Editors note: A version of this article appeared in the March-April 2025 issue of Skiing History magazine. As governor of a southern state, Lamar Alexander was nobody’s guess to help spread cross-country skiing into the Southeast in the 1980s. Granted, southern governors in the 1970s and ‘80s (and since) have promoted downhill skiing, but Alexander […]
There’s intense anticipation for this winter in the Southern Appalachians. Early signs were hopeful with several regional resorts being among the East’s earliest openers thanks to pre-Thanksgiving cold, snow, and solid snowmaking into December. Hurricane Helene Hurricane Helene still haunts us. Ongoing news stories about struggling businesses closing and politicized federal recovery money not meeting […]
Research on the southern ski industry shows that below the Pennsylvania/Maryland state line, resorts boast a nationally significant rate of infrastructure reinvestment. “Incremental” and “annual” spending on snowmaking improvements, more modern lifts, and new slopes tell most of that tale (as they do everywhere). But when resorts spend big bucks on big changes it gets […]
For those who live in the Southeast, the many close-to-home ski/snowboard destinations offer affordable and convenient getaways for a day, weekend or longer. The resorts here have been busy upgrading terrain, lifts, snowmaking and other amenities for the 2023/24 season. Here’s an update of what to expect, by state. Virginia Massanutten Following up last winter’s major […]
The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia, is not the biggest ski area in the South, but it’s the oldest. When snowmaking was installed on new slopes in 1959, the historic hotel appended the words “ski” and “spa” to its self-description. The hotel has been hosting guests “taking the waters” at local hot springs since 1766, […]
Terrain expansions and technology upgrades are routine at the seventeen ski resorts south of the Mason-Dixon Line. This year, that trend continues. Here’s what’s new for the 2022/2023 season in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Virginia – Massanutten – 2022-23 marks the 50th year of skiing inside the “Kettle” bowl of Shenandoah Valley landmark […]
No matter where you ski or ride, historic ski country lodging may not be far away. One of the most offbeat indicators of that is how many Southern Appalachian ski accommodations compare to the coolest historic places skiers check into up North and out West. A stay at the fanciest won’t be cheap, but it […]
As serious skiers gain years and experience, many become interested in the history of their sport. And a lot of us are also better positioned economically to savor that heritage by checking into some of the country’s more historic ski settings. A budget bunker motel beside the access road might be OK, but it’s surprisingly […]