Canaan Valley Resort State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canaan Valley Resort State Park |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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Blackwater River in the park.
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 Canaan Valley Resort State Park
Location in West Virginia
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| Location | Tucker, West Virginia, United States |
| Area | 6,015 acres (24.34 km2) |
| Established | 1971 |
| Operator | Regency Hotel Management Company |
Canaan Valley Resort State Park is a cool state park in the eastern United States. It's located inside Canaan Valley in Tucker County, West Virginia. This park is special because it's in the highest valley east of the Mississippi River. It also has the second-largest inland wetland area in the whole country. Fun fact: this valley was the first place in West Virginia to have a commercial ski area!
Contents
History of Skiing in Canaan Valley
Early Skiing Adventures
In the early 1950s, some people from the Washington Ski Club thought Canaan Valley would be a perfect place for skiing. Pilots flying over the area had reported that snow often stayed on the side of Cabin Mountain until April or even later. This was because that side of the mountain was protected from the sun.
The club started building ski slopes in the early 1950s. In 1954, they signed a ten-year agreement with local landowners. Their ski area was called Cabin Mountain Ski Area. It had two rope tows and covered about 40 acres (0.16 square kilometers) of land. The runs went about 0.25 miles (0.40 kilometers) down a slope. This was the first commercial ski place south of the Mason–Dixon line. The Cabin Mountain Ski Area closed in 1962.
Weiss Knob Ski Area
In 1955, a student named Robert Barton started another ski area called Weiss Knob Ski Area. It was located on Weiss Knob, which is above the old Cabin Mountain site. This area had a T-bar lift and three rope tows across 60 acres (0.24 square kilometers).
In 1959, the state of West Virginia bought this land. So, Barton opened a new "Weiss Knob Ski Area" on Bald Knob, another part of Cabin Mountain. This new spot opened in the fall of 1959. It had four rope tows and was the first place in West Virginia to use snowmaking equipment! In its first winter, a lot of snow fell, covering the equipment and closing the area for the year. This resort stayed open until 1970. Barton closed it because the new Canaan Valley Resort was about to open.
The State Park is Born
In 1957, the state of West Virginia started buying land to help grow the ski industry. A generous person named Sarah Maude Thompson Kaemmerling gave 3,149 acres (12.74 square kilometers) to the state. She asked the state to buy another 3,000 acres (12.14 square kilometers) to match her gift. The state bought more than 30 properties between 1964 and 1970.
Finally, in 1971, the Canaan Valley Resort State Park was officially created. It was built around the ski slopes at the southern end of the Valley. In 1972, an 18-hole golf course was also built there. The main lodge at Canaan Valley Resort State Park opened in 1977. The park has been very popular, and other private ski places have opened nearby and in other parts of the state too.
Canaan Valley Resort
| Canaan Valley | |
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| Location | Canaan Valley Tucker County West Virginia, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Davis |
| Coordinates | 39°01′25″N 79°27′57″W / 39.02361°N 79.46583°W |
| Vertical | 850 ft (259 m) |
| Top elevation | 4,280 ft (1,305 m) |
| Base elevation | 3,430 ft (1,050 m) |
| Skiable area | 91 acres (0.37 km2) |
| Runs | 39 |
| Longest run | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) |
| Lift system | 3 chairlifts, 1 tow |
| Lift capacity | 6,000 per hour |
| Terrain parks | 2 |
| Snowfall | 150 inches (380 cm) |
| Snowmaking | 75% of trails |
| Night skiing | Fri-Sat to 8 pm 50% of trails |
Canaan Valley Resort opened for skiing in 1971. It's located on the same spot as the first Weiss Knob Ski Area. It has 49 ski trails, one terrain park, and a fun snow tubing area.
A chairlift and a "magic carpet" (a moving conveyor belt) help skiers get to the beginner area. This area is on the far right side of the mountain. Most of the other trails are marked as more difficult or most difficult. These blue and black slopes usually go down the mountain at a similar steepness. A triple chairlift and a quad chairlift take you to the top of the mountain. The quad chairlift also has a middle stop, where beginners are encouraged to get off because the top part of the mountain is steeper.
Things to Do and Places to Stay
Canaan Valley Resort State Park has a large lodge with 160 rooms. There are also 23 cabins and cottages, and 34 campsites if you prefer camping.
The park offers many fun activities. You can explore hiking trails and bike trails. Of course, there's the ski area for winter fun. There's also an 18-hole championship-level golf course designed by Geoffrey Cornish. In 2016, a special launch site for paragliding was opened on Cabin Mountain. You can even reach it using the ski lift!
See also
