Average inches of snowfall? 43.2 inches
Number of slopes? 26 – with terrain for never-evers to advanced skiers and riders
Skiable acres? 130
Pass prices? Student/Senior: $399; Adult: $599; Family: $1,699
Opening day? Friday, December 11 (projected)
Number of lifts? 5 chair lifts (the only ski area in the region with two high-speed 6 pack chair lifts for a quick ride back up the mountain) and 4 surface conveyor lifts.
Longest run? 1.4 miles
Base/summit elevation? 2,500 ft/3,500 ft
Driving distance to nearest major cities?
- Charlottesville, Va. – 1 hour
- Lynchburg, Va. – 75 minutes
- Richmond, Va. – 90 minutes
- Washington, D.C. – 3 hours
- Raleigh/Durham, N.C. – 3 ½ hours
- Virginia Beach, Va. – 4 hours
What guidelines and protocols have you put in place to keep visitors and employees safe during COVID-19?
Head to Wintergreen’s website for all COVID-19 guidelines and updates.
What’s new at the resort this year?
Wintergreen Resort has been teaching thousands of people per year to ski or snowboard for over thirty years. This winter the resort will continue to devote significant capital to introducing guests to the sport by expanding the beginner terrain. The newly expanded area will present novice skiers and riders with a Terrain Based Teaching methodology which has proven to make the learning process easier and faster.
Outdoor activities have proven to be extra popular over the past summer and fall as people are encouraged to spend time outside in fresh air rather than indoors. Based on early indications, Wintergreen General Manager Rod Kessler indicated the resort expects more people than usual will want to learn to ski or snowboard this winter. Kessler noted, “We made the investment in the expanded beginner terrain to accommodate additional guests and to help them progress more quickly to the point of being proficient skiers and snowboarders. It’s surprising, but with TBL, people can go from never having skied before to ready to ski from top to bottom on modest terrain in just a day or two.”
Instruction techniques in the ski industry have evolved with the Terrain Based Learning (TBL) method that allows skiers and riders to progress at their own pace using features created by sculpting the snow to help participants learn to turn and stop. Unlike the traditional group method where the entire group learns next steps when everyone has grasped a concept, the TBL method lets individuals advance to the next station once they are comfortable.
People of various ages and abilities can advance at a pace that is comfortable for them without slowing down or racing ahead of others in the lesson. This method also increases the number of skiers and snowboarders a teaching facility can accommodate since the instructor to student ratio is replaced with station to student ratio. Certified instructors remain present along the TBL course to provide individual instruction and a bit of encouragement.
Wintergreen Resort’s new Terrain Based Teaching area is comprised of five stations plus a new check-in area and a conveyor lift. Station #1, known as the ‘Flats’, will cover basic, but necessary, beginner information like equipment familiarization, moving around on flat ground with equipment, getting up from a seated position, and learning techniques to approach and load a lift. Station #2 is a ‘Mini-Pipe’ which is a dished out area in the snow that allows participants to begin moving with momentum for the first time. The mini-pipe promotes a natural increase then decrease in speed to encourage skiers/riders to ‘steer’ in both forward and backward directions. The second station focuses on balance, athletic stance, natural acceleration and deceleration, and flex and extension in different positions. Station #3 is known as ‘Rollers’, and it will further enhance participant balance, proper body position, edge pressure, and confidence. Learning to turn is highlighted in Station #4, the ‘Banked Slope.’ The slope gradient of the Terrain Based Learning snow features will guide participants’ skis or boards into a new direction without much effort from the participant. The final station, Station #5, known as ‘Banked Turns’ will cover linking turns for the first time. Skiers and snowboarders will control their turns by naturally turning them right/left/right/left with the banked turns made of snow. This feature teaches balance in motion, edge control, pressure management, flex and extension, as well as riding the lift.
In addition to the five Terrain Based Learning stations, Wintergreen Resort will install a conveyor lift forty feet longer than the existing conveyor. This surface lift is ideal for transporting skiers and snowboarders up the hill in a learning environment as they do not have to load an aerial lift. The final piece of the upgrade to the beginner area is the relocation of the Snowsport Check-in Office which makes the process and access more convenient for beginner skiers and snowboarders with a closer proximity to the beginner terrain.
What are the best après ski activities in the area?
- The Edge: The best burgers around made with GMO-Free, 100% Virginia beef. Friday and Saturday nights feature live entertainment. Hump-Day Wednesday is everyone’s favorite – Breakfast for Dinner!
- Devils Grill – Upscale dining on top of the mountain, including Sunday brunch and Sunday supper with live music.
- Pryors Porch: It’s a Blackrock BBQ and Fry House.
- The Lookout – Pizza and subs with views of the slopes.
- Checkerberry Cabin – Fill up on morning treats, including sweet and cinnamony Monkey bread, and savory delights like pulled beef and chicken burritos.
- Terrace Café – Starbucks to keep you going, baked sweets to make you smile, and warm specialty cocktails to help you relax.
- The Market – Boar’s Head deli sandwiches, salads, and a variety of convenience goods – plus a large selection of domestic and imported beer and wine. Did we mention the best pizza!
Where do you recommend visitors buy or rent their gear?
Outdoor Elements
The shop carries ski and snowboard hardgoods and accessories plus skiwear and outerwear selections for gear junkies and outdoor fashionistas alike. You’ll also find a wide selection of Wintergreen logo items.
Wintergreen Rental Shop
We have a Rossignol Experience Center with the latest and greatest ski equipment. Our fleet of boots has been converted to all Rossignol brand boot. Cool!
Pre-register online to save time and get you on the snow faster!
How many beginner, intermediate, and expert trails are there?
23% beginner, 35% intermediate, 42% advanced/expert
What activities are available beyond the slopes?
Tubing on Virginia largest tubing park, The Plunge, Ridgely’s Fun Park for kids, Aquatics & Fitness Center, The Spa, Discovery Ridge Adventure Center, indoor tennis, hiking, dining, golf at Stoney Creek, and more. Don’t forget our friends in Nelson County. Nelson 151 is a great way to end your day at Wintergreen.
What are your best runs and why?
For the advanced skier or rider, Tyro is a favorite run. It’s the longest trail and offers varied terrain, starting out with a gentle downhill, and ending with an exciting finish. For the expert skier and rider, Cliffhanger is the favorite, hands down.
Where is the best place to stay in the area? And if they are looking to buy?
No need to head home after a day on the slopes. Wintergreen Resort offers comfy accommodations from studios to 9-bedroom homes. And renting through Wintergreen gives you exclusive benefits – weekend 8 a.m. skiing and riding, access to Aquatics & Fitness, and more.
Wintergreen Real Estate, with an office in the Mountain Inn, will help you find a place with a view that’s just right for you!
What do you offer beginners who want to learn to ski?
Mission: Four’dable
Quad-pack of unrestricted ticket for only $249 on sale through December 18.
Do you offer any family friendly activities?
Ridgely’s Fun Park is the place for young children to play in the snow with a gentle tubing hill, bear paw snowshoes and more. Discovery Ridge Adventure Center has upgraded the fun with a Ninja Warrior course and bouldering wall. Relax by our indoor pool and hot tubs.
Are there activities available in the off-season?
Visit Wintergreen anytime for some golf, tennis, hiking, swimming, Lake Monocan, spa, dining, archery, summer tubing, and zipline. More details are available on the website.
