As I’m sitting here writing, I’m wondering, “Where the heck is the snow?” Not that I’m complaining! I’d just as soon the local streets and sidewalks stay clear (so much better for business!). I’m 100% content that within an easy drive from home, I can find all the white stuff I could possibly want at family-friendly ski resorts. Let me tell you about two of my favorites.
When I want a quick-fix of outdoor winter exercise, I pack my parka and head for Whitetail Ski Resort in Mercersburg, PA. In just 90 minutes I am strapping on my ski boots and adjusting my bindings for a day on the slopes. Whitetail is a great place to head if you want to learn a snow sport or improve upon existing skills: its 2010-2011 beginner skiing and snowboarding programs were recognized as the best in the nation by the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). My daughters love Wednesday at Whitetail – that’s College Day! With a valid university or college ID, students can choose a 4-hour flex pass, night pass, or 4-hour “first lesson” package, for the unheard of price of just $35, rentals included. Other special events include Women’s Days, Torchlight Parades, and the upcoming Spring Festival. Whitetail’s amenities include 23 trails, 9 ski lifts, night skiing and snowboarding. You can head up after breakfast, ski for several hours, and be home in time for dinner.
However, sometimes you want more than just a flirt with Old Man Winter – you want the whole “cabin in the woods” experience. I heartily recommend Hidden Valley Resort in Somerset, PA. It’s an easy three-hour drive from DC, nestled in the snowier-than-home Laurel Highlands Mountains. Hidden Valley’s ski and boarding amenities are similar to Whitetail’s: 28 trails, 9 lifts, night skiing. What make Hidden Valley different are the non-slope amenities. With 70 skiable acres, surrounded by unlimited wooded parkland, Hidden Valley attracts cross-country skiers and snowshoe enthusiasts. The Outback Snow Tubing Park is popular with children as well as adults – plummeting down gentle slopes as you cling to the sides of a large rubber tube is guaranteed to have you laughing in no time. There’s a Sports Club and Pool for non-skiers and several après ski dining options, including Glaciers Pub that offers live weekend entertainment. What we like best about Hidden Valley is the wide range of ski-in/ski-out rental housing. Head home after an invigorating day, fix some cocoa or spiced wine, and curl up before a roaring fire…while someone else worries about shoveling the sidewalks and plowing the drive.
Happy Trails!
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