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| SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN Snowshoe Mountain is a ski resort located near Snowshoe, West Virginia, in the Allegheny Mountains. The "mountain" is actually the bowl shaped convergence of two mountains — Cheat and Back Allegheny — at the head of Shavers Fork. Cheat reaches its peak elevation here (Thorny Flat: 4,848 feet/1,478 meters), the second highest point in the state. Snowshoe is unusual among ski resorts in that its village is located at the mountain's summit, rather than at its base. Snowshoe has gained prominence also as a four-season destination, with extensive mountain biking trails, a popular golf course, wedding and convention areas, along with summer outdoor activities. The resort comprises the Snowshoe and Silver Creek ski areas. About 480,000 skiers visit the resort each year, primarily from West Virginia and the larger cities of the Mid- Atlantic and Southeast. Snowshoe Mountain opened to skiing on December 13, 1974. The area had been logged from about 1905 to 1960, after which it was virtually barren and abandoned. Thomas "Doc" Brigham discovered the mountain and believed it would be a good location to build a new ski resort. Brigham, a dentist from North Carolina, had previously opened the Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain ski areas. The ski trails and lifts were given names that recalled the history of logging such as Grab Hammer, J-Hook, Ball Hooter, and Skidder. Two trails, Shay's Revenge and Heisler Way, were named for brands of gear-driven steam locomotives that ferried men and logs around the mountains during the logging era. Although Brigham had high hopes for Snowshoe, the mountain went through a difficult first decade plagued by financial problems. Over the next several years, though, the resort's reputation and popularity would grow, and in 1992 it purchased the Silver Creek ski area which is just a half mile away. The resort was purchased in 1995 by Intrawest, a Canadian ski-resort operator which specializes in creating or expanding commercial opportunities at its mountain resorts through village-style commercial and condominium real estate development. In 1999, Intrawest opened the Rimfire Lodge, its first development in what it called (at the time) The Wildcat Village. The village expanded rapidly, with additional condominium-hotel developments opening over the coming years, including Highland House, two phases of Allegheny Springs, The Seneca, and Expedition Station. Some might argue that it all happened too rapidly; indeed a slopeside condo building called Eight Rivers was to have broken ground in 2007, but instead the resort built on that site a small ski lift called a Magic Carpet. In addition to the central village, Intrawest has also assisted developing "outside neighborhoods," including Soaring Eagle Lodge and Sawmill Village, both which were developed independently. In 2006, Intrawest was acquired by the private equity firm Fortress Investment Group. Intrawest continues to operate as an independent unit of Fortress. The Snowshoe area of the resort is located on Cheat Mountain. Cheat's highpoint is Thorny Flat, which reaches the resort's highest elevation of 4,848 feet (1,478 m). The resort makes up 234 acres (0.95 km²) in total, which includes the Snowshoe Mountain and Silver Creek areas; the mountains have a total of 60 slopes and trails and two trails (Cupp Run and Shay's Revenge) which feature a 1,500 feet (457 m) vertical drop. The mountain summit receives an average of 15 feet (4.6 m) of snowfall each winter. Snowshoe had originally been envisioned as a four season destination, although it would take years for mountain bike and horseback riding trails to become a significant draw. One key advantage for the mountain has continued to be its cooler temperatures, due to its elevation. With a mean temperature of 28 °F (-2.2 °C) in January and 68 °F (20.0 °C) in July, Snowshoe can be considerably cooler than nearby areas at lower elevations. |