Snowshoe actually counts as two resorts, Snowshoe and Silver Creek, with a total of 57 ski runs and 14 lifts (2 fixed and 2 detachable quads, plus 7 triples and three surface lifts).
The longest trail is a mile and a half, and the vertical drop is 1,500 feet…I know this may sound inauspicious compared to Western destinations, but it’s more than any other ski area in the Southeast. The powder also beats anything south of New England and East of the Rockies.
For the boarders and freestylers, 2 impressive terrain parks offer hundreds of feet of halfpipe among many other features. The resort’s billion-dollar expansion came almost exactly at the same time as snowboarding’s rise, so it’s no wonder Snowshoe is developing along those lines.
One of my favorite aspects of snowshoe is that the resort is “upside-down”, with nearly everything at the top instead of at the bottom of the mountain. Considering the size of the mountain, you need not worry too much about altitude complications (the oxygen tank will probably not be necessary). It does make for an excellent view from your lodging, though!
If you haven’t been to Snowshoe in the last decade, you’re probably unprepared for the changes. What used to be a spartan getaway for die-hard ski fans has become something that would very much like to be a world-class resort (less blue-collar and more bleu cheese, so to speak).
There’s plenty of good and bad in the change, depending upon your point of view. If celebrity-spotting and nightlife thrills you, and you value comfort and convenience, you’re in for a treat. However, the trade-off is predictable: higher prices, bigger crowds (on and off the snow), and a generally more pretentious and trendy atmosphere.
Bottom Line: Snowshoe’s ideal visitors are skiers who wish Vail or Aspen were located a thousand-odd miles to the Southeast. Relatively affluent groups and families will have a blast with reasonably high-quality skiing and possible celebrity-spotting.