Skiing in D.C.?

pilatus028

pilatus028

New Member
Hey

I'm real bugged out about this trip we'll be making in January (if everything goes to plan)...We'll be flying a Piper Aztec into Manassas Regional (HEF) and keeping it there for about 3-4 days. The air and space is locked down, going there without a doubt. But I want to hit some slopes, I've been to Colorado and it was beautiful. I don't think the slopes in D.C. are going to compete but I've seen real nice pictures. If you were a group of friends on a low budget how would you handle the situation. Would you stay in the city, outside the city by the airport, or in a ski resort. I got a few in mind (Blue Knob looks like a winner, Liberty Mountian, Snoeshow, and Skiwisp). And finally, which skii resort would you go to within a 1-2 hour driving distance from D.C. to find the perfect run down the mountain? (And for the record I'm intermediate, with beginner friends
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Thanks everyone,
Clem
 
First advice is hotels ... call the FBO you're planning on using. Most FBOs will have discounted rates with area hotels ... so you can stay at nicer properties for reasonable prices. Worth checking out ... and if your chosen FBO at HEF won't do it, consider a different FBO or a different airport.

Also, as to skiing, you'll want to rent a car if you're going to Manassas. All the skiing is probably an hour's drive away, not to mention the distance to Dulles for the museum. You might consider flying in to Dulles and hitting the museum, then flying the airplane to an airport closer to your chosen ski area for that part of the trip.

As to skiing, the only one of the places you mention that I've visited is Snowshoe ... it is terrific skiing by East Coast standards. Of course, it is not inexpensive. However, I enjoy it and I'm hoping to make it up there this winter.

Good luck with the trip planning ...

FL270
 
Snowshoe is pretty tiny (only 1500' vertical), but it’s an okay area. It is actually quite good when you figure where it is. For better or worse it’s probably your best bet close to DC. Don’t bother going if it is the weekend or a holiday… like skiing on a busy New York City sidewalk.
 
You aren't going to find very much skiing within an hour or two's drive of DC. Snowshoe is a good four hour drive, and that's if you don't hit traffic. The good thing about that though, is that you won't find anyone else there.

The Washington Post has a good ski guide. I don't know when they'll be publishing it this year, but when it comes out, check it out.

As for places that are within an hour or two of the DC area, there's LIberty, Roundtop, and Whitetail. Wisp is about a two and a half hour drive. That's pretty much it.

Here's the guide. I found it on the Post!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/travel/seasonal/ski/skimap.htm
 
When I was young, we used to go to Massanutten. Not great by western standards, but if you're intermediate and beginner, it won't matter much. My parents have a cabin in West Virginia's Canaan Valley State Park which holds both Canaan and Timberline. They're pretty good, but it's easily four hours.
 
I fly out of manassas. Be careful with the weather. The only approach in there is a gps approach. Let me know when you will be arriving and maybe ill be out there and ill say hello. Are you planning in going to dulles aviation or jet services. In my opinion jet services(east ramp) is cheaper and has better service than dulles aviation on the west ramp. Let me know if you need any more info.

sean
 
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