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Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing
at the White Grass Touring Center
HC 70, Box 299, Davis, WV 26260
The
White Grass Touring Center (800-248-2519, 304-866-4114, www.whitegrass.com)
is in the Canaan Valley (pronounced Ka-nane) and High Allegheny Mountains
in West Virginia. It is a one-of-a-kind place to xc ski that gets 150
inches annually. This is a Mid Atlantic xc skier's mecca for good karma
and if you don't believe it, check out the "Backscatter" referrals
at Feedback.
The White Grass Web site is a popular stop and it's freshened up every day with daily updates almost all year long.
There's 50 km of trails that are groomed or maintained at White Grass. The trails range from 3,200 to 4,400 feet in elevation. The area has 1,200 vertical feet and slopes and glades for telemark skiers, too.
White
Grass was originally built as an alpine ski area in 1959 and has been
doing xc skiing since 1979 (that makes it one of the oldest xc ski areas
in the US).. In 2003, White Grass was named the W. VA Environmental
Council's Green Entrepreneur Award because of how sustainable the operation
is run. The 5 km of snow fence that captures greater amounts of snow
that are shoveled to patch low areas is typical. They call it "snow
farming."
The White Grass trail use fee is $12 and $3 for kids. Lessons are available in a group $15 for 1.5 hours or in a mini lesson for only $6. XC Skating or telemark ski lessons are $25. Rental equipment is available for $12 weekday or $15 weekend, kids $5, skating $20, pulk sled $10, telemark/backcountry $28, and snowshoes are $12. Guided tours to the high country are available and there is a full retail ski shop on location with new, upgrade trades, and used gear.
Enjoy
White Grass Cafe & Catering for homecooked lunches specializing
in natural food cuisine with vegetarian soups and sandwiches, cookies,
cakes, and pies. Dinner specialties by reservation on Friday and Saturday
nights.
Also two cookbooks are available including the White Grass Flavor and the Cross Country Cooking (order on the White Grass Web site). There is live music on the weekends and White Grass prides itself by the great range of tunes heard at the area.
For
some exciting runs at White Grass check out Yitzhak Ravine, Boutros-Boutros
Gully, and Badly Glades.
Lodging list of B & B inns, condos, and hotels are available on the White Grass Web site. There are about 100 km of xc ski trails in the local region at places such as Canaan Valley State Park, the Mongongahela National Forest including high windblown plains of the Dolly Sods Wilderness area, and the Blackwater Falls State Park.
Directions: From Baltimore/Washington DC take I-70 W, I-68W to Rte 219 S though Oakland, MD to Rt 32 S and Canaan Valley. From Pittsburgh take I-79, I-68 E to Rt 42 S to Rt 219 S and Rt 32 S.. From N. VA take I-66 to I-81 to Rt 55W at Harman and Rt 32N to Canaan Valley. From Ohio take I-70 E to I-79 S to Morgantown and I-68 E to Rt 42 S to Rt 219 S and Rt 32 S. CCSAA member.