Skiing Along the Blue Ridge Parkway
With wilderness areas and national forests surrounding us in all directions, plus the world-class Wintergreen Ski Resort, Virginia right in our backyard, our Blue Ridge Parkway Cabins are the perfect home base for your wintertime excursions.
When sizable storms roll through, the mountains get blanketed in snow, making for excellent cross-country skiing along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Three Ridges Wilderness loop, which starts right behind our property and encompasses 13 miles of rolling terrain, open meadows, and beautiful views along the way, is easily accessed from your cabin at Love Ridge. The first 1.4 miles to the Maupin Field shelter is a great ski with a wintertime view of Three Ridges.
When the snow falls, and if you’re up for even more of an adventure, jump in the car for a scenic drive to the intersection of the Blue Ridge Parkway and passing nearby towns like Lyndhurst and Waynesboro. Head east on I-64 to the Blue Ridge Parkway and park at its nexus with the Shenandoah National Park at Afton. Starting there, you can cross-country ski on Skyline Drive, which the park service does not plow during heavy snowstorms. The roadway extends for 105 miles throughout the park, staying between 2,000 and 4,000 feet in elevation. With no cars in sight and quietly traversing the ridgeline on skis while enjoying stunning views at overlooks like McCormick Gap and Calf Mountain, it’s a spectacular way to explore the beauty of a snowy day in the Shenandoah region.
Wintergreen Resort – Skiing and Snowboarding Just Moments Away
We get excited when the snow falls at Love Ridge, knowing that the slopes at neighboring Wintergreen Resort are also getting fresh powder. And even when it isn’t actively snowing, their trademark snowmaking system constantly creates new snow throughout the season – it’s the only East Coast resort with snowmaking coverage on 100% of its terrain. It’s also the only ski mountain in the area with two 6-person high-speed chairlifts, so you’ll spend more time skiing/boarding and less time waiting around in lift lines.
A quick look at their trail map (PDF) reveals a mountain that punches above its size with an impressive 1,000 feet of vertical drop and 26 well-designed runs, separated into clearly-designated beginner, intermediate, and advanced areas.
Skiers and boarders will find a lot to love on runs like Wild Turkey and Tyro, which have upper and lower sections that link up into long, flowing, top-to-bottom rides. Their two terrain parks are a hit with snowboarders and freestyle skiers, with over 40 jumps, rails, and other features that the terrain-building crew rotates throughout the season.
As lift tickets climb ever higher in price (case in point: Vail Resorts, at $275/day), Wintergreen Resort keeps its lift tickets, rentals, and lessons affordable. Adult lift tickets range from $79-109 depending on whether it’s a weekday, weekend, or holiday, while an 8-hour ski/snowboard rental is $29 for kids, $39 for young adults, and $44 for adults. One-hour or two-hour private lessons and parent/child lessons are available from their nationally-certified instructors, ranging from $129 to $199. Whether you’re sneaking away alone for some solitude on the slopes or bringing the whole family along, Wintergreen covers all the bases.
Book your Love Ridge cabin and get ready for Blue Ridge wintertime fun!
