possible Snowshoe trip

caleb · Jun 24, 2010

the best is to camp and drive to the top. haha SAVES alot and two days is not enough to ride snowshoe i tried that last time ... need more

drkenan · Jun 24, 2010

Two days is more than enough time to ride every trail at Snowshoe. Not sure what that other guy was doing wrong but it's not THAT big.

The absolute cheapest solution is to camp. They have sites in the Silver Creek parking lot but you have to really mind your P's and Q's. The $99 deal for the Inn at Snowshoe is good for a first time visitor. You have to drive pretty far from the Inn to the top of the mountain but it wouldn't be that bad.

milohead · Jun 24, 2010

Or you could stay at Expedition at the top of the mountain and although 135 per night is more than some want to spend its has its perks. Shower or cool off when you need to. All the rooms are studios so you can cook a meal on the stove and grab a beer from the fridge. Replenish and hit the mountain again.

caleb · Jun 24, 2010

well when i went on the first day only the basin was open so we rode that and the second the western was open so we rode that but they were only running the shuttle bus so we got some runs it but then it started raining so thats why we could not get alot done.

drkenan · Jun 24, 2010

The don't charge for camping - but seriously, mind your Mind your Ps and Qs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w.svg" class="image"><img alt="Wiki letter w.svg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Wiki_letter_w.svg/40px-Wiki_letter_w.svg.png"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/6/6c/Wiki_letter_w.svg/40px-Wiki_letter_w.svg.png.

There are at least 4 different restaurants open up there right now. And you can just bring food to make as well. There are bathrooms all over the place and slick rock pools has a shower, though you may have to pay to get in there.

If you're going to snowshoe, expect to ride in the mud/rain.

DHracer1067 · Jun 24, 2010

My favorite place I have stayed up there was in the shamrock townhouses. They are almost right across from the western territory lift along with really close to the village. but you can get a 2 bedroom unit for like $130 a night. you could fit like 4 people in that easily so its only like 40 bucks a night per person if you have that many people. I stayed at the inn at the bottom the other weekend for the first race and I gotta say having the free breakfast in the morning was really nice along with stealing all the muffins and fruit for lunch snacks was great it was just such a hassle to be at the bottom. so you either have to leave all your stuff in the car or have to drive to the bottom to get something if you need it.

I don't really like the hotel options in the village. you get a lot more space for the money if you stay somewhere right outside of the village. plus its alot harder to sneak your bike up in the elevator and through hallways than to just open the front door and walk in.

DHracer1067 · Jun 24, 2010

the free breakfast isn't worth it. they don't even have a fridge in the cheap rooms down there. just stop at the grocery store in marlinton and buy some eggs and bacon and bread and you got yourself cheap breakfast. it costs atleast like 8-9 bucks a person for any sort of basic meal in the village so if you get a place where you can cook you'll save a good bit.

LOOnatic · Jun 24, 2010

I would just get the cheap rate at the SS Inn on the room + perks, then commute to one of the upper parking lots up top across from the lift.

SnowShoe is almost ALWAYS wet or damp and you'll thank me later for having a dry room and easy shower.

Sugar_brad · Jun 24, 2010

If you camp there is a very healthy black bear population. My tent was shredded so the nice people at the desk hooked us up with a room. If you are going to stay in a hotel stay up top somewhere. Expedition is awesome because they have the side room/storage area that you can lock your bike in. They are always running some kind of stay x nights get x nights free deals. The hotel at the bottom usually won't allow you to bring your bikes in. I would recommend 3 days to ride. Try to pick a non race weekend unless that's your thing. If the bus is running on the west side you can average 1 run every 30 minutes. The Basin side is awesome too and you can lap it all day. I always go for a few days in early September because the temperatures are milder and so are the thunderstorms.

profro · Jun 25, 2010

I think race weekends are a better options because they will be running the western territory lift in addition to the basin side lift. The race course would be the only trail you can't ride unless you are registered.

Its is almost always wet. The trails are ridable in wet conditions. Just expect to get muddy, slide around, and have fun. Its not a terribly steep mountain. The basin side can be steep in a few sections, but the western side isn't too bad.

But this past weekend it seemed like most of the trails on the western side were closed or in terrible disrepair. Maybe call ahead of time and see what trails are open.

tvanderkamp · Jun 25, 2010

ncfreerider5001 said:
-So, my friends and I want to hopefully take a trip to Snowshoe sometime this summer

-Just have a few questions that I hope could get answered

-cheapest place to stay? I know they are running some special deals now, like $89 per night you get this
*Two nights lodging at the Inn at Snowshoe

*Two days unlimited access to the Snowshoe Bike Park

*Two days breakfast per person
-is this the best deal?

-is two days enough to ride everything at snowshoe?

-is camping ok? where could one camp at?

-is going during a race weekend a good or bad idea? is it worth trying a race in the INTRO class?

-any other bits of info would be greatly appreciated!

One thing to note is that thier "deals" really are not deals. If you bought all of those items separately, you'd pay the exact same amount. It is just too hard to go through thier entire site to learn that.

The Snowshoe Inn is usually cheaper than the top of the mountain and either way, there isn't anything to do at the bottom of the mountain at night or at the top. There are some cabins like a mile down the road from the Inn at Snowshoe that are less expensive yet.

Two days is probably enough. Not that you can do everything on your first trip in two days but by the end of two days you will be so tired and sore that the third day would be miserable to try and ride (unless you are just in tremendous shape...but...I'm full trained up for half-ironman and I couldn't shred there for three days straight).

Also take note, that the LIFT on the western territory doesn't run all the time. You have to search the bike park site for the EXACT days. And don't call becuase the people there during the summer don't know crap about operations. When the lifts are not running you have to ride the magic bus which only leaves every half hour on the hour. If i'm lucky I get in maybe 5 runs per day on that side of hte mountain with the bus running. I won't even go anymore unless the lift is up. A lot of people don't mind the bus, but i hate it.

I tend to ride the downhill side on day one and then the basin side (freeride side) on day two. The runs are shorter on the basin side so they don't wear you out so bad. And the lift ALWAYS runs on the basin side. But I guess if you went up on like a friday/sat i'd probably do the downhill side few times on friday (downhill lift rarely runs on fridays) and then downhill on Saturday. Something like that.

Also, if you've never been. Check the weather forecast. If there is ANY chance of rain at Snowshoe, consider it 100% chance. I don't book hotel rooms in advance. They NEVER sell out in the summer anyway. And if it is gonna rain, I don't go. The freeride side can become almost unrideable after it rains (it'll be wet anyway) and the downhill side, although rideable isn't much fun if you can't just let 'er go and rip it.

These are my thoughts only. Many people will have different ideas about the lifts, rain, and so on. But for the 5 hour drive...if the conditions don't match what I want I just don't go. Too expensive and too much work to get there to not enjoy it.

I love Snowshoe and might go up there for a one day trip next saturday (leave at 3am and come back same day).

Dartman · Jun 25, 2010

There is a new lodging option near Snowshoe at the Hostel Slatyfork Farm.
Email: slaty.hostel@yahoo.com
Phone: 1 910.616.3865

It's $50 for a couple and $30 for a single per night. It's exactly one mile down Rt 219 toward Marlinton on the right.

Also try going through Spruce Realty for rentals on top. During the summer months they have a buy 3 get 1 free for a 4 night stay. Which will give you a Thu to Mon stay. http://sprucerealty.com/snowshoe_vacation_rentals/snowshoe_mountain_lodging_rentals/wv_west_virginia/rental_search_rentals.aspx

profro · Jun 25, 2010

Derek talked to me about that place. The hostel sounds like a great idea. Its run by a DHer who is knowledgeable about the mountain. Sounds like a great place.

Dartman · Jun 25, 2010

profro said:
Derek talked to me about that place. The hostel sounds like a great idea. Its run by a DHer who is knowledgeable about the mountain. Sounds like a great place.

Looks good too...

rocketmatt17 · Jun 26, 2010

If you cant get more than 5 rides on the western territory side in a day than you are taking a long time coming down. Don't count on the lifts running on the western side unless its a race weekend. That side is always shuttled.

DHracer1067 · Jun 26, 2010

I thought snowshoe's website had it listed that the western lift would be open on weekends? maybe I read it wrong.

DHracer1067 · Jun 26, 2010

http://ride.snowshoemtn.com/bike_park/hours_operations/calendar-western.htm

ya looks like June through September the lift is suppooosed to be running on weekends. hopefully that calendar is actually true.

caleb · Jun 26, 2010

yea well last year i went on a weekend when it the website said it would be running a lift then we get there and there is a little shuttle bus.

Dartman · Jun 27, 2010

On the plus side the driver of that little shuttle bus can get you 2-3 runs an hour. Carey rocks!

caleb · Jun 27, 2010

yea actually the shuttle is almost just as good now that i think about it, if you ride the shuttle you can do rock garden, and ruff-n-tumble (overlook) where if you ride the lift you would have to ride down the paved road to get to them.

profro · Jun 27, 2010

Dartman said:
Carey rocks!

In a different life that guy is a race car driver.

bizutch · Jun 28, 2010

I always like to book a room in Rimfire Lodge. The underground parking deck means you got a safe place to lock your bike inside or to the frame of your car. And the best part is that when it rains, you have a bone dry place to work on your bike and strip down before going up to your room.

Walk out the door to Starbucks (possibly the happiest I have EVER seen Jeremy R) and right into the village.

Two options to rent there too...the Remax real estate office down in the valley who rent private owner ones cheaper than Snowshoe management. Or Snowshoe proper (usually they throw in a free "Fun Pass", which gets you in the pool.

Oh, and Rimfire has a laundry machine on the top floor.

drkenan · Jun 28, 2010

^^ Damn are they paying you to rent out some rooms or something?

ag7gu · Jun 28, 2010

First of all, Snowshoe does not "allow" free camping on the mountain. If they find you, then you will most likely be asked to find accommodations elsewhere (either in a room/condo or at the Whittaker Campground in Cass). They claim it is because of the large bear population, which is in fact present. If you're coming with a big group, consider renting a larger place and splitting it between everyone.

From speaking to the lift operators and Carey the other weekend, their understanding was that the Western lift will be running weekends starting in July.

dhrookie · Jun 28, 2010

Yes camping is not allowed anymore. Safety will kick you out in a hurry, just get a room at the hostel.

profro · Jun 28, 2010

No camping at Snowshoe is one of the stupidest policies ever. I had camped there for years and have never had a problem with a bear. I have seen plenty and our camping area is the least of their worries. They are way too interested in getting into the dumpsters. I think its a convenient excuse for some other reason. Way to go Snowshoe. Your policy has run me off the mountain to spend my money elsewhere. Thank goodness for this hostel as an option.

bizutch · Jun 28, 2010

profro said:
No camping at Snowshoe is one of the stupidest policies ever. I had camped there for years and have never had a problem with a bear. I have seen plenty and our camping area is the least of their worries. They are way too interested in getting into the dumpsters. I think its a convenient excuse for some other reason. Way to go Snowshoe. Your policy has run me off the mountain to spend my money elsewhere. Thank goodness for this hostel as an option.

kiponga · Jul 2, 2010

I aswell am planning on doing a 2 day trip and was wondering what the best trails down were. Also is there an easy but not wasteful run down to do as the first run down?

OffCamber · Jul 2, 2010

Ninja Bob, Missing Link, Powerline.

kiponga · Jul 4, 2010

I was also wondering is it worth bring a dj bike or a 4 inch slalom bike to snowshoe to ride when the lifts are closed? Or is there nothing other than the dh/fr trails at snowshoe?

rocketmatt17 · Jul 4, 2010

You could ride the new trail at the bottom of the basin side. Its short and easily done on a short/no travel bike. Its not a long trail either so you could push back up to the start. You would have to push back to the top once you are done though. Its the trail with the blue wall rides, I can remember the name

caleb · Jul 4, 2010

the one with the blue wall rides is raging bull, they have just put in a GS course that is right beside raging bull and is about the same length to.

caleb · Jul 5, 2010

i think that $403 for 3 nights at the mountain lodge in a 3 bed 3 bath condo including linens and everything is a good deal.

beachbum · Jul 18, 2010

Both lifts are running every weekend this month sat. & sunday (next month as well). If you waited till there was no chance of rain you would never get to go. We were up last weekend and it was awesome. Try and stay up on the mountain if you want the full experience.

waterdogs · Jul 30, 2010

I have never been, but we are going in a few weeks. Going for the whole experience on top of the mountain and we'll be there most of the week. The wife is looking to just do some relaxing at the village and at the lake.

I've read through the post, thanks for the info. If anyone has any newbie suggestions, I am all ears.

possible Snowshoe trip

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