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JimK - DCSki Columnist

3 days ago (edited 3 days ago)

Member since 01/14/2004 🔗

3,004 posts

Firsthand Report: Early January at Canaan Valley Resort, WV

By Jim Kenney

I had a good time skiing at Canaan Valley Resort on Sunday, January 5, 2025. I skied from about 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM. The temperature ranged from the low teens to the high teens while I was there. The wind was light and so were the crowds. A sunny morning gave way to a cloudy afternoon. Storm's a comin'.

View of Canaan Valley Ski Area from Rt. 32. Photo by Jim Kenney

The conditions on the 5th of January were a nice mix of manmade and natural snow. There appeared to be about 6-12" of natural snow in the woods beside the ski slopes and the entire valley looked wintry. There were only a couple trails open from the summit. The main route down from the top consisted of Upper Canaan Curve to Chute to Valley Vista to Face, but there were a few side trails you could also dabble with like Cutback and Lower Timber Trail.

Parent and child heading down Upper Canaan Curve. Photo by Jim Kenney

Snow guns were running the whole time I was there, but none blasting in my face on the main route down. They were blowing on Upper Valley Vista, Upper Timber Trail and I believe over by Ski Daddler and Weiss Meadows. With the cold and snowy weather predicted for the coming week I expect the open trail count to rise significantly.

Readying Timber Trail. Photo by Jim Kenney

It was the Sunday after New Year's Day. I took about 20 rides on Weiss Quad chair (~750' vertical) and only rode with another person once. Even with limited trails open from the top I was able to log a ton of miles and get a good workout on my first day of skiing this winter.

Valley Vista Trail. Photo by Jim Kenney

I love the three hour drive from Northern Virginia to Canaan Valley, especially on a Sunday. I had light traffic coming and going via I66, I81, US 48 and Rt. 32. The last 20 miles from about Bismarck, WV on 48 to the ski area had some packed and/or blowing snow on the road surface, but it's not too hilly and I made good time in both directions.

In the afternoon the snow clouds gathered over the Canaan Valley base area. Photo by Jim Kenney

Admittedly, Canaan Valley ski area is somewhat slower than many other local ski areas in getting their slopes covered with manmade snow. So why did I choose to ski there yesterday? Well, age 70+ skis free there and that's my demographic. Free is good. Also, the place is NEVER crowded. I got a close-in parking spot. I booted-up with plenty of elbow room in the lodge and skied on very low-traffic slopes the whole day with no lines anywhere. The ski area reported 8" new snow overnight after I left. I expect more terrain opening soon with the skiing only getting better over the next couple weeks.

RodneyBD - DCSki Supporter

3 days ago

Member since 12/21/2004 🔗

266 posts

Great trip report thanks Jim.

Call me crazy but if both Tline and CV were 100% open I would head to CV on a powder day. Lots of fun to be had in all sorts of nooks and crannies on the hill and Tline gets skied off way faster (at least on a weekend).

padjaski68

3 days ago

Member since 01/21/2016 🔗

123 posts

I skied CV on Saturday definitely agree, no crowds because they were at TLine. Plenty of powder on natural trails that were untouched that were open. Despite the wind, Upper Canaan Curve was very carveable not wind blown. Skied at TLine Sunday and all natural trails not listed on the trailmap were skied off.

The biggest gripe, if no outside food can be brought in upstairs then make sure the food court is open when slopes open not at 11am. I have never seen that at any ski area even smaller than CV.

A question I do have, is about the snowmaking and unorganized it is. Saturday they were blowing on Easy Does It and Upper Timber, but also way out by Lower Prosperity on the knoll. Is the system that poorly designed that they can not make snow TTB on Timber at one time? Why make snow on opposite sides of the mountain at the same time. They could have made snow on Timber and Gravity to be more efficient since both trails were sheltered from wind.

Both times I have been CV, once this year and back in late January in 2022 it snowed about 8 inches and pretty much same terrain was open. Keeping my fingers crossed for MLK weekend and in February that more terrain will be open so I enjoy more of the mountain.

RodneyBD wrote:

Great trip report thanks Jim.
Call me crazy but if both Tline and CV were 100% open I would head to CV on a powder day. Lots of fun to be had in all sorts of nooks and crannies on the hill and Tline gets skied off way faster (at least on a weekend).

Gibou Skier

12 hours ago

Member since 12/9/2019 🔗

23 posts

Yah, I don’t understand the trail count at CV. I’ve checked their trail report several times this week in anticipation a trip this weekend, but it has been stubbornly stuck at 13 or 14 trails, despite the heavy snowfall over the course of the week. That’s pretty consistent with my experience skiing there in the past few years. They almost never open up more than 18 of their trails. I consider the remaining 10+ trails/routes permanently closed for all practical purposes. They may as well remove them from their trail map.

JimK - DCSki Columnist

7 hours ago (edited 7 hours ago)

Member since 01/14/2004 🔗

3,004 posts

Since my visit they've opened two good ones, Gravity & Timber Trail from the top, and a couple of smaller trails. I might go again tomorrow.

padjaski68

7 hours ago

Member since 01/21/2016 🔗

123 posts

It looks like they are working on Upper Spruce and Ski Daddler for snowmaking now. Look forward to seeing your report tomorrow.

JimK wrote:

Since my visit they've opened two good ones, Gravity & Timber Trail from the top, and a couple of smaller trails. I might go again tomorrow.