Lodging at snowshoe presidents day weekend?
January 13, 2005
36 posts
12 users
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I understand there is the bargain tracker, etc on the site, but I'm having a hard time getting a handle on the lodging at Snowshoe. I'd like to go up there presidents day weekend if possible and there are just so many options it is overwhelming.
I'm looking for something that would handle 6-8,9,10 people for Friday, Sat and Sunday nights. Of course, money is tight for this adventure, especially since the lift tickets are so much and many of the people going would need to rent skis (thinking about ski chalet for this).
Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm just looking for someone to narrow it down for me to a particular type of lodging, location on the mountain or nearby, etc. Of course, the closer to the slopes the better, but I don't think I have to mention that.
I've heard Cass has cabins in town that are for rent for really cheap. It's probably 10 minutes away in good conditions. I think the cass state park website rents the places out. Not sure how many people they hold
I just about to say the same. It is really affordable, and I have a friend who stayed there and says they are really nice. I plan on using them too, next time I get up there for a weekend. Keep in mind tho, that they are a good half hour away from the mt. top. And Cass really has nothing but trains and these cottages. I don't even know if theres a store.
If you stay in Cass (which I too recommend), then you really need to bring food with you to prepare in the fully equipped kitchens that are in the rental cottages. There are no food stores or restaurants in Cass. The nearest place to buy food is Henry's BP station and general store in Greenbank, and the pickings are pretty slim there.
Tom
Hey thanks a lot!! That's a great idea. never heard of the place, but I'll check it out. Good advice on the food situation too!
Jeremy,
If you want to stay on-mountain (which makes for much easier logistics to/from the slopes), Try looking at the Summit condos (across the parking lot from the slopes). Also, check out Mountain Lodge and Top of the World. I believe that they all offer 3 bedroom units which should sleep at least 8. The above complexes are fairly inexpensive for staying on-mountain. Possibly check out Treetop 3Br condos as well but I think these cost more than the others mentioned. If all of these are too pricey for your collective budget, then I would tend to agree with the Cass suggestions. You're about 30 minutes or so away from the top (WV 66 to Snowshoe Drive)
-Warren-
You could also check out Mountain Valley rentals at
www.snowshoerentals.com for homes and cabins in the Slaty Fork and Sunset Mountain Village areas. All are within 10 miles from Snowshoe Village.
Jeremy, whatever you do, do it soon. Wait too long and your only option may be paying 150.00+ for a 45.00 room at the Inn.
jimmy
Not that I would try to do anything dishonest, but does anyone know how strict the enforcement is on the number of people at a rental/room? The disclaimers "you will be evicted with no deposit" sound pretty strict. However, 8 people can really do very well in a 3 bedroom place for 6 if you bring an air mattress for the floor.
Good advice on the timeline. Gonna get it sorted out very soon. Thanks.
Jeremy,
Unless there was cause for someone to take notice (ie a lot of noise/comotion) I wouldn't imagine that there'd be an issue. They don't have a condo patrol that sits out in front and counts the number of people coming in/out
-Warren-
Yeah, all that talk in the rental agreement scared me and my friends at first, but both this and last winter, we put 5 people in a 4 person Rimfire. We did little things like only request 4 keys (even though we bought 5 lift tickets...). That may not compare to like 8 people or whatever but still. So, don't worry, unless youre rowdy and will attract attention.
Thanks, I thought that might be the case.
Jeremy,
Ski Chalet has discount lift ticket vouchers.
You should also try
www.snowshoevacationrentals.com they are typically less expensive than going through Snowshoe.
I've also stayed at Elk River Touring Center. ERT is about 20 minutes from the Shoe. They have some cabins and some less expensive rooms. They also have have a restaurantand pub. ERT is a cross country ski center, but with the lack of snow I'm sure they'd love to have some customers.
www.ertc.com
There are quite a few rentals available at or near Snowshoe that will match your budget. That, together with getting your lift tickets at Ski Chalet or some other discount source, could easily make a dent in the overall price of the stay.
Some food for thought: If you think I'm being vehement, it's because I've been at the receiving end of damages...
As a homeowner at Snowshoe, I DO have to take a sigificant issue with the notion of making a "Daytona Spring Break" and cramming a condo well above its capacity. First, it is unethical and dishonest.
Second, NONE of the accomodations at Snowshoe are owned by the resort, save the Spruce Lodge that is scheduled for demolition this year. All of them are privately owned. How would you like if someone crammed your house above its capacity and caused well in excess of the wear and tear you expect?
Many of us are reticent to rent to groups. Some others do not rent to college students and unmarried groups whatsoever. Two months ago, a fraternity meeting caused damages in excess of a thousand dollars per unit in the Summit. Some had to have the carpet totally replaced. Many non-smoking units were stuck with the stench of cigarette smoke until the Spring or until the unit is repainted. For the owners who were stuck with the tab, or the loss of income, this comes out of their pocket. Insurance doesn't cover that. Over-occupancy, however innocently done, is a major source of wear and tear.
Over-occupancy of a unit has another name for it: theft. You are receiving services for which you did not pay. No different than counterfitting or shoplifting.
I choose not to rent through the Snowshoe Rental Program because of that specific reason, that Snowshoe doesn't adequately police the units. The business through whom I rent my property is quite adamant about ensuring who and how many people stay in the property. Seeing the previous messages about sneaking people in, reinforces my decision.
I hope next time you decide to cram people above a unit's capacity, that you consider the impact of your decision.
Quote:
...Spruce Lodge that is scheduled for demolition this year...
NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! That is the only place I'll probably ever be able to afford slopeside up there. Crap, us poor people are officially run out of Snowshoe summit lodging. Me and three other people stayed up there a few years ago on the final weekend for $50 total and it was a free skiing weekend. That's right folks, slopeside room, 2 day ski ticket, Cupp was open, and it cost a grand total of $12.50 per person...and it was 100% ethical and legal. Guess we'll have to stay up there one last time later this year. 
The Summit condos may be getting more expensive in the future. The owners are scheduled to vote on a $1.5 mil improvement project later this month. The bulk of the project will be replacing the siding, suring up the footers, and redoing the outside decking and stairwells with a stone and lodge-pole pine look.
lbotta,
I can see this is an emotional topic for you. I agree with the cramming a unit full of people for a "Spring Break". We always rent a 6 person unit for 4 people, we like the extra breathing room offered. Also, we treat the unit as if it was our own(keep mud/snow out of living area, keep kitchen clean, vacuum periodically, etc). We rented Powderidge Unit #14 for 12/26 - 1/2. It was obvious that there had been an "energetic"
group in there before us. It didn't sound like the discussion was inferring that the unit was going to be "crammed" beyond belief. I think that's why several of us made the comments we did. Wouldn't it be better for the owner to have the rental income (providing no "Spring Break" groups) vs not at all for that time period? Especially this season with many folks losing the faith and not showing up to the hill.
-Warren-
Warren, the occupancy limit posted for each unit is pretty much the upper limit already. For a 3-bedroom advertised as "sleeps 8", it means sofa bed and people sleeping everywhere but the rafters... It's pretty uncomfortable.
In my particular case, I have made my unit as nice as it could be. Not trying to be pretentious but I just sunk six digits into remodeling it and ensuring that I can offer the best in comfort for myself, my family, friends, and the paying guests during the five or six times a year it is on the market. I take great pride in my unit.
You obviously take good care of the places you and your friends and family occupy and I congratulate you on that... You're the standard rather than the exception. However, it is the exceptions that give everyone a bad name.
Some owners have their units strictly for investment and understand the uncertainties and risks involved in renting to groups, college students, etc. Frankly, I would not want the rental income if it comes at the price of having it torn up, off the rental market for weeks, and unble to enjoy it or use it, only because some unscrupulous persons decided to have a good time at my expense.
Only once have I had the displeasure of damage from indiscriminate renters. That's when I took the unit off the Snowshoe program period.
That's why an increasing number of owners are either taking their units off the market altogether or signing up with management companies that hang up on unmarried groups and college students, or police their renters like the Wermacht. The result is more expensive rentals for all and despite all the construction on the mountain, less available units.
And still, the trust factor applies. Theft of service is no different than the theft of goods.
"Wouldn't it be better for the owner to have the rental income (providing no "Spring Break" groups) vs not at all for that time period? Especially this season with many folks losing the faith and not showing up to the hill."
I would say no. I own a unit at Rimfire. First of all, condo owners in the village will have no problem renting thier units MLK weekend. As far as spring break goes - not only do the condo owners get stuck individually with danages - but the building itself gets vandalized and regular guests get scared away. The discount rates that are given means net-net condo owners probably lose.
With the high prices on the hill at Snowshoe, does anyone think there is an opportunity for off mountain lodging. Specifially, we own a lot off 219 which is exactly 9.5 miles from the village (3.5 miles from the original resort entrance). Planning on building a vacation rental home. Rates would be around $300 per night for a 3-4 bedroom that sleeps at least 8. That's $38 a head. Provisions and equipment could be arranged for guests and ready upon arrival. Guests would probably drive to Silver Creek (about 6.5 miles from the property) and park - warm up there and shuttle up to the basin or the western territory (or could drive on up to TOTW. This arrangement would work best for larger parties, who own thier equipment, have season passes, and like to prepare thier own meals (another savings). What do you think?
Yea, the group I would be going with are all late 20's and most are married couples. I can't recall ever being with a group that "trashed" a beach house or hotel room, even in college. It's unfortunate that these places are damaged.
I grant you it is partly due to the number of people, but even more the result of the type of renters. I would suggest that a larger deposit be required. Many places will "authorize" (not charge, but make sure they can charge) a large amount of money on a credit card. This would certainly help weed out those who are on the edge of enjoying the rental and trashing the rental.
I also agree with the point about renting the place vs. not renting it at all. I really have high expectations for snowshoe..mostly because of the amount of snow they get and the PRICES. If the prices get much higher, it's probably more worth my while to fly to tahoe and take advantage of their incredible snow. The flights are cheap, the lift tickets comparable, and more lodging options are available. It's even about the same amount of time from the house to the resort (3-4 hours to snowshoe from Northern, VA vs. 5 hour flight)
[rant on]
And following what ibotta said is one of the main reasons we have decided not to buy at Snowshoe. I am not trying to be difficult, but for every 10 families that play by rules there is always a bunch that breaks them. I have seen some of the damage done and there is no excuse for it. If those rampaging drunken ninnies did the same destruction in their parents home they would get the tar beat out of them. They treat the accommodations the same way they treat slope access; "I'm special and if I want to trash/shred/straightline I will, try and stop me." As soon as Snowshoe makes some serious effort to control some of the shenanigans around there, I would consider making a serious effort to buy property. I know they can't police everything but they can certainly do a better job than they are doing now, accommodations and slopeside.
The comment "better for the owner to have the rental income" is an oxymoron. If your property is destroyed then you have to repair it thus negating advantages you might have gained by renting.
[/rant off]
Snowcone and DWW,
I didn't mean literally Spring Break it was more of a description for the type of group in the unit. Anyway, I understand your points. I've been trying to convince my wife to buy a 2 bedroom resale on the mountain (I like the Treetop units as they're close but fairly quiet
) If we were to buy, I'm not really sure if I'd want it in the rental program either based on what I've heard from you and other owners I've talked to while I've been on the mountain
I really like Snowshoe and my heart is there. I was really trying to encourage Jeremy to come there vs staying off property. It's so much more enjoyable when you're right there in the middle of it all.
-Warren-
Ibotta,
Since you're an owner there, I have a question. Doesn't Snowshoe property management charge the renters if there's damage after they check out that wasn't there before? When we checked into our Powderidge unit, the couch cushion was melted/burned. We called right away and reported it. They came out and took pictures of the damage and I thought they were indicating that they were going after the previous occupants. It's stuff like this that makes the rental rates go up
-Warren-
Yeah Warren - The "spring break crowd" is a tough one to manage. On the one hand the high rental rates keep out some - on the other hand it encourages more of the packing-it-in. The new Expedition Station, that will replace Spruce Lodge is targeted more to this crowd. It will be more basic and have fewer amenities than Rimfire, Alleheny, etc. Maybe it will take some pressure off the other condos.
My family owns some places in OC, the OBX, and Snowshoe. Never have had a problem at the OBX. The OC places get beat up by college kids more than the place at Snowshoe. the deck door open during a snowstorm (housekeeping found 2 foot drifts in the family room) and ripped all the window treatments down. Besides that we've decided to no longer rent during bike week during the summer. They never broke anything but always managed to track oil into the unit.
I have been following this post and I am amazed at how bad us college students are being misrepresented here. It's amazing to me that everyone here seams to think of us as a bunch of drunken disrespectful hooligans. In fact the opposite is more often true. Most of us are breaking the bank just to get to places like snowshoe and we would rather not have extra expensive added to our bill because something got broken. Most college students are responsible drinkers and don't get drunk every night like some people seam to think. In fact I just got back from another Interwest resort with the PSU Ski club and we were nothing but respectful to the property we were in. We were in Tremblant during what is lovingly known as college week. Even with all those college students up there it was pretty quiet in the town. All week I only saw one party going on. Most people if they drank at all would only drink one or two then go to bed. We were there to ski not to party. Personally the attitude people have on this board seams very out of whack. I know most of you were college students and hopefully you were as respectful as most college students today are. No matter what age you are there will always be bad apples it's not just the 18-25 crowd people.
It is a simple fact that college week at Snowshoe has more problems than any other week. I'm sure there a few bad apples that spoil the bunch. But hey you're right, I was there once - and that's exactly why I know what happens. My 22 year old step sons only reinforce that view.
Good point also on bike week. There is more damage done then than any other time. People actually bring thier muddy bikes up into the rooms.
Shearer I've been to Snowshoe for several college weeks and it is a bit more rowdier than other weeks (it was a college week renter that left our deck door open). I think part of the rowdiness might have to do with the fact that many of the kids that come up from the south view the skiing as almost secondary. There's nothing wrong with that for the most part but the 1-3% that decide to drink all day tend to cause problems despite the good intentions and behavior of their fellow coeds.
I understand that there may be a few more problems during college week and spring break then other weeks but I still feel that us college students are being unfairly singled out in this discussion. I worked for five years in a hotel as a lifeguard and in those years I have encountered many of the similar problems that are being discussed. The interesting thing I found was that the group of people that had the worst reputation going in was usual the best behaved. Every year there is a hugh BMX match in the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh and our hotel was one of the closest to the event so we would have allot of them staying there. for the few weeks leading up to the event everyone in the hotel seamed to start complaining about how bad it was going to be and all the damage that was going to be caused. Then these kids come and everything goes perfectly fine. Yet the complaining came back every year. There were only two groups that came to the hotel that caused a lot of damage and disruption. 1 was a group of door to door salesmen that were hitting up the tri state area for a few weeks and the other group was a Mennonite convention. Both of these consisted of people in the 25-50 crowd and not of the younger generation that seams to get all the blame these days. One time we actual had a member of a popular 60's rock n roll band get in a bar fight while he was staying in the hotel. We would also get problems from various wedding and occasional some younger trouble makers. But the point I am trying to make is for the most part our problems at this hotel seamed to come from older people but yet everyone there still seamed to blame the younger people. Just hope some people will take this into consideration the next time they want to blame us young uns for all the worlds problems.
I think the problem with Snowshoe during spring break is their close proximity to all those losers from VT
I agree with you to a point. A few rotten eggs give everyone a bad name. But still, the fact stands. Several thousand dollars in damages, condos off the market, and loss of rental and family time for many, was the result of the recent Frat Weekend at Snowshoe. I know of three neighbors who pulled their units off the Snowshoe rental program after that weekend. Not worth the headache not to say the heartache. Their new management company wants nothing to do with college students. Would you blame them?
It is obvious you are a judicious person, more power to you. Perhaps you and other people of college age should endeavor to self-police and to raise community conscience when you're among colleagues as guests in a rental unit. That would go a long way to dispel the stereotypes.
Lou
JR, What are all those losers from Vermont going to Snowshoe for?
Sorry, meant Virginia Tech
DUUHHH, You'd think I was a Hokie.
jimmy
