So I tried Blue Knob on a weekday recently and I thought I'd share my impressions as a newbie.

First -- I see why this place would be awesome if you lived in the area. Relatively cheap tickets, some challenging terrain, and a refreshing lack of any "vibe" or airs.

But my take? It's not worth it for someone coming from D.C.

I personally did it as a day trip, which was pushing things a little too much. But I can't see that the cost of a hotel/lodging would be worth it, either.

I liked how "different" this place is -- it feels like a real throwback to another era of skiing. But the really narrow slopes, the sh*tty lodge, and most of all the slow lifts turned me off from wanting to return.

Disclaimer, though: My impressions might have been colored a lot by the conditions the day I was there. The day was sunless, the slopes were icy, and there was almost no one there -- which you'd think would be great, but in this case gave the place a gloomy almost apocalyptic vibe. It turns out it's nice to have at least SOME feeling of a buzz of activity/vitality going on.

Yep, Blue Knob is not for everyone; it can be windy, icy and desolate. Like several of my ex'es.

I've found day trips there to be pretty easy (but on a weekend since you avoid AM commuter traffic.)

Only a fraction of the best / most challenging terrain has been open this year. That missing terrain makes all the difference in the world for an adventurous skier. (Helps to know some of the hidden stashes on the mountain. Shhhh!)

When the good stuff is open and there has been recent snow, Blue Knob is about as good as it gets in this area. But otherwise, it is often not worth the trip (as you found this year.)

Next up?

would these be tromano hidden stashes?

Several of which I found with him or guided him to.

Nah, not that far out. Inbounds.

Agree, it's not the best year to check out BK. But maybe go back in the future when they've got some help from Mother Nature, a few of my favorite BK photos:

East Wall Glades:


Lower Shortway:


Extrovert:


Laurel Run Glades:


Ladies Day at BK

Ker-SPLASH !!
Well done.
Now having said that, you're gonna looove Timberline (Roll eyes and insert sarcasm).
Can't wait to hear that report.

Wide boulevard-y slopes were invented in the 1990s to accommodate low-skilled "intermediates" on skis with 40m+ turn radii.

Most skis now sold have sub-25m turn radii, even sub-18m turn radii. Without even /starting/ to take into account reverse cambered skis, the trails at 1990s-design resorts are obsolete.

TBH, I simply /can't wait/ to see ski area management realise that the wide-boulevard trail is an ugly dinosaur, that it costs them a mountain of $$$ in snowmaking and maintenance to keep it so.

That's right. I want glades on Limelight at Whitetail.

The beauty of the valley usually plays into any thoughts of TL or canaan..& thats NOT Sarcasm...Had relos from England that Loved the place even though they have experienced the best places in the world. They loved the natural..quaint & very Cheap skiing & according to them the very good food at bargain prices the valley offers. They also got to experience the raw power of an arctic blast thru the Valley & they got to see Mount porte crayon with its big mtn views from the valley of the Alpps. (The Jewell Mtn of the area)....They liked it so much that after spending 5 days at my place up there they went back to the valley after 3 days of being tourist in DC after I suggested other areas as a change of pace...

Both TL & canaan need improvements..& we could use a larger mtn in the area to compliment the ones we have...but the experience as a whole is much better than Blue knob!

PS..Remember...the very top of Blueknob is still lower than the Very bottom of TL...that is why there are Leafless Sticks up at BK & in pa in General..unless planted by man..Canaan is Wild-n-Wunderful..Lush & Evergreen!

Since the OP is still asking,
Ditto everyone else other than the OP.
If you're a serious skier, you'll be back to Blue Knob on a better day. There is really nothing around like it. I live much closer to it than you, and I've yet to hit it on a good day this season. It didn't/won't get close to 100% open (nor did it last year). I am still hoping for a warm & soft Spring weekend day to close the place though.

Blue Knob is either icy or epic, rarely anything in between, except very late in the season when the warm temps finally soften the north facers.

You have accurately pointed out everything there is to hate at all the local ski areas. Most of us here already know these attributes. Welcome to our MASH. Land of lowered expectations.

I can totally see this. I've taken misty pics of the relic lifts in this vein.

Weekends do have more vibe and energy, but weekdays are desolate unless it's a snow day.

Honestly when I think of it, it was this "vibe" more than anything else that turned me off. There was something so cheerless, still and eerie about this place, at least the day I visited. Again, there was no sun in the sky, it was misty and icy, and there was barely anyone there, so that enhanced the feeling.

And yeah, who knows, I might give it another try next year and I certainly appreciate what everyone is saying about its advantages. I just feel more inclined to try other areas first.

I was lucky the first time/only time i been to blue knob it had just snowed 2 1/2 feet...was awesome...when we were driving up people where on the roofs of there double wides with snowshovels...i remember crashin at some beet up condos then showin up at the lodge 15 minutes before the lifts opened the next morning and the only person there was the GM makin' coffee, 1/2 hour later he was in the groomer...loved that place that day...ride anywhere, steep trees, not a soul...you been up to the slime yet?

Blue Knob was trained by Caradhras, and had an evil name, long before dwarves ever discovered skiing and the elves cut the glades there.

Hey P-R,

Feel lucky, after all my years of skiing, BK is still on my bucket list. I was hoping that 2012 was going to be the year.

djop,

Speaking of dwarves & elves, what ya doing St. Patrick's day? WV been know to be icy, misty, snowy, around that time of year.