor of DCSki. Scott loves outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, kayaking, skiing, and mountain biking. He is an avid photographer and writer.
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